Ted Bundy
Ted Bundy is one of the most notorious serial killers in American history. He was active in the 1970s and confessed to killing at least 30 young women across several states. Bundy was known for his charm and good looks, which he used to lure his victims into his car or to a secluded location. He often bludgeoned or strangled his victims before sexually assaulting them. Bundy was finally arrested in 1975 and sentenced to death for his crimes. He was executed in 1989.
Jeffrey Dahmer
Jeffrey Dahmer, also known as the "Milwaukee Cannibal," was active in the 1980s and confessed to killing and dismembering 17 young men and boys. He would lure his victims to his apartment, where he would drug them and then strangle them. Dahmer would then engage in necrophilia with their bodies and often dismember them. He was finally arrested in 1991 and sentenced to life in prison. Dahmer was beaten to death by a fellow inmate in 1994.
John Wayne Gacy
John Wayne Gacy, also known as the "Killer Clown," was active in the 1970s and confessed to killing at least 33 young men and boys. Gacy would often dress up as a clown and perform at children's parties. He would lure his victims to his home, where he would sexually assault and then strangle them. Gacy buried many of his victims in the crawl space beneath his house. He was finally arrested in 1978 and sentenced to death. Gacy was executed in 1994.
Aileen Wuornos
Aileen Wuornos was one of the few female serial killers in history. She was active in the 1980s and confessed to killing seven men in Florida. Wuornos was a prostitute and would often rob her clients before killing them. She claimed that all of her victims had either raped or attempted to rape her. Wuornos was arrested in 1991 and sentenced to death. She was executed in 2002.
Ed Gein
Ed Gein is known as the inspiration for several horror movie characters, including Norman Bates from "Psycho" and Leatherface from "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre." Gein was active in the 1950s and was known for his disturbing behavior, including grave-robbing and making clothing and furniture out of human skin. He was eventually arrested in 1957 after the murder of a local hardware store owner. Gein was found guilty of murder but was declared mentally insane and spent the rest of his life in a mental institution. He died in 1984.
David Berkowitz
David Berkowitz, also known as the "Son of Sam," was active in New York City in the 1970s. He confessed to killing six people and injuring several others in a series of shootings. Berkowitz claimed that he was instructed to kill by a demon who spoke to him through his neighbor's dog. He was finally arrested in 1977 and sentenced to life in prison. Berkowitz has since expressed remorse for his crimes and has become a born-again Christian.
Richard Ramirez
Richard Ramirez, also known as the "Night Stalker," was active in California in the 1980s. He was known for breaking into homes and attacking and killing his victims in their beds. Ramirez was also known for his satanic worship and would leave pentagrams at his crime scenes. He was finally caught by a group of civilians who recognized him from his police sketches and held him until the police arrived. Ramirez was sentenced to death in 1989 and died in prison in 2013.