30 Scariest Real Life Killers You've Never Heard Of

30 Scariest Real Life Killers Youve Never Heard Of

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were looking at thirty grisly murderers who have flown under the cultural radar.

#30: Gary Heidnik

Maybe youve never heard of Gary Heidnik, but if youve seen The Silence of the Lambs, then you know his primary MO. Between 1986 and 1987, Heidnik kidnapped six women off the streets of Philadelphia and took them to his House of Horrors, chaining them up in an underground pit. He would deprive them of food and water and subject them to acts of humiliation, all while hoping to impregnate the captives in order to create a perfect race of children. Two of his six captives died in captivity. Luckily, one victim escaped in March of 1987 and alerted the police, leading to Heidniks arrest. His story then greatly influenced Thomas Harris, who partly modeled Buffalo Bill after Heidnik.

#29: Charles William Davis

When it comes to serial killers openly taunting the police, you probably think of the Zodiac or BTK. No one thinks of Charles William Davis. Between 1974 and 77, Davis committed multiple sexual assaults in Baltimore and murdered at least four women, often posing as some type of helpful citizen before attacking. But perhaps most perversely, Davis anonymously called emergency services after disposing of the bodies along highways or in wooded areas, reporting the crimes and giving them directions to the corpses location. It was just one of his many sick thrills. Luckily, his crimes eventually caught up to him, and he has remained imprisoned since 1977.

#28: Dale Hausner & Samuel Dieteman

Between May 2005 and August 2006, Phoenix was plagued by a rash of drive-by shootings. While police initially believed that just one perp was responsible, the shootings were eventually traced to two men - Dale Hausner and Samuel Dieteman. The men prowled the streets of Phoenix, often under the influence of methamphetamine, and committed dozens of drive-by shootings, killing at least six and injuring nineteen. They are also known to have targeted animals. Police were eventually contacted by a concerned friend of Dietemans after he drunkenly confessed to the crimes, and they were both arrested following an investigation. Dieteman was sentenced to life and Hausner to death, although he took his own life in 2013.

#27: Charles Cullen

We trust that our medical practitioners know what theyre doing. So when that trust is intentionally broken, we become unimaginably terrified. Charles Cullen worked for years as a nurse at various hospitals throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania, but he used his position to administer lethal doses of medication to vulnerable patients. Many of the drugs he used were difficult to trace, and his victims were often already ill, both of which allowed the deaths to go unnoticed or uninvestigated. As such, no one really knows how many people Cullen murdered throughout the years. 29 victims have been confirmed and Cullen personally confessed to 40, but experts believe the number could be in the hundreds.

#26: Herbert Mullin

Despite being voted Most Likely to Succeed in high school, Herbert Mullin soon fell victim to mental illness. By his mid 20s, Mullin had already been committed to numerous care facilities and was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, which was exacerbated by heavy drug use. He started to believe that earthquakes could be prevented if Mother Nature received enough blood sacrifices, so on October 13, 1972, he beat 55-year-old Lawrence White to death with a baseball bat. Over the next couple of months, Mullin would murder twelve more people, including a priest. Mullins defense team argued that he was legally insane, but because his murders showed premeditation, he was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. He died in 2022.

#25: John Allen Muhammad & Lee Boyd Malvo

When it comes to serial killers, we typically think of personal attacks like stabbings or strangulation. We rarely think of sniper rifles. Throughout October of 2002, the Washington area was besieged by a series of random sniper attacks, the victims being shot from long distance while doing routine activities like pumping gas or walking in parking lots. The attacks were completely random and totally unforeseeable, which only added to the terror. They were eventually linked to John Allen Muhammad, the mastermind, and his much-younger accomplice, Lee Boyd Malvo. Ten people were killed in the shootings, and three more were injured. Even worse, police later linked the duo to a rash of shootings that occurred in the previous months, bringing their total body count to seventeen.

#24: Richard Laurence Marquette

This killer has the unique distinction of being the first person to be added as an eleventh entry on the FBIs Ten Most Wanted List. This occurred in June 1961, when the dismembered remains of Joan Caudle were found in Portland. When the crime was linked to Marquette, police searched his home and found body parts wrapped in newspaper inside his refrigerator. He was imprisoned but released on parole in 1973. But his freedom didnt last long. In April 1975, a fisherman found the dismembered remains of Betty Wilson. Police once again traced this to Marquette, and while confessing to Wilsons murder, he also confessed to murdering a third victim in 1974. He brought them to her skeletal remains, but she has never been identified.

#23: Charles Albright

When someone is nicknamed The Eyeball Killer, you know youre in for something gross. Charles Albright was considered highly intelligent, with an interest in biology and anatomy from a young age. Unfortunately, he did not use that interest for good. Despite early promise, Albright led a troubled life, including multiple run-ins with the law. These crimes graduated to murder in the late 80s and early 90s, when Albright killed four people. Three of the victims were found without their eyeballs, as Albright had surgically removed them and taken them with him. The eyes were never recovered. Despite the evidence being mostly circumstantial, Albright was convicted of one murder and sentenced to life in prison.

#22: Harrison Graham

In the summer of 1987, Harrison Graham was living off a disability pension and selling drugs out of his Philadelphia apartment. But it was also around this time that neighbors reported a rancid smell emanating from Grahams apartment. Police were called and they broke down the door, which Graham had barricaded. Graham was not there, but police found the apartment in a horrific state, including dirty mattresses and a pile of garbage over a foot thick. They also found the decomposing remains and skeletons of a number of women. A further search of the entire complex uncovered human remains in the basement and inside a duffel bag on the roof. In total, Graham had murdered seven women, and he was convicted of all seven deaths.

#21: Howard Unruh

Mass murderer Howard Unruh committed what is often regarded as the first mass shooting in modern history, a horrific event known as The Walk of Death. By September 1949, Unruh was in the throes of significant mental illness, exacerbated by constant arguments with his neighbors and his experiences in World War II. Around 9:20 AM on the morning of September 6, Unruh left his apartment and committed The Walk of Death. Over the next twelve minutes, he walked through his Camden neighborhood and shot people indiscriminately, killing thirteen and injuring three. No one was safe, including a number of young victims. He never showed remorse for the crime and later told a psychologist, Id have killed a thousand if I had enough bullets.

#20: The Harpe Brothers

This duo holds a special place in true crime history, yet few people have heard of them. Perhaps thats owing to how long ago their crimes were. Micajah Big Harpe and Wiley Little Harpe are the first known serial killers in American history. Their crimes spanned the Southeastern United States in the late 18th century. Taking advantage of the remote isolation of the Appalachian Mountains, the brothers would kill settlers coming south after the American Revolution. Their true number of victims remains unknown, but most estimates place it between 39 and 50. Their actions attracted vigilante attention, and Micajah was brutally killed by a posse in 1799. Wiley was eventually caught and executed in 1804.

#19: Alexander Pichushkin

One of the most notorious Russian serial killers in modern history, Alexander Pichushkin killed up to 60 people between 1992 and 2006. He became known as the Chessboard Killer, and Bitsa Park Maniac, after the Moscow park where most of his crimes occurred. Many of his victims were elderly vagrants whom he attracted with the promise of vodka, company, and a good chat. He would then strike them with the bottle or a hammer. Pichushkin was finally caught in 2006 after killing co-worker Marina Moskalyova. Surveillance footage from a train station captured Moskalyova with Pichushkin, and he was finally taken in for questioning. He readily confessed to his crimes and is now spending life in prison.

#18: Dorothea Puente

Female serial killers dont often get recognition, even if theyre as bad as Dorothea Puente. Known in the media as the Death House Landlady, Puente operated a boarding house in Sacramento that took in tenants who were elderly, developmentally disabled, or had substance use issues. Between 1982 and 88, Puente killed nine of her patrons and committed fraud by collecting their pensions and social security checks. Seven bodies were buried on the property of her boarding house, and another was dumped in a box by a river. Puente was eventually caught after killing Alvaro Montoya, as his social worker had reported him missing. She was convicted of three homicides and given life in prison. She died in 2011 at the age of 82.

#17: David Parker Ray

Better known as the Toy-Box Killer, David Parker Ray is not officially a serial killer, as he has never been lawfully linked to a homicide. However, many experts believe that he is responsible for up to 60 killings. Ray terrorized the American Southwest from 1957 to 1999. He would kidnap women and torture them in a trailer he called his toy box, before drugging and abandoning them or killing them. The details are too horrible to get into here. While he was never convicted of murder, Ray received 224 years in prison for abduction and torture. He died of a heart attack in 2002.

#16: Carl Panzram

The awful crimes of Carl Panzram range from burglary and arson to sexual assault and murder. Born in 1891, Panzram had a difficult childhood with strict and abusive parents. As an adult, he moved around a lot and was in and out of prison for various offenses. In 1920, he bought a yacht, and sexually assaulted and murdered 10 sailors in New York. His crimes continued in Southern Africa, where he targeted young and vulnerable victims, which he continued to do on his return to the States. From prison, he confessed to 21 murders; but may have killed over one hundred. He was executed in 1930 at the age of 39.

#15: Samuel Little

When we think of the most infamous serial killers in American history, we think of Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and John Wayne Gacy. Few ever bring up Samuel Little, even though he has the highest victim count of any American serial killer. Littles life of crime spanned decades. His first confirmed victim was 32-year-old Annie Stewart, who was strangled to death on October 11, 1981. However, his killing spree may have started over a decade earlier with the murder of Mary Jo Brosley in December 1970. After Little was arrested in 2012, he confessed to killing 93 women. The FBI has officially linked Little to 60 of these 93 killings. By comparison, Bundy killed at least 20, Dahmer 17, and Gacy 33.

#14: Robert Pickton

Canada has also produced its fair share of serial killers, including Robert Pickton. The son of pig farmers in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, he and his brother David worked from a young age, and were bullied for stinking of pig manure in school. After inheriting the farm, the brothers held raves on the property in the 1990s. A police search in 2002 uncovered the remains of several missing women. Targeting unhoused people and sex workers in Vancouvers Downtown Eastside, Pickton had been murdering women on the farm. He was charged with 26 murders, but confessed to 49. Its believed that Pickton fed some remains to his pigs; some may have been mixed with pork and sold to the public.

#13: Luis Garavito

Despite the fact hes the most prolific serial killer in modern history, Luis Garavito is little known outside of his native Colombia. As a child, he was beaten by his father, tormented in school, and abused by neighbors. He grew into an angry and antisocial man, obsessed with abusing male minors. He would sometimes wear a disguise to lure his victims to isolated spots. The horrific nature of what would happen next is just too gruesome to talk about here. In 1999, he was apprehended, and eventually sentenced to a combined 1,853 years in prison. Hes officially linked to 193 murders, but his confession would bring this to 221.

#12: Robert Hansen

This serial killer was especially terrifying for the way he hunted down his victims. In his youth, Hansen was unpopular and became obsessed with the idea of revenge, especially against women. In 1967, he moved from Iowa to Anchorage, Alaska, where he worked as a baker. However, in the 1970s, he began abducting women, sexually assaulting them and flying them out to remote locations. He would then hunt them through the Alaskan wilderness. An escaped victim, Cindy Paulson, warned police, who at first took Hansens word over hers. Fortunately, famous criminal profiler John Douglas helped lead investigators back to Hansen. Its believed that Hansen killed between 17 and 21 women. He died in 2014 while serving life in prison.

#11: Clementine Barnabet

Modern historians have cast doubt on whether or not Clementine Barnabet actually committed the killings for which she has been blamed. However, she was officially convicted of one homicide and personally confessed to killing 35. Following her arrest, Barnabet claimed that she was given a magical Hoodoo talisman by a priestess of the Church of Sacrifice. Wanting to test its validity, she embarked on a series of ax murders throughout the state of Louisiana. She was eventually caught and sentenced to life in prison. However, she was subsequently released in 1923 and disappeared from the history books.

#10: Gerard John Schaefer

In his mugshot, Gerard John Schaefer looks like an everyday man: his hair combed to the right and a friendly smile plastered on his face. However, a second glance may be warranted after learning that he potentially killed 30 people throughout the 60s and 70s. Schaefer was a Florida sheriff's deputy when he kidnapped two teenage women and tied them to a tree in the forest. The women escaped after Schaefer received a call on his radio. Sadly, Susan Place and Georgia Jessupwhom he kidnapped two months later werent so lucky. They were kidnapped, tied to a tree, and then killed. In 1973, Schaefer was given two life sentences, but hes suspected of having over 30 victims.

#9: Vickie Dawn Jackson

While quite a big name in Texas, Vickie Dawn Jackson never gained national attention, despite killing at least 10 people in a three month span from December 2000 to February 2001. Working as a nurse in North Texas, Jackson used a paralyzer called mivacurium chloride on her elderly patients, which prevented their ability to breathe. The deaths didnt raise any red flags owing to the age of the patients, but alarm bells started ringing once administrators noticed the missing mivacurium chloride. They came to suspect Jackson, as she was often the last person reported in the victims rooms before their deaths. A syringe used to administer mivacurium chloride was eventually found in her trash can, and she was subsequently charged and sentenced to life in prison.

#8: Ronald Dominique

Those from Louisiana may recognize Ronald Dominique as The Bayou Strangler, a serial killer who killed at least 23 men and boys between 1997 to 2006. Dominique frequented gay bars around Houma, Louisiana, and would tie up and assault the men he took home. He would then kill them to ensure their silence. In 2006 however, a survivor of Dominiques contacted the police to voice his suspicions about the man. Dominique was arrested after DNA matched him to recovered corpses, putting an end to his crimes.

#7: Israel Keyes

Between 1998 and 2001, Israel Keyes served in the United States Army. Fellow soldiers described him as a quiet man who would frequently drink large amounts of alcohol. After leaving the military, Keyes began a criminal life committing bank robberies, burglaries, and arson. He also killed at least four people, although hes suspected of a further seven. Perhaps his most famous victim is Samantha Koenig. The 18 year old was kidnapped from work, assaulted, and killed, her body left in a shed while Keyes went on a family vacation. Upon returning, he applied makeup to her body so she could pose for a ransom photo. Keyes was caught using her debit card and arrested, but he took his own life while awaiting trial.

#6: The Long Island Serial Killer

In late 2010 and early 2011, a number of deceased women were found along Ocean Parkway on Long Island, kickstarting one of the most fascinating serial killer stories of the 21st century. The remains of the so-called Gilgo Four were found in December 2010, and the remains of six more victims were discovered in the following months, bringing the killers body count to at least eleven. The case was cold for many years, but a major break occurred in July 2023, when a Manhattan architect named Rex Heuermann was arrested in connection with the murders. As of 2025, Heuermann has pleaded not guilty to all counts of murder, and his trial has yet to begin.

#5: Salvatore Perrone

Nicknamed The Son of Sal, Staten Island man Salvatore Perrone turned his frustrations with life into a bloody killing spree. His wife had left him and his business was failing, leaving him broke. In 2012 he began roaming the streets of Brooklyn and entering stores with Middle Eastern merchants. Arriving at closing time when the stores were empty, Perrone shot and killed three merchants with a sawed-off rifle. After police searched his home, they found a 12-gauge shotgun, ammunition, and duct tape. He also carried around a so-called kill kit that included switchblades, a serrated knife, bleach, and latex gloves. Perrone was convicted of all three killings and sentenced to 75 years to life in prison.

#4: Lydia Sherman

An old-timey serial killer also known as the Derby Poisoner, Lydia Sherman lived in the eastern United States between 1824 and 1878. She seemingly had no regard for human life - not even her own children. She reportedly killed three husbands with arsenic in a span of seven years, and disposed of eight children the same waysix of them being her own. All of these deaths were officially attributed to typhoid fever at the time, with no one being any the wiser to Shermans secret life as a serial killer. Shermans crimes eventually caught up to her, however, and she was sentenced to life in prison. She died of cancer at 53 in 1878.

#3: Amelia Dyer

When it comes to 19th century serial killers, few are as prominent - or as sick - as Amelia Dyer. But even then, her name has mostly been lost to time. Living in Victorian England, Dyer was a baby farmer - an old practice in which people took in orphaned children in exchange for money. Unfortunately, Dyer had depraved ulterior motives for doing so. She killed the children she adopted, and while Dyer has only been officially linked to six deaths, her body count is often theorized to be somewhere between 200 and 400. If thats true, it would make Dyer one of the most prolific killers in history. Dyer was finally caught in 1896 and hung at Londons Newgate Prison. Her last words? I have nothing to say.

#2: Patrick Mackay

In his early 20s, Englishman Patrick Mackay became obsessed with Nazism. He was also a heavy drinker and drug user, and he claims to have committed his first killing by drowning a homeless man in the River Thames. A few years later, on March 21, 1975, he fatally attacked a priest with an axe. Following Mackays arrest, he became the prime suspect in dozens of killings, most of which occurred after the victim was robbed. Mackay has been officially tied to three deaths, but he personally claims to have killed 11. He was sentenced to life in prison and remains there to this day.

#1: Karl Denke

This mans lack of mainstream attention is baffling, considering the extent and severity of his crimes. Accurately known as The Forgotten Cannibal, Denke was a Prussian man who killed up to 42 unhoused men between 1903 and 1924 and ate their remains. Denke was a well-liked organist at his local Lutheran church and ran a food shop that sold various kinds of meat. Yeah, you know where this is going. Its speculated that Denke served human meat to his loyal customers. Denke was caught in 1924 but took his own life before questioning could begin. When police searched his home, they found countless body parts, including 16 femurs, 120 toes, 65 feet, and 150 pieces of ribs. His motivation, and much of his grisly story, remains unknown.

What little known killers do you know? Tell us about them in the comments below!