When you sit down for a night of screaming cinema, the monsters on screen aren’t just fantasy—they often embody real‑world mental health conditions. In this deep‑dive we unpack the ten most chilling psychiatric diagnoses attached to horror’s most infamous villains and the innocent souls they terrorize. The analysis blends film lore, academic insight, and a dash of macabre humor, all while keeping the focus keyword 10 psychiatric diagnoses front and center.

10 Psychiatric Diagnoses in Horror Cinema

10 Michael Myers and Laurie Strode

From a clinical standpoint, the way horror movies portray disturbed characters is notoriously inaccurate, yet a group of Rutgers scholars led by Professor Anthony Tobia still watch classics like Psycho, Halloween, and A Nightmare on Elm Street in his REDRUM class. The students are urged to look beyond surface scares and to interpret plots through the lens of a full spectrum of mental illnesses.

Tobia’s guidance is clear: avoid taking the movies at face value and instead focus on abstract, symbolic readings of plot summaries and character dynamics that relate to psychiatric disorders.

After scrutinizing the Halloween franchise, the class concluded that Michael Myers displays conversion disorder—a sudden, unexplained loss of motor function such as blindness or paralysis—evidenced by his mute demeanor following the murder of his sister Judith. They also noted traits of voyeurism and autism in his behavior.

Following a stint in a mental institution, Michael escapes and returns home, obsessively hunting his other sister, Laurie Strode. Laurie’s surname differs because, after their parents were killed, she was placed for adoption.

Myers’ relentless pursuit of Laurie triggers intense stress for her, and in Halloween II a therapist tells her she suffers from the same “illness” as her brother. Yet the diagnosis is murky: Laurie is never shown displaying conversion disorder, voyeurism, or autism, leaving the therapist’s comment ambiguous.

One possible interpretation is that the therapist was actually referencing Sam Loomis, Michael’s own psychiatrist, who bluntly labels him as “pure evil.” Of course, such a label does not appear in any official DSM edition.

In short, while the class’s diagnosis of Michael is thought‑provoking, the connection to Laurie’s condition remains speculative, illustrating how horror narratives can blur the lines between symbolic pathology and literal mental illness.

9 Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling

Although Dr. Glen O. Gabbard’s commentary on Hannibal Lecter stems from Thomas Harris’s novels, his analysis translates well to the film adaptations, where the charismatic cannibal appears opposite FBI trainee Clarice Starling. Gabbard describes the psychology behind Hannibal as contradictory, noting the author’s ambivalence toward psychiatry.

He wonders whether sophisticated readers will accept the portrayal of a “hard‑core psychopath” who still maintains loving attachments to internal objects. The consensus among clinicians is that Lecter fits the DSM criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD), which is characterized by a pervasive disregard for others, superficial charm, and the ability to switch off empathy at will.

Clarice’s own trauma is explored in the CBS series Clarice (2021), which positions her as a victim of post‑traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) stemming from her harrowing encounter with Lecter and earlier childhood horrors involving the slaughter of lambs on a Montana farm.

The series depicts vivid nightmares and hyper‑vigilance, hallmarks of PTSD, underscoring how the villain’s manipulation leaves deep psychological scars on his pursuer.

8 Freddy Krueger and Nancy Thompson

Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street thrusts teenager Nancy Thompson into a battle of wits with the burnt‑alive killer Freddy Krueger. Freddy’s motives blend vengeance—killing the children of the parents who burned him—and a pedophilic disorder, evidenced by his choice to murder victims in their own beds.

Professor Tobia detects an additional layer: Nancy’s mother Marge may have had an affair with Freddy, suggested by her casual reference to him as “Fred.” Marge’s possession of Freddy’s hat and glove hints at a deeper, perhaps complicit, relationship, potentially explaining why Freddy spares Nancy as “special.”

Nancy’s own mental state is classified as Nightmare Disorder, a condition marked by repeated terrifying dreams involving threats to survival. Tobia also links the film’s themes to narcolepsy, a sleep‑related disorder common in adolescents that includes hallucinations.

The narrative weaves together genetic predisposition, trauma, and possible childhood sexual abuse, painting Nancy’s sleep pathology as a complex blend of PTSD, nightmare disorder, and possibly underlying narcoleptic tendencies.

7 Leatherface and Sally Hardesty

The 2003 remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre suggests that Leatherface suffers from a neurodegenerative disease, though the exact diagnosis remains vague. Potential comorbidities include neoplasm, edema, hemorrhage, and traumatic brain injury—all plausible given his early onset at age twelve, which is atypical for such conditions.

Leatherface’s condition is compounded by severe bullying. Born disfigured with a skin disease, he endured relentless mockery, prompting him to hide behind a leather mask—a coping mechanism that eventually became integral to his identity.

His family’s gruesome spree leaves final‑girl Sally Hardesty traumatized. After escaping in a truck, she becomes “unhinged,” ranting about her experiences and eventually slipping into a catatonic state.

Because the franchise’s continuity is loose, Sally’s ultimate fate varies: she may have died in 1977, survived as a hospital patient, or spent decades in an asylum. Catatonia, a neuropsychiatric syndrome marked by immobility, mutism, and abnormal autonomic signs, provides a clinical framework for her condition.

6 Regan MacNeil and Father Karras

William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist deliberately juxtaposes medical science with demonic possession. Neurologist Suzanne O’Sullivan argues that Regan’s symptoms could be psychosomatic, ranging from tremors to speech impairments, all stemming from severe distress.

Conversely, Blatty posits that Regan’s fragile psyche opens a gateway for a literal demonic invasion, describing it as “somnambuliform possession,” where internal conflict creates a delusion of external spirit takeover.

In the film, doctors test Regan’s temporal lobe, yet find no physiological anomaly, reinforcing the mystery. The priests—Father Lankester Merrin and Father Damien Karras—enter the fray, with Karras ultimately sacrificing himself, allowing the demon to possess him before he leaps to his death.

Karras’s own background—grieving a severely ill mother—makes him vulnerable. The demon exploits his guilt, turning his personal anguish into a weapon during the exorcism, illustrating how even holy figures can become victims of psychological torment.

5 Annaliese Michel and Fathers Arnold Renz and Ernst Alt

In 1967, Annaliese Michel’s harrowing ordeal began when she claimed to be possessed by a host of demonic entities, including Hitler and Lucifer. Her behavior escalated to licking urine, trances, swelling hands, and uttering deep, guttural voices.

After enduring sixty‑seven exorcism rites, Michel died of malnutrition at twenty‑three. The 2005 film The Exorcism of Emily Rose popularized her story, while the two priests—Arnold Renz and Ernst Alt—recorded hours of exorcism sessions, capturing Michel’s growls and demonic names.

Michel had stopped taking medication for epilepsy, a condition diagnosed earlier, and her parents handed her over to the priests. The prolonged deprivation led to her death by starvation.

Subsequent legal proceedings convicted both priests of negligent homicide, handing down suspended sentences and mandating restitution for court costs. Psychiatric experts testified that her epilepsy and strict religious upbringing, rather than demonic forces, explained her deterioration.

4 Jack Torrance and Wendy Torrance

Stephen King’s The Shining presents Jack Torrance as a caretaker whose isolation fuels a descent into paranoia and hallucinations. He experiences sensory hallucinations across all five senses, believing malevolent forces target him.

Had Wendy sought professional help for Jack’s burgeoning psychosis, a combination of medication, therapy, and bibliotherapy might have mitigated his decline.

Jack’s alcoholism and volatile temper culminate in violent outbursts, including an incident where he accidentally breaks his son Danny’s arm after the boy douses his manuscript with beer. Jack’s internalized shame, guilt, and self‑hatred, learned from his own abusive father, drive his violent coping mechanisms.

Danny, the “shining” child, suffers PTSD from the Overlook Hotel’s horrors. In King’s sequel Doctor Sleep, Danny’s adult life mirrors his father’s trajectory: alcoholism, drifting, and emotional emptiness, underscoring the long‑term trauma inflicted by the hotel.

3 Norman Bates and Marion Crane

Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho introduces Norman Bates, a motel manager haunted by a severe case of Dissociative Identity Disorder (formerly known as multiple personality disorder) coupled with voyeuristic tendencies.

After his mother’s death, Norman internalizes her persona, dressing in her clothing and adopting her voice, effectively becoming “Mother.” This identity exerts a controlling influence, preventing Norman from forming romantic relationships.

When Marion Crane checks into the Bates Motel after embezzling money, “Mother” emerges, murdering Marion in the shower. The “Mother” persona later kills a private detective investigating Marion’s disappearance.

Scholars note that portraying mentally ill characters as violent reinforces harmful stereotypes. Harvard’s Dr. Gene Beresin highlights how such depictions stigmatize psychiatric patients and misinform the public.

2 Andrew Laeddis and Edward “Teddy” Daniels

Shutter Island follows U.S. Marshal Edward “Teddy” Daniels, a World War II veteran battling alcohol dependence and a work‑obsessed lifestyle. His coping mechanisms barely shield him from the reality that his bipolar wife, Dolores, has drowned their three children.

Instead of developing PTSD, Teddy spirals into Delusional Disorder, maintaining high‑functioning behavior while clinging to grandiose conspiracies about the asylum being a torture chamber.

The film’s climax reveals that Teddy’s investigation is a psychotic construct; he is, in fact, patient Andrew Laeddis, whose delusions mask the guilt of killing his wife after discovering her crimes.

Psychiatrist Jeremy Clyman criticizes the film for perpetuating an outdated “psychic virus” model of mental illness, suggesting that the narrative oversimplifies complex psychiatric conditions for dramatic effect.

1 Rosemary Woodhouse and Damien Thorn

Rosemary’s Baby tells the story of Rosemary Woodhouse, who, after moving into a seemingly ordinary New York apartment, is assaulted by a demonic presence, resulting in a pregnancy she believes is the devil’s child.

Clinically, Rosemary’s experience aligns with postpartum psychosis—a rare, severe mood disorder that can emerge within weeks of delivery, often presenting as bipolar affective disorder with psychotic features.

Her delusional conviction that her newborn is Satan’s offspring is compounded by the “poison/herbs” administered by her husband Guy and his coven, blurring the line between supernatural horror and psychiatric disturbance.

The film ends ambiguously, showing the infant’s eyes as feral and slit‑pupilled, leaving viewers to wonder whether the child is truly a demonic entity or a product of Rosemary’s psychosis.

When it comes to chilling tales, the 10 murderers haunted by their victims’ lingering spirits stand out as the most unsettling, proving that some souls simply won’t let the living rest.

10 Murderers Haunted: The Chilling Cases

10. Mark Bridger

Mark Bridger’s routine was a grim mix of heavy drinking, pornographic videos and viewing illegal images of children. One night in 2012, after a typical binge, he cruised the streets and happened upon five‑year‑old April Jones, who stepped into his car and vanished from sight.

He was taken into custody the following day, confessing to Jones’s death but insisting it was accidental. Bridger claimed he had unintentionally struck the girl with his vehicle, recalling only that he placed her body in his car before seeking help, his recollection clouded by alcohol.

Forensic analysis, however, uncovered bone fragments and blood that matched Jones’s DNA inside Bridger’s home, shattering his story. Investigators concluded he had sexually assaulted and then dismembered the child. The court concurred, sentencing him to life imprisonment, and he later told a cellmate that nightly visions of Jones torment him in his cell.

9. Jose E. Ferreira Jr.

In 1982, 17‑year‑old Jose Ferreira met 13‑year‑old Carrie Ann Jopek at a party. After sharing a joint, Jopek asked to go down into the basement. As they descended the steps, she hesitated, saying, “I don’t know if this is a good idea.”

Ferreira answered, “You are going downstairs,” and shoved her down the steps. He then examined her limp form, realizing the tragedy, and proceeded to assault her before noticing her broken neck. He clandestinely removed the body, burying it beneath a neighbor’s porch, where it remained hidden for 17 months.

The case went cold for decades, with police lacking leads. Eventually, Ferreira confessed, claiming that Jopek’s spirit had relentlessly haunted him since her death.

8. Ah Fong

In 1999 Hong Kong, three triad members captured Fan Man‑yee, demanding HK$20,000 she allegedly owed. Over a month they tortured her brutally, ultimately causing her death, then sawed, boiled, and discarded her remains.

A 13‑year‑old girl known only as “Ah Fong,” who had aided the gang, began suffering nightmarish visions of Fan’s specter. Disturbed, she alerted authorities, who initially dismissed her claims as teenage imagination. However, a police search of the torture site uncovered body fragments.

The perpetrators were arrested and tried; Ah Fong testified in exchange for immunity. All three received life sentences for manslaughter.

7. Victor Amewugah

In 2013, Victor Amewugah hired a taxi for a long haul, then midway drew a pistol, murdered the driver, and fled in the cab. He repeated the crime with a second victim, becoming a prime suspect and going on the run.

Soon after, the ghost of his second victim began appearing in his dreams, even slapping him awake, leaving him sleepless. The relentless haunting drove him to confide in a friend, who tipped off police about the stolen taxi.

Authorities apprehended Amewugah, who admitted the killings and expressed remorse, warning fellow criminals that the victims’ spirits can exact a heavy toll.

6. Al Capone

On February 14, 1929, seven members of the North Side Gang—including James Clark—gathered at a garage. Four men, two disguised as police, approached and forced the gangsters against a wall before opening fire, killing all seven.

Although never officially solved, investigators suspect Al Capone, leader of the rival South Side Gang, orchestrated the massacre. Capone was arrested months later, and prison guards later reported blood‑curdling screams as he begged a phantom James Clark to leave him alone.

The specter allegedly followed Capone beyond prison walls; he even hired a medium to banish it, to no avail. Later, his bodyguards heard him pleading for relief, only to find him alone, claiming he was haunted by Clark’s ghost.

5. Bhim Shankar Giri

Bhim Shankar Giri’s brother, Jeetendra Anantlal Giri, persistently harassed Bhim’s wife. After repeated pleas to cease, Bhim’s fury boiled over, prompting him to lure Jeetendra to a secluded spot under the pretense of a party.

There, Bhim offered drinks, and once Jeetendra was intoxicated, Bhim slit his throat. He concealed the body and vanished. When the family reported Jeetendra’s disappearance, police launched an investigation.

A week later, Bhim began hearing Jeetendra’s voice, even in his dreams, where the brother threatened to choke him and haunt him eternally. Overcome, Bhim confessed to the murder, leading to his arrest.

4. John Nkuna

In South Africa, 2002, John Nkuna and two accomplices kidnapped Bob Ruel Baloyi, binding him with cloth strips before beating him.

They doused Baloyi with gasoline and set him ablaze; his charred remains were later discovered by a cattle herder, prompting a police call. Nkuna fled to another city, yet the victim’s ghost haunted him nightly, whispering, “Tell my family I was murdered by you, or you’ll never find peace.”

Terrified, Nkuna approached the Baloyi family and confessed. He and his friends were arrested; while his companions were later cleared, Nkuna received a 15‑year sentence despite pleading not guilty, his confession sealing his fate.

3. Adrian Daou

Jennifer Stewart was axed to death in a parking lot in 2010, a case that lingered unsolved for nearly three years. Police finally focused on Adrian Daou, whose statements conflicted with evidence, yet he possessed knowledge only the perpetrator could have.

Daou explained he killed Stewart to boost his rap career, believing that a notorious murder would garner attention. After the act, he smoked a joint on a bike path, where he claimed Stewart’s ghost repeatedly swooped past him, haunting him several times daily.

2. Daniel French

In 2012, Daniel French sought quick cash by breaking into a retirement home, posing as a maintenance worker to enter 87‑year‑old Barbara Howe’s residence. He attempted a stun‑gun shock to her neck, but she remained conscious.

French then seized Howe, choking her until she finally died, rummaging through her possessions and discarding a mere $18 and a diamond ring out of his car window. The murder stayed cold for two years until forensic work linked French to the crime.

When questioned, French confessed, expressing remorse and revealing that he had seen Ms. Howe’s ghost, apologizing to the apparition.

1. Terry Childs

In 1987, Terry Childs stabbed 17‑year‑old Lois Sigala to death, earning a 41‑year sentence. While incarcerated, he confessed to additional murders, including that of Linda Ann Jozovich, whom he kidnapped in 1979, beat, strangled, and repeatedly stabbed, stashing her body in the Santa Cruz Mountains where it remained hidden for over a decade.

Childs claimed he confessed to free himself from his demons, insisting the victims’ ghosts plagued him, appearing in his cell and “eating up his brain.” He said Jozovich’s spirit haunted him, though she vanished after his confession.

These admissions have since extended his punishment to life without parole.

From the 15th through the 18th centuries, Europe was a frightening landscape, especially for elderly women. The clash between Catholic and Protestant authorities stoked religious terror, misfortunes were blamed on devil worshipers, and the continent’s witch hunts claimed roughly 200,000 lives across Germany, Sweden, France, and Britain. In this morbid tour we examine 10 ways European witch finders tested their victims, each more bizarre than the last.

10 Ways European Witch Finders: An Overview

10 Waking The Witch

The Italians were the first to devise a particularly uncomfortable method that later spread to Scotland, and modern scholars recognise it as a form of sleep deprivation. Imagine the modern nightmare of juggling a demanding job and restless children – now picture that torment amplified for a condemned witch.

In this cruel set‑up, the accused had an iron hoop studded with four sharp prongs forced into her mouth and then fastened to the wall, ensuring she could neither lie down nor find any comfortable position.

Guardians assigned to watch the witch were ordered to keep her awake by any means they saw fit. After roughly three days of relentless vigilance, the victim would usually begin to hallucinate vividly.

When interrogated in that delirious state, she would spin fantastical tales of soaring through the night, shapeshifting into beasts, and taking part in satanic rites. The witch hunters proclaimed this “awakening” as undeniable proof of guilt, and in Scotland those found guilty were typically strangled at the stake before being burned.

9 Touch Test

In 1662, two elderly Englishwomen—Rose Cullender and Amy Denny—were subjected to the infamous “touch test.” They stood accused of bewitching two young girls who were suffering terrible fits.

The theory held that a sorceress’s mere physical contact would produce a striking reaction in the afflicted child. The suspect was forced to lay her hands on the girls; if the convulsions ceased, the accused was deemed guilty.

According to contemporary accounts, the children clutched their fists so tightly that even the strongest villager could not pry them open. Yet the moment the accused women touched the girls, the convulsions stopped and the girls opened their palms with ease.

To verify whether the children were faking, the judge blindfolded them and had other court members touch them. The same reaction occurred each time, suggesting the girls were indeed feigning. Nevertheless, Cullender and Denny were found guilty and sentenced to hang.

8 The Rack

Germany earned a grim reputation for executing the most witches, highlighted by the five‑year‑long Würzburg trials of the 1620s, which claimed over 900 lives, including a bishop’s nephew, 19 priests, and several boys.

During this era, torture was still legal, and the most popular method of extracting confessions was the rack. The device consisted of an iron frame with wooden rollers at one or both ends.

The victim’s hands were bound to one roller and the ankles to the other. As interrogators turned the rollers, the tension increased, gradually stretching the poor soul.

Eventually the joints would dislocate and even separate, accompanied by the sickening sound of bones popping and snapping. One has to wonder whether that level of agony was enough to force a confession to witchcraft.

7 Pricking

Pricking was once hailed as the most accurate witch‑detection technique. The accused was stripped naked before the court, shaved from head to toe, and then a professional “witch‑pricker” would scour the body with a thick needle, hunting for the so‑called Devil’s mark.

The belief was that the Devil left a spot that would not bleed or cause pain – a clear sign of a pact with darkness. In reality, the practice amounted to a horrific form of sexual abuse, and many women confessed simply to escape the relentless humiliation.

In Scotland, a witch‑pricker could earn £6 per witch discovered – a fortune when the average daily wage was a single shilling.

Although the trade was dominated by men, one woman, Christian Caddell, disguised herself as a man under the name John Dickson and managed to condemn up to ten witches before being exposed and banished to the disease‑ridden island of Barbados, where many did not survive the voyage.

6 Spotted By Visgossar

Sweden’s witch‑hunt machinery leaned heavily on children’s testimonies, often the offspring of the accused, who were tortured until they produced fantastical stories.

The youngsters were interrogated about visits to Blakulla – a devil’s banquet hall with a peephole into Hell itself. Many competed to invent the most imaginative tales, which frequently ended with the execution of their parents.

The visgossar, a group of young boys, claimed the ability to spot the invisible Stigma Diaboli – the Devil’s mark – on a witch’s forehead. After church services, they would point at women and name them guilty, leading to executions within days.

These boys were paid per witch they identified, prompting homeless orphans and beggars to pose as visgossar for easy cash. The role was dangerous; on several occasions, boys were beaten to death by the families of those they accused.

5 Ducking Stool

Often called “dunking,” the ducking stool was the most widespread and trusted witch‑testing contraption. The suspect was tied to a chair, or her wrists were bound to her ankles, then attached to a pulley and lowered into icy water.

The logic was simple: a guilty witch would float, while an innocent woman would sink and drown. Some believed witches floated because they had renounced baptism, while others thought they could use magic to stay afloat.

In the eyes of the witch catchers, drowning was a merciful end – the soul would ascend to Heaven – whereas floating meant a death by execution and eternal damnation. If a witch floated, she could be dunked repeatedly until she confessed, a form of medieval water torture.

The ducking stool was designed exclusively for women and was also employed as punishment for prostitution or for being a “scold” – a noisy, quarrelsome woman. In such cases, the stool was sometimes mounted on wheels and paraded through town before the dunking, maximizing public humiliation.

4 Weighing The Witch

Holland boasted a famous weighing house in Oudewater where women traveled from as far as Germany and Hungary to prove their innocence. The underlying belief was that a witch’s soul was a heavy burden; without a soul, a witch would be lighter than an innocent woman.

The weighing house featured a massive set of scales. The accused stood on one pan while cast‑iron weights were placed on the other. Those who balanced correctly received certificates of innocence.

The Dutch were not alone. In Aylesbury, England, women were stripped naked and weighed against a hefty, iron‑bound Bible. If the scales did not balance perfectly, the woman was convicted as a witch.

Elsewhere in Europe, women were weighed against stacks of Bibles; if the first weighing did not condemn them, additional Bibles were added to the pile to tip the scales.

3 Cruentation

When a murder was alleged to have been committed via witchcraft, many European courts employed cruentation to determine guilt. The belief was that a victim’s soul lingered briefly after death and that the corpse would react in the presence of its murderer.

The accused was instructed to call out the dead person’s name, walk around the corpse, and touch any sores. If fresh blood welled, the body moved, or foam emerged from the mouth, the suspect was deemed guilty.

In reality, the phenomenon observed was purge fluid – a liquid that resembles blood and is expelled from various orifices during putrefaction. Dead bodies can also twitch slightly, release bowel contents, or seem to “groan” soon after death. Early jurists interpreted these natural processes as the soul fleeing the body to escape the killer.

2 Have Your Witch’s Teat Discovered

If a household kept a pet, a witch‑finder might try to locate the witch’s teat – a mythical nipple the Devil allegedly gave to witches so their familiars could suckle.

The presence of a mole, skin tag, or unusual birthmark was taken as proof that the accused fed a demonic familiar. The notion underscores the extreme misogyny of the trials, as roughly 80 % of the prosecuted were women.

These so‑called “teats” were often subjected to brutal public humiliation, exposure, and even whipping. One tragic case involved Anna Pappenheimer of Bavaria, who, after being tortured into admitting sexual relations with the Devil, had her breasts cut off and forced into the mouths of her two adult sons before all three were burned at the stake.

1 Be Unable To Cry

The Malleus Maleficarum (“The Hammer of Witches”), a medieval treatise penned by two German monks, reigned as the best‑selling book on witchcraft for centuries, second only to the Bible.

It asserted that witches could not shed genuine tears before a judge or even under torture, warning witch‑catchers to beware of crafty witches who might fake tears by spitting on their own faces.

In the medieval era, poor hygiene and lack of medical care meant many elderly women suffered from lacrimal‑duct infections that prevented tear production. Consequently, countless women were executed as witches simply because they could not cry.

Fennella, a contemporary Green Witch based in London, shares her insights on modern witchcraft at www.fennellathewitch.com and on Instagram @fennellathewitch.

When we talk about the top 10 victims of the retail apocalypse, the list reads like a walk down memory lane of once‑mighty retailers that have vanished under the pressure of e‑commerce, shifting consumer habits, and the pandemic.

10 Department Stores

Department stores have traditionally been the backbone of shopping malls, occupying the largest footprints in suburban strip malls and downtown retail corridors. Yet they’re marching toward oblivion.

Marshall Field’s, a 19th‑century icon, and Hecht’s, founded in 1957, were both absorbed by Macy’s in 2005, which either rebranded or shuttered every location. A year later, Macy’s retired the Kaufmann’s name. Even Macy’s itself, established in 1929, is on shaky ground, planning to close 125 stores over the next three years.

The Bon‑Ton family—including Bergner’s, Boston Store, Carson’s, Elder‑Beerman, Herberger’s, and Younkers—was liquidated in 2018, resulting in 256 closed doors. Filene’s, a Boston staple launched in 1881, went bankrupt in 2009, erasing all its brick‑and‑mortar presence. California’s Mervyn’s, founded in 1949 and once boasting nearly 200 locations, declared bankruptcy in 2008 and vanished entirely.

Two historic names, Sears and JCPenney, linger but are severely weakened. Sears (alongside K‑Mart) has shuttered more than 3,500 stores and slashed roughly 250,000 jobs over the past 15 years. After filing Chapter 11 in October 2018, it was bought by Transformco in February 2019, which announced fewer than 200 Sears and K‑Mart outlets would survive.

JCPenney, which peaked at over 1,100 stores in 2010, has been forced to close a large portion of its network due to declining sales. The retailer hasn’t posted a quarterly sales gain since the 2017 holiday season (2019 holiday same‑store sales fell 7.5%). Six locations closed in early 2020, and the coronavirus ultimately pushed the chain into bankruptcy.

9 Clothing Stores

Clothing retailers serve every demographic—from whole‑family chains to niche boutiques. Yet many have been swept away alongside the department giants.

Filene’s Basement, an off‑price offshoot of the original Filene’s department store, closed all 20 of its locations in 2011. The Limited abruptly shuttered its 250 stores in 2017. In January 2019, after 123 years of operation, Henri Bendel closed its 23‑store empire.

Charlotte Russe, a women’s fashion chain founded in the mid‑1970s, eliminated more than 500 stores in April 2019. Plus‑size retailer Avenue closed 222 stores in August 2019, and the same month saw San Antonio’s A’Gaci shut all 54 locations. Luxury flagship Barneys New York, established in 1923, ceased operations in February 2020. DressBarn announced the closure of its entire 650‑store network, citing unprofitable performance in today’s retail climate.

Teen‑focused brands also fell victim. Steve & Barry’s, known for cheap sportswear, vanished in 2009. Gadzooks, launched in 1983, filed for bankruptcy in 2005 and was later absorbed by Forever 21, which subsequently closed all its stores. Wet Seal, another teen apparel name, permanently closed in 2017 and now exists only online.

Gymboree, a children’s clothing chain, closed 400 stores under Chapter 11 protection in 2017. By January 2019, it filed again and shuttered over 800 Gymboree and Crazy 8 locations. The brand’s merchandise now lives on through The Children’s Place. Premium children’s label Peek Kids folded when parent Charlotte Russe went under; it is now sold by Mamiye Brothers Inc.

The retail apocalypse, combined with a historic low in birth rates (2018), forced Destination Maternity to file for bankruptcy in 2019, leaving only a handful of its 458 stores open. Remaining clothing chains that continue to trim locations include Forever 21, Gap, Chico’s, Victoria’s Secret, Christopher & Banks, Francesca’s, Abercrombie & Fitch, and J. Crew.

8 Shoe Stores

Footwear‑focused brick‑and‑mortar shops are feeling the same squeeze as apparel retailers, battling online powerhouses like Zappos, Shoe.com, and Amazon.

Take Kinney Shoes, which opened its doors in 1894 and once boasted 467 locations. All of them vanished by 1998. In the 1960s, Thom McAn ran more than 1,400 stores before closing the chain in 1996; the name persists only through other retailers. In February 2019, Payless ShoeSource filed for bankruptcy and liquidated its entire 2,500‑store footprint, marking one of the largest retail closures in history.

7 Toy Stores

Imagine kids peering into a bright, colorful downtown toy shop. That nostalgic scene is fading fast as gaming and electronic entertainment dominate the younger generation’s preferences.

The iconic FAO Schwarz, once a Fifth Avenue landmark, closed its original location in 2015 but reopened three years later in a new Manhattan spot. Other toy retailers weren’t as lucky.

Imaginarium, an educational toy chain from the 1980s, began shuttering in the 1990s and was fully closed by its parent Toys R Us in 2003. Zany Brainy filed for bankruptcy in 2001. K·B Toys eliminated all 1,300 of its stores in 2009. The titan Toys R Us, the quintessential toy store, closed its doors in 2018.

6 Electronics and Computers

Even the tech‑savvy shoppers who love gadgets haven’t spared the brick‑and‑mortar outlets that sell them. Media Play, a big‑box spin‑off of Sam Goody, closed permanently in 2006. Tweeter, launched in 1972, shuttered all stores in 2008. Circuit City closed 567 locations in 2009, and CompUSA, founded in 1984, lost its final store by 2012.

Sharper Image now sells exclusively online, catalog, and through third‑party retailers, having abandoned its physical stores. Video‑game retail giant GameStop, with more than 5,700 locations across 14 countries, has seen steep sales declines, prompting the closure of nearly 200 stores in 2019. CFO James Bell warned of a “much larger tranche of closures” over the next 12‑24 months.

5 Music and Video Stores

Before streaming took over, music lovers and movie fans roamed aisles of physical stores. Younger generations now rarely experience that analog era.

Tower Records, a 1990s heavyweight, closed all U.S. stores in 2006. The original Sam Goody, opened in the 1940s, either vanished or morphed into FYE by 2010. Hastings Entertainment shuttered its 123 stores in 2017, and Virgin Megastores, the CD‑store king, closed all U.S. locations that same year.

Blockbuster, once the video‑rental behemoth with over 9,000 stores, filed for bankruptcy in 2010. Today, only a single Blockbuster remains in Bend, Oregon.

4 Furniture and Home Goods

Even with HGTV’s influence boosting home improvement interest, furniture and home‑goods retailers haven’t escaped the apocalypse.

Levitz Furniture, founded in 1910, closed all stores in 2008. Linens ’n Things, which boasted over 500 locations in 2006, vanished by 2008, persisting only online.

In October 2019, Hamilton Beach Brands announced the shutdown of all 160 Kitchen Collection stores, which sold small appliances and cooking tools. Craft‑store chain A.C. Moore closed all 145 of its locations, with parent Nicole Crafts converting roughly 40 sites into Michaels stores.

Bed, Bath & Beyond trimmed 60 stores in 2019, Pier 1 Imports announced the closure of 57 stores in 2020, and Z Gallerie planned to close 17 of its 76 stores as part of a Chapter 11 restructuring.

3 Book Stores

Chain bookstores have dented the market for independent shops, while e‑readers and audio apps have added pressure. Yet e‑book sales have leveled off, and physical books remain popular—just purchased online rather than in‑store.

In 1987, Barnes & Noble acquired B. Dalton Books, closing that outlet in January 2010. Though still the largest chain, Barnes & Noble has closed roughly 10 % of its stores since 2011.

Waldenbooks, founded in 1933, merged with Borders in 1994; both brands liquidated in 2011, erasing all locations. Family Christian Stores, with 240 outlets selling books and religious items, closed in 2017, while LifeWay Christian Stores shut down 170 stores across 30 states.

Book World, a 45‑store chain launched in 1976, announced liquidation in December 2017. Owner Bill Steur told the New York Times that mall sales were down 30‑60 %, stating, “The internet is killing retail. Bookstores are just the first to go.” Amazon now eclipses Book World as the fourth‑largest bookstore chain.

2 Sporting Goods

Even in the world of sports, competition is fierce, and many legacy retailers have been swept away.

Oshman’s Sporting Goods, founded in 1933, was acquired by Gart Sports in 2001 and rebranded as Sports Authority. The latter, with over 200 U.S. locations, filed for bankruptcy in 2016, closing all stores and selling its e‑commerce site to Dick’s Sporting Goods, which also acquired Galyan’s Trading Post (2004), Joe’s (2009), and Golfsmith (2016).

Sport Chalet, opened in 1959, abruptly closed all stores in 2016. MC Sports shuttered in 2017. In 2019, Advanced Sports Enterprises filed for bankruptcy, announcing the closure of 102 Performance Bicycle locations. JackRabbit purchased Olympia Sports and announced plans to close all 76 of its stores.

Modell’s Sporting Goods, the oldest chain founded in 1889, announced in March 2020 that it would close all 115 stores.

1 Discount Chains

Saving money never goes out of style, yet the methods shoppers use to snag bargains have evolved dramatically.

Ames Department Store, once boasting more than 700 locations, struggled with debt and dwindling sales before closing all stores in 2002. Dollar Tree converted 200 Family Dollar stores into its own brand and shuttered nearly 400 other Family Dollar sites.

In 2019, Fred’s discount chain closed 159 stores in May, 104 in June, and 49 in July, ultimately shutting down all 520 locations by year‑end.

Shopko, founded in 1962 and known for “quality service and low prices,” could not compete with Amazon’s convenience, leading to the closure of all 371 stores in 2019.

Why These Are the Top 10 Victims

Each of the retailers listed above illustrates how the convergence of digital disruption, changing consumer preferences, and economic shocks—most notably the COVID‑19 pandemic—have reshaped the retail landscape. Their stories serve as cautionary tales for any business navigating today’s fast‑paced market.

When a child disappears or meets a tragic end, the pain can feel endless. Yet, there are families who channel that anguish into an unyielding hunt for answers. Below are 10 victims whose parents never gave up – each story a testament to relentless love, stubborn perseverance, and the quest for justice.

10 victims whose families never stopped searching

10 Jerry Michael Williams

Jerry Michael “Mike” Williams set out for a duck‑hunting trip on Lake Seminole, straddling the Florida‑Georgia border, in December 2000 and never came back. His closest friend, Brian Winchester, discovered his boat and car abandoned, yet no trace of Mike’s body surfaced. Authorities initially concluded he likely drowned and was later consumed by alligators.

Mike’s mother, Cheryl, felt a deep conviction that the official story was wrong. Recalling a visit to the lake, she said, “All of a sudden a voice whispered in my head, Mike is not in Lake Seminole, he did not drown.” In contrast, Mike’s wife Denise accepted the death, arranged a memorial service, and subsequently collected $1.7 million in life‑insurance benefits.

Determined, Cheryl poured her savings into the search. She rented billboard space, stood on bustling streets with hand‑made signs pleading for help, and wrote daily letters to the Florida governor for nine years. A breakthrough arrived when experts informed her that alligators cease feeding in cold weather, casting doubt on the drowning theory.

Denise eventually married Brian, Mike’s friend, and barred Cheryl from seeing her granddaughter unless she abandoned her investigations. The marriage later collapsed, and in 2016 Brian kidnapped Denise at gunpoint. As part of a plea deal, he confessed that he had lured Mike to the lake and shot him—a scheme concocted with Denise to be together. Denise faced murder charges and received a life sentence in 2019. In 2016 Brian revealed the hidden body’s location, allowing Cheryl to finally lay her son to rest after a 16‑year campaign.

9 Julie Ward

Photographer Julie Ward vanished from Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve in September 1988. Her father, John, promptly flew in to spearhead a search, marking the first of over a hundred personal investigations that would cost him roughly £2 million.

John hired aerial spotters and uncovered Julie’s abandoned jeep, its dust‑covered surface bearing the letters “SOS.” Later, her mutilated, charred remains were discovered nearby. Police suggested an animal attack or suicide, but John dismissed those scenarios, suspecting Chief Warden Simon Makallah. Makallah claimed he stumbled upon Julie’s burnt remains while following vultures, insisting John harbored a vendetta against him.

When police declined to open a murder inquiry, John appealed to the British government, prompting Scotland Yard detectives to intervene. Two rangers were arrested for murder, yet the case collapsed due to insufficient evidence, with a judge declaring a cover‑up aimed at protecting Kenya’s tourism industry.

John persisted, exposing police corruption. In 1999 Makallah faced trial for Julie’s murder but was acquitted without a retrial opportunity. A 2004 UK court ruled Julie was unlawfully killed, rejecting the animal‑attack or suicide narratives. John later authored The Animals Are Innocent, chronicling his ordeal.

8 Suzy Lamplugh

On 28 July 1986, 25‑year‑old real‑estate agent Suzy Lamplugh went to meet a client and vanished without a trace. Witnesses recalled a sharply dressed man in a BMW clutching a champagne bottle; he was later dubbed “Mr. Kipper,” a name Suzy had scribbled in her diary. Her disappearance remains one of the UK’s most enduring mysteries.

By December 1986, Suzy’s parents, Paul and Diana, established the Suzy Lamplugh Trust in her memory. Operating from a garden office, Diana became a household name, using the platform to champion personal safety. The Trust distributed hundreds of free “Suzy Alarms” to students and lobbied for stronger stalking and harassment legislation.

The couple’s advocacy helped drive new protective laws. In 1994 Suzy was officially declared dead. Both Paul and Diana have since passed away, but the Suzy Lamplugh Trust continues their mission, safeguarding countless individuals.

7 Kendrick Johnson

In January 2013, 17‑year‑old Kendrick Johnson was discovered dead inside a tightly rolled gym mat at Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia. With no obvious injuries, police posited he became trapped while retrieving his shoes. Kendrick’s parents, convinced of foul play, launched a fervent campaign demanding justice.

The family staged protests outside the courthouse and school, urging officials to commemorate Kendrick on graduation day. They filed lawsuits against the school, Lowndes County, and 38 classmates they suspect were involved. Three autopsies have been conducted, and Kendrick’s body was exhumed twice at his parents’ request. Two of those examinations identified blunt‑force trauma as the cause of death, contradicting the original accidental‑death ruling.

Facing nearly $300,000 in legal fees, the Johnsons persist in their pursuit of accountability, refusing to let the case fade.

6 Suzanne Lyall

On 2 March 1998, 19‑year‑old Suzanne Lyall boarded a bus home from a mall. Witnesses saw her alight near her Albany, New York campus, after which she vanished without a trace.

Suzanne’s parents, Doug and Mary, recognized early the necessity of keeping the case in the public eye. Mary asserted, “If you don’t sit back and you don’t talk about what is going on, the case is just going to go cold.” They founded the Center for Hope in 2003 to assist families of missing persons and championed “Suzanne’s Law,” which raised the reporting age for missing individuals to 21 (from the previous 18).

The Lyalls have employed creative outreach, creating a deck of playing cards featuring missing persons and inserting flyers into tax forms. Doug passed away in 2015. Mary now collaborates with the Cold Case Analysis Center at the College of Saint Rose, continuing to seek answers for her daughter and others.

5 Keith Bennett

Keith Bennett, aged 12, was strolling to his grandmother’s home in Manchester, UK, when he was lured into a van driven by Myra Hindley. She ferried him to Saddleworth Moor, where her partner, Ian Brady, awaited. Keith was murdered and buried on the expansive moor. In 1966, Hindley and Brady were convicted for killing five children; all victims’ bodies were recovered from the moor—except Keith’s.

His mother, Winnie, embarked on a lifelong quest to locate her son’s grave. The family made countless trips to the moor, sometimes employing sniffer dogs and even consulting psychics. Winnie directly appealed to the killers via DVD and letters, pleading for any clue about Keith’s whereabouts.

In 1991, Brady told Keith’s brother Alan he had written a letter, to be opened after his death, revealing the precise burial site. Brady died in 2017, leaving two locked briefcases with his solicitor. Police sought a warrant to open them but were denied.

Winnie passed away in 2012 without finding her son. The Bennett family continues the search for Keith, holding onto hope.

4 The Hillsborough 96

On 15 April 1989, approximately 53,000 football fans arrived for a match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Sheffield’s Hillsborough stadium. Spectators were divided into two standing sections. Liverpool supporters were directed to the Leppings Lane terrace, which had only seven turnstiles for 10,000 fans to pass through. No mechanisms were in place to monitor crowd numbers, leading to a bottleneck.

Police chief David Duckenfield ordered the match to start despite fans being trapped at the entrances. Barriers collapsed, and the crush claimed 96 lives. In the aftermath, police altered witness statements, blaming fans, while newspapers printed false claims that fans had robbed dying victims and impeded paramedics.

An inquest initially ruled the deaths “accidental.” Outraged families formed the Hillsborough Justice Campaign, raising funds and initiating a private prosecution against Duckenfield. A manslaughter trial began in June 2000 but ended without a verdict.

In April 2016, a new 267‑day inquest concluded the 96 victims were unlawfully killed. Duckenfield faced a retrial in October 2019 for gross negligence manslaughter. The families’ relentless campaign now spans three decades.

3 Su Taraskiewicz

Susan “Su” Taraskiewicz, 27, broke ground as the first female ramp supervisor at Northwestern Airlines. She endured a hostile, male‑dominated environment. Some colleagues engaged in credit‑card fraud at Boston’s Logan International Airport and suspected Su of being a police informant, subjecting her to daily intimidation and abuse. Sinister graffiti, including a coffin bearing her name, appeared throughout the airport.

On 12 September 1992, Su left work at 1:00 a.m. to fetch sandwiches for her crew. When she failed to return, no alarm was raised. Thirty‑six hours later, her body was discovered in the trunk of her car—she had been murdered. Police confirmed Su was not an informant, yet no arrests followed.

A year later, Su’s mother, Marlene, uncovered Su’s diary, detailing the harassment she endured. Using this evidence, Marlene filed a sexual‑harassment claim against the airline, securing a $75,000 settlement. The airline also offered a $250,000 reward for information.

On the 25th anniversary of Su’s death, Marlene organized a vigil at Logan Airport. The district attorney pledged to keep the case active, and Marlene affirmed, “I am a very healthy woman and I am not going away.”

2 Helen McCourt

Helen McCourt, 22, disappeared on a rainy night in 1988 while walking home. Hundreds of villagers scoured the Billinge area in the UK, searching for her. Police interrogated pub landlord Ian Simms, who appeared nervous. A search of his vehicle uncovered Helen’s earring and traces of her blood. Her body was never recovered, yet Simms was convicted of murder without a body and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1989.

Helen’s mother, Marie, and her family have devoted every weekend to searching fields, sewers, and ditches for clues. They have drained ponds and crawled through mine shafts in their relentless quest. Marie championed “Helen’s Law,” stipulating that murderers cannot be granted parole unless they disclose the location of the victim’s remains. This law was enacted in July 2019.

Simms was recently photographed shopping during a day‑release period. He has never spoken publicly about the murder.

1 Ron Goldman

On 12 June 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman were slain outside Nicole’s home. O.J. Simpson, Nicole’s ex‑husband, was arrested, and millions watched his trial and subsequent acquittal live on television, leaving the Goldman family in shock.

Ron’s father, Fred, launched a wrongful‑death lawsuit. During the trial, Simpson testified for the first time, and a jury found him liable, ordering $33.5 million in damages to the families.

Simpson failed to pay, and when he authored the book If I Did It, Fred seized the copyright, media, and movie rights. After publishers withdrew, Fred published the work himself under the title If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer, believing the book served as a crucial confession. The Goldmans donated portions of the proceeds to the Ron Goldman Foundation for Justice.

I’m a true‑crime enthusiast and a lover of words and all things off‑kilter.

European history is riddled with grisly tales of capital punishment, and among the many methods, beheading stands out as a particularly stark way to end a life. From the bustling squares of 14th‑century towns to the solemn courtyards of royal palaces, the axe and later the guillotine claimed the heads of countless individuals. The sheer frequency of public executions between the 1300s and 1600s makes it astonishing that anyone could meet such a fate with dignity. In this countdown we shine a light on ten individuals who, despite the horror of their deaths, faced the blade with a composure that still echoes through the ages.

10 Famous Historical Beheadings

10 Sir Walter Raleigh

Sir Walter Raleigh met his grim end in 1618 after a tumultuous career that saw him swing between favor and disgrace. Pardoned by King James I in 1617, Raleigh set sail for the New World, promising to keep his nose clean. Yet one of his sub‑commanders launched an attack on a Spanish outpost, provoking the Spanish ambassador to demand retribution. With diplomatic pressure mounting, James I felt compelled to order Raleigh’s execution.

Witnesses recount that as the executioner displayed the axe, Raleigh declared, “Let us dispatch,” and later, when the crowd looked for signs of fear, he insisted, “If I appear to tremble, I beg that you don’t take it for cowardice.” Laying his head upon the block, he shouted, “Strike, man, strike!” His stoic resolve in the face of what many deemed an unjust death has cemented his legacy as a figure of remarkable bravery.

9 Louis XVI

Louis XVI became the emblem of the French Revolution’s fury when he was guillotined in 1792. The abolition of the monarchy forced the king to confront a nation that had turned against his very bloodline. While his wife, Marie Antoinette, also faced the blade, Louis’s own composure was notable. According to contemporary accounts, his final conversation with confidant Malesherbes involved a pledge to control his tears before the sea of onlookers.

Reports suggest that Louis exonerated his judges and expressed hope that his death would not tarnish France’s history. He faced the guillotine with calm resignation; after the blade fell, onlookers allegedly dipped handkerchiefs into his blood, a macabre tribute to the fallen monarch.

8 Marie Antoinette

Following Louis XVI’s execution, Marie Antoinette was tried for high treason and met her end in 1793. Rumors swirled about accusations ranging from orchestrating orgies to incest with her own son—claims she vehemently denied. At just 37, she was escorted to the Place de la Révolution in a stark white dress, enduring a jeering crowd along the hour‑long journey.

Despite the vitriol, the queen maintained her poise, reportedly apologizing to the executioner for stepping on his toe with the words, “Pardon me, sir, I did not do it on purpose.” She faced the guillotine with a clear conscience, later writing to her sister that she felt no remorse for the alleged crimes.

7 Charles I Of England

The English Civil War culminated in the abolition of the monarchy and the execution of Charles I in 1649. Charged with treason, the king requested an extra shirt to keep shivers at bay, a small but human plea before his final moments. He delivered a solemn speech, offered a prayer, and then signaled the executioner for the fatal strike.

According to chroniclers, the axe fell cleanly in a single blow—an uncommon occurrence for the era, when many beheadings required multiple strokes. Charles’s death ushered in a brief republican period, only to be reversed when his son, Charles II, reclaimed the throne in 1660 and even ordered the posthumous decapitation of Oliver Cromwell.

6 Henry Vane The Younger

Henry Vane the Younger, a prominent parliamentarian during the English Civil War, found himself on the wrong side of history after the Restoration. Though he had served under Oliver Cromwell and opposed the execution of Charles I, the return of Charles II placed Vane in peril. While the king initially granted clemency, political intrigue delayed his sentencing, and ultimately he was condemned of treason.

Spared the gruesome fate of hanging, drawing, and quartering, Vane was sentenced to beheading. On the scaffold he delivered an impassioned defense of his innocence, even blessing the new monarch before his head fell. Contemporary observers noted his composure, highlighting the tragic irony of a man who once opposed the very act that sealed his own fate.

5 Mary, Queen Of Scots

Mary, Queen of Scots, ruled her homeland from 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567, after which she fled to England. Accused of conspiring to assassinate her cousin, Elizabeth I, Mary spent years under house arrest before being found guilty of plotting against the English throne. In 1587, she faced the axe.

Accounts describe Mary as gracious on the scaffold, forgiving the executioners who knelt before her. After shedding her outer garments, she placed her head on the block and uttered, “Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.” The first swing of the axe missed, requiring a second, more decisive strike; the executioner’s mishap left Mary’s head to tumble, reportedly landing on a wig.

4 James Scott, First Duke Of Monmouth

James Scott, the illegitimate son of Charles II, launched a rebellion in 1685 against his uncle, James II. After his forces were crushed, Monmouth was captured, tried for treason, and sentenced to death. He pleaded for a single, swift blow, but the notorious executioner Jack Ketch took between five and eight strikes, prolonging the agony.

Monmouth’s final moments were brutal; a knife was reportedly used to finish the execution after the axe proved insufficient. Despite the gruesome nature of his death, contemporary reports suggest he endured the ordeal with a stoic resolve that underscored his rebellious spirit.

3 William Russell, Lord Russell

Lord William Russell, an English politician during Charles II’s reign, was implicated in the Rye House Plot—a scheme to ambush the king. After a relatively fair trial, he was sentenced to be hanged, drawn, and quartered, but the sentence was later altered to a beheading. The infamous executioner Jack Ketch again proved his incompetence.

During the botched execution, Russell’s neck required multiple hacks; after the first blow, he reportedly turned to Ketch and shouted, “You dog, did I give you 10 guineas to use me so inhumanely?” Ketch later apologized, claiming Russell “died with more gallantry than discretion.” The fiasco nearly cost Ketch his own life for repeated public failures.

2 Robert Devereux, Second Earl Of Essex

Robert Devereux, a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I, was known for his bold temperament and military ambition. After a disastrous command in Ireland and a subsequent house arrest, he attempted a coup against the queen. The rebellion failed, leading to a swift conviction for treason.

Devereux requested a private execution to avoid public spectacle—a request granted. In the Tower’s courtyard, he placed his head on the block, offered quiet prayers, and spread his arms in a gesture of calm acceptance. After three precise strokes of the axe, he was gone. Notably, Sir Walter Raleigh, who would later meet his own demise, witnessed Devereux’s execution.

1 Anne Boleyn

Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, was condemned in 1536 on charges of adultery, treason, and incest—a verdict widely believed to be politically motivated as the king sought a male heir. Rather than the customary burning for women, Henry summoned an expert swordsman from France to carry out the execution.

Even in the moments before her death, Anne displayed a strange mixture of resolve and “joy in death,” repeatedly asserting her innocence. She delivered a brief but moving speech on the scaffold, urging the crowd to pray for her soul. Her final words were, “Jesus receive my soul; O Lord God have pity on my soul.” The French swordsman beheaded her cleanly with a single, swift stroke, ending the tumultuous chapter of the Tudor court.

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.