We all know that feeling when we’re out alone at night, and our mind starts playing games with us. You can be in the safest neighborhood on Earth, but your mind will still plant the thought of “what if?” in your mind. For some, though, these thoughts unfortunately came true. It’s hard to imagine the terror for a regular person, but the famous serial killers on this list were genuinely terrifying. You can get chills running down your spine by just reading about them. Imagine living at the time and in the area when they were active. No horror movie can even come close.
While most of these famous murderers were active in the ‘80s and ‘90s, it’s still terrifying to think of. Most of us witness scary things at some point in our lives, but the terror of not having any remote communication tools and being alone in a dark alley is nothing compared to the worries of today. Some terrifying people are still around, but at least if something happens, we have significantly advanced infrastructure around. Phones, law enforcement, and GPS trackers greatly increase our safety, whichever of the scary travel destinations we choose.
It’s hard to wonder just what made them act in a way that they did. What makes a regular person a murderer? That is the question you’d have to spend hours of research on to answer. And to make matters worse, some of the most prolific serial killers looked like your regular Joe, a friendly neighbor you break bread with on BBQ weekends. You’d think you might have overheard some chilly conversations at some point if they were so close, but you couldn’t be more wrong.
Take your time and explore this terrifying list of famous serial killers. We warn you, though, it’s no easy read. So, prepare yourself for some extreme gut-wrenching. Share this list with those also interested in serial killers and chilly stories. Most important of all, stay safe.
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John Wayne Gacy, The Killer Clown
In the 1970s, John Wayne Gacy led an apparently everyday life as a successful Chicago businessman and a respected member of his community. But it wasn’t long before he was dubbed The Killer Clown due to his participation in charity and fundraising events where he would dress as a clown to entertain children. Gacy was arrested in 1978 after the police found the bodies of 33 young men and teenagers buried in the walls and basement of his home. He was convicted and executed by lethal injection in 1994.
Gary Ridgway, The Green River Killer
With 49 victims (and many others suspected but never confirmed), the Green River Killer is the most prolific serial killer in the U.S. after Samuel Little. Most of Ridgway’s victims were sex workers and women in vulnerable circumstances, including teenage runaways. The press gave him his nickname after his first victims were found in the Green River around Seattle.
Ted Bundy
Ted Bundy was handsome, charismatic, and well-liked on the outside. But this facade merely masked a sadistic and sociopathic personality that would lead him to kill women and young girls during his reign as a murderer from 1974 to 1978. After years of denial, he confessed to killing more than 30 victims, but it’s believed that he may have actually killed more than 36 people across seven states. Ted Bundy was so cold-hearted that even one member of his last defense team described him as “the very definition of heartless evil.”
Jeffrey Dahmer, The Milwaukee Cannibal
Who has never heard of him? Famous for eating and preserving body parts, Jeffrey Dahmer was caught after one of his victims managed to escape and lead the police back to his home. There, the police officers found some severed heads and proceeded with the arrest. Dahmer was later sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 17 boys and men. He was beaten to death in 1994 by a fellow inmate who swore God told him to do it.
My older brother lives in Milwaukee and Jeffrey worked in the adjacent building to his workplace at the time. He said he probably passed him every day. He had such a nondescript look. The one that really angered me was when the homophobic police returned that young boy to him that he ended up murdering and made fun of their "lovers quarrel".
There used to be a documentary about him (I think it was on Netflix) where people close to him spoke. I don't remember too much, but there was a woman (a neighbor) who said he shared sandwiches with them. She's still tormented and worried about what she was fed that day.
Load More Replies...Not gonna lie, that inmate would’ve been me- I’m not homicidal!
I would have f**kin pissed my pants if I had such a nightmare
Load More Replies...Luis Garavito, The Beast
Active in Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela in the ’90s, Luis Garavito confessed to killing at least 193 boys and teenagers, most of whom were homeless and came from poor neighborhoods. Despite his confession, which already makes him an incredibly prolific murderer, he’s suspected of killing more than 300 children. The Beast was charged with a 40-year sentence (the maximum allowed by Colombian law at the time), but this was later reduced to 22 years for helping the police find some of the bodies. He’ll be eligible for parole in 2023.
Who Are the Most Notorious Serial Killers of All Time?
There is no unit of measurement to weigh just how notorious serial killers were. It’s sickening to call one more “merciful” and the others more notorious. And we can only assume the level of their tortures. There are some creepy pics around, but we believe that an average person's brain just couldn’t comprehend the absolute nightmare the victims had to endure. However, one thing that might show who was the most flashy with their “methods” is the popularity of their names across social media, even after all these years.
Some of the most popular notorious serial killers include names like:
- Jack the Ripper
- Jeffrey Dahmer
- Harold Shipman
- H.H. Holmes
- Pedro Lopez
- Ted Bundy
Digging into it, we could probably find even more names who made their mark in this category. But honestly, the fact that there are even categories is beyond sickening. The level of cruelty is so high that even if someone escaped their attacker, that scary experience would be so hard to believe you’d think they’re making it up. So we’ll leave it up to you to decide who was the most cruel on this list.
Richard Ramirez, The Night Stalker
Richard Ramirez’s murderous rampage in California in the 1980s earned him the reputation as one of the most famous American serial killers. He was arrested in 1985 and was convicted, among other crimes, for the murder of 13 people, for which he never showed any remorse. In 2021, Netflix released a documentary about him featuring first-person interviews, footage, reenactments, and original photos related to the case.
This MF tormented my life. I was 17 and living with just my single mom when he was on his rampage. I live in Los Angeles and my mom and I were absolutely terrified when he hit the next town over from us. He had no real pattern and was all over the map. I love that he was caught and taken down by that mob. The whole city was in such fear before that. I was afraid to sleep at night. They originally called him the "Walk In KIller".
Andrei Chikatilo, The Butcher Of Rostov
Frustrated by his chronic impotence, Andrei Chikatilo turned to violence to relieve his deep self-hatred. In 1978, he began to lure women and children from bus stops and train stations to abuse and murder them. He was finally caught by the Soviet police only several years later and was executed in 1994 for 52 murders, despite claiming he’d committed 56 killings.
Harold Shipman, Dr. Death
Just by that nickname, you can imagine where this is going. Dr. Harold Shipman, a British general practitioner from Nottingham, is widely considered one of the worst serial killers in modern history by number of victims. Convicted of 15 murders, police estimate the actual number adds up to 250 people who died under his care between 1975 and 1998. He hanged himself in his cell in 2004.
The Zodiac Killer
A killer with no name. The Zodiac Killer is the pseudonym of an unidentified person who left behind a series of unsolved murders committed in Northern California in the late 1960s. The Zodiac Killer was the first to use his nickname in a series of threatening letters and cards he mailed to regional newspapers. The Zodiac Killer’s case has captured the country’s attention and inspired amateur detectives to try and crack the case.
Edmund Kemper, The Co-Ed Killer
Edmund Kemper, noted for being 6 feet 9 inches tall and having an IQ of 145, is responsible for killing his grandparents at the age of 15. After spending several years in a maximum security facility, his killing spree continued. He ended up killing his mother, her best friend, and several college students, for which he requested the death penalty during his trial. He instead received eight life sentences.
He killed his grandparents when he was a teenager, they put him away. He got out, then after killing several girls, he finally killed his mother. He then said he was done and called the cops to come and get him. His mother was pretty rotten and I feel she helped in creating his murderous side.
Pedro Rodrigues Filho, The Brazilian Dexter
Brazilian convicted serial/spree killer known for pursuing and killing exclusively criminals as a teenager, between the age of 14 and 19, in particular an entire gang in response to the murder of his pregnant girlfriend. Officially sentenced for 71 murders but claiming to have killed over 100 drug dealers, r**ists, and murderers, he served 34 years in prison before his release in 2007. In 2011, Filho was imprisoned again on charges of inciting riot and deprivation of liberty while initially imprisoned and sentenced for to a further eight years of prison, before being released again in 2018 after seven years on good behavior. His victims included 47 prisoners (primarily r**ists) whom he murdered inside the prisons in which he was imprisoned.
Since his second release from prison in 2018, after announcing himself to be reformed from his self-declared vigilantism as a youth, and committed to not committing any more crimes, Filho is considered a Brazilian celebrity and YouTuber, maintaining a YouTube channel, commentating on modern crimes while educating the public that criminal acts are not something to be proud of.
Following Filho's initial planned 2003 release, author Jeff Lindsay began publishing a novel series about a fictional American serial killer of killers inspired by Filho, named Dexter Morgan.
At least he was killing other criminals, particularly the r**ists (who deserved it)
Rodney Alcala, The Dating Game Killer
American serial killer and s*x offender who was sentenced to death in California for five murders committed in the state between 1977 and 1979, and received an additional sentence of 25 years to life after pleading guilty to two homicides committed in New York in 1971 and 1977. While he has been conclusively linked to nine murders, Alcala's true number of victims remains unknown and could be much higher - authorities believe the actual number is as high as 130. Prosecutors have said that Alcala "toyed" with his victims, str**gling them until they lost consciousness, then waiting until they revived, sometimes repeating this process several times before finally killing them. One police detective described Alcala as "a killing machine," and others have compared him to Ted Bundy.
I love that the girl that chose him on The Dating Game decided not to go on the date because he was "creepy". Talk about intuition.
Belle Gunness, Hell's Belle
Norwegian-American serial killer who was active in Illinois and Indiana between 1884 and 1908. Gunness is thought to have killed at least fourteen people, most of whom were men she enticed to visit her rural Indiana property on the promise of marriage, while some sources speculate her involvement in as many as forty murders. Gunness seemingly died in a fire in 1908, but it is popularly believed that she faked her death. Her actual fate is unconfirmed.
She likely fed remains to her pigs; many boots were found in and around the pigsty. Interesting read.
Pedro López
Colombian serial killer and child r**ist who murdered a minimum of 110 young girls from 1969 to 1980 and claimed to have murdered over 300 victims across Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. Released from a Colombian mental facility in 1998, his whereabouts are currently unknown. López became known as the Monster of the Andes in 1980, when he purportedly led police to 53 graves in Ecuador of girls between 9 and 12 years of age.
What is the Top 10 of the Most Prolific Serial Killers?
Even when the criminal confesses their crimes, it might be hard for authorities to confirm all the details. It might be even more challenging in the case of worst serial killers, as most of them seek one thing and one thing only—fame. When caught, their options are limited, and the only thing left to satisfy themselves is increasing their notoriety. In the case of Donald Henry “Pee Wee” Gaskins Jr., just before his execution, he claimed to have murdered 110 people. However, only 15 of those have been confirmed, and his claim was discredited by law enforcement and journalists.
The Top 10 of the most prolific serial killers with the highest known number of victims are:
- 1. Luis Garavito, proven 193 victims - estimated at more than 300.
- 2. Pedro López, proven 110 victims - estimated at more than 300.
- 3. Javed Iqbal, proven 100 victims.
- 4. Mikhail Popkov, proven 78 victims - estimated at more than 83.
- 5. Daniel Camargo Barbosa, proven 72 victims - estimated at 180.
- 6. Pedro Rodrigues Filho, proven 71 victims - estimated at more than 100.
- 7. Kampatimar Shankariya, proven 70 victims - estimated at more than 70.
- 8. Yang Xinhai, proven 67 victims.
- 9. Samual Little, proven 60 victims - estimated at 93.
- 10. William Unek, proven 57 victims.
With numbers like these, it’s chilly to go out, even to get groceries. Fortunately, none of the mentioned above are active anymore; some died of natural causes, some were imprisoned, and others were even executed. But that didn’t stop any horrifying facts from coming out from these cases.
Karl Denke, The Forgotten Cann**al
German serial killer and cann**al who killed and cann**alized dozens of homeless vagrants and travelers from 1903 to 1924. He is often regarded as The Forgotten Cann**al. Denke also kept a ledger recording his murders. He is also believed to have sold the flesh of his victims as meat to unsuspecting customers (advertised as pork).
Ed Gein, The Butcher Of Plainfield
American murderer and body snatcher. Gein's crimes, committed around his hometown of Plainfield, Wisconsin, gathered widespread notoriety in 1957 after authorities discovered he had exhumed corpses from local graveyards and fashioned trophies and keepsakes from their bones and skin. Gein also confessed to killing two women. He was found legally insane and was remanded to a psychiatric institution. He died at Mendota Mental Health Institute of respiratory failure.
Albert Fish, The Brooklyn Vampire
American serial killer, r**ist, child mo**ster, and cann**al who was a suspect in at least five murders during his lifetime. He confessed to three murders that police were able to trace to a known homicide, and he confessed to stab**ng at least two other people. Fish once boasted that he "had children in every state", and at one time stated his number of victims was about 100. However, it is not known whether he was referring to rapes or cannibalization, nor is it known if the statement was truthful.
Elizabeth Bathory
Hungarian noblewoman and alleged serial killer from the family of Báthory, who owned land in the Kingdom of Hungary. Báthory and four of her servants were accused of torturing and killing hundreds of girls and women between 1590 and 1610. Her servants were put on trial and convicted, whereas Báthory was confined to her home. She was imprisoned within Castle of Csejte.
She was also rumoured to have bathed in her murdered/tortured maid/servants blood in an attempt to retain a youthful image, though that's just a rumour. Though, I never knew that any of her surviving servants were convicted. You'd think they'd be seen as victims, unless she had particular servants "in the know"
Aileen Wuornos
American serial killer. In 1989–1990, while engaging in street p***titution along highways in Florida, she sh*t dead and robbed seven of her male clients. Wuornos claimed that her clients had either r**ed or attempted to r*pe her, and that all of the homicides were committed in self-defense. Wuornos was sentenced to death for six of the murders and on October 9, 2002, after 12 years on Florida's death row, was executed by death row.
This one never had a chance. I'm not at all condoning what she did, but damn...talk about a messed up life.
Myra Hindley And Ian Brady, The Moors Murderers
The Moors murders were carried out by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley between July 1963 and October 1965, in and around Manchester, England. The victims were five children, aged between 10 and 17, at least four of whom were sexually assaulted. The pair were charged only for the murders three children and received life sentences under a whole life tariff.
Characterised by the press as "the most evil woman in Britain", Hindley made several appeals against her life sentence, claiming she was a reformed woman and no longer a danger to society, but was never released. She died in 2002, aged 60, after serving 36 years in prison.
Brady was diagnosed as a psychopath in 1985 and confined in the high-security Ashworth Hospital. He made it clear that he never wished to be released, and repeatedly asked to be allowed to die. He died in 2017, at Ashworth, aged 79.
Fred West
English serial killer, who committed at least twelve murders between 1967 and 1987 in Gloucestershire, most of them with his second wife, Rose West. All the victims were young women. At least eight of these murders involved the Wests' sexual gratification and included r*pe, bondage, torture, and mutil***on; the victims' dismembered bodies were typically buried in the cellar or garden of the West residence in Gloucester, which became known as the "House of Horrors". Fred is known to have committed at least two murders on his own; Rose is known to have murdered Fred's stepdaughter, Charmaine. The couple were arrested and charged in 1994.
Charles Ng
Hong Kong-born serial killer who committed numerous crimes in the United States. He is believed to have r**ed, tortured, and murdered between eleven and twenty-five victims with his accomplice Leonard Lake at Lake's cabin in Calaveras County, California, between 1983 and 1985. He is currently on death row at San Quentin State Prison.
Leonard Lake (Ng's partner in crime) was even more disgusting. Lake escaped justice by ingesting cyanide capsule when he was finally captured. I hope he's burning in hell. leonard-la...9336ce.jpg
Irina Gaidamachuk, The Satan In A Skirt
Russian serial killer who killed 17 elderly women in Sverdlovsk Oblast between 2002 and 2010. She would pretend to be a social worker to gain access to the homes of the women, where she would kill them with an axe or hammer, then rob the victim for whatever money she could find.
All of these just make me incredibly sad :( Can you imagine being an elderly person, not having a clue what's happening or why, watching someone who's supposed to help you club you to death? I hope no one can imagine that. It's a tragedy.
What Famous Serial Killers Were Never Caught?
You might wonder, what’s even more terrifying than a serial killer? Unfortunately, there is an answer for that—uncaught serial killers. They are the ones that either got away with their terrible crimes or met death earlier than the authorities could decypher their identity. The world will surely not miss them, but the mystery surrounding them leaves a bad taste in our mouths.
Some of the most famous serial killers who were never caught include:
- The Zodiac Killer
- The Alphabet Murders
- The Black Doodler
- The Long Island Killer
- Jack the Ripper
- Bible John
- The Highway of Tear Killer
- The Babbysitter Killer
- The Servant Girl Annihilator
- The Freeway Phantom
With names like these, you could think these are characters from Marvel superhero movies. While the practice of giving “cool” nicknames to serial killers raises some questions, you still wouldn’t want to see any of these names in your local newspaper.
Charles Cullen
American serial killer who confessed to murdering up to 40 patients during the course of his 16-year career as a nurse in New Jersey. However, in subsequent interviews with police, psychiatrists, and journalists, it became apparent that he had killed many more, whom he could not specifically remember by name though he could often remember details of their murders. Experts have estimated that Cullen may ultimately have been responsible for 400 deaths, which would make him the most prolific serial killer in recorded history. He has 29 confirmed victims. On March 2, 2006, Cullen was sentenced to eleven consecutive life sentences by Judge Armstrong in New Jersey, and he is not eligible for parole until 2388.
José Antonio Rodríguez Vega, El Mataviejas
Nicknamed El Mataviejas (The Old Lady Killer), was a Spanish serial killer who r**ed and killed at least 16 elderly women, ranging in age from 61 to 93 years old, in and around Santander, Cantabria, between August 1987 and April 1988. Rodríguez Vega was diagnosed as a psychopath who was a fastidiously neat individual. His killing was well organized in that he would first identify a victim, then observe her until he was familiar with every aspect of her routine. He would then make contact with the victim, try to gain her trust, using his charm and looks, until he gained access to her home, often under the guise of doing work to or around her home.
Some people you can see the evil radiating off of them .... This man has evil written all over his expression, as well as arrogance
Israel Keyes
American serial killer, bank robber, burglar, arsonist, kidnapper, r**ist, and necroph**e who murdered a minimum of three victims across the United States from June 2011 to February 2012. While awaiting trial, Keyes committed su**ide by hanging. Keyes targeted random people all across the United States to avoid detection with months of planning before he committed a particular crime.
Dean Corll
American serial killer and pederast who abducted, raped, tortured, and murdered a minimum of 28 teenage boys and young men between 1970 and 1973 in Houston and Pasadena, Texas. He was aided by two teenaged accomplices, David Owen Brooks and Elmer Wayne Henley. The crimes, which became known as the Houston Mass Murders, came to light after Henley fatally shot Corll. Upon discovery, it was considered the worst example of serial murder in U.S. history.
Richard Speck
American mass murderer who killed eight student nurses in their South Deering, Chicago, residence via stab***g, strangling, slas***g their throats, or a combination of the three on the night of July 13–14, 1966. One victim was also r**ed prior to her murder. A ninth potential victim, student nurse Corazon Amurao, survived by hiding beneath a bed. Speck died of a heart attack while incarcerated at Stateville Correctional Center on the eve of his 50th birthday.
ALL the nurses were raped/sexually assaulted before he killed them. Speck was so stupid he lost count of his captives and luckily Corazon survived by hiding. RIP to those lovely girls. victims-cr...0983c4.jpg
Jack Unterweger
Austrian serial killer who committed murder in several countries – Austria, West Germany, Czechoslovakia, and the United States. Initially convicted in 1974 of a single murder, Unterweger began to write extensively while in prison. His work gained the attention of the Austrian literary elite, who took it as evidence that he had been rehabilitated. After significant lobbying, Unterweger was released on parole in 1990. Upon his release, he became a minor celebrity and worked as a playwright and journalist, but within months he resumed killing women. Unterweger hanged himself in prison after being convicted of nine more murders in June 1994.
Imagine thinking a murderer deserves to be released from prison just because he's a good writer. Wtf?
Andrew Cunanan
American spree killer who murdered five people over three months from April 27 to July 15, 1997. His victims include Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace and Chicago real estate developer Lee Miglin. Cunanan committed su**ide on July 23, 1997, eight days after murdering Versace.
A spree killer is someone who murders multiple people in a very short amount of time in multiple locations. He's not a spree killer. You also forgot the fact that he murdered Gianni Versace
Paul John Knowles, The Casanova Killer
American serial killer tied to the deaths of 18 people in 1974, though he claimed to have taken 35 lives.
Why Did These Famous Murderers Were Undetected for So Long?
If there’s a thing that true crime shows have taught us, it’s that serial killers can blend among us in plain sight. They’re not the apparent bad guy in a trench coat or the psychopath with wild hair who screams at everyone they meet. Instead, they come off as perfectly normal people with regular jobs and normal families. Until one day, they show up at your doorstep and try to lure you into their world of deviance and mayhem, or they see you walking on the roadside and thinking you could be their next victim.
Some of the most famous serial killers in history were quite good at keeping their evil deeds secret for years before anyone found out what they were up to. Many made headlines for their horrifying crimes and got away with them for a long time before being caught. However, there are still countless cases with no rational explanation, even if the police captured the culprits.
Patrick Kearney, The Freeway Killer
American serial killer, zooph**e, p**rast, child mo**ster and necroph**e who murdered a minimum of 21 men and boys from 1962 to 1977 in southern California. Kearney may be among the most prolific serial killers in U.S. history, claiming possibly as many as 43 victims according to law enforcement.
Dennis Rader, The BTK Killer
American serial killer who, Between 1974 and 1991, killed ten people in Wichita and Park City, Kansas, and sent taunting letters to police and media outlets describing the details of his crimes. After a decade-long hiatus, Rader resumed sending letters in 2004, leading to his 2005 arrest and subsequent guilty plea. He is currently serving ten consecutive life sentences at the El Dorado Correctional Facility.
He never raped his victims because he thought - and I s**t you not- it was wrong to cheat on his wife.
Ottis Toole
American drifter and serial killer who was convicted of six counts of murder. Like his companion Henry Lee Lucas, Toole made confessions that he later recanted, which resulted in murder convictions. The discrediting of the case against Lucas for crimes for which Toole had offered corroborating statements created doubts as to whether either was a genuine serial killer or both were merely compliant interviewees who police used to clear unsolved murders from the books.
Well it's been proven that Henry Lee Lucas simply agreed to just about any murder police asked him about (though I believe the consensus is he did murder his girlfriend)
Samuel Little
American serial killer who confessed to murdering 93 women between 1970 and 2005. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)'s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP) has confirmed Little's involvement in at least 60 of the 93 confessed murders, the largest number of confirmed victims for any serial killer in United States history. On September 25, 2014, Little was found guilty and was sentenced to life imprisonment without possibility of parole.
Sometimes I think the rest of their life in prison is better then a death sentence, at least they don't get off that easy
Wayne Williams
American convicted murderer who is serving life imprisonment for the 1981 killing of two men in Atlanta, Georgia, and is believed to be responsible for at least 24 of the 30 Atlanta murders of 1979–1981, also known as the Atlanta Child Murders. He was never tried for the other murders (mostly of children).
Actually.... there's some evidence that possibly proves he was not the murderer & investigators are looking into this case again. I'm not convinced he didn't do it. But all of the evidence that they have off of him was collected & analyzed using methods that are not reliable & are considered junk science. Like the carpet fiber analysis which is what they were able to arrest him on. Fiber analysis is not reliable. Just like most of these methods. Fingerprints. Tire tracks. Bite comparison. Blood spatter. & so many more of these methods have lead to many people being wrongfully convicted of crimes. Yes, fingerprinting is not as reliable as they make it seems. It's done by human beings, dying out whether or not a fingerprint matches. Look at the case of the 2004 Madrid bombings. Blood spatter analysis was developed by a junkie in his basement hitting different things with different objects. There's no actual way to test these methods like you would for a actual experiment
Kenneth Bianchi, The Hillside Strangler
American serial killer, kidnapper, and r**ist. He is known for the 1977-79 Hillside Strangler murders committed with his cousin Angelo Buono Jr., as well as for murdering two more women in Washington by himself. Bianchi is currently serving a sentence of life imprisonment in Washington State Penitentiary for these crimes.
Moses Sithole, The ABC Killer
South African serial killer and r**ist who committed the ABC Murders, so named because they began in Atteridgeville, continued in Boksburg and finished in Cleveland, a suburb of Johannesburg. Sithole murdered at least thirty-seven women and one toddler between 16 July 1994 and 6 November 1995. He received a total effective sentence of 2,410 years.
Albert Desalvo, The Boston Strangler
American r**ist and serial killer in Boston, Massachusetts, who purportedly confessed to being the "Boston Strangler," the murderer of thirteen women in the Boston area from 1962 to 1964. In 1967, DeSalvo was imprisoned for life for committing a series of r**es.
Was never even tried as the Boston Strangler. Many doubt it was him.
Herbert Mullin
American serial killer who killed 13 people in California in the early 1970s. He confessed to the killings, which he claimed prevented earthquakes. In 1973, after a trial to determine whether he was insane or culpable, he was convicted of two murders in the first-degree and nine in the second-degree, and sentenced to life imprisonment. During his imprisonment, he was denied parole eight times.
This pond scum died last month. He was very sick, was killing people to make enough blood sacrifices to stop an earthquake from happening.
Carl Panzram
American serial killer, ra**st, p***rast, arsonist, robber, and burglar. In prison confessions and in his autobiography, Panzram confessed to having committed 21 murders, most of which could not be corroborated. He also confessed to having committed more than 1,000 acts of s**omy on boys and men. After a series of imprisonments and escapes, he was executed in 1930 for the murder of a prison employee at Leavenworth Federal Prison.
Only five of Panzram's confessed murders could be confirmed; however, he is suspected to have killed more than 100 men in total in the United States alone, as well as several murders overseas. He was quoted as saying "The only way to reform a man is to kill him."
Dennis Nilsen, The Muswell Hill Murderer
Scottish serial killer and necroph**e who murdered at least twelve young men and boys between 1978 and 1983 in London. Convicted at the Old Bailey of six counts of murder and two of attempted murder, Nilsen was sentenced to life imprisonment on 4 November 1983, with a recommendation that he serve a minimum of 25 years. This recommendation was later changed to a whole life tariff in December 1994. In his later years, Nilsen was imprisoned at Full Sutton maximum security prison.
David Tennant played him in what's classified as a crime drama called Des. From what I've seen on documentaries, the show was pretty faithful and felt more like a live-action documentary.
Beverley Allitt
English serial child killer who was convicted of murdering four children, attempting to murder three other children, and causing grievous bodily harm to a further six. The crimes were committed over a period of 59 days from February to April 1991 in the children's ward at Grantham and Kesteven Hospital, Lincolnshire, where Allitt was employed as a State Enrolled Nurse. She allegedly administered large doses of insulin to at least two of her victims, and a large air bubble was found in the body of another, but police were unable to establish how all the attacks were carried out. She received thirteen life sentences for the crimes.
Beverly Allitt was given a 30 year tariff and that expired last year, so she's technically eligible for parole if she can convince the parole board she's no longer a danger to the public. She's still in a high security psychiatric institution. Before she started her nurse training there were concerns raised about her psychological state. She failed her exams so couldn't be a state registered nurse, but was employed as an SEN because the ward was understaffed. Two of her victims were siblings-one was admitted with gastroenteritis but died suddenly, so the hospital asked the parents to bring in their other child in case they had an inheritable condition. That meant Allitt could attack her too-that baby survived but has brain damage and severe cerebral policy. The hospital paid compensation for her injuries, but denied liability (as in "it wasn't our fault we employed a homicidal maniac").
Joseph James DeAngelo, The Night Stalker
American serial killer, serial r**ist, burglar, and former police officer who committed at least 13 murders, 51 r**es, and 120 burglaries across California between 1974 and 1986. He is responsible for at least three separate crime sprees throughout the state, each of which spawned a different nickname in the press, before it became evident that they were committed by the same person. On August 21, 2020, DeAngelo was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
His crime spree was so lengthy, so horrifying. So glad they finally got him, but so sad it took so long.
Fritz Haarmann, The Butcher Of Hanover
German serial killer who committed the sexual assault, murder, mutil**ion and dism**berment of at least twenty-four young men and boys between 1918 and 1924 in the city of Hanover. Haarmann was found guilty of twenty-four of the twenty-seven murders for which he was tried and sentenced to death by beheading in December 1924.
Jack The Ripper
Unidentified serial killer active in the impoverished districts in and around Whitechapel in the East End of London in 1888. Attacks ascribed to Jack the Ripper typically involved female prost***tes who lived and worked in the slums of the East End of London.
The name "Jack the Ripper" originated in a letter written by an individual claiming to be the murderer that was disseminated in the media. The letter is widely believed to have been a hoax and may have been written by journalists to heighten interest in the story and increase their newspapers' circulation. The "From Hell" letter received by George Lusk of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee came with half of a preserved human kidney, purportedly taken from one of the victims. The public came increasingly to believe in a single serial killer known as Jack the Ripper, mainly because of both the extraordinarily brutal nature of the murders and media coverage of the crimes.
The women weren't prostitutes. They were poor, and couldn't afford permanent housing.
Larry Eyler
American serial killer who is believed to have murdered a minimum of twenty-one teenage boys and young men in a series of killings committed in the Midwest between 1982 and 1984. He is now sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.
Randy Kraft, The Scorecard Killer
American serial killer and r**ist who committed the r*pe, torture, and torture of a minimum of sixteen young men between 1972 and 1983, the majority of whom he killed in California. Kraft is also believed to have committed the r*pe and murder of up to fifty-one other young men and boys. He was convicted in May 1989 and is currently incarcerated on death row at San Quentin State Prison in Marin County, California.
David Berkowitz, The Son Of Sam
Also known as the Son of Sam, an American serial killer who pleaded guilty to eight shootings that began in New York City on July 29, 1976. Berkowitz eluded the biggest police manhunt in the city's history while leaving letters that mocked the police and promised further crimes, which were highly publicized by the press. He claimed to have been obeying the orders of a demon manifested in the form of a dog belonging to his neighbor "Sam". After being found mentally competent to stand trial, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to six consecutive life sentences in state prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. He subsequently admitted that the dog-and-devil story was a hoax.
During the mid-1990s Berkowitz, by then professing to be a converted evangelical Christian, amended his confession to claim that he had been a member of a violent Satanic cult that orchestrated the incidents as ritual murder. A new investigation of the murders began in 1996 but was suspended indefinitely after inconclusive findings.
Just how??? He was sentenced to 6! consecutive life sentences but eligible for parole after 25 years??? That's an awful lack of empathy from the judge who gave this sentence...
Sergei Ryakhovsky
Soviet-Russian serial killer, convicted for the killing of 19 people in the Moscow area between 1988 and 1993. Ryakhovsky was 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) tall and weighed 280 pounds (130 kg), claimed he began to feel "an irresistible desire for intimacy with a woman", and made several attempts to r*pe elderly women in the Golyanovo area of east Moscow.
Charles Manson
American criminal and musician who led the Manson Family, a cult based in California, in the late 1960s. Some of the members committed a series of nine murders at four locations in July and August 1969. In 1971, Manson was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder for the deaths of seven people, including the film actress Sharon Tate. The prosecution contended that, while Manson never directly ordered the murders, his ideology constituted an overt act of conspiracy.
Doris Days' son Terry Melcher was Mansons' Manager, he dropped Manson saying that he wouldn't make it as a Rock Star, which instigated Mansons downward spiral into rage. When Doris found out about Manson and his deluded cult ramblings and that he had been in her sons house, she persuaded him to move home . Mansons first killings was at Melchers' house, where Roman Polanski and his 8 months pregnant partner Sharon Tate now lived. It was thought that Manson was looking for Terry that day ...
Donald Henry "Pee Wee" Gaskins
American serial killer and r**ist from South Carolina who sta**ed, sh*t, drowned, and poisoned more than a dozen people. In May 1976 Gaskins was given 10 concurrent life sentences, to be served at Central Correctional Institution (CCI) prison in Columbia, South Carolina. While at CCI, Gaskins brutally murdered Rudolph Tyner, a fellow inmate, using C4 explosive. After his conviction for killing Tyner, he received his second death sentence. Just before his execution Gaskins would claim to have killed 110 people but, with few exceptions, these claims have been discredited by law enforcement and journalists who allege this was his attempt to gain notoriety.
William Bonin, The Freeway Killer
American serial killer, p**rast and s*x offender who committed the r*pe, torture, and murder of a minimum of twenty-one young men and boys in a series of killings in southern California from May 1979 to June 1980. Described by the prosecutor at his first trial as "the most arch-evil person who ever existed", Bonin was convicted of fourteen of the murders linked to the "Freeway Killer" in two separate trials. He was executed by lethal injection at San Quentin State Prison in 1996.
This censorship wild. I'm not sure one of those is even a word, but my brain is still waking up
Bobby Joe Long
American serial killer and r**ist who was executed by the state of Florida for the murder of Michelle Denise Simms. Long abducted, sexually assaulted, and murdered at least ten women in the Tampa Bay area in Florida during an eight-month period in 1984. He released 17-year-old Lisa McVey after 26 hours. McVey provided critical information to the police that enabled them to arrest Long. Long was also a serial r**ist. Long was sentenced to death for two of the ten murders he was suspected of committing. He was executed by lethal injection on May 23, 2019.
Joel Rifkin
American serial killer, who was sentenced to 203 years in prison for the murders of nine women between 1989 and 1993, though it is believed he had up to 17 victims.
Peter Kürten, The Vampire Of Düsseldorf
German serial killer who committed a series of murders and sexual assaults between February and November 1929 in the city of Düsseldorf. In the years before these assaults and murders, Kürten had amassed a lengthy criminal record for offences including arson and attempted murder. Described by Karl Berg as "the king of the sexual perverts", Kürten was found guilty of nine counts of murder and seven counts of attempted murder for which he was sentenced to death by beheading in April 1931.
Joachim Kroll
German serial killer, child mol**ter, necroph**e and cann**al who murdered a minimum of 8 women and young girls in the Ruhr metropolitan region from 1955 until his arrest on 3 July 1976. He was convicted of eight murders and one attempted murder, but confessed to a total of 14. He was sentenced to life imprisonment on 8 April 1982.
Gilles de Rais
Gilles de Rais was a knight and lord from Brittany, Anjou and Poitou, a leader in the French army, and a companion-in-arms of Joan of Arc. He is best known for his reputation and later conviction as a confessed serial killer of children. In his confession, Rais said he committed his first assaults on children between spring 1432 and spring 1433. Gilles testified that “when the said children were dead, he kissed them and those who had the most handsome limbs and heads he held up to admire them, and had their bodies cruelly cut open and took delight at the sight of their inner organs; and very often when the children were dying he sat on their stomachs and took pleasure in seeing them die and laughed”.
Béla Kiss
Hungarian serial killer. He is thought to have murdered at least 23 young women and one man, and attempted to murdered their bodies in large metal drums that he kept on his property. Kiss' eventual fate and exact number of victims remain unknown.
John George Haigh, The Acid Bath Murderer
English serial killer convicted for the murder of six people, although he claimed to have killed nine. Haigh batt**ed to death or shot his victims and disposed of their bodies using sulphuric acid before forging their signatures so he could sell their possessions and collect large sums of money. His actions were the subject of the television film A Is for Acid.
H. H. Holmes
American con artist and serial killer, the subject of more than 50 lawsuits in Chicago alone. Until his execution in 1896, he chose a career of crime including insurance fraud, swindling; check forging; 3 to 4 bigamous illegal marriages; murder and horse theft. He confesed to killing at least 28 people; however, through investigations and missing person's reports, it is believed that Holmes is responsible for up to 200 murders.
Much of the lore surrounding the "Murder Castle" along with many of his alleged crimes are considered likely exaggerated or fabricated for sensationalistic tabloid pieces. Many of these factual inaccuracies have persisted due to the combination of ineffective police investigation and hyperbolic tabloid journalism, which are often cited as historical record. Holmes gave various contradictory accounts of his life, initially claiming innocence and later that he was possessed by Satan. His propensity for lying has made it difficult for researchers to ascertain the truth on the basis of his statements.
I love how they list all of these heinous crimes and then there’s just ‘horse theft’
No HH Holmes? No serial killer list is complete without him (replace Charles Manson with Holmes)
I was wondering the same. The dude literally created a death hotel.
Load More Replies...If BP had as many obelisks as asterisks, this place would look like Highgate cemetery
You missed out the biggest serial killer of all time : Adolph Hitler. You may argue and say that he was a mass murderer and not a serial killer but as he continued to seek and murder over 40,000 people over 12 years I think it's fair to say he was one.
-_- Well I'm rather stupid. Horrifying that there are people in the world like this
Load More Replies...How Cannibal and strsngling are words you must censor? This makes no sense...
So glad these ones are caught. Scary to know there are many many more out there.
Imagine if those that brought in government policies that have lead to deaths were included.
I shall not be too judgmental in the future, but as of now, just about majority of the entries in this page deserve a special section of the Eternal Purgatory where they should be flayed, stabbed , bludgeoned etc for all eternity.
Seems like it's also a bad idea to live in California. Is it the heat? Humidity? Are there any common threads to the makings of a killer? If there were, would we use them for profiling and convict innocents all in the name of preventing any future murders?
No HH Holmes? No serial killer list is complete without him (replace Charles Manson with Holmes)
I was wondering the same. The dude literally created a death hotel.
Load More Replies...If BP had as many obelisks as asterisks, this place would look like Highgate cemetery
You missed out the biggest serial killer of all time : Adolph Hitler. You may argue and say that he was a mass murderer and not a serial killer but as he continued to seek and murder over 40,000 people over 12 years I think it's fair to say he was one.
-_- Well I'm rather stupid. Horrifying that there are people in the world like this
Load More Replies...How Cannibal and strsngling are words you must censor? This makes no sense...
So glad these ones are caught. Scary to know there are many many more out there.
Imagine if those that brought in government policies that have lead to deaths were included.
I shall not be too judgmental in the future, but as of now, just about majority of the entries in this page deserve a special section of the Eternal Purgatory where they should be flayed, stabbed , bludgeoned etc for all eternity.
Seems like it's also a bad idea to live in California. Is it the heat? Humidity? Are there any common threads to the makings of a killer? If there were, would we use them for profiling and convict innocents all in the name of preventing any future murders?