A is typically a person who murders three or more people, with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them. The (FBI) defines serial killing as "a series of two or more murders, committed as separate events, usually, but not always, by one offender acting alone".
ContentsIdentified serial killers[]NameYears activeProven victimsPossible victimsStatusNotesSource1970–199044+Sentenced to death; commuted to life imprisonment.Murdered robbery victim in 1970, and at least three women until 1990 in 1976–199213+Died in prisonSuspected in multiple murders along Oregon's Highway 201920–192177Killed by police during shootoutCriminal who murdered seven people, including three policemen1971–1979850–130Sentenced to deathSometimes called the "Dating Game Killer" because of his 1978 appearance on the television show in the midst of his murder spree1974–198733Incarcerated for 60 yearsPreyed on the elderly in Indiana. Death sentence commuted200244Sentenced to deathMurdered four people in and between July–August 20021973–198099Executed 2002Murdered nine people in , , and 1987410Sentenced to 50 years to life in prison nurse who poisoned patients in his care1947–196636Died in prisonFirst person convicted of using as a murder weapon1910–19171050Died in Poisoned a husband and residents of her nursing home in 1992–1999518Sentenced to life imprisonmentNavy sailor convicted for murdering prostitutes in Michigan and Illinois; confessed to more murders around the world1991–19921111Died in prisonAlso known as the "Woodward Corridor Killer"; operated in .2005–200933Sentenced to deathMurdered two underage girls in 2005 in and a 20-year-old Navy Petty Officer in in 20091994–199644Sentenced to life imprisonmentKnown as the "Trenton Strangler"; raped and murdered four women in 1936–1938220Committed suicide to avoid apprehensionKnown as the "Alligator Man"1977–197944Executed 1999Murdered four people in between 1977 and 19791971–197816Executed 1984Barfield was the first woman in the United States to be executed after the 1976 and the first since 1962. She was also the first woman to be executed by .19113535Released in 1923An axe murdering priestess who murdered families at nighttime.1991–199344+Died in prison before executionKilled four women around the area1980–19961120Committed suicide while a fugitiveResponsible for murdering at least 11 victims who were found buried on his property in 1987–199033Sentenced to life imprisonmentRaped and murdered one girl and two women in 1947–1949320Executed 1951Along with accomplice , became known as the "Lonely Hearts Killers"1869–18721111+UnknownFamily of serial killers who lived and operated in , 1984–198766Died in prisonKnown as the "Kansas City Butcher" and "The Collector"1976–197766Sentenced to life imprisonmentAlso known as the "Son of Sam"1977–19781212Sentenced to life imprisonmentAlong with accomplice , known as the "". Murdered young women in Los Angeles and 1958–1983611Died in prisonActive in , suspected in at least two other murders[]1930–1947246Executed 1949Sentenced to death for the murders of two people; confessed to 44 other murders1979–198355Executed 1988Preyed on young boys in between 1979 and 1983197955Died in prison awaiting executionWith accomplice known as the "Tool Box Killers"199324+Sentenced to 25 years to lifeSuspect in case1963–197837Died while incarcerated at Known as "The Railway Killer"; his case was part of , which was later overruled by the Supreme Court1982–200479Sentenced to life imprisonmentSentenced 25 years imprisonment for one murder, released on parole after serving 21 years and committed additional murders upon release1986–198744+Executed 2016Murdered three women in Florida and a fourth woman in Texas1979–19802136+Executed 1996Known as the "Freeway Killer"; preyed on young men and boys in with several accomplices199944+Committed suicide to avoid apprehension1994625Executed 2019Targeted gay men in Florida, Georgia and Maryland1984228+Died in prison awaiting executionSuspected of more murders due to his modus operandi of taking photographs of his victims1971–200436+Committed suicide to avoid apprehensionShot his parents in 1971 when he was 13, killing his pregnant mother. Stabbed his wife and niece to death in 20041990–199833+Committed suicide before he could be arrestedKnown as "Mister Maroon"2003–200488+Sentenced to life imprisonmentKnown as "The Bonecrusher"; strangled black prostitutes at his house in , burning some of them afterwards19791120Executed 1984/1985Three brothers and an accomplice responsible for 11 murders193733+Executed 1938Known as "The Crime Tourist"; together with Bernice Felton, killed at least three men in holdups in three states198488Sentenced to death, commuted to life imprisonmentAccomplice of 2019–202066+Committed suicide to avoid apprehensionKnown as the "Metro Detroit Serial Killer"1970–199522+Sentenced to life imprisonmentMissionary convicted for two murders; confessed to murdering 49 women1968–196944+Died in prisonKnown as the "Lust Killer" and "Shoe Fetish Slayer"1981–198323+Executed 20021971–198333+Executed 1998Caught in 1983 after poisoning and car bombing a fiancée1981–198266+Sentenced to 150 years imprisonmentKnown as "The .38 Caliber Killer"; shot people at random around New York City to "amuse himself"1979–198156Died in an intentional motorcycle crashNever arrested, as he was released after interrogation on a technicality198077Died in prisonWith accomplice , known as the "Sunset Strip Killers""1971–19782830+Executed 1989Preyed on young women throughout the United States1977–1978910Died in prisonAlong with accomplice , known as the "Hillside Stranglers". Murdered young women in Los Angeles1900–190666Died in Crimes discovered two years after his death1802–1829425+Died in prison awaiting trialGang leader who kidnapped slaves and free blacks to either sell or torture them1971–197746Died in prisonArgentine-born man who killed three women in the U.S. and one in Mexico1949–197425+Incarcerated 150 yearsKnown as the "Want-Ad Killer"; escaped hanging for a 1949 killing on a technicality1979–1981710+Sentenced to deathAlso known as the "Trailside Killer"1860s–1869115Executed 1870First legal execution in 1981–1983312Sentenced to 75 years to lifeAlong with his wife, Suzan Carson, dubbed "The San Francisco Witch Killers"; considered suspects in nearly a dozen other deaths in the U.S. and Europe.1981–1983312Sentenced to 75 years to lifeAlong with her husband, Michael Bear Carson, dubbed "The San Francisco Witch Killers"; considered suspects in nearly a dozen other deaths in the U.S. and Europe.1976–198433Sentenced to deathPoisoned his mother and two wives with 1989–199044+Executed 2011Murdered a three-person family and another woman in Florida; suspected of other murders since 1963[]1977–197866Committed suicide awaiting executionKnown as the "Vampire of Sacramento"1976–197944Murdered in prison by unknown assailantPreyed on college-aged women in California1980–19811212+Died in prisonKnown as the "Midtown Slasher"198433+Sentenced to life imprisonmentNeo-Nazi sympathiser who shot three men in robberies in two Michigan counties; confessed to numerous other murders198077Sentenced to deathWith accomplice Carol M. Bundy, known as the "Sunset Strip Killers""1986–199222+Sentenced to 70 yearsCannibal convicted of two murders; confessed to killing 12196729Died in prison[]1880–188544Died in 1944 immigrant who poisoned her family members with arsenic; released in 18861930–1945911Died in prisonMurdered his wives with poisoned buttermilk after persuading them to will their possessions to his name.198644Sentenced to deathKidnapped four women by ATMs before accomplice strangled them1947–19801635Executed 1985Strangled fifteen women and one boy in California, Nevada and Texas198488Executed 2002Multi-state killer who along with his accomplice murdered a man and injured another, murdered four women and three young girls, and raped a young girl1987–200577+Sentenced to life imprisonmentTruck driver who killed prostitutes in New Jersey and Ohio1994–199566Sentenced to deathKnown as the "Tamiami Trail Strangler"1973–198199+Sentenced to 15 years to life imprisonmentCommitted crimes with his brother 1973–198199+Released in 2018Committed crimes with his brother 1973–19741573+Sentenced to life imprisonmentPart of the "Death Angels" cult responsible for the 1986–1989512Died in prison awaiting executionAlong with her husband, , the oldest couple ever sentenced to death in the United States1986–1989512Died in prison awaiting executionAlong with his wife, , the oldest couple ever sentenced to death in the United States1970–19732828+Killed by accomplice Crimes referred to as the "Houston Mass Murders"19712525+Died in prisonMajority of victims had been transient workers198733Executed 1998Abducted and killed three women around Texas1968–196948Committed suicide in prisonPreyed on women in and around 1967–1980985–100Sentenced to life imprisonmentKnown variously as the "Butcher of Times Square", the "Torso Killer", the "New York (City) Ripper", and the "Times Square Torso Ripper"1884–189466Died in prisonKnown as "The Borgia of Maine"199733Sentenced to life imprisonmentMurdered prostitutes in 1980s–1990220+Granted parole in 20131984–198745+Died in prisonResponsible for at least two of the "Southside Slayer" murders in 1993–19991111Sentenced to life imprisonment transient who preyed on prostitutes and the destitute1920–193514Executed 1936Poisoned her lover's wife; suspected of poisoning her mother in-law, father in-law, and younger brother1988–20031040+Incarcerated 127 yearsA nurse in New Jersey and Pennsylvania199755Committed suicide while a fugitiveItalian fashion designer was among his victims1982–198345Committed suicide after being arrestedOne victim was , whose identity was not discovered for 37 years1978–19911717Murdered by inmate Milwaukee cannibal who retained various body parts of his victims1979–19861313+Sentenced to life in prison without possibility of paroleAlso known as the "Golden State Killer", "Visalia Ransacker", "East Area Rapist", and the "Original Night Stalker"; murdered three people in Sacramento and 10 people in Southern California from 1975 through 1986; also linked to more than 50 rapes in the Sacramento area from 1976 to 1979. Suspect arrested on April 24, 2018. Pled guilty on June 29, 2020 to avoid the death penalty. On August 21, 2020, DeAngelo was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole.1965–198308Died from pneumonia in prisonAlso known as the "Mall Passer"; convicted rapist and counterfeiter who kidnapped, raped, and tortured numerous women. Although never convicted of murder, Debardeleben is suspected to be behind the killings of at least eight women.2005–200688Sentenced to life imprisonmentAccomplice committed suicide in prison1989–199255+Died in prisonShot men at random in southeastern 198933Executed 1993Convicted sex offender who sexually assaulted and murdered three young boys in in 19891997–20062323+Sentenced to life imprisonmentRaped and murdered male victims in 1927–1954811Died in prisonKnown as the "Giggling Granny" and the "Jolly Black Widow"; serial poisoner killed four husbands, two children, her two sisters, her mother, a grandson, and a mother-in-law1983–198733Sentenced to life imprisonmentPoisoned three acquaintances in 1983–198533Sentenced to life imprisonmentSerial rapist active in and around , 1996–200557Sentenced to life imprisonmentRaped at least 17 young boys and three young girls1997–200377+Sentenced to death (overturned on January 31, 2017; awaiting resentencing)Murdered seven women in the , included two who were pregnant. German authorities suspect Durousseau may have killed several local women when he was stationed there with the Army during the early 1990s.1988, 2001 (known)
c. 1983–1996 (suspected)211+Sentenced to death (overturned – awaiting resentencing hearing)Eaton is also suspected of being behind the killings known as the "Great Basin Murders".
1987–199244Sentenced to life imprisonmentMurdered transients in alcohol-induced rages1977–1996515Died in prison awaiting executionSentenced to death for shooting his foster son in 1996 insurance murder1953–1970318Committed suicide awaiting executionPreyed on children in Los Angeles County, California1986–200777Died in prisonKnown as the "Milwaukee North Side Strangler"1989–199333+Died in prison awaiting executionRaped and murdered and a woman in Florida18633232Killed by 1985–1991370Died in prison; murdered by a fellow death row inmateSuspected of another dozen murders but recanted his confessions to over 70 more1850–187225+Executed 1874Known as "The Northwood Murderer"; vagrant who murdered at least two young girls in New Hampshire, and possibly more in Maine and Massachusetts1985–199755Committed suicide after escaping police custodyLeader of a ring of jewelry and antique thieves who operated in and around 1996–199733+Committed suicide to avoid apprehensionKidnapped, raped and mudered three girls in , and abducted and assaulted a 15-year-old girl in 1982–19842124Died in prison awaiting executionKnown as the "Interstate Killer"1980–198266Sentenced to life imprisonmentEpileptic who strangled infants because of voices in her head1992–2015010+Killed by intended victimSuspected of killing up to 10 women before being killed in .1990–199156Executed 2009Befriended, murdered and robbed people across four states1989–199366Sentenced to death; commuted to life imprisonmentRaped and murdered a woman and five children in Wisconsin and Illinois1888–1894113+Executed 1896German sailor who murdered his landlord in 1894; allegedly responsible for murders in other countries, also suspect in the case.1947–1949320Executed 1951Along with accomplice , became known as the "Lonely Hearts Killers"1924–193238+Executed 1936Also known as the "Werewolf of Wysteria"; sadist and pedophile who cannibalized several children.?–1819?"0NumerousExecuted 1820Along with her husband John was a member of a highway gang; allegedly killed travelers visiting her inn.1997–199844+Sentenced to deathKilled and mutilated four women in California1973–1996120Died in prisonConvicted of one murder, suspected of up to 20 more.1996–1998810+Died in prisonKnown as the "Poughkeepsie Killer"1977–19801122Executed 2013Also attempted to assassinate and 1985–20071025+Died in prisonKnown as "Grim Sleeper"; charged after DNA evidence linked him with ten murders in Los Angeles since 19851972–19783333+Executed 1994Known as the "Killer Clown"1978–19801010Died awaiting executionAccomplice Charlene Gallego released 19971993–2008310Awaiting capital murder trialKnown as the "Hollywood Ripper""1970–197877+Executed 2018Known as the "Stocking Strangler"1953–19829100+Executed 1991Convicted of nine murders; claimed to an author to have killed more than 1001995–199899Sentenced to life imprisonmentRaped and strangled drug-addicted women in 1981–19821818Incarcerated for 120 yearsMember of the satanic cult and organized crime group known as Ripper Crew or Chicago Rippers
