17 Most Famous Serial Killers

Oct 5

8 min read

The terrifying reality of humanity's darkest minds continues to captivate the world.

Their horrifying crimes leave deep scars, both on their victims and on society as a whole. But what is it about serial killers that draws us in, making their stories unforgettable?

Is it the shock?

The mystery?

Or the disturbing fascination with what lies beneath the surface of seemingly ordinary people?

From infamous names like Jack the Ripper to modern predators like Samuel Little, the stories of these serial killers span decades, cultures, and continents.

Each of them took countless lives, wreaking havoc and evading authorities for years before being brought to justice, if they ever were.

These are not just isolated individuals; they're part of a chilling history of crime, revealing the fragility of societal norms and the complexity of human nature.

In this blog, we explore the lives and brutal legacies of 17 of the most famous serial killers to understand what they did and whether they were caught.

Whether you're a true crime enthusiast or just curious about the twisted paths these infamous figures took, this blog will take you through a detailed journey into the minds of history’s most notorious serial killers.

From Dorothea Puente, who preyed on the vulnerable, to the elusive Zodiac Killer who left behind a cryptic trail of terror, you'll discover how each killer operated, how they were eventually caught (if they were), and the haunting marks they left on the world.

Ready to confront the darker side of humanity?

Let’s begin.

17. Dorothea Puente

Dorothea ran a boarding house for the elderly and disabled. She would kill them and keep collecting their social security checks.

The “Death House Landlady” was charged with nine murders, but convicted of three. She was serving two life sentences before dying in 2011. Learn more about Dorothea Puente.

16. Samuel Little

Samuel Little was originally convicted of three murders, but while in prison admitted to a total of 93. 60 have been confirmed.

He is the most prolific serial killer in U.S. history, but strangling but doesn’t have the notoriety of some of the others.

He died in Los Angeles, California from diabetes, heart problems and other health issues on December 30, 2020. Learn more about Samuel Little.

15. Jack The Ripper

Jack The Ripper was a serial killer operating in London between 1888 and 1891. There were 5 murders and mutilations of sex workers that are attributed to The Ripper and another six possibly affiliated murders.

The Ripper was one of many serial killers that sent letters to the police, but unlike many he often sent them before with hints of what to expect,

He was never caught.

14. Boston Strangler

Albert DeSalvo, the Boston Strangler, raped and killed women in Boston.

He was convicted of one count of rape with life in prison without parole because he confessed to 13 murders, but the police did not have evidence outside the confession.

He was stabbed to death in the infirmary on November 25, 1973.

13. Henry Lee Lucas

Henry Lee Lucas was convicted of killing three people, but while in prison claimed to have killed more than 600 people causing Texas to close many cold cases incorrectly.

He died Match 12, 2001.

12. Harold Shipman

Dr. Death is a British doctor who would kill elderly patients by prescribing them deadly levels of drugs.

He killed a total of 284 patients between 1975 and 1998, but there is no indication that the patients wanted to die.

His trial started in 2000 and changed many British laws about cremation and prescriptions. He was convicted on 15 counts of murder and one forgery.

His life in prison was cut short when he hung himself on January 13, 2004.

11. Green River Killer

Gary Ridgway was the second most prolific U.S. killer behind Samuel Little. Between 1982 and 1998 he would hire sex workers, then have sex with them and choke them to death.

He was convicted of 49 counts of aggravated first degree murder and 48 counts of tampering with evidence.

He’s serving life in prison without parole.

10. Golden State Killer

The Golden State Killer’s real name is Joseph James Deangelo. He killed at least 13 people, raped more than 51, and robbed more than 120 people.

He went on three separate crime sprees between 1974 and 1986, which led to a multitude of nicknames including Visalia Ransacker, East Area Rapist, East Side Rapist, East Bay Rapist, Creek Bed Killer, Diamond Knot Killer, Original Night Stalker, and EARONS.

He was arrested on April 24, 2018 and led guilty to 13 counts of 1st degree murder and kidnapping. He is serving life without the possibility of parole.

9. Albert Fish

This serial killer committed rape, murder, pedophilia, and cannibalism between 1924 and 1932.

Of all the serial killers on the list this one is the one I least want to discuss because it sickens me that someone’s sexual preference is children.

His trial started on March 11, 1935 and ended with a death sentence that was carried out on January 16,1936.

8. BTK Killer (Dennis Rader)

Dennis Rader binded, tortured, and killed (BTK) at least 10 women, men, and children in Kansas between 1974 and 1991. He would send letter to the police and media during that time.

He would have gotten away with it, but in 2004 he started sending letters again, which led to his arrest and conviction. He’s now spending life behind bars.

7. Aileen Wuornos

Aileen was a sex worker in Florida who robbed and killed seven of her clients. She was convicted and executed by lethal injection.

6. Ed Gein

Ed Gein is the serial killer many fictional characters are based on. He was a schizophrenic who liked making furniture out of women’s skin.

He was found not guilty for the killing of two women due to insanity, and spent the rest of his life in prison. Learn more about Ed Gein.

5. Zodiac Killer

The Zodiac Killer is possibly the most famous unsolved mystery. He was operating in California in 1968 and 1969.

5 people have been confirmed killed by the zodiac Killer and 2 injured but he claims to have killed 37.

The Zodiac Killer would taunt the police with ciphers, some of which have not been solved to this day.

4. Richard Ramirez (Night Stalker)

Richard Ramirez would break into people’s houses, rob, rape, and murder them.

He was convicted of 12 counts of 1st degree murder, a count of 2nd-degree murder, 11 counts of rape, and 14 burglary charges. He received 19 death sentences but died from B-cell lymphoma before he could be executed.

3. John Wayne Gacy

John Wayne Gacy tortured, raped, and killed at least 33 males in the area around Chicago Illinois.

John Gacy was convicted of Sodomy in Iowa and spent 18 months in prison before being released on parole and moving back to Chicago, where his mom lived. While on parole, Gacy was charged with sexual assault in two different cases, but these were never reported to Iowa and he was released from parole.

He bought a house at 8213 West Summerdale Avenue that would become a house of horrors.

Gacy owned a construction company and took up clowning as a hobby. John Wayne Gacy would entice people to his home to see his clown show. During the show he would trick them into cuffing themselves and torture them, face fuck them, and burn them. He would occasionally drown and resuscitate victims as well.

His final trick was to tie a rope around their neck and gradually choke them to death. Gacy would store them for 24 hours, then bury them under the crawl space in the house.

Gacy was caught because he enticed a teenager to his home after providing a construction quote to a pharmacy. The pharmacist was able to point police in Gacy’s direction, and police started an investigation that lasted nine days before Gacy confessed to killing over 30 people on December 20, 1978.

On February 6, 1980 his trial began and lasted through March 12, 1980 when he was convicted and sentenced to the death penalty. He was not put to death until May 10, 1994.

2. Ted Bundy

The exact number of people who Ted Bundy killed is unknown, but is thought to be up to 100. There are 30 confirmed murders by Ted Bundy across multiple states, but he was only convicted for three in Florida.

Bundy was known for faking disabilities so young women would help him. He would then abduct them, sexually assault them, and kill them somewhere else.

The Bundy murder spree started in Seattle on January 4, 1974 where he bludgeoned and sexually assaulted Karen Sparks, who did not die but sustained long term damage. His next victim was Lynda Ann Healy who he raped and murdered.

He remained in the Washington and Oregon area committing approximately one assault a month before heading to University of Utah Law School in August.

He committed a string of murders and rapes in Idaho, Utah, and Colorado before Utah Highway Patrol noticed him on August 16, 1975 and searched his vehicle where they found evidence of crimes. This started the investigation into his first kidnapping and assault charges.

He was convicted of kidnapping and was supposed to serve one to 15 years, but he escaped and got caught again several times in 1977 before finally escaping and travelling to Chicago, Atlanta, and finally Tallahassee in January of 1978.

In Tallahassee he sexually assaulted and killed multiple women before fleeing and getting arrested for warrants and driving a stolen car. Over the next few years he was convicted for:

3 Counts first-degree murder
3 Counts attempted first-degree murder
Aggravated kidnapping
Burglary

The murder charges came with the dealth penalty which was carried out on January 24, 1989

1. Jeffrey Dahmer

Jeffrey Dahmer is by far the most famous serial killer. He was known to pursue people in gay clubs, lure him back to his apartment, kill them, have sex with their dead bodies, and eat them.

He had at least 17 known victims between 1978 and 1991, but was caught on July 22, 1991 because he attempted to kill Tracy Edwards who escaped and alerted police . He was convicted of 16 counts of first-degree murder.

His trial began January 30, 1992 and continued to February 14, 1992 before deliberations, which lasted a day. Dahmer was sentenced to 16 counts of life without parole which would have been a total of 941 years of imprisonment.

Christopher Scarver killed Jeffrey Dahmer and Jesse Anderson on November 28, 1994 while the three were cleaning the staff bathroom.

How was this list of notorious serial killers compiled?

I used search volume to rank the most famous serial killers because it is a good indicator of the interest in the killers’ lives, victims, and crimes.

I then added a couple that I felt should be included to bring the total number up to 17 serial killers because I’m trying to kill the SEO game for the MRDR Meme Coin community. If you’d like to pick up some of our crypto to support the project, you can get it here.

Most Famous Serial Killers That Were Never Caught?

The most famous serial killers that were never caught are the Zodiac Killer and Jack the Ripper. Other serial killers that were never caught include:

Long Island serial killer
Alphabet Murders
Charlie Chop-off
Cleveland Torso Murderer
Servant Girl Annihilator
The Axeman of New Orleans
New Bedford Highway Killer
Freeway Phantom
Texarkana Moonlight Murders
Bible John
Jack the Stripper
Pedro López
The Doodler
Delphine LaLaurie
Redhead murderer

We'll dig into these later in a further blog.

Most Famous Serial Killers Still Alive

Dennis Rader (BTK Killer), Joseph James DeAngelo, and Gary Ridgway are the most famous serial killers still alive today. Other living serial killers include: