30 Most EVIL Women in History

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were looking at women who committed the most heinous acts in history.

Jane Toppan

When your goal is to outkill every murderer in history then youre not just dangerous- youre evil personified. That essentially summarizes this evil nurse. Born Honora Kelley in Boston 1854, Jane Toppan was initially known as Jolly Jane for her bright and friendly demeanor. But behind this pleasant personality was a very disturbed woman. Between 1895 and 1901, shes believed to have killed over 100 people, using her position in hospitals to experiment on patients. Dubbed the Angel of Mercy she preyed on the vulnerable and derived some twisted thrill from watching their final moments. By 1902, she confessed to 31 murders. She was declared insane the same year and committed to an asylum where she remained until her death.

Darya Nikolayevna Saltykova

Rich, powerful, and distinctly lacking in empathy, the Saltykova heiress wasnt just a killer. She was a sadist. The noblewoman was notorious for her vile treatment of her serfs, many of whom didnt live to see justice done. You see, Saltykova was highly-connected with the higher-ups in the Russian court, and evaded investigation until the death tally grew too big to ignore. And when we say too big, we mean she has a proven body count of around thirty-eight, and is suspiciously linked to nearly a hundred more. Based on those numbers, theres no telling how much damage she could have wrought if she hadnt been caught.

Klara Mauerova

Also known as the Cannibal Mother of Kurim, Klara Mauerova subjected her own children to the worst form of torture. A member of a religious cult, Klara and her sister Katerina were manipulated by Barbora Skrlová, to torture their own family. The boys were beaten, burned, starved and forced to sleep in their own filth. Even pieces of skin of Klaras son Ondrej, were cut off for cannibalistic rituals. This nightmare lasted nearly a year until in 2007 when a neighbors baby monitor picked up a signal of the abuse. Authorities stepped in, and Klara, her sister and other cult members were imprisoned. Shockingly Barbora (an adult woman posing as a child) appealed and later walked free.

Maria Swanenburg

One of historys most prolific poisoners, Maria Swanenburg was known to her neighbors in the Netherlands as Good Mie. She had a reputation for caring for the sick, the poor and elderly - but she was anything but good. Behind this generosity was a woman who had a penchant for poisoning with arsenic and a hunger for money. Her mother was her first victim and her father soon followed-all for insurance payouts. Swanenburg is believed to have poisoned at least 102 people, with 27 confirmed deaths. Heartbreakingly, 16 of those were her own relatives. She was eventually caught in 1883 after attempting to poison an entire family. Sentenced to life in a correctional facility, she died behind bars. Another example of a wolf in sheep clothing!

Ranavalona I

Many know of Adolf Hilter and Joseph Stalin, names linked to tyranny and mass deaths. But few have heard of Ranavalona, the 19th century queen of Madagascar, whose reign was equally brutal. For 33 years, Ranavalona ruled with an iron fist, starting off with the executions of her rivals. Her rule was marked by slavery, isolation, ruthless purges and a total rejection of foreign influence. Christians were tortured, enslaved and even executed for their faith. One of her cruelest methods? The tangena trial- a deadly poison test where survival meant innocence. Its estimated that up to 2.5 million people died under her reign - a massive chunk of Madagascar's population at that time. Despite the terror she was, Ranavalona died in her sleep.

Miyuki Ishikawa

When someone evil is in a delicate position, the consequences are bound to be devastating. Japan was reeling from poverty and the aftermath of war when Miyuki Ishikawa worked at a maternity hospital. Faced with an influx of children born to poor, unwed mothers, she devised a means to solve the problem. Her twisted solution? Letting numerous infants die from neglect and starvation. Even more disturbing, sometimes Ishikawa demanded payments from desperate parents in exchange for this deadly help. The exact number of her victims remains unknown since she operated undetected for years. Arrested in 1948, Ishikawa was handed a light sentence of 8 years, which was later reduced to 4. Even worse, Ishikawa wasnt the only midwife committing this evil act.

Isabella of Castile

Isabella the Catholic is often remembered for unifying Spain and funding Christopher Columbus famous voyage. But her legacy has a much darker side. Isabella and her husband Ferdinand of Aragon worked together to make Spain a unified Catholic country. To do that, they launched the Spanish Inquisition, a harsh system where anyone who wasnt seen as a true Catholic was punished, especially Jewish people and Muslims. In 1492, she also forced Jewish people to either convert or leave Spain, causing many to lose their homes and livelihood. So while Isabella might be a great queen, shes also a ruler who used religion as a weapon to hurt others.

Katherine Knight

This violent woman was the first woman in Australian history to receive a life sentence without parole. Once you hear what she did, its easy to understand why. Katherine Knights life was steeped in violence right from the start and her relationships were just as toxic. She abused her husband and at one point, even killed her lovers puppy in front of him. But the worst happened in 2000 when she murdered her lover, John Price. She stabbed him about 37 times while he slept, then skinned him and prepared his parts as a meal for his children. When she was arrested, Knight showed no remorse. Her crime was so disturbing, a judge described it as appalling and she was locked away for good.

Beverly Allitt

Beverly Allitt started with babysitting gigs, became a nurse and then turned into one of Britains most chilling child killers. Working at Grantham and Kesteven Hospital, Allitt earned the nickname The Angel of Death after a horrifying spree in 1991. Over a period of 59 days, four children were killed and nine were injured all under her care. Her method of operation was injecting children with insulin or air, leading to heart failures or death. One suspicious death raised flags, and Allitts horrifying pattern was uncovered. How no one noticed sooner still haunts many. Convicted in 1993 of 4 murders, 3 attempted murders and six grievous bodily harms, she received 13 life sentences. She remains locked in a high-security psychiatric facility.

Aileen Wuornos

Abandoned as a child and exposed to trauma throughout her youth, Aileen Wuornos life was tragic right from the very beginning. Without stable shelter, she lived on the margins of society, often relying on sex work to survive. Between 1989 and 1990, Wuornos killed seven men, which she later claimed were acts of self-defense. Some saw her as a victim of a cruel world but prosecutors argued her actions were calculated and motivated by personal gain. In 1992, she was convicted and received death sentences. In 2002, she was executed with a lethal injection. Her cryptic final words left a lasting impression and her erratic behavior during her trial drew national attention.

Catherine de Medici

Serving as the Queen of France from 1547 to 1559, Catherine de' Medici had enormous political sway over her sons, the French Kings Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III. They reigned through the French Wars of Religion and faced problems with a group of Calvinist Protestants called the Huguenots. It is widely believed by historians that de' Medici attempted to have their leader, Gaspard II de Coligny, assassinated. The attempt failed, and fearing retaliation from the most powerful Huguenots, de' Medici planned to kill them all before they could take action. The result was the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre, which resulted in the deaths of between 5,000 and 30,000 Huguenots.

Gertrude Baniszewski

A teenager named Sylvia Likens and her sister Jenny made friends with sisters Paula and Stephanie Baniszewski. When the Likens mother was imprisoned for shoplifting, the sisters were sent to live with the Baniszewskis. Their mother, Gertrude Baniszewski, soon began a system of abuse against Sylvia Likens and forced Sylvias sister Jenny to participate in response to the Likens late payments for the kids boarding and care. With the help of her children and some neighbors, Baniszewski tortured Likens for three months. On October 26, 1965, Likens body effectively shut down from the severe mistreatment, and she died from a combination of injuries, shock, and malnourishment. Gertrude Baniszewski was given life in prison but was paroled on December 4, 1985. She remained free until her death in 1990.

Karla Homolka

One of the most infamous serial killers in Canadian history, Karla Homolka worked with her husband, Paul Bernardo, and killed three young girls throughout the early 90s. Homolkas first victim was her own younger sister, Tammy. Just two days before Christmas, Tammy Homolka was drugged and assaulted by her older sister and Bernardo and died after choking on her vomit. The couple then proceeded to kidnap both Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French. Both were horrifically mistreated before they were killed. After Homolka was arrested, she conned the investigators and tricked them into believing that Bernardo was primarily responsible. She testified against him and was given a very lenient sentence in return, though videotapes later revealed the extent of the atrocities in which she participated. Homolka was released from prison in 2005.

Leonarda Cianciulli

Known as The Soap Maker of Correggio, Leonarda Cianciulli was a serial killer from Italy. Cianciulli was devastated after learning that her son was going off to prepare to fight in World War II. To keep him safe, Cianciulli offered human sacrifices. She killed three of her neighbors with an axe and made tea cakes out of their remains. Not only would Cianciulli eat these cakes, but she also served them to visiting guests. Cianciullis third victim, Virginia Cacioppo, was made into both tea cakes and bars of soap. Once again, this soap was gifted to friends and neighbors. Cianciulli was eventually sentenced to thirty years in prison.

Myra Hindley

In January of 1961, 18-year-old Myra Hindley met a man with a criminal record named Ian Brady. The two would develop a relationship and go on to commit what are known as The Moors Murders. Between July 1963 and October 1965, Hindley and Brady killed five youths, the youngest of which was Lesley Ann Downey. They were kidnapped around the general Manchester area and forced to endure horrible acts before they were killed. Three of the five victims have been found buried in Englands Saddleworth Moor, leading to the name The Moors Murders. The most evil woman in Britain was given life in prison and died of pneumonia in 2002 at the age of 60.

Mary Ann Cotton

Not much is known about the criminal career of Mary Ann Cotton, who lived in the 1800s. Document-keeping was not a regular practice at the time, so its hard to get an exact measure of Cottons crimes. But thanks to some investigative techniques, its believed that Cotton took the lives of up to 21 people. Of these 21 victims, three were her husbands and eleven were her own offspring. Cotton poisoned most of these people with arsenic and proceeded to claim their insurance policies for her own self-interest. Cotton was eventually caught after poisoning her stepson, Charles Edward Cotton, and was ordered to be executed. Its possible that Cotton was intentionally given a short rope, as it did not break her neck. Instead, she was left to strangle to death.

Enriqueta Martí

This Spanish woman is often referred to as a vampire owing to the nature of her crimes. It is generally believed that Martí kidnapped kids off the streets of Barcelona and put them to work in her brothel. Its also believed that Martí killed minors and used their blood and remains in various elixirs. She then sold these elixirs to the rich, claiming that they treated dangerous ailments like tuberculosis. Twelve victims have been linked to Martí, although its suspected that she killed many more. However, some historians defend Martí and argue that her crimes werent as bad or as many as the traditional story suggests.

Belle Gunness

There is much about Belle Gunness that we do not know. For example, the extent of her crimes. What is known is that Gunness was a serial killer who most often targeted wealthy men looking for marriage. She would lure these men to her farm in Indiana, kill them, and take their money. Many young children also died under Gunnesss care, some of whom carried large insurance payouts that were cashed by Gunness. Many graves were found on her property containing human remains, and its believed that Gunness may have killed up to 40 people. Gunnesss fate is also shrouded in mystery. While she supposedly died in a fire, its widely believed that she faked her death and fled town with her money.

Rose West

A serial killing couple from the Gloucester area of England, Rose and Fred West killed at least nine young women together throughout the 70s and 80s. After torturing these people, the Wests would kill their victims and bury their remains in their yard and basement. As a result, their house would later become known as a House of Horrors. Rose West also acted independently and killed her stepdaughter through Fred in June of 1971. West was convicted of ten homicides in 1995, and as of 2022, remains imprisoned. Fred West took his own life shortly after being arrested.

Ilse Koch

Throughout World War II and the German occupation of Europe, Ilse Koch ran various concentration camps with her husband, Karl-Otto Koch. She worked at Buchenwald from 1937 to 1941 and Majdanek from 41 to 43. Koch quickly developed a reputation for being sadistic and inhumanely cruel towards her prisoners. It was alleged that Koch made artifacts out of her victims skin, but this was never proven in court. Koch subsequently became one of the first Nazis to be tried for war crimes and was given a life sentence by the U.S. Military. She was controversially released in 1949 but was quickly arrested by West German authorities and sent back to prison. She took her own life in 1967.

Mary I of England

Daughter of the famous Henry VIII, Mary I of England became known as Bloody Mary for her widespread violence aimed against Protestants. Mary I ruled England and Ireland from 1553 to 1558 and hoped to restore Roman Catholicism following the English Reformation. She targeted Protestants shortly after her accession (despite promising not to do so), and many fled the country in response. Heresy laws were eventually drafted against Protestants and hundreds were burned at the stake. While Mary I was persistent, these executions were very unpopular throughout England and festered anti-Catholic sentiments. Elizabeth I attempted to undo the damage that was caused by Mary I following her death in 1558.

Amelia Dyer

Proving one of the Victorian eras most infamous criminals, Amelia Dyer could be one of the most prolific serial killers in human history. Back in Victorian England, people were paid for adopting babies in a practice known as baby farming. Amelia Dyer turned this into her profession and adopted numerous children. She began by keeping them for a time until they passed of natural causes, but ultimately turned to disposing of them shortly after adopting them, thereby keeping the money without having to raise them. One of Dyers victims was found floating in the River Thames on March 30, 1896, leading to her arrest and eventual execution. While six victims have been confirmed, its believed that Dyer may have killed up to 400 throughout her life.

Wu Zetian

Between 665 and 690, Wu Zetian ruled China through her husband and sons. But she then made world history and became empress regnant in 690, making her the countrys first and only official female ruler. She remained in power from 690 until her death in 705. However, her reign was filled with violence and bloodshed. Wu Zetian killed political rivals, had opponents and dissenters silenced, and launched many wars to gain territory. She built an empire and turned China into one of the worlds most powerful territories. While this aspect of her reign is generally praised, Wu Zetian has long received criticism for her merciless machinations.

Griselda Blanco

Born in Cartagena, Colombia, Griselda Blanco moved to Miami in the late 1970s and worked with the Medellín Cartel to import cocaine into the United States. This began a very violent period in Miamis history, as the city was soon plagued with gang and drug-related violence. Hundreds were killed each year as drugs spilled into the streets and criminals vied for power. Legend states that Blanco would order her hitmen to kill everyone in a room, not just the intended victim. As a result, the lives of many innocent people were claimed during these drug wars. One of these hitmen, Jorge Ayala, is believed to have killed roughly 40 people alone. After serving time in prison, Blanco was shot and killed on September 3, 2012.

Fusako Shigenobu

In 1971, communist Fusako Shigenobu started a militant organization known as the Japanese Red Army. While living in the Middle East, Shigenobu hoped to overthrow Japanese institutions through the JRA. This organization proceeded to embark on a spree of terrorist activity, like hijacking airplanes, storming embassies, and committing the Lod Airport massacre. In the latter attack, 26 were killed and a further 79 injured. Shigenobu was arrested in 2000 and accused of planning at least one of these terrorist attacks. The Red Army disbanded soon after. Shigenobu was sentenced to twenty years in prison and was released in May 2022.

Minnie Dean

Capital punishment is abolished in New Zealand. As a result, Minnie Dean was the only woman in the countrys history to be executed for her alleged crimes. Like Amelia Dyer, Minnie Dean was a prominent baby farmer who was paid to adopt children. Many died or went missing under Deans care, and while she was not found responsible, some people suspected that she was killing them. Her downfall came in 1895, when she was finally arrested for the death of Eva. Following this arrest, three bodies were found buried on Deans property, including Evas. One was found to have overdosed on laudanum, and Dean was found guilty of her death. She was subsequently hanged on August 12, 1895.

Delphine Lalaurie

A prominent socialite from New Orleans, Delphine Macarty married physician Louis LaLaurie in 1825 and took her now infamous name. She claimed property at 1140 Royal Street and lived in a mansion with her family and slaves. Rumors circulated that LaLaurie treated her slaves in a sadistic manner, and this was proven in 1834 when a fire was set at their house. Along with one chained up in the kitchen, responders found seven more chained up in the attic, and they were marked with extensive physical injuries. It was immediately obvious that they were being tortured. The LaLaurie residence experienced violent backlash, after which LaLaurie fled the city in response, and various bodies were subsequently found on her property.

Elizabeth Báthory

This Hungarian noblewoman was the subject of some malicious rumors. Young girls were sent to Báthory in order to learn proper etiquette, and some died while under her care. Following an investigation, Báthory and four accomplices were arrested on December 30, 1610. Many people testified against Báthory, but most stories were based on rumor rather than verifiable fact. It was claimed that Báthory tortured and killed more than 600 girls, but these were never confirmed - she was eventually confined to her castle until her death. However, its also important to note that Báthory may have been a victim of political machinations and therefore innocent of the crimes levied against her. The issue remains divisive and ambiguous.

Irma Grese

A young volunteer of the SS, Irma Grese acted as a guard at various Nazi concentration camps, including Auschwitz. Grese was known to have harassed the prisoners she was ordered to watch, and she routinely attacked the female prisoners with a whip. Grese also helped select the prisoners that would be sent to the gas chambers and ultimately executed. Following the war, Grese was convicted of war crimes and hanged. In the process, she became the youngest woman of the 20th century to be executed under British law. She was 22 years old.

Biljana Plavi

Between 1996 and 1998, Biljana Plavi acted as President of Republika Srpska. Shortly before the presidency, Plavi played an integral role in the Bosnian War, which spanned from 1992 to 95. During the war, Plavi endorsed the violent targeting of non-Serbs. Its believed that thousands of Bosnian Muslims and Croats were killed during the war, and a further million were forced out of the country. Plavi was later indicted for her role in the exodus and charged with committing crimes against humanity. She pled guilty and was sentenced to eleven years in prison but was released early on October 27, 2009.

Do you agree with this list? Are these the most evil women to ever exist? Let us know in the comment section.