[99+ Lists] Female Serial Killers by Number of Victims
Most prolific female serial killer: Elizabeth Bathory has been labelled by Guinness World Records as the most prolific female murderer over 650+ VICTIMS killed, though the number of her victims is debated.
Most Famous Female Serial Killers
While there have been instances of female serial killers throughout history, they are less common than their male counterparts.
Here are some notable cases of popular woman serial killers:
- Aileen Wuornos (USA): Convicted of killing seven men in Florida between 1989 and 1990. Wuornos claimed that she killed in self-defense during attempted sexual assaults.
- Myra Hindley (UK): Along with Ian Brady, she was involved in the infamous Moors Murders, where they abducted, sexually assaulted, and murdered five children in the 1960s.
- Rosemary West (UK): Alongside her husband Fred West, she participated in the torture and murder of several young women, including their own daughter, in the 1970s.
- Dorothea Puente (USA): Operated a boarding house and murdered elderly and disabled tenants for financial gain in the 1980s.
- Karla Homolka (Canada): Assisted her husband, Paul Bernardo, in the rape and murder of three young women, including her sister, in the 1990s.
- Nannie Doss (USA): Known as the “Giggling Granny,” she poisoned multiple family members for financial gain and personal reasons in the 1950s.
- Juana Barraza (Mexico): The “Little Old Lady Killer,” who murdered elderly women in Mexico City during the 2000s.
- Mary Bell (UK): Convicted of killing two young boys in 1968 when she was just 11 years old.
- Belle Gunness (USA): Lured victims through personal ads, then murdered them for financial gain in the early 20th century.
- Amelia Dyer (UK): Infamously known as the “Baby Farmer,” she murdered infants for profit in the late 19th century.
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- Elizabeth Bathory: The Blood Countess Unraveling the chilling tale of a Hungarian noblewoman whose alleged penchant for bathing in the blood of virgins earned her the infamous title of “Blood Countess.”
- Aileen Wuornos: The Highway Huntress Explore the life of Aileen Wuornos, a troubled soul whose journey as a hitchhiking serial killer sent shockwaves through the true crime community.
- Mary Ann Cotton: The Poisonous Widow Delve into the historical accounts of Mary Ann Cotton, a Victorian-era serial poisoner, and unravel the mysteries surrounding her deadly deeds.
- Bell Gunness: The Black Widow of La Porte Uncover the chilling story of Bell Gunness, a Norwegian immigrant whose matrimonial pursuits took a sinister turn, leading to a trail of mysterious deaths.
- Jane Toppan: The Angel of Death Step into the dark world of Jane Toppan, a nurse with a deadly agenda, as we explore her sinister methods and the lives she claimed.
List of Most Popular serial killers by number of victims
| Name | Country | Years Active | Proven Victims | Possible Victims | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luis Garavito | Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela | 1992–1999 | 193 | 194–300+ | Child-murderer, torture-killer, and rapist known as “La Bestia” (“The Beast”). Confessed to killing 140 boys, suspected of murdering over 300 victims. Initially sentenced to 1,853 years, later reduced to 22 years. Scheduled for parole in 2023 but died on October 12, 2023. |
| Pedro López | Colombia, Peru, Ecuador | 1969–1980 | 110 | 300+ | Child-murderer and rapist, known as “The Monster of the Andes.” Targeted young girls aged eight to twelve. Arrested in 1980, convicted in 1983, released in the late 1990s despite claiming to have killed hundreds. |
| Javed Iqbal | Pakistan | 1998–1999 | 100 | 100 | Child-murderer and rapist, known as “Kukri.” Murdered 100 street children by strangling them and dissolving their bodies with acid. Arrested in December 1999, died in custody before execution. |
| Mikhail Popkov | Russia | 1992–2010 | 78 | 83+ | Serial rapist-killer nicknamed “The Werewolf.” Active for two decades in Angarsk, Irkutsk, and Vladivostok. Convicted of 56 murders in 2018, confessed to a total of 83 in July 2020. Sentenced to life. |
| Daniel Camargo Barbosa | Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil (alleged) | 1974–1986 | 72 | 180 | Child and woman murderer, possibly raped and killed over 150 victims. Confessed to 72 killings. Rearrested in 1986 and killed in jail by the nephew of one of his victims. |
| Pedro Rodrigues Filho | Brazil | 1967–2003 | 71 | 100+ | Claimed to have killed over 100 victims, including 47 inmates. Killed his father and ate a piece of his heart. Released in 2018, murdered by two men in 2023. |
| Kampatimar Shankariya | India | 1977–1978 | 70 | 70+ | Indian serial killer who used a hammer to kill over 70 men and women between 1978 and 1979. Hanged in 1979. |
| Yang Xinhai | China | 1999–2003 | 67 | 67 | Known as the “Monster Killer.” Entered victims’ homes at night and killed using various weapons. Executed by gunshot in 2004. |
| Abul Djabar | Afghanistan | 1970 and earlier | 65 | 300+ | Killed 65 men and boys by strangling them with turbans while raping them. Suspected of over 300 murders. Sentenced to death and hanged on October 21, 1970. |
| Samuel Little | United States | 1970–2005 | 60 | 93 | Convicted of killing three women, linked to 31 other murders. Thought to be America’s most prolific serial killer, claimed up to 93 victims. FBI confirmed 60 murders linked to Little. Investigations ongoing. |
| William Unek | Belgian Congo, Tanganyika | 1954–1957 | 57 | 57 | Police constable who murdered 21 people with an axe in less than two hours before fleeing. Later, murdered 36 more people before being mortally wounded by police. |
List of female serial killers by number of victims
| Name |
|---|
| Amy Archer-Gilligan |
| Velma Barfield |
| Polly Bartlett |
| Martha Beck (serial killer) |
| Elvira Bender |
| Kate Bender |
| Debra Denise Brown |
| Judy Buenoano |
| Carol Bundy |
| Patty Cannon |
| Suzan Carson |
| Mary Clement |
| Cynthia Coffman (murderer) |
| Faye Copeland |
| Mary Cowan |
| Skylar Deleon |
| Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong |
| Nannie Doss |
| Christine Falling |
| Constance Fisher |
| Lavinia Fisher |
| Gerald and Charlene Gallego |
| Janie Lou Gibbs |
| Bertha Gifford |
| Kristen Gilbert |
| Helen Golay |
| Gwendolyn Graham |
| Gwendolyn Graham and Cathy Wood |
| Dana Sue Gray |
| Belle Gunness |
| Anna Marie Hahn |
| Lizzie Halliday |
| Linda Hazzard |
| Helene Auguste Geisen-Volk |
| Waneta Hoyt |
| Megan Huntsman |
| Vickie Dawn Jackson |
| Genene Jones |
| The Kelly Family (serial killers) |
| Sharon Kinne |
| Tillie Klimek |
| Theresa Knorr |
| Michelle Knotek |
| Delphine LaLaurie |
| Anjette Lyles |
| Rhonda Belle Martin |
| Reta Mays |
| Susan Monica |
| Adrienne Moton |
| Judith Neelley |
| Marie Noe |
| Diane O’Dell |
| Geraldine Parrish |
| Louise Peete |
| Donna Perry (serial killer) |
| Dorothea Puente |
| Sarah Jane Robinson |
| Olga Rutterschmidt |
| Kimberly Clark Saenz |
| Lydia Sherman |
| Georgia Tann |
| Jane Toppan |
| Louise Vermilya |
| Sarah Whiteling |
| Hattie Whitten |
| Dorothy Williams (serial killer) |
| Martha Wise |
| Aileen Wuornos |
