Top 10 Real Places Connected to Infamous Serial Killers

#10: Château de Tiffauge

Gilles de Rais

Nestled in the Vendée department of France, the Château de Tiffauges once belonged to Gilles de Rais, a 15th century French nobleman who fought alongside Joan of Arc in the Hundred Years’ War.. But after his military days ended, his legacy took a horrific turn. De Rais was accused of abducting hundreds of children and taking them back to his castle, where he would engage in bizarre occult rituals before murdering them. Historians still debate how much of the legend is true, but most believe that he was guilty and his reputation as a real life “Bluebeard” endures. Today, the fortress hosts medieval reenactments and historical tours - though guides rarely dwell on the grisly crimes that happened behind its thick stone walls.

#9: 25 Cromwell Street

Fred & Rosemary West

This quiet townhouse in Gloucester looked utterly ordinary from the outside, but inside, Fred and Rosemary West were concealing unthinkable crimes. Throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s, the couple tormented, sexually assaulted, and murdered a number of young women inside its walls - including their own daughter. Many victims were buried in the garden and cellar beneath 25 Cromwell Street, earning it the nickname “The House of Horrors.” When police uncovered the remains, the country was utterly stunned. The property quickly became a morbid attraction until it was demolished in 1996 to prevent it from becoming a shrine. Today, the lot hosts a concrete walkway linking Cromwell Street to St Michael’s Square.

#8: 8213 West Summerdale Avenue

John Wayne Gacy

In suburban Chicago, the modest house at 8213 West Summerdale Avenue looked like the picture of normality - until investigators found what lay beneath. Literally. Between 1972 and 1978, John Wayne Gacy, a respected Chicago contractor and part time clown performer, murdered at least 33 young men and boys. Most of these victims were buried in the crawl space under his home, their remains carefully layered in lime to accelerate decomposition. When Gacy’s horrific crimes were eventually unearthed, the home was soon demolished, and the lot stood vacant. A new house was eventually built on the same lot, but it was given a different address - perhaps to help symbolically divorce the lot from its grisly past.

#7: Whitechapel, London

Jack the Ripper

In the late 19th century, Whitechapel was one of London’s poorest and most overcrowded neighborhoods, filled with poverty and women making a desperate living on the seedy streets. As such, it became the perfect hunting ground for Jack the Ripper. Between August and November of 1888, at least five women were murdered and mutilated in the shadowy alleys of Whitechapel and nearby Spitalfields. Of course, the Ripper was never caught, turning the area into a lasting symbol of mystery and fear. Today, Whitechapel has been extensively modernized and is virtually unrecognizable, but you can still walk the same streets on popular Ripper tours that visit crime scenes like Hanbury Street and Mitre Square.

#6: The Cecil Hotel

Various

Standing in downtown Los Angeles since 1924, the Cecil Hotel has earned a reputation as one of America’s most cursed buildings. Over the decades, it’s been the site of numerous acts of violence, mysterious deaths, and has even hosted serial killers. Richard Ramirez, AKA the “Night Stalker,” lived there during his infamous killing spree of the 1980s, although he never killed inside of its walls. Austrian murderer Jack Unterweger also stayed there in 1991 while pretending to be a journalist, murdering at least three sex workers. With its grim history, the Cecil has inspired numerous pieces of pop culture, and while it has since been converted into an affordable housing complex, its legend continues to draw curious onlookers.

#5: Taylor Mountain

Ted Bundy

In the dense forests outside Seattle lies Taylor Mountain, a peaceful and popular hiking area that hides a gruesome past. In 1975, searchers found the remains of several missing women scattered around the mountain’s soil - all of them victims of Ted Bundy, one of America’s most notorious serial killers. Bundy used remote locations like this to dispose of his victims after abducting and murdering them, believing that the local wildlife would dispose of the evidence. Bundy was known to frequently hike in the area, and he later confessed to dumping a number of victims on the mountain. Today, Taylor remains a scenic destination for nature enthusiasts, but for those who know its history, the whispering evergreens and misty slopes carry a chilling weight.

#4: Saddleworth Moor

Ian Brady & Myra Hindley

Sweeping and desolate, Saddleworth Moor outside of Manchester is one of Britain’s most haunting landscapes. During the 1960s, Ian Brady and Myra Hindley abducted and murdered five children and then buried their bodies across the moor’s remote terrain. The crimes horrified the nation and have remained in the public consciousness thanks to continued persistence. One body wasn’t discovered until 1987, more than two decades after the murders occurred. And searches continue even to this day as investigators attempt to find the body of Keith Bennett, who is believed to be buried on the moor. Regardless, the area remains extremely popular, being part of the country’s Peak District National Park.

#3: 35 Pine Street

Son of Sam

In the mid 1970s, New York City lived in terror of the Son of Sam, a killer who stalked young couples and shot them on the street. His real name was David Berkowitz, and he lived quietly in an apartment complex at 35 Pine Street in Yonkers, just off the Hudson River. From that building, Berkowitz penned his infamous taunting letters to police and the press, claiming that a demon-possessed dog commanded him to kill. In fact, Berkowitz was finally caught right outside this building, with police approaching him as he entered his vehicle. The building still stands today, with Berkowitz’s personal apartment still being rented out. At least it’s been renovated.

#2: Ed Gein’s Farm

Ed Gein

The isolated farm of Ed Gein in Plainfield, Wisconsin became the template for American horror, spawning some of the most popular villains in the history of pop culture. When police raided it in 1957, they discovered furniture, clothing, and masks made from human skin, as well as exhumed body parts from local graves. Gein also confessed to murdering two women, technically making him a serial killer by the standards of the FBI. Many true crime historians also believe that he murdered his own brother, although this has never been proven. The grotesque farmhouse burned down in 1958, leaving only scorched earth and eerie rumors. The property on the corner of Archer and 2nd Avenue has never been redeveloped, and the forested land is now privately owned.

#1: Lake Berryessa

The Zodiac Killer

On a bright September afternoon in 1969, Lake Berryessa seemed like the perfect spot for a picnic. And then the Zodiac Killer arrived. Wearing a homemade executioner’s hood and a bib marked with his cryptic crosshair symbol, the Zodiac tied up and stabbed a young couple who were picnicking in the area. One victim survived to give police a rare description of the masked killer, resulting in his now-famous pop culture depiction. The attack is arguably the most famous crime in the Zodiac’s reign of terror, embodying his blend of mystery, symbolism, and cruelty. Now serene and shimmering, Lake Berryessa conceals a grotesque history, one of the most infamous crimes in the annals of American true crime.

Have you been to any of these places? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!