Enrique Zúñiga releases new book on extreme violence and overkill

Criminologist Enrique Zúñiga has released a new book titled ‘Crímenes atroces’ (Atrocious Crimes), published by Grijalbo. The work examines the social logic and motivations behind extreme violence, including serial killings, feminicides, and massacres.

A central theme of the book is the concept of ‘overkill’—attacks where the injuries inflicted significantly exceed what is necessary to cause death. Zúñiga explores how such excessive violence can serve functions beyond killing, such as intimidation, the exercise of power, or sending specific messages. Drawing on over two decades of professional experience in prisons and human rights, the author utilizes testimonies from thousands of incarcerated individuals to analyze the circumstances surrounding extreme homicide and the psychological or social structures that drive it.