Update: Alton Nolen Was in the "Process of Being Terminated"

As Allah notes, this is a classic trigger for workplace murders, having nothing to do with religion.

When I say "the process of being terminated," I mean that in specific present tense: He was actually being fired in the very minutes before his rampage.

That doesn't mean religion doesn't have anything to do with this -- Why was he being fired? Was it due to his attempts to convert co-workers while on the job?

And his choice of manner of murder is suggestive.

However, it should be said that the motive here is not clear. I suspect a mixture of motives -- sudden distress plus certain thoughts already lurking around his brain -- but we don't know that yet.

Signature: Why behead the woman?

Beheading, I imagine, is a fairly long process, requiring a lot of muscular effort.

It is harder and takes longer than stabbing.

It does seem to be message-sending. Or a signature.

Profilers distinguish between M.O. and signature. M.O. are the steps taken to perform the crime -- and are needed to perform the crime.

But "signatures" (in ritualistic murders) aren't needed to do the crime. They are done because they are important to the killer for emotional, ritual purposes.

Cutting off a lock of the victim's hair, for example, is a signature.

Binding a victim is usually just an M.O., if the killer wants to carry the victim off. To do so, he must tie her up.

But tying her up with specific knots, like maybe those used in S&M stuff, is a signature. Not actually necessary to carry the crime out, but important to the perp for reasons that don't have to do with mere utility.

The beheading seems to be that kind of thing.

The crime was murder. That was easily accomplished by stabbing.

The beheading was unnecessary, but obviously something important to Alton Nolen, or else why spend the time and muscle-power to do it?

That seems to be a clear signature, and so the obvious question is: Why was this signature important to him?

Reminder: I'm not just being an anti-Muslim Islamophobe in asking these questions.

IS recently called upon the faithful to rise up and begin butchering people in America and France.

In Algeria, a French national named Herve Gourdel was kidnapped and then beheaded.

Now, in America, an American woman is beheaded in a frenzy-attack.

Different methods -- the Algerian beheading was a group effort, and was coordinated, whereas the American beheading seems to have been what the FBI would call a "disorganized" type of attack, and seemingly impromptu -- but nevertheless, one Frenchman and one American woman beheaded, just as IS asked.

These are not idle questions and they're not asked without reason.

posted by Ace at 12:53 PM

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