America's most infamous serial killers

[Still Waters]

The term serial killer was not coined until 1961 - but that's not to say sick and twisted mass murderers did not exist before that.

For before the most well-known, most-celebrated and most truly-evil serial killers in the world became household names and even - in a twisted, macabre way - celebrities, there were psychopaths just like them who were just as, if not more, sick, sinister and deadly.

The Charles Mansons, Ted Bundys and Jeffrey Dahmers of the 18th and 19th Centuries were known as 'multi-murderers' and America's fascination with the sex killers and homicidal maniacs of the day was as prevalent then as it is now.

http://www.dailymail...-Strangler.html

[notoverrated]

the last one is like a freaking horror movie type ending...dam.

Edited August 11, 2012 by notoverrated

[Super-Fly]

Some bad ones there.

The last one is maybe the worse.

Thanks,

[Regi]

Oh, yeah. These types of criminals have always existed, but even now, the I see the media refer to serial murders as "mass" murders.

I'm still learning about serial murderers I'd never heard of, no matter when their crimes occurred.

Until yesterday, I'd never heard of serial killer Dean Corll's crimes (referred to in '73 as the Houston Mass Murders), and that case was recognized at the time as the worst case of serial murder in US history until Gacy's crimes were discovered!

http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Corll

http://www.crime.about.com/od/serial/p/dean_corll.htm

I'd also never heard of the serial murders in former Wineville, Ca. until I saw the movie Changling.

http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wineville_Chicken_Coop_Murders

http://www.chickenmurders.blogspot.com

[Lady_Mercury]

That last one is seriously sick.

But wait...there's a Smutty Nose island??

[Antilles]

There's discussion that the term was 1st introduced in the 1950's - 'chain' killer, not serial killer, but meaning the same thing. The term might have only been introd in the 60's but the notion had been around for a long time.

[notoverrated]

Oh, yeah. These types of criminals have always existed, but even now, the I see the media refer to serial murders as "mass" murders.

I'm still learning about serial murderers I'd never heard of, no matter when their crimes occurred.

Until yesterday, I'd never heard of serial killer Dean Corll's crimes (referred to in '73 as the Houston Mass Murders), and that case was recognized at the time as the worst case of serial murder in US history until Gacy's crimes were discovered!

http://www.wikipedia...wiki/Dean_Corll

http://www.crime.abo.../dean_corll.htm

I'd also never heard of the serial murders in former Wineville, Ca. until I saw the movie Changling.

http://www.wikipedia...en_Coop_Murders

http://www.chickenmurders.blogspot.com

im pretty sure that mass killers kilsl everyone at once while a serial killer has a cooling off time.

[Eldorado]

Some bad ones there.

The last one is maybe the worse.

Thanks,

"In my lifetime I have murdered 21 human beings, I have committed thousands of burglaries, robberies, larcenies, arsons, and, last but not least, I have committed sodomy on more than 1,000 male human beings. For all these things I am not in the least bit sorry."

-- Carl Panzram (June 28, 1891 – September 5, 1930) An American serial killer, rapist, arsonist and burglar.

That is what I call BAD.

Edited August 23, 2012 by Eldorado

[Regi]

im pretty sure that mass killers kilsl everyone at once while a serial killer has a cooling off time.

Yeah, there's some sort of cooling off period between victims, and also, I believe that the FBI determines a serial killer as having at least three victims.

I had to lay off reading detailed info about any particular serial killer's crimes. It does me no good to subject myself to certain aspects, and then have those lurking in my subconscious mind and ready to appear when I'm trying to sleep!

[rashore]

I'm sure JVE got better info than this but to my understanding..

Mass Murder is killing multiple people in one location over one time frame. I've seen 4 being a base number. One time frame can be over minutes or days. Like a mass murder of an entire family one evening, or holding people hostage and killing them over time.

Spree Killing is killing multiple people in multiple locations over one time frame. I've seen 2 being a base number. One time frame seems to be fairly short since there is no discernible cool off between crimes, the killer moves from one to the next. Like killing a person in one location then going down the street to kill another.

Serial killing is killing multiple people in multiple time frames, location action can vary. I've seen 3 being a base number. There is a noticeable cool off between killings. Locations can vary because some travel and some don't.

I hope I got that right.

And this is just a random thought... Media sure has come up with some monikers for these folks.

[Barnacle Battlefront]

Yeah, there's some sort of cooling off period between victims, and also, I believe that the FBI determines a serial killer as having at least three victims.

I had to lay off reading detailed info about any particular serial killer's crimes. It does me no good to subject myself to certain aspects, and then have those lurking in my subconscious mind and ready to appear when I'm trying to sleep!

That's pretty much the definition of it (I study serial killers as a hobby )

A mass (or spree) killer kills multiple people at the same time. A serial killer kills a number of people over a period of time. The number of murders for a person to be considered a serial killer is set at 3, due to the idea that they make their first kill, the second is to see if they actually 'like' it, and the third is when they really get into what they're doing and begin to develop their own style.

Which is why it irritates me a bit that Ed Gein usually features on lists of worst serial killers. He had 2 known victims, therefore making him a grave robber, not necessarily a serial killer as those victims are believed to be the only people he killed

[Regi]

That's pretty much the definition of it (I study serial killers as a hobby )

Are all serial killers sadistic? I guess they all are to some degree, right?

You know, it's easy to see how the ones who travel around get away with it, but it's those who've lived in the same place- especially those who wouldn't have been thought of as loners- those who lived with immediate family and/or had close friends and colleagues- who are the most fascinating cases to me because no one "close" to them ever seems to have had a clue. I know that speaks mostly to the pathology of the perp, but it still blows me away.

Yeah, Ed Gein killed a store clerk, and I think that's what led authorities to his house. Her body was found suspended from the rafters in the barn and was mutilated as one would "dress" a deer.

The scene was bizarre enough, but maybe made even more bizarre because it was hunting season.

[notoverrated]

Yeah, there's some sort of cooling off period between victims, and also, I believe that the FBI determines a serial killer as having at least three victims.

I had to lay off reading detailed info about any particular serial killer's crimes. It does me no good to subject myself to certain aspects, and then have those lurking in my subconscious mind and ready to appear when I'm trying to sleep!

ya its 3, i remeber when BTK was roaming the streets around here >.>

[Barnacle Battlefront]

Are all serial killers sadistic? I guess they all are to some degree, right?

You know, it's easy to see how the ones who travel around get away with it, but it's those who've lived in the same place- especially those who wouldn't have been thought of as loners- those who lived with immediate family and/or had close friends and colleagues- who are the most fascinating cases to me because no one "close" to them ever seems to have had a clue. I know that speaks mostly to the pathology of the perp, but it still blows me away.

Yeah, Ed Gein killed a store clerk, and I think that's what led authorities to his house. Her body was found suspended from the rafters in the barn and was mutilated as one would "dress" a deer.

The scene was bizarre enough, but maybe made even more bizarre because it was hunting season.

From a 'normal' persons point of view they would probably all be viewed as sadistic. Although not all of them enjoyed it as such, for example William Heirens begged the police to find him and stop him, saying he couldn't control himself. I've always been curious though, about whether or not some serial killers would have still committed their crimes had they not suffered early childhood trauma, or been the victim of somewhat deranged parents.

[Likely Guy]

There is 'infamous', and there is 'the most heinous'. Putting the numbers of victims aside, Albert Fish is in a category by himself. There are two words that should never appear side by side; "pedophillic cannibal".

After his arrest and trial "None of the jurors doubted that Fish was insane. But ultimately, as one later explained, they felt he should be executed anyway."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Fish

[Barnacle Battlefront]

I definitely agree with that, most of the infamous serial killers are regarded as such due to the number of people they killed. Meanwhile those who have done the unspeakable (whether or not it is part of their 'ritual'), seem to be ignored if they haven't had as many kills.

Just the other day Ian Brady was featured on the news, due to the fact that 40 years later he is still taunting the mother of one of his 12 year old victims

[Likely Guy]

I definitely agree with that, most of the infamous serial killers are regarded as such due to the number of people they killed. Meanwhile those who have done the unspeakable (whether or not it is part of their 'ritual'), seem to be ignored if they haven't had as many kills.

Just the other day Ian Brady was featured on the news, due to the fact that 40 years later he is still taunting the mother of one of his 12 year old victims

*just read about it* AH! That sick b******. It was a dying mother!

[Barnacle Battlefront]

She died last week, and he never told her where her son is buried. In 2006 he tried to trade the location for the body, in return for being moved into a prison (he is currently held in a mental hospital, fed via feeding tube) where he would be allowed to starve himself to death. The deal was refused

[Regi]

ya its 3, i remeber when BTK was roaming the streets around here >.>

Ha! I had him in mind when I wrote that...him, and that Canadian Air Force captain (sorry, forgot his name).

That AF captain had a wife but she had a busy career, and the two of them lived apart during the work week so that's primarily how he was afforded a lot of unaccounted- for time.

But in the case of BTK, he not only had a wife but children during the time-span of his crimes, right? I don't know much about that case, but I think he was thought of as actually working during the times he committed his crimes.

[Regi]

There is 'infamous', and there is 'the most heinous'. Putting the numbers of victims aside, Albert Fish is in a category by himself. There are two words that should never appear side by side; "pedophillic cannibal".

After his arrest and trial "None of the jurors doubted that Fish was insane. But ultimately, as one later explained, they felt he should be executed anyway."

http://en.wikipedia....iki/Albert_Fish

That's too danged funny...they felt he should be executed anyway!

[Barnacle Battlefront]

Are you referring to Russell Williams?

[Likely Guy]

Are you referring to Russell Williams?

The above was directed to Regi.

But may I share the following?

"Murderer Russell Williams files to have victim pay his legal bills"

Quote: "Williams broke into her home in Tweed, the community a half-hour's drive from Trenton where Williams had a nearby cottage, and attacked her in her living room. She was stripped naked with a knife, fondled and intimidated for hours and ordered to pose for photos.

Williams admits the Sept. 30, 2009, assault but in his two-page statement of defence he claims he "has no knowledge" that she feared for her life, suffered "humiliation and indignity" and now needs "extensive therapy and medical attention."

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/murderer-russell-williams-files-victim-pay-legal-bills-174757077.html

Edited August 27, 2012 by Likely Guy

[Regi]

Are you referring to Russell Williams?

Yeah. I now see that he was actually one away from the distinction of serial killer, although I don't think there can be any doubt that he would have killed again if not caught.

[Regi]

"Murderer Russell Williams files to have victim pay his legal bills"

Quote: "Williams broke into her home in Tweed, the community a half-hour's drive from Trenton where Williams had a nearby cottage, and attacked her in her living room. She was stripped naked with a knife, fondled and intimidated for hours and ordered to pose for photos.

Williams admits the Sept. 30, 2009, assault but in his two-page statement of defence he claims he "has no knowledge" that she feared for her life, suffered "humiliation and indignity" and now needs "extensive therapy and medical attention."

http://ca.news.yahoo...-174757077.html

Thanks for sharing that article.

The article mentions the escalation of his crimes, and that really is a striking aspect of the case. For those who don't know, his crimes went from burglary (only women's personal items), to "creeping" (present in the home without the resident's knowledge), to assaulting, and from there of course, to murder.

Also, his meticulous nature (already observed by those who'd known him) was clearly evident in his documentation of the "trophies" from his crimes which, apart from the staggering volume of women's personal items, included crime scene photos and videos.

[moosehead]

The man from Germany Chikotila. (Not sure of the spelling) captures my attention. Also Ed Gein. Imagine a man that lived in that small town so long and no one knew how crazy he was.