XYY CHROMOSOME DISORDER?
The New York serial killer Arthur Shawcross, dubbed by the media ‘The Monster of the Rivers’, suffers from what he calls ‘a rare genetic disorder’. I interviewed him twice at the Sullivan Correctional Facility, in September 1994.
This claim made by Shawcross – which is substantiated by many of America’s leading authorities in the field who subscribe to the theory that XYY abnormalities may be the cause of violent and homicidal behaviour – confirms that he is certainly suffering from an extremely rare biochemical imbalance linked to a rare XYY genetic disorder. It is contended that this genetic mix could be at least part of the reason why he commited such antisocial acts of violence.
Looking back to his formative years there was well-documented evidence, even then, to show that Shawcross was displaying signs of antisocial behaviour during this period of his life. We know he was bullied before the worm finally turned and he became a bully and sadist himself. The roots of his evil had already been planted by this time. Indeed, this genetic disorder was within him from conception and might account for him being the only rotten apple in a basket of otherwise good fruit in regard to the rest of his family.
When I questioned the prison medical officer on this issue the doctor declined to confirm that Shawcross had any such problem. But a Dr Kraus, who spent months evaluating Shawcross, found solid evidence that Arthur does indeed have an XYY disorder. When I approached several of the world’s leading authorities, seeking clarification on the XYY phenomenon linked to antisocial behaviour, not surprisingly I received no clear answer.
With our present state of knowledge, it seems that chromosomal abnormality can only have a bearing on a minute fraction of the criminal population, and it is also necessary to consider the millions of people throughout the world who have an XYY abnormality and who exhibit no antisocial tendencies whatsoever. Consequently, while an XYY disorder might partly account for Shawcross’s behaviour it cannot provide the total picture.
There are a hundred million brain cells in the average person, and the presence of one extra chromosome in each cell equates to the presence of an additional one hundred billion chromosomes in the XYY male not normally present in the normal XY male.
World-respected geneticist Dr Arthur Robinson once screened 40,000 newborns for XYY, and he has claimed that about 2000 XYY males are born in the US each year. His research shows that two-thirds are thin, tall and awkward, with an IQ range of 80–140. Dr Robinson says: ‘these people are excitable, easily distracted, hyperactive, and intolerant of frustration. Fifty per cent are learning disabled (compared to 2–8 per cent in the general population) and most suffer delays in speech development.’ Many of these personality characteristics uncannily match Shawcross’s profile.
Dr Kraus has commented: ‘Studies report that the XYY male has a ten- to twenty-fold increase in his lifetime risk as compared to their incidence in the population of being institutionalised in a mental hospital or prison – a risk that is not trivial. XYY males have a much higher average rate of learning disability and are described as “problem children” who cause serious behavioural and management problems at home and school. Studies describe how at least some XYY boys show behavioural disability that makes them not only a great problem in family management, but also quite disparate from other family members in their behaviour altogether.’ This is a finding consistent with the early life history of Arthur Shawcross and his own frequently-reported belief that he was ‘different’ from the rest of his family members.
Personality characteristics associated with these children also describe them as drifters or loners disposed to running away from home, who, as they grow up, are frequently agitated, experiencing paedophilic urges, setting fires, threatening to kill others, molesting children, stealing and exhibiting moments of sudden violence and aggression. These are all the personality traits well documented in Shawcross’s life.
In an article entitled ‘Human Behavior Cytogenetics’, published in the Journal of Sex Research, Dr John Money adds weight to Dr Kraus’s claim. Dr Money wrote: ‘It seems perfectly obvious that an extra chromosome in the nucleus of every cell of the brain somehow or other makes the individual more vulnerable to the risk of developing mental behavioral disability or abnormalities.’
It seems that at the very least an XYY chromosome disorder is part of Shawcross’s problems. But what of the biochemical imbalance? In searching for a diagnosis in Shawcross’s case Dr Kraus turned his attention to blood and urine testing, where he hit upon a little-known fact revolving around kryptopyrrole. Indeed, so little was known about kryptopyrrole that half of the authorities Dr Kraus spoke to for advice had never heard of it, and the biochemistry laboratory at the University of Rochester didn’t know how to spell the word, replying: ‘it sounds like something out of a Superman movie, doesn’t it?’
During laboratory examination of Shawcross’s bodily fluids, Dr Kraus found that while the concentrations of copper, zinc, iron and histamines were all within the normal range expected to be found in a healthy person, one of the results from an analysis of urine showed unexpected findings. Kryptopyrrole showed H 200.66 mcg/100cc against an expected value 0–20. The ‘H’ was laboratory shorthand for ‘High’.
Kryptopyrrole comes from ‘kryptos’, the Greek word for ‘hidden’, while ‘pyre’ is a prefix for fire. The derivation is both Greek and Latin, and pyrrole is a combination word meaning ‘hidden fiery oil’. Thus, kryptopyrrole becomes ‘hidden fiery oil’, the chemical structure of which resembles other chemicals known to be toxic to brain function, such as LSD.
The presence of kryptopyrrole in elevated amounts, although not considered a sign of a particular or specific disease entity is, in abnormal amounts, considered a biochemical marker of psychiatric dysfunction, much like the reading of an elevated clinical thermometer. This biochemical metabolite (5 Hydroxy-kryptopyrrle Lactam) is normally present in humans in either very low amounts or not at all, and it can be detected in the urine, which may have a mauve-coloured appearance.
Feeling now that he was finally on to something, the indefatigable Dr Kraus burned even more midnight oil, and in doing so learned that any kryptopyrrole reading of 20mcg/100cc was cause for concern. Shawcross’s readings were a massive ten times higher than this already incredible amount.
Kryptopyrrole is also related to bile, and when excessive amounts are present can combine with vitamin B6 and zinc to cause a metabolic defect called ‘pyroluria’. This proved to be another clue to understanding Shawcross, for pyrolurics function well in controlled settings of low stress, proper diet and predictability. Apart from the initial settling down periods, which are common to all prison inductees, Shawcross has always been quite at home within the structured prison system where he enjoys a balanced diet. Conversely, pyrolurics, such as Shawcross, appear to fare poorly outside of controlled conditions. Unable to control anger once provoked, they have mood swings, cannot tolerate sudden, loud noises, are sensitive to bright lights and tend to be ‘night’ people. They usually skip breakfast, have trouble recalling night dreams and they suffer poor short-term memory, so they make bad liars. Sometimes, they lack pigment in the skin and are therefore pale. The hair is prematurely grey and they have a diminished ability to handle stress. As such, they may be very dangerous and constitute a risk to the public – all of which matches Arthur identically.
All of this shows Shawcross’s personality and behaviour in an interesting light. Dr Kraus argues that the symptoms manifested by Arthur Shawcross correlated in every way with one suffering from the abnormally elevated levels of this toxic chemical invasion. Parental disorientation, abnormal ECGs, general nervousness, progressive loss of ambition, poor school performance and decreased sexual potencies are all symptoms and all are embedded in this serial killer’s personal history.
The
