DR Ann Burgess was instrumental in developing the FBI playbook for profiling serial killers that is still in use today.
Here’s everything we know about the pioneering psychiatric nurse who inspired crime shows including Mindhunter.
Dr Ann Burgesshas profiled some of the most infamous serial killers of all time[/caption]
Who is Dr Ann Burgess?
Dr Ann Wolbert Burgess was born in Newton, Massachusetts on October 2, 1936.
She is a pioneering forensic nurse and researcher who has made significant contributions to the fields of victimology, criminal profiling and forensic nursing.
Dr Burgess also currently works as a professor at the William F. Connell School of Nursing at Boston College.
Early Career and groundbreaking research
In the 1970s, Dr Burgess co-founded one of the first hospital-based crisis counseling programs at Boston City Hospital.
Her groundbreaking work began with a study conducted alongside sociologist Lynda Lytle Holmstrom, where they interviewed nearly 150 rape victims to understand the emotional and traumatic effects of sexual violence.
Their research led to the coining of the term “rape trauma syndrome” and challenged prevailing notions about sexual assault — arguing that it was more about power and control than the act of sex itself.
FBI collaboration
Dr Burgess’s innovative approach to understanding sexual violence caught the attention of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit (BSU) in the late 1970s.
She was invited to lecture at the FBI Academy in Quantico.
This marked the beginning of her involvement in the development of criminal profiling techniques.
Criminal profiling
Working alongside FBI agents, Dr Burgess played a crucial role in refining the approach to interviewing and analyzing data from violent offenders.
She participated in groundbreaking interviews with some of the most notorious serial killers of all time, including Ted Bundy and Charles Manson.
Dr Burgess was involved in profiling the “Co-Ed Killer” Ed Kemper — a 6ft 9inch necrophile who butchered 10 victims, including his own mum.
She also assisted in getting inside the mind of “Bind, Torture, Kill” Dennis Rader — a sexual sadist who also killed ten.
“The Boy Scout Killer” John Joubert, who murdered three boys, is also among the murderers she helped profile.
You never get comfortable with the idea of serial killers
Dr Ann Burgess
Her expertise in victimology and trauma provided valuable insights that helped shape the FBI’s methods for hunting serial killers.
Dr Burgess told The Sun Online that some of the offenders she encountered were actually “very likeable” despite their heinous crimes.
She said: “Many of them would be psychopathic and they’d be able to manipulate the person that they’re talking to.
“The key was not getting manipulated but still being able to see them as persons that have important information, certainly from a research standpoint.
Dr Burgess helped the FBI to find ‘patterns’ between serial killers[/caption]
“But some of the serial killers were actually likeable — if you didn’t know what they had done.
“The likeable part of them is what comes through in the interview.”
Publications and recognition
Dr Burgess co-authored several influential works, including the 1992 Crime Classification Manual and Sexual Homicide: Patterns and Motives.
In 2022, Burgess released her memoir A Killer by Design: Murders, Mindhunters, and My Quest to Decipher Criminal Minds.
Dr Burgess analysed “Co-Ed Killer” Ed Kemper[/caption]
Co-author Steven Constantine described her approach as being “through the lens of the victim” and helped others to recognise victims “help solve the case”.
In her book, Dr Burgess writes: “You never get comfortable with the idea of serial killers.
“You never feel complacent. Or at least I didn’t. But it is possible to get desensitized.”
Impact
Throughout her career Dr Burgess has been a strong advocate for victims’ rights and has played a significant role in advancing the field of forensic nursing.
She has been instrumental in establishing sexual assault nurse examiner programs, which have improved evidence collection and victim care.
Legacy in popular culture
Dr Burgess’ work has been the inspiration behind various media adaptations and incarnations.
She inspired the character of Dr Wendy Carr in David Fincher’s hit Netflix show Mindhunter.
In July 2024, Hulu’s Mastermind: To Think Like A Killer was released, showcasing her remarkable career and contributions to criminal psychology.
The three-part docueseries was produced by Hollywood stars Dakota and Elle Fanning.
