Top 30 Shocking Confessions In History

#30: H.H. Holmes

This admittance cemented him as Americas first serial killer. H.H. Holmes dabbled in plenty of petty crime throughout his life, but he had a darker side. Multiple people had gone missing, leading officials to search his building after hed been arrested for horse theft. Their efforts revealed bone shards and burned pieces of clothing, but it wasnt enough to convict him. He was found guilty and sentenced to death in 1895 for killing his associate, Benjamin Pietzel which was when the truth came out. Holmes confessed to twenty-seven homicides across North America, with his drugstore, the now aptly-named Murder Castle, serving as a base. The true scope of his crimes shocked the nation, and made his execution in 1896 even more of a spectacle.

#29: Mark Chopper Read

When someone has nothing more to lose, the truth fully comes out. Australian criminal Mark Chopper Read spent most of his adult life behind bars, and was served a life sentence after shooting someone with the intent to kill in 1992. He remained notorious throughout his sentence, keeping the publics attention with commercials and even rap albums. Twenty years after his final sentence, he was diagnosed with liver cancer, and the prognosis wasnt good. It was then that he gave one final interview, where he revealed that he had murdered an additional four people that hed never been tried for. The interview aired just weeks after he passed away, causing him to shock the nation one last time.

#28: Manti Teo

Catfishing happens often, but its rare when it happens on a national scale. In 2012, Manti Teo received nationwide support after he revealed that his grandmother and online girlfriend had both perished in the same weekend. What he and the rest of the country didnt know was that the latter never even existed. An investigation by the sports blog Deadspin revealed the truth: that he had been tricked by someone he considered a friend. Naya Tuiasosopo later confessed to concocting the ruse as a result of his unrequited feelings, and that hed used his cousins voice and an acquaintance's photos to succeed. The shocking story was proof that in most cases, you never know whos on the other end of the screen or if theyre being honest.

#27: Karla Holmolka

When her husband Paul Bernardo was first arrested in 1993 on multiple charges, she went to disgusting lengths to exonerate herself. To secure a plea bargain, Karla Homolka went on the record to claim that she had been forced to participate in his crimes under the threat of physical abuse. This allowed her to only be charged with manslaughter, rather than murder. After her initial story, multiple recordings came to light revealing she took part in the drugging, sexual assault, and slaying of four women, including her younger sister. Despite the mountain of evidence, her charges didn't change, as her end of the bargain had been met. She served her time and was freed in 2005, but the case still remains controversial to this day.

#26: Richard Ramirez

When the Night Stalker had reportedly been identified and arrested, no one knew for sure that they had the right man. That is, until he offered that information himself. Richard Ramirez had reportedly confessed multiple times to his crimes, with varying levels of remorse. His first was tearful. His second was the complete opposite. Gone was the seemingly genuine emotion he once displayed, now replaced with him bragging about having killed twenty people in the Golden State. Even more chilling was his explanation, where he simply said that he loved murdering others, and that he loved watching them perish after his attacks. The admission was only a small piece in his conviction, but it proved just how apathetic he was about what he'd done.

#25: Andrei Chikatilo

Some revelations are so horrific that you almost wish they hadn't come to light in the first place. This could definitely be said for Andrei Chikatilo, whose arrest in 1990 soon led to a truly vile confession. He described every murder he carried out, and spared no details. He seemed to have a bizarre fascination with causing pain, as evidenced by him stabbing his victims at varying levels of intensity and even getting pleasure out of their screams. It was more horrific than anyone couldve been prepared for, and when those same details were brought to court, several people fainted or broke down upon hearing them.

#24: John Wayne Gacy

For years, he was able to rely on an innocent persona to mask the atrocious crimes he committed. Prior to his arrest in 1978, John Wayne Gacy was merely a man with a checkered past who was involved in his community. After he admitted to killing thirty people and burying their remains beneath his home, that perception changed drastically. This had come just hours after investigators had noticed the smell of rotting bodies in his house, cementing their suspicions and allowing them to fully search the crawl space the next day. Several decomposed bones were found scattered about the area, prompting him to confess a second time. This was all authorities needed to apprehend and try him, where he was sentenced to death.

#23: Gary Ridgway

At the time of his arrest, he was one of the most infamous killers in United States history. Yet, without his confession, we would never know just how twisted he truly was. Gary Ridgways reign of terror lasted for sixteen years, and his capture in 2001 ensured that he would remain off the streets for good. It wasnt until 2003 when a plea deal revealed the gory details. The number of admitted kills rose from 48 to 71, and he was candid about how he hated his victims. The revelation spared him from execution, but earned him 49 life sentences. Ridgway is still helping authorities locate the remains meaning there may still be some secrets that havent come to light.

#22: Albert Fish

When Grace Budds mother received a letter from an unknown sender in 1934, she couldve never guessed what horrors lay inside. The message was deceptively cordial, with the writer explaining a morbid trip hed taken to China, and how hed been inspired to recreate it. He then described how hed taken Grace to an undisclosed location, killed her, and ate her remains. The letter was from Albert Fish, a serial killer with a proclivity for human flesh. That wasnt his only vile admission. In a separate note, Fish detailed how he killed Billy Gafney, and how he utilized or cooked each specific body part afterwards. Despite not a single word being said, it remains one of the most macabre confessions ever made.

#21: Dennis Rader

With his vicious spree lasting over three decades, any confession from him wouldve been shocking. However, no one couldve guessed just how in-depth Dennis Raders revelations would be. While on the stand at his trial, he described each of his murders from beginning to end. He spoke about them in an unapologetic, casual manner, as if he was simply recalling a memory of a slightly unpleasant night. Every detail from how the acts he carried out were a perverse fantasy to the nonchalant way he described each assault, strangulation and stabbing only added to the horror. It sealed his sentence, earning himself at least 175 years that hes still serving today.

#20: Nazi Gold Train

With all the atrocities committed during World War II, it only makes sense that some crimes would slip through the cracks. For decades, there were tales of a train filled with gold and other riches that had been hidden by Nazi soldiers. For a long time, it was considered to be only a legend. That all changed in 2015, when two men claimed to have heard a deathbed confession that revealed the exact location. They even had proof of a deep, man-made hole with unidentified objects inside. Interest in the story skyrocketed, and the hunt for the treasure began. After several years, nothing has been found yet but the search still lives on.

#19: Israel Keyes

A career criminal, Israel Keyes committed many serious felonies and killed at least three people between the mid 90s and early 2010s. Keyes was arrested after killing a woman named Samantha Koenig and was extradited to Alaska, where the crime occurred. In Alaska, Keyes provided a detailed and graphic confession to law enforcement. Not only were the words horrible, but his behavior signified an uncomfortable air of menace. He calmly relayed some grotesque stories while eating a bagel and drinking coffee, like he didnt have a care in the world. The FBI Special Agent who interviewed Keyes later called his confession very chilling, and thats coming from a professional who hears these types of stories every day.

#18: Elizabeth Wettlaufer

Hailing from Ontario, Canada, Elizabeth Wettlaufer was one of the most active serial killers in the countrys history. Between 2007 and 2016, while working as a nurse at long-term care homes, Wettlaufer murdered eight senior citizens by injecting them with lethal doses of insulin. She made unsuccessful attempts on the lives of six others, but the intended victims survived as the insulin doses administered were insufficient. Surprisingly, the only reason Wettlaufer was caught was because she decided to come clean. Apparently seeking redemption, she committed herself to a Toronto psychiatric hospital and admitted her shocking crimes to the staff. They promptly notified the police, to whom Wettlaufer gave a more detailed confession. She was handed eight concurrent life sentences.

#17: Tiger Woods

The personal life of Tiger Woods came under intense scrutiny in 2009 when he became the subject of an infidelity scandal. Rumors had already been circulating in the press about a possible affair when, on November 27, Woods crashed his SUV while leaving home around 2:30 am, sparking numerous questions and suspicions. On December 2, he released a vague statement apologizing for unclear and unspecific transgressions. However, as the days went by, several women came forward claiming to have had relationships with Woods. It all proved too much for the golf star, and on December 11, he finally confessed to being unfaithful. The debacle resulted in his divorce and significantly impacted his performance on the green, which took years to overcome.

#16: Naomi Shemer

Jerusalem of Gold is an important song in its native Israel, often regarded as an unofficial national anthem. Unfortunately, it also comes with some degree of controversy. For years, singer-songwriter Naomi Shemer was accused of plagiarizing the melody, but she repeatedly denied those allegations. That is, until she was dying of cancer and confessed to fellow musician Gil Aldema that she had, in fact, plagiarized the tune. It came from an old lullaby called Pello Joxepe, which she heard at a concert in 1962. Shemer claimed to have unconsciously lifted the melody from memory, having loved it so much. However, she regretted this to the very end, even suggesting that the endless stress may have contributed to her fatal illness.

#15: Edmund Kemper

One of the most notorious American serial killers, Edmund Kemper murdered ten people by the age of 24, including his own mother and grandparents. Kemper was imprisoned twice for these crimes, both as a result of his own confession. After killing his grandparents, he informed his mother, who instructed him to call the police. He then confessed that he just wanted to see what it felt like to kill Grandma. Kemper was released on parole and resumed his murderous activities soon after. His spree, which resulted in the deaths of his mother and seven others, came to an end when Kemper called the police to confess. When asked why he turned himself in, Kemper coldly explained that killing was a pure waste of time.

#14: Richard Kuklinski

Mystery continues to shroud Richard Kuklinski, an American career criminal who murdered at least five people. For example, Kuklinski claims to have worked as a hitman for the Mafia, but investigators have been unable to verify this. He also asserts that he killed up to 200 people, but only five deaths have officially been linked to him. Back in 1988, Kuklinski was found guilty of four murders and sentenced to life in prison. However, in 2001, during an interview for the HBO documentary The Iceman Confesses, Kuklinski dropped a bombshell, admitting to the 1980 killing of NYPD officer Peter Calabro. Prosecutors later corroborated this story, resulting in thirty more years being added to Kuklinskis sentence.

#13: Christian Spurling

Who the heck is Christian Spurling, you ask? Well, heard of a little creature called the Loch Ness Monster? Back in 1934, the famous surgeons photograph was published in The Daily Mail, and while some had their doubts, it was long considered to be verifiable proof of the monsters existence. That is, until January 1991, when Christian Spurling confessed that it was all a hoax. He and his father-in-law, a man named M. A. Wetherell, had concocted the scheme along with Wetherells son and an insurance agent named Maurice Chambers. They made the Monsters head out of wood putty and a toy submarine, and had the photo sold to The Daily Mail. And with that, the world of cryptozoology was never the same.

#12: Dennis Nilsen

Between 1978 and 1983, Scottish serial killer Dennis Nilsen strangled at least twelve men and mostly disposed of their remains by flushing them down the toilet. In February of 1983, residents in Nilsens building complained of plumbing problems. Upon investigation, experts found bones and human flesh blocking the system, specifically in a pipe leading to the top flat, which belonged to Nilsen. When police entered his house, they immediately noticed the smell of decomposition. Nilsen played innocent at first, but after a cop told him to stop mess[ing] about, he came clean and admitted that there was a body in the wardrobe. With that startling confession, Dennis Nilsens crime spree came to an abrupt end.

#11: Aileen Wuornos

Arguably the most infamous female serial killer, Aileen Wuornos was active in Florida for just one year, between 1989 and 1990. In that time, she engaged in sex work and killed seven male clients before robbing them of their cash. Theres a slight misconception of Wuornos as a sympathetic victim, due to her traumatic upbringing, her claims of self-defense, and her portrayal in Monster, which her real-life acquaintances have criticized. In reality, Wuornos met the professional criteria for psychopathy, and she openly confessed to being a cold-blooded killer. While in court, Wuornos declared, I am guilty as can be. I want the world to know I killed these men, as cold as ice.

#10: Ted Bundy

One of the worlds most evil serial killers, upon his arrest in the mid-1970s, he denied every count of assault, murder and kidnapping brought against him. It was only until immediately before his execution on January 24th, 1989 that he finally admitted to his crimes. In the weeks and months preceding the execution he finally confessed to the crimes he was accused of in great detail, describing what he did with his victims bodies. Bundy also admitted to revisiting the locations where he buried some of his victims remains, and even owned up to other crimes that the police didnt know about. Despite this, Bundys actual death toll could be much higher than we think.

#9: Julian Altman

Some of the most valuable and revered musical instruments in the world are Stradivarius violins; antiques built in Italy hundreds of years ago. One in particular from 1713, currently known as the Gibson ex-Huberman Stradivarius, was stolen from a virtuoso called Bronisaw Huberman in 1936 by struggling musician Julian Altman. For half a century it remained lost, until on his deathbed Altman confessed to his wife that he was in possession of the violin, telling her where to find it. His information proved true and she received a $263,000 finders fee. It was last sold to violinist Joshua Bell for almost $4 million.

#8: Margaret Gibson

In 1922, Hollywood director William Desmond Taylor was shot dead in his Los Angeles bungalow, a crime which went unsolved until 1964, when retired actress Margaret Gibson confessed to murder. Following a heart attack, Gibson knew she was about to die and told one of her neighbors that she had been the one to kill Taylor all those years ago. Police can neither prove nor disprove this admission, and while it doesnt conflict with the information they know about Taylors murder, all of the police files relating to it had mysteriously vanished by the 1940s though Gibson did once become hysterical after seeing a piece about Taylors unsolved murder on TV.

#7: Naaman Dillers Widow

In 1983, one of the most successful art heists in history was pulled off. At the time, police had few-to-no leads about who stole a collection of antique timepieces from the L.A. Mayer Institute for Islamic Art in Jerusalem. One of these pieces was owned by Marie Antoinette, the last Queen of France, and worth an estimated $30 million. Then in 2008, Nili Shamrat, the widow of notorious Israeli art thief Naaman Diller, was arrested after many of the stolen timepieces were found in her possession. Shamrat told police that Diller had confessed to her four years earlier on his deathbed and revealed the location of the stolen assets. She was only caught after she attempted to sell the pieces.

#6: Carolyn Bryant

An icon of Black Civil Rights, Emmett Till was visiting family in Mississippi when he was lynched after being accused of inappropriately flirting with a white woman named Carolyn Bryant. Bryants husband, Roy Bryant, and his half-brother J. W. Milam kidnapped Till, killed him, and threw his body in the Tallahatchie River. An all-white jury acquitted Bryant and Milam of all charges. Shockingly, both men later profited by selling their confession to Look magazine for the modern-day equivalent of $43,000. The story, sadly, gets worse. In 2017, a historian named Timothy Tyson alleged that Carolyn Bryant had admitted to fabricating her accusation in a previous interview with him. If true, that would mean that the entire tragedy began over a monumental lie.

#5: James Brewer

Upon suffering a severe stroke in 2009, James Brewer was convinced he was going to die. As a result, he called the police in Tennessee with a shocking confession. Brewer admitted to fatally shooting Jimmy Carroll in 1977, because he thought Carroll was trying to steal his wife, Dorothy. As it turned out, Brewer had actually been arrested in Tennessee shortly after the murder, but he escaped on bail and fled to Oklahoma, where he began living under a different name. But it appears the hands of justice were not quite ready to let him go. Following his confession, Brewer recovered from his stroke, after which he was arrested and charged with Carrolls murder.

#4: Robert Durst

In 2015, HBO was making a six-part documentary series called The Jinx about the murders Durst was accused of. The series ended with an apparent confession as he talks to himself while in the bathroom, unaware that his body mic was still switched on. It recorded a confession where he literally says he killed them all, but theres some debate over whether or not this is admissible in court. On the one hand, he was aware of the microphone, while on the other it was a spontaneous admission. To make matters even more complicated, he was also allegedly taking an illicit substance at the time of the interview.

#3: Lance Armstrong

Hes now one of the most famous dope fiends in sporting history, but there was a time when his confession to using performance enhancing drugs shook the world. Armstrong winning the Tour de France seven times consecutively aroused suspicions, and he finally admitted to what he was being accused of in a televised interview with Oprah. The widely celebrated athlete had taken various cocktails of drugs to improve his cycling. Armstrong was completely unapologetic and even blamed the doping scandal on the cancer he had survived. In the interview, he told Oprah that after becoming so ill and then making a miraculous comeback, he just got carried away.

#2: Bill Clinton

On the 26th of January 1998, the President famously declared that he did not have sexual relations with that woman. The woman in question was Monica Lewinsky, who worked as an intern at the White House before being relocated when she spent too much time with him. He went on to repeatedly deny the allegations for seven months, even perjuring himself in court, before finally admitting that he did have a relationship with Ms. Lewinsky that was not appropriate. The sex scandal was so huge there were even attempts to have Clinton impeached, but he was ultimately acquitted of all charges and remained in office for two more years.

#1: Jeffrey Dahmer

The Milwaukee Monsters reign of terror finally came to an end when he was arrested on July 23rd, 1991. That night, an intended victim of Dahmer escaped and led the police to his apartment, wherein they found several human remains, as well as numerous disturbing pictures. Over 60 hours of police interviews, Dahmer willingly confessed to the sexual assault and murder of more than 17 men and boys over the course of 13 years. Even detailing his habit of preserving the entire skeletons of his victims. Dahmers confession was nearly 250 pages long and he ultimately met his end at the hands of a fellow prison inmate in 1994.

What confession do you find the most chilling? Let us know in the comments!