Serial killers are some of the world’s most fascinating criminals. A serial killer is described as someone who kills at least three people within a relatively short period of time; such as a period of months. Serial killers are often famous while they are killing, but the memory of them fades away once they are caught or their killing spree is over. Some, however, seem to remain famous because of the memories of a frightening time, or because of stories that go on being told for years. Here are seven of the world’s most famous serial killers.
Jack the Ripper – Jack the Ripper terrorized London, killing several prostitutes in the Whitechapel district in the 1880s. His murders, by today’s standards were not all that unique. However, he remains as the most famous serial killer because he was never found – in fact, London police never even had a really good suspect, and the killings simply stopped on their own. In addition, the method of his murders made him the perfect “boogeyman”. He came out of the fog, killed quickly and brutally and then disappeared without a trace.
Charles Manson – Manson and his tribe of cult followers went on a killing spree in Hollywood, even killing the actress wife of well known director Roman Polanksi. Manson had convinced his followers that a race war was about to happen, where blacks would kill off the population of white people and then take over power. Manson and his group would hide out in the mountains until the war was complete, and then come out of hiding and Manson would be the ruler. Manson convinced them that they needed to give the race war a jump start by killing prominent white people and leaving racial slurs at the scene. Manson and his cohorts were sentenced to death in 1971. However, California banned the death sentence so their sentences were automatically commuted to life in prison.
Ted Bundy – Bundy killed 26-35 young women who looked like his first love who had broken his heart. Bundy became famous because he was a clean cut, good looking, well educated law student. He had no trouble attracting the women he would kill and mutilate. Bundy was convicted and executed by electric chair in 1989.
John Wayne Gacy – Gacy was a businessman, a political activist and used to dress up as a clown for kids at parties he threw for the neighborhood. He was married and divorced two times and had children of his own. But, in his spare time, he kidnapped, murdered and sodomized at least 33 young men and boys, burying many of their bodies in the crawl space under his home. He was executed in 1994.
Aileen Wournos – Wournos was a prostitute in Florida who killed seven men in just over a year. Wournos is famous because she is believed to be the most prolific female serial killer. She was executed in 2005. Wournos was the subject of the movie “Monster”, which won Charlize Theron an Oscar for her portrayal of the killer.
Phyl Zerkle blogs about how to search for a Masters in Forensics Science.