What If There Were a REAL Jigsaw Killer?

John Kramer was diagnosed with terminal, inoperable cancer and becomes a ruthless serial killer by name Jigsaw.  Jigsaw targets those who have not appreciated their own life, or have somehow neglected the common gifts of life and living that John Kramer has realized he is being denied. The victims of a Jigsaw death in any of the Saw movies suffer incredible pain through insanely creative mechanical traps and torture devices. The victims experience unimaginable agony as they are forced to sacrifice comfort, blood and often body parts in order to survive.  Could there be a real life Jigsaw killer? Could any human being put another through the traps and torture available throughout the horror flicks? Let’s break down what a real Jigsaw killer might be like and go from there!

What Would a Real Jigsaw Killer Look Like?

John Kramer is an elderly man, and thus has had the luxury of experiencing a near-full life. Because he has recently been diagnosed with a terminal cancer, the audience finds reason to feel sympathy for him. Similarly, John is able to have sympathy for himself given his predicament.  Because he is terminally ill and so incredibly talented in his killings, it is likely a real life Jigsaw killer would be older as well…well-learned and skilled in a mechanical trade.  While a real life Jigsaw may not necessarily be elderly, he or she most likely would be terminally ill like John Kramer.

Horror Enthusiast speculates it would require an extreme change in someone’s life, leaving them feeling broken and unable to fix themselves, in order to spawn a killer that is this sadistic in trap and torture.  Having a terminal illness (or a similar tragedy such as losing a spouse or child) also provides the self-justification necessary to proceed with the sadistic plot.

Furthermore, a real life Jigsaw killer would likely be wealthy, having done well for themselves working their way up the ladder or inheriting some degree of wealth.  This is a suggested necessary asset of a real life Jigsaw killer due to the expensive devices and traps, as well as the time needed to create such contraptions and plans.  Although it is arguable that a completely broke individual could devise and proceed with a real life string of Saw-like killings, it would most certainly be easier to accomplish with a sizable bankroll.

How Would a Real Jigsaw Killer Kill?

Almost everyone, whether a fan or not, has seen at least part of one Saw movie.  Whether being dragged to a movie one time, catching a glimpse while a sibling is watching it on an airplane, or becoming a full-time Saw fan and movie-addict, almost everyone knows how the death scenes go down in the Saw franchise.  Lots of blood. Lots of gore. Lots of bodies.

But more important than ridiculous pools of blood all over the movies, is the amount of metal seen in throughout the films. Metal is everywhere.  The characters are normally kidnapped and transported to a new location where they are trapped by metal barricades, doors and hatches which almost never open.  They are then forced to remove one of many devices on their body, remove an item from their body, remove parts of their body, or otherwise push themselves through immense physical pain in order to escape.  The amount of metal used in the Saw films is astronomical. It is important in trapping the victim, retaining the victim as a prisoner, and in brutally forcing the victim to kill themselves. There is no end to the cruelty these traps may employ.

A real life Jigsaw killer would be skilled in mechanical engineering, structural engineering, medicine and sciences (specifically anatomy, biology, chemistry, and physics), as well as a number of other necessities.  It would be helpful to understand electricity, psychology, and basic survival techniques, in order to devise the most creative and sadistic traps which understand a human’s thought process and their anticipated reactions to the traps.  Abandoned buildings or rooms would be required and rigged in a way to kill, only to be found at a later date (no clean up necessary). 

How Would a Real Life Jigsaw Choose His or Her Victims?

Most of his victims lack the knowledge of things one learns in a longer lifespan, thus not having the same opportunity as Jigsaw to right their own wrongs.  This unsympathetic approach is interesting given John has been diagnosed with a cancer that is killing him.  It could be speculated this is the exact reason he chooses his victims: he has no control over his fate and his life is ending, therefore develops natural disdain towards those who choose to end their life through self-abuse and self-neglect.

In the Saw movies, the youngest victim Jigsaw has targeted was a teenager (who ultimately survived).  Usually, however, Jigsaw chooses victims in their 20s, 30s or 40s. This is probably because they are more interesting to see on screen…however, in real life, a Jigsaw copycat would probably have no problem widening the range to all ages.

Have There Been Any Real Murders Like From the Saw Movies?

Yes, there have absolutely been some real life murders which resemble those from the Saw movies.  There are killers who have been inspired by the films.  There are also conspiracies to recreate many of the Saw movie scenes which were foiled before they could be hatched. There have even been rashes of prank phone calls mimicking the voice of Jigsaw.

Check out Is There a Real Killer Like Jigsaw from Saw to read about some Saw-inspired crime!

Final Words About a Real Life Jigsaw

Although there has not been a real life John Kramer who even remotely closely compares to the fictional serial killer, there are most definitely Saw inspired deaths.  There are also infinite possibilities and combinations for human creativity, mechanical traps, and devious plots. A real life John Kramer, Jigsaw killer is most definitely possible. A real life “Saw” is absolutely possible. History and countless murder files show that there is no limit to human cruelty. Fortunately, however, society has been spared from suffering the fate of an actual Saw movie…except for the minimal inspiration of a murder or two here and there anyway.