When murderers strike, most think a quick getaway is the smartest play. Yet a handful of felons have taken the unsettling route of doing something truly creepy with the bodies they left behind. The following 10 creepy things reveal how these killers tried to outsmart the police, keep the dead close, or simply indulge in grotesque creativity.

10 Creepy Things Unveiled

10 Her Son Was Close By

Out of London in 1946, a tragic tale emerged involving Mrs. Berresford, a landlady who rented rooms to lodgers. Her 19‑year‑old son, Harry, a soldier, visited one day and encountered Sheminant, a lodger who seemed to think the house belonged to him. Something went terribly wrong, and Harry vanished without a trace.

When the weeks turned into months, Harry was listed as a deserter, but his mother refused to accept that fate. She suspected he might be hiding somewhere in the house, especially since Sheminant kept the bedroom door locked, barring her entry.

Two months later, Mrs. Berresford forced the door open, only to find a loose floorboard. She pried it up, slipped her hand inside, and felt something that might have been a knee. Subsequent visits revealed a foul odor, and finally the dreadful truth emerged. She alerted the authorities, leading to Sheminant’s arrest, murder charge, and trial.

9 Neatly Cut And Wrapped

In the early 1900s, a murder committed by a woman shocked the public, as society struggled to reconcile femininity with such brutality. In 1915, Mrs. Mary Pamais let a crippled peddler, Michael Weinstein, into her apartment while her husband was away. Weinstein threatened to expose intimate letters, driving Pamais into a panic that culminated in murder.

Instead of fleeing or discarding the corpse, Pamais dragged the body into her bedroom and concealed it inside a box‑style couch. That very night, after her husband returned, the couple slept in the very room where the body lay hidden.

The following day, while her husband was out, Pamais retrieved the corpse, dismembered it into small pieces, wrapped each fragment neatly in newspaper, and returned the bundles to the couch. She even arranged for a new trunk to transport the remains, but her husband soon discovered the horror, implored her to surrender, and within three days she confessed at a police station, detailing every gruesome step.

8 In The Cupboard

Dr. Pierre Bougrat ran a respectable medical practice in Marseilles in 1925, but personal debts and a tangled love life led him down a dark path. After divorcing his first wife—herself a doctor’s daughter—and marrying another, his spending spiraled, and he began writing bad checks.

Among his patients was Jacques Rumede, a young man who vanished after a visit. Another woman claimed Bougrat tried to poison her after she loaned him money. When police finally moved to arrest him for the bad checks, they searched his office and found an odd damp patch on a wall.

Peeling back the wallpaper revealed a concealed cupboard. Inside fell the body of Jacques Rumede, his wallet—supposedly containing a large sum—gone. Bougrat’s flimsy excuse was that Rumede had asked for a loan, he stepped away briefly, and returned to find him dead, prompting him to hide the corpse behind paper. Further investigation linked him to the murders of a cook, an American bar manager, and a hospital nurse.

7 The Telltale Stench

Fred Eschle, a drunk ex‑convict from St. Paul, Minnesota, lived a life of theft and desperation. In 1908, he murdered a ragpicker inside the victim’s shack, blasting the man’s head clean off with a shotgun and pocketing $70.

Instead of disposing of the corpse, Eschle buried the body beneath the shack’s floorboards, then made himself comfortable—eating the dead man’s food and sleeping in the same building, the body literally under his feet.

Neighbors grew suspicious, and while Eschle was away, police raided the shack, uncovering the hidden body. He was apprehended and confessed, claiming intoxication lessened his responsibility. The stolen money, however, was quickly pilfered by a pickpocket while Eschle was still drunk.

6 Molten Lead

Pierre Voirbo, known to acquaintances as an eccentric, turned monstrous in 1869. Deep in debt, he borrowed a hefty sum from Mr. Bodasse and, unable to repay, invited Bodasse to his Paris apartment for coffee. Upon arrival, Voirbo struck the man with a flat iron, slit his throat, and dissected the body, dumping parts into a nearby well.

To thwart identification, Voirbo seized the decapitated head, poured molten lead into the mouth and ears, and sank the grotesque remains at the bottom of the Seine.

Eventually caught, Voirbo confessed, and rumors suggested he might have been responsible for as many as ten prior murders. While awaiting trial, he slit his own throat with a knife concealed inside a loaf of bread, ending his own life.

5 Self‑Defense?

Mrs. Winnie Ruth Judd vanished from police sight for five days after two women were found murdered in 1931. Unbeknownst to authorities, she hid among coffins in an undertaker’s shop, surviving on meager rations until fear drove her to surrender to Los Angeles police.

According to Judd, a night of partying turned violent when one of the women shot her hand. She wrestled the gun away, then shot both women. Rather than call the police, she dismembered the victims, placed their parts into two travel trunks, and, disguised, booked the trunks onto the Southern Pacific railway.

Her story, whether true or not, never led her to turn herself in immediately; instead, she was eventually captured and faced justice for the brutal act.

4 Sewn In Place

In 1909 near Dungog, New South Wales, a passerby discovered a bulky bag in a creek. Upon inspection, it turned out to be a dead body concealed within cement bags sewn together and wrapped in a blanket.

The victim, a middle‑aged laborer, wore only a flannel undershirt. His head had been smashed with a pick, his jaw broken, and his throat sliced ear‑to‑ear. Arms and legs were mutilated, and the skeleton was broken so the body could be doubled, sewn into the blanket, then packed into the cement bags.

Police eventually identified the man and, after interviewing witnesses, tracked down the alleged murderer responsible for this macabre packaging.

3 Left In A Cloakroom

In 1924, 21‑year‑old Charles Travis was vacationing in London with his wife and their ten‑month‑old son, Dean. The infant’s incessant crying kept the couple awake, prompting a doctor’s visit. Travis claimed Dean had scarlet fever; the doctor diagnosed only a mild skin irritation.

After three weeks of sleepless nights, Travis finally snapped. He entered Dean’s room, covered the baby’s mouth, squeezed his nose shut, and pressed down on the windpipe until the child stopped breathing.

He then placed the lifeless body into a kitbag, boarded a train to Birmingham, deposited the bag in a cloakroom under a false name, and returned to London. That evening, he sent a telegram to his parents claiming Dean died of scarlet fever. The landlady, noticing the sudden silence, alerted police. After investigation, Travis confessed, was tried, acquitted of murder, but convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to five years’ penal servitude.

2 Bagged

In 1905, Mr. Crawford, a channel guard in Girgarree, Victoria, discovered a bran bag floating in an irrigation channel. Inside lay dismembered human remains, prompting an immediate police response.

The torso was clad in two shirts and had been eviscerated; the head was severed, and both legs had been cut off at the thighs. Forensic analysis suggested the remains had been submerged for roughly two months.

With no identification possible in 1905, authorities presumed the victim might have been a former resident of the Waranga Basin. The mysterious case was handed over to the local coroner for further examination.

1 First He Whacked Her With A Hammer

James Hazelton, living in New Haven, Connecticut, found himself in a heated argument with his wife in 1909. After a bitter exchange, his wife drew a gun, wounding his hand. Hazelton wrestled the weapon away, then struck her over the head with a hammer, rendering her unconscious.

Seizing the moment, he plunged a knife into her, ensuring she was dead. He then crammed her corpse into a large trunk, slept atop it for several nights, and finally covered the trunk with a quilt before fleeing.

Hazelton was later apprehended in New York City, where he confessed, stating, “Yes, I killed her because we could not get along together.”

Serial killers have become a staple of modern entertainment, but not as real‑world monsters—rather as captivating villains on television. In the era of binge‑watching, television 8217 s delivers a steady stream of chilling characters whose murderous exploits keep audiences glued to their screens. Whether fictional or loosely based on true crime, these cold‑blooded antagonists have left an indelible mark on pop culture.

television 8217 s: Dark Delights of the Small Screen

10 Lon Suder: Star Trek Voyager

Brad Dourif, a veteran of both television and film, brings a terrifying edge to the Betazoid Lon Suder in Star Trek Voyager. Known for his unsettling roles—think Wormtongue in The Lord of the Rings—Dourif makes Suder especially chilling. Imagine a Betazoid, a species famed for empathy, who instead thrives on killing purely for amusement. That contrast alone sends shivers down any fan’s spine.

Suder first appears in the season‑two episode “Meld,” and viewers instantly sense something amiss. Stranded aboard Voyager, far from home, Suder fills his endless days by murdering his crewmates, openly admitting his sole motive is boredom. This stark departure from the typical Starfleet ideal makes his presence all the more disturbing.

When Tuvok attempts a mind‑meld to understand Suder, he inadvertently absorbs the Betazoid’s violent cravings. Though a year in the brig tempers Suder somewhat, his appetite for blood never fully vanishes. He ultimately meets his end battling a Kaison warrior, finally channeling his murderous instincts into a heroic sacrifice for Voyager.

9 Norman Bates: Bates Motel

Norman Bates, the infamous figure behind Alfred Hitchcock’s classic Psycho, gets a modern makeover in the television series Bates Motel. The show, which aired on A&E beginning in 2013, delves deep into the formative years that shaped Norman’s twisted psyche, offering a fresh perspective on the notorious killer.

Central to the series is Norman’s unsettling bond with his mother, Norma, a relationship that borders on the pathological. After the death of Norman’s father, Norma purchases a remote motel in White Pine Bay, Oregon, setting the stage for a chilling exploration of how Norman’s mind unravels during his teenage years. Over the five‑year run, his body count swells dramatically, while the ever‑present specter of his mother may be either aiding or obscuring his crimes.

Hitchcock suggested that an over‑protective mother drove Norman to madness—a theory the series expands upon, hinting that perhaps Norma herself is complicit, or even the mastermind behind the murders. Either way, Norman Bates remains one of television’s most relentless serial killers.

8 Benjamin Linus: Lost

Benjamin Linus, the manipulative mastermind of Lost, has a long‑standing record of bloodshed in the name of “the Island.” He orchestrated the massacre of the entire Dharma Initiative, even watching his own father die in excruciating agony, and personally took the lives of fourteen others, including John Locke.

Linus constantly claims to act for the Island’s greater good, but his true loyalty lies only with himself. He even permits his own daughter’s death rather than surrender to mercenaries, showcasing a chilling willingness to sacrifice anyone for his own power. Although he later assists Hurley in restoring balance to the Island, his legacy remains stained with lies, murders, kidnappings, and brutal torture—all driven by selfish ambition rather than any noble cause.

7 Joe Goldberg: You

The series You epitomizes today’s fascination with tech‑savvy stalkers. Joe Goldberg, a seemingly ordinary New York City bookstore manager, becomes obsessively infatuated with aspiring writer Guinevere Beck. He weaponizes social media—Facebook, Instagram—to isolate her, eliminating friends and exes to clear a path for his twisted version of love.

As the show progresses through four seasons, Joe’s dark past unravels: he once buried his ex‑girlfriend Candace alive, and his killing spree expands across the country, tallying roughly fifteen victims from New York to California. He even marries and fathers a child with a fellow killer, Love, only to murder her later on.

Charismatic and outwardly normal, Joe’s relentless obsession invariably culminates in murder. His unending spree makes him one of television’s most merciless killers, proving that charm can mask a dangerously lethal soul.

6 Bloody Face: American Horror Story

Oliver Thredson, better known as Bloody Face, is the terrifying antagonist of American Horror Story. Abandoned by his mother and raised in an orphanage, he later attends medical school, where his fascination with cadavers morphs into a macabre obsession with women whose skin resembles his mother’s.

Thredson kidnaps, flays, and beheads his victims, fashioning their skin into furniture and a grotesque mask dubbed “Bloody Face.” To the outside world, he appears as a calm, compassionate physician, yet beneath that façade lies a brilliant, unhinged, and blood‑thirsty predator. The original Bloody Face’s reign began in the 1960s, spawning copycats, including a second Bloody Face—Johnny Morgan—whose combined body count remains largely unknown. Both meet their demise at the hands of Lana Winters, who shoots them in the back of the head.

5 Hannibal Lecter: Hannibal

While Anthony Hopkins immortalized Hannibal Lecter in the classic film Silence of the Lambs, the television series Hannibal expands the legend with Mads Mikkelsen delivering a chillingly elegant performance. The series follows the brilliant psychiatrist who doubles as a cannibalistic serial killer.

Lecter, serving as an FBI consultant, exploits his position to delve into the mind of other killers, all while indulging his own gruesome appetites. He not only murders his victims but also savors them by consuming their flesh. His relationship with FBI agent Will Graham gives him a strategic edge, allowing him to outmaneuver authorities and continue his murderous feasts for sheer pleasure.

4 Arthur Mitchell: Dexter

In the hit series Dexter, the “Trinity Killer”—Arthur Mitchell, portrayed by John Lithgow—stands out as a particularly chilling antagonist. On the surface, Mitchell appears as a charitable home‑builder and devoted family man, yet he follows a ritualistic pattern of three murders, each echoing a traumatic event from his childhood.

The cat‑and‑mouse game between Mitchell and Dexter intensifies throughout season four, culminating in a brutal showdown where Dexter slams a hammer into Mitchell—the very method Mitchell used on his third victim. Tragically, before Mitchell meets his end, he murders Dexter’s wife, Rita, leaving their son Harrison drenched in blood, a haunting echo of Dexter’s own origin story.

Mitchell’s complex backstory, combined with Lithgow’s masterful performance, cements him as one of television’s most ruthless villains, a perfect blend of domestic normalcy and cold‑blooded murder.

3 Walter White: Breaking Bad

Walter White, the once‑mild‑mannered high school chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin, epitomizes the transformation from ordinary to monstrous. Early in Breaking Bad, his first victim, Emilio, dies in self‑defense, but the true turning point arrives when he murders Krazy‑8, a decision that haunts him for two episodes before he finally embraces his darker self.

By the series’ climax, Walter has evolved into a merciless drug lord, eliminating anyone—friends, foes, and even close allies like Mike—to protect his empire. His body count swells to nearly three hundred, a staggering number that underscores his evolution into a ruthless serial killer.

Walter’s descent showcases how ambition, pride, and desperation can morph a seemingly benign individual into a serial murderer, making him a cornerstone of television’s most chilling anti‑heroes.

2 Dexter Morgan: Dexter

The eponymous hero‑turned‑anti‑hero of Dexter is perhaps the most iconic television serial killer. Discovered as a child in a pool of blood after his mother’s murder, Dexter grows up under the tutelage of his adoptive father, Harry, who teaches him a strict “code” that permits only the killing of fellow murderers.

By day, Dexter works as a blood‑spatter analyst for the Miami Police Department, a role that grants him insider access to investigations and keeps him one step ahead of law enforcement. His code, however, restricts his victims to those who have escaped justice, leading to countless tense confrontations throughout the series’ eight‑season run, later extended by Dexter: New Blood in 2021.

Over the course of the show, Dexter amasses 144 confirmed kills, with the potential for many more undisclosed murders. His methodical efficiency and cold calculation cement his reputation as a ruthless yet oddly principled killing machine.

1 The Lopper: Seinfeld

The season‑nine finale of Seinfeld introduces a chilling, unnamed serial killer known only as the Lopper, who stalks New York’s Riverside Park. Though the series is famed for its comedic “show about nothing,” this dark subplot adds a startlingly grim twist to the otherwise light‑hearted narrative.

The Lopper’s modus operandi involves brutally decapitating victims, leaving audiences to wonder about the killer’s identity. Theories abound—some point to Cousin Jefferey, others to the eccentric Joe Davola, and still others suggest the enigmatic “Slippery Pete.” To this day, the true nature of the Lopper remains a haunting mystery, underscoring how even comedy can brush against the macabre.

When you think of serial killers, you probably picture them wielding knives or guns, but the pen can be just as terrifying. The 10 creepiest letters penned by some of history’s most infamous murderers prove that ink can also spill blood.

10 Creepiest Letters Overview

The letters became tools to taunt the police, make demands, hurt the victims’ families, or make chilling confessions. Each one was likely written with the same hand that the killer used to slay his victims.

10 Albert Fish

Creepy serial killer Albert Fish was known as “The Boogeyman” as he preyed on small children and was a suspect in at least five brutal child murders. In 1928, he kidnapped 10-year‑old Grace Budd. Then he murdered her and cannibalized her remains at an abandoned house in Westchester County, New York.

Afterward, Fish sent a letter to Budd’s mother describing in horrifying detail how he murdered the young girl. He wrote:

When all was ready, I went to the window and called her. Then I hid in a closet until she was in the room. When she saw me all naked, she began to cry and tried to run downstairs. I grabbed her, and she said she would tell her mama. How she did kick, bite, and scratch. I (then) cut her in small pieces so I could take my meat to my rooms, cook and eat it.

The letter became the downfall of Fish as police were able to trace the killer from the unique branding on the envelope he had sent.

9 Donald Harvey

Donald Harvey was a former orderly in hospitals in Ohio and Kentucky during the 1970s and 1980s. During this time, he killed an estimated 37 patients. However, the real victim count is believed to be much higher as Harvey claimed the figure is closer to 70. His killing spree “began by accident” after hooking up a patient to an empty oxygen tank, and then he just couldn’t stop.

The cold‑blooded killer never showed any remorse for his crimes. In one interview, he said, “Some of those (patients) might have lasted a few more hours or a few more days, but they were all going to die. I know you think I played God, and I did.”

In a chilling letter that he wrote behind bars, the serial killer joked, “Lord, Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, change the things I can, and the wisdom to hide the bodies of those people I had to kill because they pissed me off.”

8 Dr. H.H. Holmes

Dr. H.H. Holmes was a twisted serial killer who built a “Murder Castle” in Chicago with the intention to kill as many victims as possible. The 100‑room building had long, winding corridors that would disorient victims. It also had trapdoors, false walls, and gas chambers. Holmes then sold the cadavers to medical research institutions, and the organs were traded on the black market.

On April 11, 1896, he wrote a full letter of confession to the Philadelphia North American newspaper:

I was born with the devil in me. I could not help the fact that I was a murderer, no more than the poet can help the inspiration to sing. I was born with the “Evil One” standing as my sponsor beside the bed where I was ushered into the world, and he has been with me since.

One month later, he was hanged at Moyamensing Prison for his crimes.

7 Gary Ridgway

Gary Ridgway became known as the “Green River Killer” after he confessed to murdering 48 sex workers and runaways in the state of Washington during the 1980s and 1990s. Ridgway said, “I picked prostitutes because I thought I could kill as many of them as I wanted without getting caught.”

In 1984, he wrote a letter about the murders titled “what you need to know about the green river man” and sent it to the Seattle Post‑Intelligencer. In disturbing detail, the killer wrote about necrophilia and cutting off the fingernails of victims before signing off as “callmefred.”

Police claimed that it was a “brazen attempt to throw off investigators.” At the time, they did not follow up on this key evidence. Ridgway’s game of playing cat and mouse with the police finally came to an end in 2001 when DNA evidence connected him to the murders. He was spared the death penalty as part of a plea bargain where he disclosed the locations of the missing bodies. His plea bargain raised his murder convictions to 49.

6 Ian Brady

The “Moors Murderers,” Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, killed five children between 10 and 17 years old in the early 1960s. Three graves were discovered on Saddleworth Moor in Manchester, England, but the killers never revealed the final resting place of their other victims. Hindley claimed that she was under Brady’s spell and that she took part in the crimes against her will. However, he tells a different story.

In one letter that he wrote from prison to a journalist, Brady explained:

Hindley has crafted a Victorian melodrama in which she portrays herself as being forced to murder serially. We both habitually carried revolvers and went for target practice on the moors. If I were mistreating her, she could have shot me dead at any time. For 30 years, she said she was acting out of love for me; now she maintains she killed because she hated me—a completely irrational hypothesis. In character, she is essentially a chameleon, adopting whatever camouflage will suit and voicing whatever she believes the individual wishes to hear. She can kill, both in cold blood or in a rage.

5 The Axeman Of New Orleans

The Axeman of New Orleans is an unidentified serial killer who butchered six victims and injured 12 others in 1918 and 1919. A letter believed to be from the killer was published in newspapers and claimed that he would spare anyone who was playing jazz music.

Dated March 13, 1919, the anonymous killer wrote:

I am very fond of jazz music, and I swear by all the devils in the nether regions that every person shall be spared in whose home a jazz band is in full swing at the time I have just mentioned. If everyone has a jazz band going, well, then, so much the better for you people. One thing is certain and that is that some of your people who do not jazz it out on that specific Tuesday night (if there be any) will get the axe.

Then the murders suddenly stopped as quickly as they had started. The crimes remain unsolved to this day.

4 The Beltway Snipers

Over a three‑week span in 2002, the “Beltway snipers” killed 10 people in the states of Maryland and Virginia. (Another seven individuals were murdered elsewhere.) John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo shot each victim with a single bullet fired from a distance. Then the killers vanished.

They wrote down their demands in a three‑page letter with a cover note that read, “For you, Mr. Police. Call Me God.” They demanded $10 million in “unlimited withdrawals” or the lives of children in the area would be threatened. The letter was left pinned to a tree outside a restaurant where the snipers had shot and wounded a man who was out to dinner with his wife.

They were eventually caught when one of the snipers mentioned an unsolved murder in Montgomery, Alabama, in a traced phone call. Authorities were able to link both of the murders with fingerprints and make an arrest. Muhammad was put to death by lethal injection, and Malvo received a life sentence.

3 Dennis Rader

Dennis Rader gave himself the title “BTK” after his chilling murder method of “Bind, Torture, Kill.” Between 1974 and 1991, Rader killed 10 people in Sedgwick County, Kansas, with gaps in between to dedicate more of his time to being a family man. Rader believed that he could outwit the police, so he sent them taunting letters.

One of his poorly written letters read:

When this monster enter my brain, I will never know. But, it here to stay. Society can be thankfull (sic) that there are ways for people like me to relieve myself at time by daydreams of some victim being torture and being mine. It a big compicated (sic) game my friend of the monster play putting victims number down, follow them, checking up on them waiting in the dark, waiting, waiting. Maybe you can stop him. I can’t. He has areadly (sic) chosen his next victim.

He signed it, “Yours, Truly Guiltily, BTK.” He was caught after he upgraded his technology and sent his letters on a floppy disc, which was immediately traced to him.

2 Jack The Ripper

The terrifying case of Jack the Ripper still haunts London today. In 1888, the chilling serial killer targeted impoverished areas around Whitechapel. The bodies of his victims were discovered with their throats cut open and with abdominal mutilations.

On September 27, 1888, the Central News Agency received this letter (which they believed was a hoax):

The next job I do, I shall clip the lady’s ears off and send to the police officers just for jolly, wouldn’t you. Keep this letter back till I do a bit more work, then give it out straight. My knife’s so nice and sharp I want to get to work right away if I get a chance. Good Luck. Yours truly, Jack the Ripper.

Three days later, a double murder took place. True to his word, the ripper cut a portion of the earlobe off his victims. The case has never been solved.

1 The Zodiac Killer

In the late 1960s, the Zodiac Killer targeted four men and three women between the ages of 16 and 29 in Benicia, Vallejo, Lake Berryessa, and San Francisco. Five victims were killed during his reign of terror. He sent several letters, including four cryptograms, to the local Bay Area press. It’s believed that his true identity will be revealed if the ciphers can be decoded.

Only one of the ciphers has ever been solved. Schoolteacher Donald Harden and his wife, Bettye, cracked the code which reads:

I LIKE KILLING PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS SO MUCH FUN IT IS MORE FUN THAN KILLING WILD GAME IN THE FORREST BECAUSE MAN IS THE MOST DANGEROUE ANAMAL OF ALL TO KILL SOMETHING GIVES ME THE MOST THRILLING EXPERENCE IT IS EVEN BETTER THAN GETTING YOUR ROCKS OFF WITH A GIRL THE BEST PART OF IT IS THAE WHEN I DIE I WILL BE REBORN IN PARADICE AND ALL THEI HAVE KILLED WILL BECOME MY SLAVES I WILL NOT GIVE YOU MY NAME BECAUSE YOU WILL TRY TO SLOI DOWN OR ATOP MY COLLECTIOG OF SLAVES FOR MY AFTERLIFE. EBEORIETEMETHHPITI.

The unsolved ciphers still frustrate the FBI.

When you think of the Old West, you might picture gunfights, dusty towns, and legendary cowboys, but hidden among the tumbleweeds were some truly monstrous figures. The 10 serial killers who stalked the frontier left a trail of blood and terror that rivals any modern crime saga. Their motives ranged from cold‑blooded profit to twisted pleasure, and each story reveals just how brutal life could become when lawlessness reigned.

10 Serial Killers of the Old West: A Grim Overview

10 The Bloody Benders

The Bloody Benders were a family that settled in Osage Township, Kansas, toward the end of 1870. Four members of this seemingly ordinary household turned their inn into a death trap, eventually being linked to as many as twenty‑one vanished travelers. In a time when the frontier was already perilous, a welcoming tavern would have seemed a sanctuary, yet the Benders exploited that trust, pretending to be a warm‑hearted family while secretly murdering guests, rifling their money, and burying the bodies in a hidden back area.

Survivors who escaped the Benders’ clutches recounted a chilling ritual: a sheet was draped across a room, behind which the men would hide, while the women tried to coax strangers into a particular chair that faced away from the fabric. If a guest refused, Ma Bender would erupt in fury, and the male Benders would emerge from behind the sheet, brandishing weapons. Those who sensed the danger fled the premises, narrowly avoiding becoming the next victims.

Before authorities could apprehend them, the Benders vanished without a trace, slipping away into the night. Their disappearance left the community haunted, and the mystery of their ultimate fate remains unsolved to this day.

9 Stephen Dee Richards

Stephen Dee Richards earned the moniker “Nebraska Fiend” and has often been likened to the Old West’s very own Ted Bundy. Charismatic and well‑spoken, Richards showed no clear victim preference; his cruelty ranged from a fatal dispute with a young man to the brutal slaying of a mother and her three children with an axe. He chillingly compared the murder of the family to the ease of killing jackrabbits, underscoring his detached, almost clinical view of homicide.

In total, Richards was responsible for nine murders before the law finally caught up with him. He met his end on the gallows in 1879, bringing a grim chapter of frontier violence to a definitive, if somber, close.

8 Charles Kennedy

Charles Kennedy, a rugged mountain man near Eagle Nest, New Mexico, earned infamy in 1870 when his own wife burst into a saloon, sobbing and revealing his murderous deeds. Kennedy had been luring unsuspecting travelers into his home, slaughtering them, and stealing their cash. One night, while a traveler conversed with his son, the guest asked about nearby Indians; the boy replied, “Can’t you smell the one Papa put under the floor?” The comment ignited Kennedy’s fury, prompting him to murder both the guest and his own son before imprisoning his terrified wife.

When townsfolk learned of the atrocity, they rallied with the renowned gunfighter Clay Allison. After Kennedy was taken to the courthouse, rumors swirled that his lawyer might secure his freedom. Enraged, a mob of men broke into his jail cell, fastened a noose around his neck, and dragged him behind a horse, ultimately strangling him to death.

7 Boone Helm

Levi Boone Helm, better known as the Kentucky Cannibal, was a mountain man and gunslinger whose reputation was cemented by both robbery and murder across Oregon and Idaho. Before his most infamous episode, Helm already boasted a lengthy list of killings, earning him a fearsome reputation among frontier outlaws.

During a ferocious snowstorm, Helm and a companion named Burton found shelter in an abandoned cabin. With supplies exhausted and the cold tightening its grip, Helm attempted to spark a fire when a sudden gunshot rang out—Burton had taken his own life. Faced with starvation, Helm made the macabre decision to cannibalize his deceased companion’s body, a choice that added a gruesome layer to his already dark legend.

Helm eventually escaped the blizzard, returned to his criminal pursuits, and was later apprehended with his gang. Despite a desperate defense in court, he was convicted and met his fate on the gallows, ending a life marked by violence and unsettling survival tactics.

6 The Servant Girl Annihilator

The Servant Girl Annihilator terrorized Austin, Texas, between 1884 and 1885, claiming the lives of seven women and one man while also maiming six additional women and two men. The killings were marked by their nocturnal nature: victims were typically assaulted while asleep, then dragged outside. Racial animus appears to have played a role, as many victims were Black, suggesting a hate‑driven motive intertwined with sheer brutality.

Police investigations were confounded by conflicting eyewitness accounts regarding the killer’s appearance—some described a white assailant, others a Black one. Over four hundred men were arrested in connection with the murders, yet none were convicted. Speculation endures, ranging from the mundane (Nathan Elgin, a cook whose violent outburst coincided with the cessation of the murders) to the sensational (comparisons to Jack the Ripper). The identity of the Servant Girl Annihilator remains one of Texas’s most enduring mysteries.

5 James Miller

James Miller, infamously dubbed “Miller the Killer,” led a double life as a respectable churchgoer and a cold‑blooded murder‑for‑hire. Known as Deacon Miller because of his regular attendance at services and his outwardly sober lifestyle—he never smoked or drank—Miller concealed a dark vocation. He would eliminate anyone he disliked, and when his sister’s fiancé fell out of his favor, the man was mysteriously slain.

Although initially arrested and convicted for that murder, Miller’s sentence was overturned on a technicality, prompting him to turn his murderous skills into a paid profession, accepting large sums to arrange executions. His pious façade fooled the community, even as he briefly served as a lawman. Miller’s downfall came after he assassinated a former deputy U.S. marshal, igniting a mob’s wrath. He was lynched, and, according to legend, shouted “Let her rip!” just before his death.

4 John Wesley Hardin

John Wesley Hardin grew up under the tutelage of a preacher, yet that upbringing did little to curb his violent tendencies. He committed his first homicide at the tender age of fifteen and would go on to a possible tally of forty‑two killings. Known for a volatile temper, Hardin frequently murdered anyone who crossed his path, often robbing them after the act.

Unlike many of his contemporaries, Hardin eventually faced the justice system and spent seventeen years behind bars. After his release, he settled in El Paso, Texas, where his infamous reputation persisted. A heated dispute with lawman John Selman culminated in Selman sneaking up behind Hardin and delivering a fatal headshot, ending the life of one of the Old West’s most notorious gunfighters.

3 Bill Longley

Bill Longley embodied pure psychopathy. By the age of twenty, he had already amassed a series of murders, driven by an irascible nature and a bitter, racist outlook that made Black and Mexican individuals frequent targets. In one notorious incident, Longley and his associates intercepted three freed slaves—Green Evans, Pryer Evans, and Ned—traveling to visit friends. After holding them at gunpoint, Green Evans attempted to flee and was shot dead.

Longley’s final act of violence was the killing of his childhood friend, Wilson Anderson, a deed that added a hefty bounty to his name and attracted relentless vigilante pursuit. Captured and convicted, Longley faced execution by hanging. The botched hanging saw the rope initially slack, causing his knees to hit the ground; only after the rope tightened did he slowly suffocate, a grim process that lasted eleven agonizing minutes.

2 Liver‑Eating Johnson

John Jeremiah Garrison Johnston, the famed Liver‑Eating Johnson, was a mountain man whose legend grew wild with each retelling. After his wife fell victim to a Crow Native American, Johnston allegedly swore vengeance on the entire tribe, purportedly slaying over three hundred Crow warriors, scalping them, and consuming their livers—a grave insult to a people who believed the liver was essential for a safe passage to the afterlife.

Modern scholarship, however, suggests the liver‑eating tale was likely a dark joke that spiraled out of control, with no concrete evidence that Johnston ever partook in such cannibalism. Some accounts claim he eventually made peace with the Crow, though historical records indicate the Crow were generally amicable toward American frontiersmen, blurring the line between myth and reality.

John Jeremiah Garrison Johnston died penniless in 1900, leaving behind no family and a legacy tangled in folklore, forever remembered as a figure where fact and legend intermingle.

1 Delphine LaLaurie

Delphine LaLaurie, a wealthy New Orleans socialite, earned infamy for her grotesque treatment of enslaved people. In 1834, a desperate elderly slave set fire to LaLaurie’s mansion in an attempt to escape the brutal punishments inflicted upon her. The blaze revealed a hidden attic where numerous slaves were found in various states of torture, confirming the rumors of LaLaurie’s cruelty.

Prior to the fire, LaLaurie had already faced legal repercussions for whipping a young girl from a rooftop, prompting authorities to force her to sell her slaves. Undeterred, she had relatives purchase the same slaves and quietly smuggle them back into her home, perpetuating the cycle of abuse.

The horror of the discoveries sparked outrage among neighbors, who formed a mob and forcibly drove LaLaurie and her family from their residence, an act of collective compassion—by the standards of the era—against a woman whose cruelty had become too much to tolerate.

When you think of murderers, you probably picture adults with long, twisted histories. Yet the top 10 killers listed here proved that the urge to kill can surface far earlier than most people imagine. While most youngsters gravitate toward sports, music, or video games, a few chose a far more sinister hobby. Below, we rank ten offenders and reveal the age at which each embarked on a grim road.

Why These Top 10 Killers Shock Us

Each case below showcases a blend of trauma, opportunity, and chilling indifference that allowed a child or teen to cross the line from curiosity to cruelty. Their stories serve as unsettling reminders that evil knows no age limit.

10 Harvey Miguel Robinson, 17 Years Old

Harvey Miguel Robinson, hailing from Allentown, Pennsylvania, earned his place on death row as one of the youngest serial killers in United States history. At just 17, he launched his murderous spree in August 1992. Law enforcement finally cornered him on July 31, 1993, after a botched attempt to murder Denise Cali on June 28, 1993; Cali survived, bit Robinson’s arm during the struggle, and later helped police match the bite mark to him.

• Joan Burghardt: 29‑year‑old nurse’s aide (August 1992)
• Charlotte Schmoyer: 15‑year‑old newspaper carrier for The Morning Call (June 1993)
• Jessica Jean Fortney: 47‑year‑old grandmother (July 1993)

The courts convicted Robinson of raping and killing Schmoyer, Burghardt, and Fortney on November 10, 1994, sentencing him to death for each case. In April 1995, he received an additional 57‑year term for raping a five‑year‑old girl. A 2006 resentencing converted the Burghardt murder penalty to life imprisonment because he was only 17 at the time. He later relinquished appeal rights for a life sentence in the Schmoyer case on December 14, 2012. As of 2020, the death penalty still stands for the Fortney murder.

9 Craig Price, 13 Years Old

Craig Chandler Price, a native of Warwick, Rhode Island, now serves time at Florida State Prison in Raiford. At age 13, he brutally murdered 27‑year‑old neighbor Rebecca Spencer, stabbing her a staggering 58 times. Although he was not initially suspected in Spencer’s death, Price confessed two years later after being apprehended for a triple‑murder spree in 1989, during which he killed 39‑year‑old Joan Heaton and her daughters, 10‑year‑old Jennifer and 8‑year‑old Melissa, inflicting wounds so deep the knife handles snapped off, and crushing Melissa’s skull.

Because of his youth, Price could not be tried as an adult and was sent to the Rhode Island Training School, a juvenile correctional facility. In 2004, he was transferred to Florida owing to his continued violent tendencies. He faced parole denial in March 2009, and while his original release date was set for May 2020, a new 25‑year sentence was added on January 18, 2019, after he stabbed fellow inmate Joshua Davis on April 4, 2017.

8 Jasmine Richardson, 12 Years Old

Jasmine Richardson turned a classic tale of star‑crossed love on its head. At just 12, she began a relationship with 27‑year‑old Jeremy Steinke after meeting at a 2006 punk‑rock show. Their families disapproved, prompting the duo to embark on a murderous rampage on April 23, 2006, targeting Richardson’s parents, Marc and Debra, and her eight‑year‑old brother Jacob. A six‑year‑old neighbor discovered the bodies inside the family home in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada.

Steinke testified that Richardson wanted her parents dead so she could live free of their control, even telling her father, “It’s what your daughter wanted,” as Marc succumbed to stab wounds. Jasmine herself delivered the fatal stab to her brother’s neck. On July 9, 2007, a court convicted both of three counts of first‑degree murder. Canadian law caps sentences for offenders under fourteen at ten years, so Richardson received a ten‑year term, while Steinke was sentenced to three life terms on December 15, 2008.

During her incarceration, Richardson enrolled in courses at Mount Royal University in Calgary and, in 2011, was transferred to a psychiatric hospital. Demonstrating signs of rehabilitation, she completed her sentence and was released in May 2016.

7 Mary Bell, 10 Years Old

Born into poverty and haunted by a mother who repeatedly attempted to kill her, Mary Bell embarked on a murderous path before turning eleven. On May 25, 1968, she lured four‑year‑old Martin Brown to an abandoned house in Newcastle, England, where she strangled him. Although she later left a confession note, authorities initially dismissed her claims. Two months later, she repeated the act, this time murdering three‑year‑old Bryan Howe in the same area, finally leading to her arrest.

In December 1968, a court found Bell guilty of manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility. A psychiatrist described classic psychopathic traits, noting that Bell had carved an “M” into Howe’s body and mutilated him, even using scissors to amputate his genitals. She served 12 years before being released in 1980 at age 23. Today she lives under a new identity with her daughter.

6 Joseph Mcvay, 10 Years Old

On January 2, 2011, ten‑year‑old Joseph McVay of Holmes County, Ohio, shot his 46‑year‑old mother, Deborah McVay, with a .22‑caliber rifle. According to his sister Shawna, Joseph was fed up with constant arguments and chose violence over chores. After the shooting, he fled to a neighbor’s house, dialed 911, and calmly told the dispatcher, “I shot my mom. I shot her with a gun.” He pleaded guilty to murder the same day.

The court initially deemed him incompetent for trial, postponing proceedings until early 2013 when a juvenile court finally sentenced him at age 13. The underlying motive appeared to be a dispute over household chores, but family interviews revealed a backdrop of physical, emotional, and verbal abuse from his mother. Earlier signs of aggression surfaced in September 2007, when Joseph swatted a school administrator with a dustpan.

5 Cayetano Santos Godino, 9 Years Old

Cayetano Santos Godino, nicknamed “El Petiso Orejudo” or “Macrotous Runt,” terrorized Buenos Aires, Argentina, from a very young age. At seven, he beat a two‑year‑old boy and left him in a ditch; at eight, he struck another child with a stone. Though released for these assaults due to his youth, the violence escalated. In 1906, at nine, he strangled three‑year‑old Maria Rosa Face and concealed her corpse, only confessing years later.

• Arturo Laurona: 13‑year‑old, killed and abandoned in a house (January 26)
• Reyna Vainicoff: 5‑year‑old, burned alive when her dress caught fire (March 7)
• Roberto Russo: 8‑year‑old, choked but survived (November 8)
• Carolina Neolener: 2‑year‑old, kidnapped and later rescued (November 20)

The killing spree culminated on December 4, 1912, when Godino lured Jesualdo Giordano to a country house, attempted to choke him, beat him, and finally drove a nail into his skull. He was apprehended and placed in a youth detention center on January 4, 1913. Medical reports later declared him insane after he tried to murder fellow inmates. After appeals, he was transferred to Ushuaia Penitentiary on March 28, 1923, where he died in 1944.

4 Christian Romero, 8 Years Old

On November 5, 2008, eight‑year‑old Christian Romero of St. Johns, Arizona, allegedly killed his father, Vincent Romero, with a .22‑caliber rifle before turning the weapon on family friend Tim Romans, a room‑renter, in a double homicide. He pleaded guilty to negligent homicide for Romans’ death in 2009, but prosecutors never pursued charges for his father’s killing, citing the best interests of the child and a desire to avoid forcing a formal acknowledgment.

Romero was placed under the supervision of the Apache County Superior Court, residing in a secure group home where his probation required ongoing mental‑health treatment rather than punitive measures. In 2015, at age 15, an Apache County probation officer recommended he attend public school, marking a tentative step toward normalcy.

3 Carroll Cole, 8 Years Old

Born May 9, 1938, in Sioux City, Iowa, Carroll Cole began his murderous career at eight, drowning classmate Duane in a lake after enduring emotional abuse from his younger sister and relentless teasing at school. Though authorities initially ruled the drowning an accident, Cole later confessed in an autobiography that the act was intentional.

As a teenager, Cole’s criminal behavior escalated: he was discharged from the Army for misconduct, and in 1960 he attacked two couples parked in lover’s lanes. He later attempted to strangle an 11‑year‑old girl in Missouri, earning a five‑year prison term. After his first murder at eight, he did not kill again until May 7, 1971, when he strangled Essie L. Buck. It wasn’t until November 1980 that police finally linked him to three Texas murders, leading to his conviction on April 9, 1981, and execution by lethal injection on December 6, 1985. Cole claimed responsibility for at least fourteen additional murders prior to 1980.

2 Amarjeet Sada, 7 Years Old

Amardeep “Amarjeet” Sada, known as India’s youngest serial killer, committed three murders of infants under one year old in Bihar. At seven, he killed his eight‑month‑old sister and six‑month‑old cousin, both crimes concealed by his parents. Villagers were aware but refrained from reporting, treating it as a family matter. A year later, in January 2007, he abducted six‑month‑old Kushboo, a neighbor’s daughter, strangled her, and bludgeoned her head with a stone.

Police described Sada as smiling frequently and speaking minimally during interrogation. Psychoanalyst Shamshad Hussain labeled him a sadist who derived pleasure from inflicting pain, while a Patna University professor noted his lack of moral compass. Superintendent Amit Lodha classified the case as psychiatric, determining Sada suffered a chemical imbalance. Consequently, he was placed in a children’s home until reaching adulthood at 18.

1 Carl Newton Mahan, 6 Years Old

Claiming the grim title of America’s youngest known killer, Carl Newton Mahan of Kentucky shot his eight‑year‑old friend Cecil Van Hoose on May 18, 1929, using his father’s 12‑gauge shotgun. The dispute originated over a scrap of iron that Hoose had slapped Mahan with; enraged, Mahan retrieved the shotgun, declared, “I’m going to shoot you!” and pulled the trigger.

Less than a week later, Mahan faced trial for manslaughter. He was frequently seen lounging on the defense table or even sleeping during proceedings. A jury convicted him, and the judge imposed a 15‑year reform school sentence. Public opinion split: some argued the punishment was too severe, others felt it insufficient. A circuit court judge later overturned the conviction, insisting a county judge should handle juvenile cases. Ultimately, Kentucky’s attorney general declined further action, allowing Mahan to remain with his parents.

When you think of serial murder, the first thing that comes to mind is often an American nightmare fed to us by podcasts and TV dramas. Yet the truth is far more global: from the humid jungles of Indonesia to the bustling streets of China, the icy expanses of Russia to the sun‑baked outback of Australia, the world is littered with killers whose names rarely make the headlines. Below, we count down ten of the most disturbing murderers you’ve probably never heard of, each one a chilling reminder that evil knows no borders.

Why 10 Global Serial Killers Matter

Understanding these obscure cases helps us see patterns in how societies respond to extreme violence, and why some crimes slip through the cracks. The stories that follow are as unsettling as they are fascinating, offering a macabre tour of the darkest corners of human behavior.

10 Ahmed Suradji, Indonesia

Ahmad Suradji, sometimes called Nasib Kelewang or simply “Datuk,” was a cattle farmer turned ritual‑obsessed murderer in Indonesia. Born on 10 January 1949, he ultimately confessed to strangling 42 girls and women between 1986 and 1996, victims ranging from eleven to thirty years old. His grisly method involved burying each victim up to their waist, then tightening a cable around their necks while chanting a spell he believed would grant him supernatural powers.

Police finally closed in on Suradji on 2 May 1997 after discovering a cluster of bodies near his home in Medan, North Sumatra. He claimed that the ghost of his late father had instructed him to kill seventy women and drink their saliva to become a mystic healer. As a well‑known “dukun” (traditional sorcerer), many women sought his counsel on matters of beauty and wealth, unwittingly walking into his deadly ritual.

The trial began on 11 December 1997, ending with a guilty verdict on 27 April 1998. He was sentenced to death by firing squad and executed on 10 July 2008, sealing the fate of one of Indonesia’s most notorious serial killers.

9 Mikhail Popkov, Russia

Mikhail Viktorovich Popkov served as a police officer in Irkutsk, Siberia, before his murderous side emerged. Born in March 1964 in the Angarsk region of the former Soviet Union, he worked as a security guard and later joined the police force. Under the guise of a uniformed officer, he offered unsuspecting victims a free ride, only to assault and brutally kill them with knives, axes, baseball bats, and other weapons, often leaving the bodies mutilated beyond recognition.

For more than two decades, Popkov evaded capture despite numerous testimonies from survivors. A breakthrough arrived in 2012 when DNA testing of 3,500 police officers linked him to the crimes. He was arrested in 2015, convicted of 22 murders, and sentenced to life imprisonment. Two years later, he confessed to an additional 59 killings, pushing his confirmed victim count to at least 81.

8 Andrei Chikatilo, Russian SFSR

Andrei Chikatilo, dubbed “The Butcher of Rostov” and the “Rostov Ripper,” terrorized the Soviet Union from 1978 to 1990. Born in 1936 in Ukraine, he served in the Soviet army and later worked as a teacher. His murderous spree began with the abduction and murder of a nine‑year‑old girl, followed by a horrifying series of rapes, murders, and mutilations of women, children, and prostitutes across the Rostov region.

Despite mounting rumors and complaints about his behavior from students and colleagues, Chikatilo managed to avoid conviction for years, partly due to the chaotic social and economic conditions of the late Soviet era. An intensive police investigation finally led to his arrest in 1990. He was convicted of 53 murders in 1992 and executed in February 1994.

7 Yang Xinhai, China

Born in July 1968 in Henan province, Yang Xinhai earned the moniker “The Monster Killer.” Growing up as the youngest of four children in poverty, he dropped out of school and worked as a laborer, later landing in re‑education labor camps for theft and robbery. Between 1999 and 2003, Yang embarked on a killing spree that claimed at least 67 lives, including 23 women, across several Chinese provinces.

His modus operandi involved breaking into homes at night, murdering entire families with improvised weapons, and then fleeing the scene. Yang was adept at altering his appearance and meticulously cleaning up evidence, which allowed him to elude capture for years. His reign of terror ended in November 2003 when routine police inspections led to his arrest, and DNA evidence tied him to the crimes.

Convicted of his atrocities, Yang received the death penalty and was executed by firing squad on 14 February 2004.

6 Alexander Pichushkin, Russia

Often referred to as “The Chessboard Killer,” Alexander Pichushkin pursued a twisted hobby of ticking off squares on a chessboard with each victim. Born in April 1974 in Moscow, he suffered a serious head injury as a child and spent time in an institute for the disabled. A talented chess player, he frequently bested older opponents in Bitsa Park, but the death of his beloved grandfather and a subsequent alcohol binge turned his life dark.

Pichushkin claimed his first murder occurred in 1992. He typically lured homeless men with offers of vodka, then struck them from behind with a hammer or similar weapon, leaving bodies in Bitsa Park or dumping them in sewers. The exact tally of his victims remains uncertain.

Authorities arrested him on 16 June 2006 at age 33. He was convicted of 48 murders and three attempted murders in 2007. Because Russia had suspended the death penalty by then, Pichushkin received a life sentence.

5 Anatoly Onoprienko, Soviet Ukraine

Anatoly Yuriyovych Onoprienko, dubbed “The Beast of Ukraine,” “The Terminator,” and “Citizen O,” confessed to slaughtering 52 people between 1989 and 1995. His method involved targeting isolated homes, creating a commotion to draw out the occupants, and then systematically murdering them—starting with the adult male, then the spouse, and finally the children. He often set the houses ablaze and eliminated any witnesses who might expose him.

Onoprienko was apprehended on 16 April 1996, discovered with the murder weapons and a collection of trophies taken from victims. Initially he admitted to eight killings, but later confessed to a total of 52. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for his crimes.

4 Martha Rendell, Australia

Martha Rendell, a step‑mother in Western Australia, was convicted and hanged in 1909 for the murder of three children belonging to her husband, Thomas Morris. She poisoned the boys by swabbing their throats with “spirits of salts,” a toxic solution that caused slow, agonizing deaths.

The crimes went unnoticed until one of the surviving siblings, George Morris, reported his step‑mother’s actions. Investigators struggled to identify the effects of the chemicals, but a large purchase of the substance by Rendell raised suspicion. Autopsies eventually revealed severe inflammation and hemorrhaging of the children’s bowels, confirming the poison.

Rendell was executed on 6 October 1909 at Fremantle Prison.

3 Bruno Lüdke, Germany

Bruno Lüdke, a German murderer born in 1909, is believed to have committed more than 80 killings, though the exact number remains unknown. His violent career spanned roughly fifteen years beginning in 1928, and included a series of sadistic sexual crimes.

Lüdke operated during the chaotic interwar period, preying on victims whose disappearances would not be immediately noticed. The Nazi regime labelled him mentally defective and forced him into sterilization under eugenics policies. He was arrested in 1943 on a murder charge, then sent to a Vienna hospital where he became the subject of a Nazi medical experiment, ultimately dying in 1944.

2 Mariam Soulakiotis, Greece

Often called “Mother Rasputin” in Greek folklore, Mariam Soulakiotis was an Orthodox abbess who turned murderous between 1939 and 1951. She lured affluent women into the Peukovounogiatrissas Monastery near Keratea, then coerced them into donating their wealth. When victims resisted, she resorted to torture and, in several cases, murder.

In February 1951, authorities indicted Soulakiotis on charges of homicide, fraud, forgery, blackmail, and torture. She received a life sentence in 1952 and died in prison in 1954, never officially confessing to the crimes.

1 Luis Garavito, Colombia

Luis Garavito, born in January 1957 in Génova, Colombia, is one of the world’s most prolific child murderers. A troubled childhood marked by severe abuse from his father and a neighbor pushed him toward alcoholism and a morbid fascination with children.

From the early 1990s through 1999, Garavito lured vulnerable boys—often from impoverished families—by promising money or drinks while posing as a monk or priest. He sexually assaulted and murdered approximately 140 boys, eventually confessing to 189 murders after his 1999 arrest for assaulting a child.

He was sentenced to 835 years in prison, a staggering punishment that underscores the enormity of his crimes.

Ever since the Jaws era turned the ocean into a terrifying nightmare, the phrase top 10 misconceptions about sharks has haunted beachgoers worldwide. Movies and sensational headlines have painted these sleek predators as ruthless killing machines, but the reality is far more nuanced and fascinating.

Top 10 Misconceptions About Sharks

10 Sharks Are Nature’s Most Efficient Killing Machines

Don’t be fooled by the dramatic headline – sharks are not the ultimate killing machines of the animal kingdom. In fact, that dubious honor belongs to microscopic parasites that spend their lives hijacking hosts and ultimately killing them. While many shark species are indeed adept hunters, efficiency alone does not make them the pinnacle of lethal perfection.

Sharks display a surprising amount of intelligence and strategy, often stalking prey much like a pride of lions coordinates a hunt. They wait for the perfect opening, lingering calmly around potential meals before striking. Some species rely heavily on surprise and will abort an attack the moment the element of surprise fades.

With more than 500 known species, hunting prowess varies widely. Certain sharks are highly selective, while others are opportunistic eat‑everything‑in‑sight feeders. The diversity of hunting styles means that only a subset truly earns the label of “efficient predator.”

9 Sharks Are Maneaters

The image of a massive, unseen predator snapping at swimmers fuels the myth that sharks are relentless “maneaters.” In truth, the overwhelming majority of sharks go their entire lives without ever encountering a human. Consider the sheer scale of the world’s oceans compared to the relatively tiny stretch of coastline where most people swim.

Most shark species are opportunistic feeders that target small fish and invertebrates. Only about a dozen species have ever been implicated in unprovoked attacks on people, and those incidents usually stem from mistaken identity rather than a desire for human flesh.

When a bite does occur, it can cause severe tissue damage and even be fatal if not treated promptly. The seriousness of such rare events fuels the “maneater” legend, but statistically, sharks are not out there hunting humans for sport.

8 Sharks Are At The Top Of The Food Chain

Many assume that sharks sit unchallenged at the apex of their ecosystems, but this oversimplification ignores the complex web of marine predation. While sharks rarely fear other ocean dwellers, they are not immune to being preyed upon.

Humans, for example, harvest far more sharks than any natural predator could. Yet, true biological threats exist. The iconic great white, often imagined as the ultimate apex predator, can fall victim to larger great whites and, more notably, to killer whales.

Orcas have been documented attacking and consuming great whites, particularly targeting their livers. First observed in 1997, these encounters have been recorded multiple times, proving that even the most fearsome sharks have a predator they must respect.

7 Sharks Can’t Get Cancer

For decades, the notion that sharks are immune to cancer has persisted, partly because researchers hoped their biology might hold clues to curing the disease. In reality, malignant tumors have been identified in sharks since the late 1800s.

Sharks do develop cancer, but it appears less frequently than in many other vertebrates, leading some to mistakenly believe they are cancer‑free. This misconception has fueled a market for shark‑cartilage supplements, despite a lack of scientific evidence supporting any anti‑cancer benefits.

The myth gained traction after the 1992 bestseller “Sharks Don’t Get Cancer,” which exaggerated the rarity of shark tumors and promoted unproven health products. Extensive research, however, has consistently shown that sharks are not exempt from cancer.

6 Sharks Will Die If They Stop Swimming

Popular lore claims that a shark must keep moving or it will suffocate. While some species rely on constant motion to force water over their gills—a process called ram ventilation—this rule does not apply to all sharks.

Several sharks, such as the bullhead and nurse sharks, employ buccal pumping, actively drawing water into their mouths and over their gills while remaining motionless. The tiger shark can switch between ram ventilation and buccal pumping depending on circumstances.

Only obligate ram ventilators—like great whites and mako sharks—must keep swimming to breathe. If they cease movement, they cannot extract enough oxygen and will indeed die. Thus, the sweeping statement that all sharks need to swim constantly is inaccurate.

5 Sharks Can Detect A Single Drop Of Blood From Miles Away

The dramatic claim that a shark can smell a single drop of blood from miles away has become a staple of shark folklore. While sharks possess an exceptionally keen sense of smell, the reality is more modest.

Sharks use their nostrils exclusively for olfaction, packed with sensory cells that can detect minute chemical concentrations. Some species can sense a low‑level scent a few hundred meters away—far impressive, yet far short of a mile.

Detection thresholds can reach one part per billion, equivalent to roughly one drop of substance dispersed in an average swimming pool. This sensitivity aids both hunting and mating, allowing sharks to locate prey or potential partners, but it does not grant them supernatural, ocean‑spanning sniffing powers.

4 Sharks Can Swim Backward

Many fish can easily reverse direction by flicking their pectoral fins, but sharks belong to a minority that cannot truly swim backward. Their unique anatomy restricts them to forward propulsion.

Sharks generate thrust by moving their powerful tails, while their pectoral fins provide stability and steering. Unlike most fish, their pectoral fins do not curve upward, preventing them from generating the reverse thrust needed for backward swimming.

When a shark needs to move backward, it simply ceases forward motion and lets gravity pull it back, a maneuver that can be hazardous because it disrupts water flow over the gills, potentially leading to suffocation. Consequently, sharks essentially remain forward‑moving creatures.

3 Sharks Are Only Found In Saltwater

It’s easy to assume sharks belong exclusively to the salty seas, yet several species have made a home in freshwater environments. Six distinct river‑shark species, all within the genus Glyphis, inhabit rivers across Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and Australia.

These river sharks spend their entire lives in freshwater, though they are among the least studied due to dwindling populations caused by habitat loss. Their rarity makes them some of the most elusive shark species on the planet.

Another notable freshwater‑tolerant shark is the bull shark, which spends much of its life in rivers but returns to the ocean to breed. Bull sharks have been documented traveling far inland—over 1,750 miles up the Mississippi River and even 2,500 miles up the Amazon—showcasing their remarkable adaptability.

2 All Sharks Are Deadly To Humans

Contrary to popular belief, not every shark poses a danger to people. While a shark bite can be severe and sometimes fatal, only about a dozen species have ever been recorded biting humans, representing roughly 2.4 % of the estimated 500 shark species.

Many sharks, such as the Caribbean reef shark, can be dangerous if they bite, but they rarely do so. Other species, like nurse sharks, show little interest in humans, and attacks are exceedingly rare.

The largest shark, the gentle‑giant whale shark, is a filter feeder with no teeth capable of harming humans. Even if a person were to find themselves inside its massive mouth, the whale shark would simply spit them out, making it a harmless giant in the sea.

1 Sharks Can “Go Rogue” And Hunt Only Humans

The sensational idea of a “rogue shark” that abandons its normal diet to hunt humans exclusively has no scientific basis. Sharks do not develop a sudden craving for people; most bites result from mistaken identity or curiosity.

When a shark does bite a human, it typically recognizes the mistake quickly and disengages, rarely delivering a second bite. Global statistics illustrate the rarity: in 2020, there were 57 unprovoked attacks worldwide, with ten fatalities, and only 33 of those occurred in the United States.

Statistically, the odds of a person being bitten by a shark are about 1 in 3,748,067—far lower than the chance of being struck by lightning or injured in a train accident. So, the notion of a human‑hunting rogue shark is more myth than reality.

When it comes to the macabre world of serial murderers, the most unsettling detail often isn’t the number of victims but the bizarre keepsakes they cling to—what investigators call “trophies.” In this deep‑dive of the top 10 trophies ever taken from victims, we’ll explore the twisted motivations behind each grisly souvenir and why these objects continue to haunt us.

top 10 trophies: a quick look at the chilling collections

10 The Eyes: Charles Albright

The press loves to hand out nicknames, and when a murderer starts collecting body parts as mementos, the moniker usually reflects the gruesome habit. Charles Albright earned the chilling title “The Eyeball Killer” because he allegedly removed the eyes of his victims and kept them as trophies—a fact that still baffles investigators, as none of those ocular souvenirs have ever been recovered despite his conviction.

Albright’s criminal résumé reads like a checklist of escalating offenses: petty theft, illegal weapons possession, assault, fraud, and eventually sexual assault of a minor. By the time he progressed to murder, his behavior had deteriorated dramatically, and he began mutilating bodies. The missing eyes remain the most eerie reminder of his depravity, a macabre souvenir that vanished along with the evidence.

9 Camping Gear?: Ivan Milat

Australia’s most notorious serial killer, Ivan Milat—often dubbed the “Backpacker Murderer”—didn’t just snuff out lives; he also raided his victims’ belongings. After luring unsuspecting travelers into the bush, Milat would turn the tables and murder them, then pilfer their camping equipment as trophies.

When police finally searched Milat’s property, they uncovered what they described as an “Aladdin’s Cave” brimming with stolen outdoor gear: sleeping bags, portable stoves, canteens, and a plethora of other camping paraphernalia. The sheer volume of the loot suggests a twisted obsession with the very items his victims relied on for safety, turning a simple hike into a nightmarish treasure hunt.

8 Their Baby: John Edward Robinson

John Edward Robinson, infamously labeled the “Internet’s First Serial Killer,” mixed digital deception with old‑school crime. After coaxing women through chat rooms, he would murder them, but his most shocking theft involved a tiny, four‑month‑old infant.

Robinson met Lisa Stasi in 1985 while she was living in a women’s shelter in Kansas City. Assuming a false identity, he promised her a job and a better life, only to kill her and snatch her baby. While Stasi’s body was never recovered, the infant survived. Robinson kept the child for a brief period before handing her off to his brother and sister‑in‑law, who were unaware of the kidnapping and raised her as their own.

7 “The Screaming Boy”: Chris Busch

This entry is a bit of an outlier because the alleged trophy comes from a suspect rather than a convicted killer. Chris Busch was one of several suspects linked to the Oakland County Child Killer case, a series of murders of young boys in 1970s Michigan that remains unsolved.

According to reports, Busch allegedly took his own life, and investigators discovered a hand‑drawn picture taped above his body. The sketch depicted a screaming boy whose features bore a striking resemblance to one of the confirmed victims, Mark Stebbins, leading some to speculate that the drawing itself was meant as a morbid trophy.

6 Bathtubs of Blood: Elizabeth Báthory

Countess Elizabeth Báthory of Hungary has become synonymous with blood‑soaked legend. While folklore paints her as a vampire‑like figure who bathed in the blood of virgins, historians remain divided over how much of the tale is fact versus sensationalism.

What is documented is that Báthory tortured and killed a large number of young women. Some accounts claim she collected their blood for drinking and bathing, a practice allegedly rooted in a childhood medical regimen that prescribed the consumption of young, healthy blood to treat seizures. Whether these rumors are true or merely propaganda, the notion of a noblewoman keeping vats of blood adds a chilling layer to her already gruesome reputation.

5 37 X’s Mark the Spot: Robert Hansen

Robert Hansen’s hunting ground was the Alaskan wilderness, where he abducted women, subjected them to brutal torture, and then released them into the frigid wild to become prey. His most unsettling souvenir was a map hidden behind his headboard, marked with dozens of tiny X’s indicating where he dumped bodies.

The map bore 37 X’s, although only 17 victims have been positively identified. Several of those 17 were located precisely at the spots Hansen had marked, confirming the map’s authenticity and suggesting that many more victims remain undiscovered, still awaiting identification at the locations he painstakingly recorded.

4 Their Voice: Eddie Leonski

At first glance, Eddie Leonski—known as the “Brownout Strangler”—might not seem trophy‑worthy, given his brief three‑victim spree during World War II. However, his true motive was far more twisted: he coveted the voices of his female victims.

Leonski, an American soldier stationed in Detroit, strangled three women and reportedly tried to murder several others. He confessed that his obsession lay in stealing the women’s singing voices, believing that by killing them he could somehow “capture” that sound for himself, a bizarre and tragic fixation that turned each murder into a failed attempt at vocal theft.

3 Feet, Socks, Shoes: Jerry Brudos

Jerry Brudos earned the moniker “The Shoe Fetish Killer” because his obsession with feet went far beyond mere admiration. He would murder women, amputate their feet, and preserve the rotting limbs as macabre models for his personal shoe collection, often incorporating the actual feet into his displays.

While his primary fixation was on feet, Brudos also kept other body parts, such as breasts, which he molded into plastic paperweights. His twisted hobby turned human remains into grotesque memorabilia, highlighting the extreme lengths some killers will go to satisfy a fetish.

2 Just Everything: David Parker Ray

David Parker Ray, dubbed the “Toy‑Box Killer,” is suspected of more than 60 murders, though he was never formally convicted of that many. His crimes involved elaborate torture devices, and his trophy collection reads like a horror museum.

The FBI has compiled a gallery of items believed to be taken from victims, ranging from jewelry to personal belongings, including intimate objects from children. The sheer volume and variety of trophies underscore Ray’s depraved need to hoard evidence of his atrocities, turning each stolen item into a chilling reminder of his perverse imagination.

1 The Dog: John George Haigh

John George Haigh earned infamy as “The Acid Bath Murderer,” dissolving victims in vats of acid to erase any trace. Yet, amidst his gruesome methods, he committed a seemingly petty yet deeply disturbing theft: the pet dog of his victims, Archibald and Rose Henderson.

After murdering the Hendersons and selling most of their possessions, Haigh chose to keep their beloved dog, raising it as his own. This act of animal theft, layered atop his acid‑bath murders, adds an oddly personal cruelty to an already horrifying legacy.

Some criminals are painstakingly methodical, plotting each step of a crime with the precision of a seasoned architect. They stalk, they strike, and they often go to great lengths—shaving their bodies, wearing fresh suits, even rehearsing escape routes—to ensure they leave no trace. Yet, despite all that careful preparation, it is frequently the 10 more stupid slip‑ups that surface after the deed that hand the investigators the winning hand. A single careless act, a momentary lapse, or an outright brain‑fart can turn a mastermind into a headline and a cold case into a solved mystery.

Why 10 More Stupid Errors Matter

10 Ted Bundy Stole a Car

During the mid‑1970s, the handsome, charismatic Ted Bundy managed to string together at least thirty murders across a five‑year span, though many more likely went undetected. His good looks and affable demeanor were weapons in themselves, allowing him to feign helplessness in public places, coaxing unsuspecting victims into his grasp. He would masquerade as a disabled individual needing assistance, a ruse that lowered guards and paved the way for him to knock his prey unconscious, abduct them, and later subject them to unspeakable violence.

Bundy’s academic background added another layer of intrigue: a psychology student who was well‑liked by professors and peers, he even secured admission to law school in the early 1970s. Yet his escalating criminal activity forced him to abandon his studies. By 1975, after being charged with assault and kidnapping, Bundy fled Colorado for Florida, where his murderous spree continued unabated.

The turning point came on a fog‑laden morning when a police officer spotted Bundy driving a vehicle without headlights. A routine traffic stop revealed a trove of macabre paraphernalia—ski mask, ice pick, handcuffs—stashed inside. Though initially charged only with kidnapping, Bundy escaped custody, only to be apprehended again after making an illegal turn in yet another stolen automobile. The pattern repeated: each capture was directly tied to his decision to pilfer a car.

Had Bundy refrained from stealing vehicles for his getaways, the chain of arrests that ultimately sealed his fate might never have materialized. The stolen‑car gambit, a glaringly foolish move, became the linchpin of his downfall.

9 Golden State Killer Left Old DNA

In an age where genealogy websites like Ancestry.com and 23andMe promise revelations about ancestry, a handful of curious users unwittingly provided law enforcement with a powerful investigative tool. The Golden State Killer, a shadowy figure responsible for a staggering 13 murders, 50 rapes, and over a hundred burglaries between 1973 and 1986, left behind DNA at crime scenes that sat idle for decades.

Investigators uploaded the dormant DNA sample to GEDmatch, a free, public database where anyone can compare their genetic data. By cross‑referencing the killer’s profile with the DNA of ordinary citizens who had voluntarily uploaded their results, detectives identified several distant relatives—cousins—to the unknown perpetrator.

Armed with these familial links, police narrowed down suspects based on age, location, and other circumstantial evidence, eventually zeroing in on Joseph James DeAngelo Jr., a former police officer. The DNA evidence, once a meaningless fingerprint, became a decisive clue once matched to a living relative.

Without the modern surge of consumer DNA testing, the Golden State Killer’s genetic trail would have remained a dead end, allowing him to evade justice indefinitely. The very act of sharing personal genetic data—something many consider harmless—proved to be his undoing.

8 Randy Kraft Drove Drunk

Randy Kraft earned the moniker “Scorecard Killer” after investigators unearthed a cryptic notebook in which he catalogued each victim with coded initials and gruesome details. Operating primarily from the early 1970s through the early 1980s, Kraft is believed to have murdered at least sixteen young men, though the true count may exceed fifty.

Despite being a prime suspect for years, Kraft managed to evade conviction. Earlier attempts to charge him were thwarted when a coroner ruled a suspected victim’s death an accidental drowning, prompting the district attorney to dismiss the case. This legal hiccup allowed Kraft to continue his reign of terror.

The breakthrough arrived in 1983 when California Highway Patrol officers observed Kraft executing an erratic lane change on Interstate 5. Pulled over on suspicion of driving under the influence, officers discovered a dead body slumped in the passenger seat. A subsequent search yielded a mountain of forensic evidence: blood spatter from multiple victims, Polaroid snapshots of his prey, and the infamous coded scorecard.

Kraft’s decision to drive while intoxicated—an undeniably reckless act—provided the police the opportunity they needed to finally link him to his crimes. The DUI stop became the pivotal moment that toppled a serial predator.

7 Alexander Bychkov Robbed a Store

Russian murderer Alexander Bychkov, convicted of nine killings, primarily targeted older, often homeless men. His modus operandi involved luring victims to his apartment after a night of drinking, where he would murder and dismember them, later indulging in cannibalistic acts.

Bychkov’s criminal career teetered on the brink of exposure in 2010 when police apprehended another suspect linked to similar crimes. That individual, suffering from severe mental illness, eventually provided a coerced confession, inadvertently drawing attention back to Bychkov.

Two years later, Bychkov committed a brazen robbery of a hardware store, absconding with several knives and roughly $300 in cash. The theft prompted a swift police response; a subsequent search of his residence uncovered a detailed diary chronicling his murders.

Had Bychkov not engaged in that ill‑conceived store robbery, authorities might have taken considerably longer to connect the dots, allowing his murderous spree to continue unchecked.

6 Arthur Shawcross Returned to a Body to Have Lunch

Dubbed the “Genesee River Killer,” Arthur Shawcross terrorized the upstate New York area from 1972 until 1989, claiming at least fourteen lives. A Vietnam War veteran—though his claimed combat exploits were later debunked—Shawcross initially dabbled in burglary and arson before escalating to homicide.

His first conviction resulted in a 22‑month sentence, which he cut short after heroically saving a prison guard during a riot. Upon release, Shawcross murdered a 10‑year‑old boy, followed quickly by the killing of an eight‑year‑old girl. He pleaded down to manslaughter for both offenses and was released after fourteen years, deemed no longer dangerous.

In 1988, Shawcross resumed killing, eventually amassing at least eleven additional victims. The crucial break came in 1990 when a surveillance helicopter captured him perched near a fresh corpse, casually eating a sandwich while masturbating. This unmistakable footage cemented his capture.

Shawcross’s bizarre decision to return to the scene of a murder for a snack provided the visual evidence that finally sealed his fate, illustrating how even the most depraved individuals can make absurdly foolish choices.

5 Jeffrey Dahmer Let His Final Would‑Be Victim Use the Bathroom

Jeffrey Dahmer, perhaps the most infamous cannibalistic serial killer in recent memory, claimed seventeen victims between the late 1970s and early 1990s. His crimes—ranging from murder to dismemberment to necrophilia—were as horrific as they were methodical.

Despite several near‑misses with law enforcement, it was a seemingly innocuous request that finally unraveled his reign. In 1991, Dahmer persuaded a potential victim, Tracy Edwards, to accompany him home. After handcuffing Edwards and explaining his morbid intentions, Dahmer allowed the man to use the bathroom and fetch a beer—a decision that proved fatal for the killer.

While Edwards was in the bathroom, he seized the moment, punching Dahmer in the face and fleeing the apartment. He promptly returned with police, who discovered a trove of photographic evidence and a severed head in the refrigerator, sealing Dahmer’s capture.

Had Dahmer not granted that bathroom break—and the accompanying beer—his crimes might have continued unabated. A simple act of misplaced trust became the catalyst for his downfall.

4 Maury Travis Printed a Map

Maury Travis, a suspected serial killer, faced charges for two murders but ultimately confessed to seventeen. His capture was precipitated by a local newspaper’s coverage of one of his victims, which sparked an unusual response.

When police raided Travis’s residence, they uncovered a chilling “torture chamber” in the basement, stocked with bondage gear and a library of videotapes documenting his crimes. The media attention forced Travis to act.

Following the article, Travis mailed a taunting letter to the newspaper, boasting that he could reveal the locations of numerous bodies. Enclosed was a printed map—sourced from Expedia.com—pointing to the burial sites. Investigators traced the digital footprint of that map back to Travis’s computer, securing his arrest. He later took his own life while in custody.

3 Richard Kuklinski Bragged

Richard Kuklinski, infamously dubbed “The Iceman,” operated as a contract killer and murderer, later convicted of five homicides but suspected of many more. Unlike most killers who cling to silence, Kuklinski was gregarious about his violent exploits.

An undercover federal agent, posing as a fellow criminal, coaxed Kuklinski into divulging chilling details: he described lacing hamburgers with cyanide, the precise methods he used to dispose of bodies, and the cold‑blooded nature of his work. Although his defense tried to paint these confessions as boastful fabrications, forensic evidence corroborated his statements, linking him unmistakably to the crimes.

2 Neville Heath Signed a Hotel Registry

Leaving identifying information at a crime scene is arguably the most glaring error a murderer can make. Neville Heath, a British killer executed in 1946, took this faux‑pas to an extreme by signing his real name in the hotel registry after committing a murder.

Shortly after becoming engaged to a newfound fiancée, Heath lured another woman to his hotel room, tortured her, and left her body for the next day’s housekeeping staff to discover. In a baffling twist, he recorded his true name on the sign‑in sheet when checking in.

When police later confronted him, Heath attempted to shift blame, claiming the room had been used by another individual. He subsequently fled, checked into a different hotel under an alias, and repeated his murderous pattern. Ultimately, the signed registry became a pivotal piece of evidence that led to his conviction and execution.

1 Henri Landru Bought One‑Way Tickets

Henri Landru, a notorious French swindler and murderer of the early 20th century, preyed upon widowed women by posing as a wealthy furniture dealer. He promised to invest their modest inheritances, only to siphon the funds and disappear.

His victims were primarily widows who, after selling personal belongings, were enticed by Landru’s false promises of a comfortable future. He would persuade them to abandon their families and travel with him, only to murder them and conceal the bodies.

Police investigations eventually zeroed in on Landru after noticing a pattern: he bought round‑trip tickets for himself but one‑way tickets for his prospective brides. This discrepancy, combined with reports of thick black smoke emanating from his home’s massive cast‑iron stove, prompted a search that uncovered human remains among the ashes.

The meticulous record‑keeping of his travel expenses—an apparently innocuous detail—proved to be his undoing. The one‑way tickets, a seemingly minor oversight, illuminated his murderous itinerary and led investigators straight to his doorstep.

As strange as it sounds, a surprising number of women have tied the knot with serial killers. Psychologists point to a rare sexual paraphilia called hybristophilia, where the allure lies in being attracted to someone convicted of a shocking crime. Professor John Money describes it as a thrill that comes from being with a person who has “committed an outrage or crime, such as rape, murder, or armed robbery.” These are just a few of the many motives that drive women to say “I do” to a murderer.

10 reasons women: The Dark Motives

10 Vicarious Celebrity

Denise Mina asks a provocative question in her article: “Why are women drawn to men behind bars?” She notes that courting a prisoner is no walk in the park. A woman may have to swap letters with dozens of inmates before finding a genuine connection, and then she must battle the logistical nightmare of visiting a man locked away in a high‑security facility. Yet many persist. Why? Mina argues that the notoriety of a serial killer carries a glossy, almost glamorous sheen. By marrying such a figure, a woman can bask in what she perceives as “vicarious celebrity,” turning the spotlight onto herself simply by association. While killers like Richard Ramirez and Ted Bundy gathered crowds of admirers, only one woman can claim the title of wife, and that status brings a flood of media attention.

In other words, the infamy of a murderer can feel like a passport to fame. Women who choose this path often see themselves as part of a headline‑making story, believing that the marriage will elevate their own social standing. The allure of being the spouse of a notorious criminal can be intoxicating, offering a strange blend of danger and public adulation that many find irresistible.

9 Fantasy of Future Bliss

Sheila Isenberg, author of Women Who Love Men Who Kill, echoes Mina’s observations but adds a hopeful twist. Some women aren’t just after fame; they cling to the belief that their love will eventually blossom into a blissful future. They picture a day when the prison gates swing open, and their partner can devote himself fully to their shared life, free from the constraints of incarceration. This vision of a post‑prison romance fuels their perseverance, even though such happy endings are, in reality, rarely attainable.

Isenberg points out that these women cling to a dream of endless love, convinced that once the killer is released, they’ll finally live “a life of unending romance.” The fantasy is powerful enough to outweigh the practical hardships of maintaining a relationship across steel bars, despite the slim odds of ever seeing that imagined future come to fruition.

8 Raising Public Awareness

Not every bride of a murderer is after fame or romance. Some are driven by a sense of justice, hoping to shine a light on legal shortcomings. Public defender Rosalie Martinez is a prime example. She fell in love with Oscar Ray Bolin, a former truck driver convicted ten times for raping and killing three women in Florida. Bolin’s convictions were later overturned on technicalities, prompting Martinez to champion his cause.

Katherine Ramsland, Ph.D., notes that Bolin’s case was riddled with procedural “errors” that led to his initial convictions. Martinez believed that marrying Bolin over the phone in 1995 would thrust his legal battle into the public arena, drawing attention to what she perceived as a miscarriage of justice.

Unfortunately, Bolin’s legal saga took another dark turn in 2012 when he was again convicted, this time receiving a life sentence alongside two death sentences. Martinez’s strategy to raise awareness, while bold, could not alter the final outcome of the courts.

7 Convenience

Beyond fame and advocacy, many women cite sheer convenience as a reason to wed a locked‑up killer. By marrying a man sentenced to life, they secure a partner who is perpetually devoted, never straying, and who can’t “wander off” in the traditional sense. This arrangement lets them enjoy the romance of a boyfriend without the day‑to‑day responsibilities of cohabitation.

Ramsland observes that such wives relish the freedom from household chores and the ordinary pressures of a typical relationship. They can proudly tell friends they are loved, while simultaneously maintaining a distance that shields them from the usual marital obligations. In this way, the marriage becomes a curated fantasy that can be sustained indefinitely.

6 To Change Him

Another strand of motivation comes from the belief that love can transform even the most violent soul. Pat Brown, author of Killing for Sport, describes women who see their murderous partner as a misunderstood, damaged individual. These women often think that, with enough love and patience, they can “save” the killer from his own darkness.

Brown explains that such women may stay by a man who beats them, convinced that their loyalty will eventually coax him into a gentler version of himself. Ironically, being behind bars can make this dynamic feel safer: the abuser can’t physically assault her, turning the prison wall into a bizarre shield that allows the woman to continue her mission of redemption.

5 Nurture

Closely related to the desire to change a killer is the urge to nurture the child‑like side they perceive within him. R.J. Parker, in Serial Killer Groupies, notes that some women believe they can gain control by making the killer fall in love with them, thereby steering his actions. This sense of influence can be intoxicating.

Other women, however, focus on providing the affection they think the killer missed during his own childhood. By offering care and compassion, they hope to dissolve the “cruel and harmful nature” of the murderer, believing that love can rewrite his violent instincts and make him “amicable again.”

4 Sympathy

Tracey Bottomley from West Yorkshire, UK, fell for American killer Ernest Otto Smith after meeting him through a prison pen‑pal program in 2018. She openly admitted that she knew he might someday kill her, yet she chose to marry him anyway, reasoning that everyone eventually faces death.

Bottomley’s empathy stemmed from shared trauma. She felt a deep connection to Smith’s own history of childhood abuse, noting that his painful past “resonated” with her. Their bond was cemented when Smith’s son, who managed his finances, arranged for the wedding bands to be sent to her, underscoring the strange intimacy that can develop behind bars.

3 Sadomasochistic Passion

The twisted romance between Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo illustrates how a shared love of sadomasochism can bind a couple to horrific deeds. They met at a pet convention when Homolka was 17 and Bernardo 23. Their marriage vows explicitly promised Homolka to “love, honor, and obey” Bernardo, framing their union as a “man and wife” partnership that emphasized his dominance.

Homolka took those vows to the extreme, assisting Bernardo in kidnapping, sexually assaulting, and murdering multiple victims, including her own younger sister. Their reign of terror ended in 1993, just before Bernardo was identified as the infamous Scarborough Rapist.

Following their convictions, Bernardo received a life sentence, while Homolka, after striking a plea deal and testifying against him, served a 12‑year term with parole eligibility after three years. She was released in 2005 and now lives under an assumed identity.

2 Low Self‑Esteem

Arthur Shawcross, a self‑described “unrepentant cannibal,” claimed his murderous urges were fueled by visions of his mother’s spirit and a thirteenth‑century cannibal named Ariemes. Despite his heinous crimes, his longtime sweetheart Clara Neal chose to marry him, even though he was already married to another woman.

Their ceremony took place in a prison visiting room, a modest affair that Neal described as “nice.” While she expressed love for Shawcross, she also hinted that her own low self‑esteem played a role in the decision, suggesting she felt “inferior” and needed to prove herself worthy of his affection.

Neal’s comments reveal a deep sense of inadequacy: she confessed it took her a decade to “make the grade” and feel qualified to become his fiancée. This prolonged self‑evaluation underscores how a diminished self‑image can drive a woman toward a relationship with a dangerous man.

1 Partnership, Sex, Power, and the Need to Please

Perhaps the most chilling example of a murderous partnership is the duo of David and Catherine Birnie. According to Dirk C. Gibson’s Serial Killers Around the World, the pair reconnected in 1985 after a childhood friendship, with Catherine abandoning her husband and six children to take David’s surname.

The Birnies embarked on a spree of abduction, kidnapping, rape, prolonged sexual assault, and murder. Their crimes were driven largely by David’s sexual urges and his desire to dominate Catherine, who became entirely dependent on him, even attempting (unsuccessfully) a safe‑cracking venture together.

Gibson notes that psychologists see David’s motive as primarily sexual, with an added thirst for power, while Catherine’s lawyer argued that her driving force was simply a willingness to please David. Their twisted alliance illustrates how crime, romance, and a craving for control can fuse into a deadly partnership.