The Top 15 Most Notorious Serial Killers and Murderers in History

Many infamous serial killers have left a lasting legacy due to their extreme body count, strange perversions, or indescribable qualities that make them famous. Some of the well-known serial killers include Ted Bundy, Jack the Ripper, Ed Gein, John Wayne Gacy, Carl Panzram, Jeffrey Dahmer, Aileen Wuornos, Harold Shipman, Dennis Rader, The Zodiac, H.H. Holmes, Edmund Kemper, Albert Fish, Gary Ridgway, and Richard Ramirez. These individuals have committed heinous crimes that have shocked the world and left a lasting impact on history.

Ted Bundy, known as ‘The Lady Killer,’ was a charming and handsome serial killer who murdered at least 30 people across the United States during the 1970s. Jack the Ripper, a mysterious figure in Victorian London, killed at least five women and taunted the police with letters and postcards. Ed Gein, the grave-robbing ghoul, inspired the character Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre with his gruesome actions. John Wayne Gacy, the Killer Clown of Chicago, was a two-faced psychopath who killed multiple victims and ran an unlicensed cemetery beneath his house.

Carl Panzram, a lesser-known serial killer, had no preferred victim type and targeted individuals across the board. Jeffrey Dahmer, the Milwaukee Cannibal, raped, killed, and violated 17 young men over several years. Aileen Wuornos, a female serial killer, went on a brutal killing spree targeting her clients as a sex worker. Harold Shipman, known as Doctor Death, was a doctor in Manchester, England, who killed at least 215 people through excessive morphine administration. Dennis Rader, the BTK killer, operated in Wichita, Kansas, killing entire families and taunting police with mutilated Barbie dolls.

The Zodiac Killer, an enigmatic figure who terrorized New York City in the sixties and seventies, remains uncaptured despite extensive investigations. H.H. Holmes, America’s first serial killer, built a hotel known as ‘the Murder Castle’ to carry out his twisted desires. Edmund Kemper, the Co-ed Killer, abducted and killed college girls and hitchhikers in California, burying his mother’s head in his backyard. Albert Fish, known as the Werewolf of Wysteria, was a cannibal and child killer with extreme sado-masochistic tendencies. Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer, murdered at least 49 women in Washington, targeting sex workers and runaways.

Richard Ramirez, also known as the Night Stalker, terrorized Southern California in the mid-1980s with brutal home invasion murders and sexual assaults. These infamous serial killers have left a dark mark on history and continue to fascinate true crime enthusiasts worldwide. Their actions, motivations, and the impact they had on society are studied extensively to understand the depths of human depravity and the complexities of criminal behavior.