Ronald Dominique Case – Key Points

Case: Ronald Dominique, small-community killer.

Victims: about 23 missing; not all were prostitutes; some were, some not. Victim pool from nearby roads and towns; communities are small, so disappearances stand out more.

Modus operandi:

• Lured people walking along roads with the idea of sex or drugs; sometimes used a ruse about his wife.

• Offered money to engage in sex; invited them back, then tied them up.

• If victims weren’t willing to be tied up, he let them go (he could not kill those who resisted).

• Some victims were killed, some were not; tying up was a major feature of the pattern.

How he got caught: his policy of letting unwilling victims go and the overall pattern contributed to his capture.

Sociological framing discussed to explain the crime: two (plus) key developments

• Front stage / backstage (Goffman)

• Looking-glass self (Cooley)

• Routine Activities Theory (familiar concept)

Core idea: to understand the crime, examine how space, social perception, and routine activities create opportunities and meanings for wrongdoing.