Repeated episodes of senseless carnage have, unfortunately, kept mass murder as one of the top news stories of recent years. And when we associate a face with our collective fears, we easily recall the disturbing image of a young man in Isla Vista, California detailing on video his deadly plan of revenge for his failed attempts to find romance in his life. Or, we envision the wild-eyed, orange-haired Colorado man sitting motionless in court after having turned a local movie theater into his personal battle zone.

Notwithstanding the unspeakable horror and dread sparked by these and several other high-profile massacres in public places, the more typical form of mass murder involves private turmoil within the family. According to USA TODAY’s database on incidents since 2006, just over 50% of mass murders involve intimates — spouses, ex-spouses and other relatives.

USA Today