They are the kind of killers who often plot and plan their attacks over a period of time, with the intent of making a big statement in a single incident. Then there are spree killers, who are rarer. They are the type who flame out over a short period of time, usually a few days. Killers like Charles Starkweather are spree killers. They are the meteorites of the psychopath universe, burning out brilliantly over a short period of time.
Serial killers are different.
They are rarely in a hurry. They are methodical in their carnage. Serial killers are the comets. They blaze through the night and disappear into the blackness only to return again and again to kill. Organized serial killers, according to models developed by the FBI and other experts, target strangers and tend to travel some distance from home to kill.