Serial killers commonly have a signature, a pattern to their madness. Cunanan's alleged victims, on the other hand, include a former lover, a Chicago real-estate mogul, and a cemetery worker killed for a truck. By contrast, Versace was shot point-blank in the back of the head. Definitions of spree killing are as varied as the opinions on whether Cunanan really is one. Serial killers may go about their business, murdering on the side.
Spree killers make homicide a full-time job.
To some, the suspect brings to mind spree killer Christopher Wilder, a handsome race-car driver who killed a string of fashion models in 1984. Serial or spree, the hallmark of the multiple murderer, experts say, is selfishness. Cunanan's point, if he is guilty, is the subject of wide speculation. In Versace, experts surmise, the suspect may have seen an icon of the gay community. Some experts believe serial murder, in whatever variety, is on the rise.