39 Terrifying American Serial Killers, From H.H. Holmes to Ted Bundy

As Aileen Wuornos has a history as an abused sex worker, there are some who see her crimes as a justified spree of revenge—but others feel very differently about her murder of seven men along prominent Florida highways. READ MORE

Throughout the early 1960s, the Boston area was in a haze of terror as the Boston Strangler set out on what would add up to the murders of 13 different women. Albert DeSalvo eventually confessed to the crimes, but some weren't so convinced he acted alone. READ MORE

The inspiration behind several movies, a Springsteen tune, and a youthful obsession for Stephen King, Charles Starkweather was a Wyoming rebel who murdered 11 people in the 1950s. He was just 19 years old at the time. READ MORE

In 2007, a surveyor stumbled upon what appeared to be human remains, leading the authorities to uncover a total of eight skeletons in southwestern Florida. Already convicted in 1999 for first-degree murder, Daniel Conahan now rose as a suspect for what would be known as the Hog Trail Murders. READ MORE

College campuses are supposed to be an exciting yet safe oasis for young adults, but Danny Rolling's three-day murder spree at the University of Florida resulted in the deaths of five people. READ MORE

David Berkowitz—known more sensationally as Son of Sam—was responsible for the murder of eight people in New York City in the 1970s. Most notably, he crafted a story that a demon inside of his neighbor's dog told him to do it. READ MORE

Dennis Rader was a family man, a church council president, and a scout leader—but he was also a notorious serial killer who haunted Kansas with the mantra "bind, torture, kill." With 10 known victims, it was Rader's egotistic mocking of the authorities that had him caught three decades after his first murder. READ MORE

Also known as "The Meanest Man in America," Donald Henry Gaskins was convicted of killing eight people over the course of twenty years—but the true number of his victims is unknown. READ MORE

With a trail of more than 20 victims following him throughout the United States in Canada, Earle Leonard Nelson's crimes made him one of the most feared serial killers of the early 20th century. It all began with his unusual behavior following an accident when he was 10 years old. READ MORE

The name Ed Gein sends chills through most people who hear it. Inspiring films from Psycho to The Silence of the Lambs, Gein is notorious for his household decorations and clothing made out of materials taken from corpses. READ MORE

Edmund Kemper's heinous crimes began with the murder of his grandparents when he was just 15 years old. After seemingly being rehabilitated, he would go on to kill eight more people—and rack up charges of rape and necrophilia. READ MORE

From 2007 to 2008, Gary Hilton—otherwise known as the National Forest Serial Killer—left a trail of death along the backcountry paths of the southern states. He is responsible for four known homicides across three different states. READ MORE

Some of you know the vile Green River Killer for the fact that, while he was only convicted for 49 murders, he actually confessed to 71. Others may find his case remarkable for the fact that authorities were actually assisted in his capture by Ted Bundy. READ MORE

According to Henry Lee Lucas's own confessions, he is responsible for hundreds of murders, which would make him the most prolific serial killer in American history. However, Lucas was only ever convicted of murdering 11, and his status as a pathological liar brought awareness to authorities about false confessions. READ MORE

In 1994, Herb Baumeister's wife, Julie, got the shock of her life when their son brought her a human skull he had found on the property—one of more than 5,000 bones the authorities would later find, which would add up to at least eleven victims. But did Baumeister commit more crimes away from home? READ MORE

Going by the name Dr. Henry Howard Holmes, this prolific killer arrived in Chicago in 1886. It was here that he may have had upwards of 200 victims, which he brutalized inside of his horrifying "murder castle." READ MORE

Described by the FBI as one of the most meticulous serial killers in history, Israel Keyes preyed upon victims with nothing in common. Using "kill kits" he'd hidden across the country, Keyes murdered at least 11 people—though the true number of victims may never be known. READ MORE

Few serial killers are as infamous as Jeffrey Dahmer, the murderer, rapist, necrophiliac, and cannibal who murdered 17 people. READ MORE

Though John Normal Collins looked like a good All-American boy on the outside, there was a darkness inside of him. Over the course of two years, this Michigan murderer beat and strangled seven women. READ MORE

What's more terrifying than a clown turned into a killer? In 1972 John Wayne Gacy began his gruesome six-year routine of raping, torturing, and murdering young men—many underage—in his home. READ MORE

One of the most exciting breaks in recent true crime, Joseph James DeAngelo wreaked havoc as the Golden State Killer from 1974 to 1986, committing over 100 burglaries, raping over 50 people, and killing at least 13. In 2018, the cold case blew wide open with a DNA breakthrough. READ MORE

These killer cousins were responsible for the deaths of 10 women in the 1970s, beginning with prostitutes and moving on to random women on the street. READ MORE

Responsible for at least 10 murders between 1985 to 2007, The Grim Sleeper earned his named for his 14-year lapse between killings, which made him difficult to identify. But was Lonnie Franklin not killing during those years, or was he not getting caught? READ MORE

One of the few female serial killers on record, Nannie Doss is what many refer to as a "black widow." She was married five different times—and all but one husband turned up dead. In fact, between the 1920s and 50s, Doss was responsible for 11 murders. READ MORE

Paul John Knowles had devilish good looks—and devilish tendencies. Linked to the deaths of 20 people throughout several months in 1974, Knowles claims to have actually been responsible for 15 others. READ MORE

Three women were murdered by Paul Michael Stephani and two others were attacked between 1980 and 1982 in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area. But when Stephani would commit a heinous deed, he would tearfully call the authorities and beg to be caught. READ MORE

Star athlete Randall Woodfield's life of crime began with an arrest for indecent exposure, but he would later be dubbed the I-5 Bandit, responsible for a series of rapes, kidnappings, robberies, and murders. Woodfield has been linked to 18 victims, but it is suspected he might be responsible for 44. READ MORE

The Night Stalker used a variety of weapons on his Los Angeles and San Fransisco crime spree from 1984 to 1985. He was a meticulous killer, but it would be one small mistake that would find him caught and convicted for 13 counts of murder. READ MORE

Robert Hansen appeared to be a timid and quiet man living in Anchorage, Alaska. But beneath the surface was a sick criminal who hunted and killed at least 17 women from 1971 to 1983. READ MORE

Plenty of serial killers are known for their disarming charm, but few can boast that they appeared on a dating gameshow in the midst of their murder spree. Rodney Alcala sits on death row now for seven murders, but some suspect he may be responsible for a number in the triple digits. READ MORE

While The Bayou Strangler never had the notoriety of Bundy or Dahmer, he is still one of the most prolific serial killers in America. Ronald Dominique is linked to the deaths of 23 men, which occurred between 1997 and 2006. READ MORE

Many serial killers rise to fame through their high number of confessions, but unlike others like Henry Lee Lucas, the FBI believes Samuel Little's 93 confessions all hold credibility. Currently, 50 of his killings have been confirmed. READ MORE

Over the course of ten years, Sean Vincent Gillis murdered eight women in the Baton Rouge area. But his victims were also discovered to be raped, mutilated, and partially eaten. READ MORE

There's no American serial killer with more notoriety than the charismatic Ted Bundy. He confessed to 30 murders taking place between 1974 and 1978, though his crimes may stretch back even earlier. READ MORE

In the late 1960s, Tony Costa terrorized the Turo area of Massachusetts. The remains of four women have been linked to Costa—their bodies bearing the marks of human teeth. READ MORE