Bone chilling and blood curdling, terrifying and tragic – if there’s one thing that can send chills down your spine it’s hearing a story about a serial killer on the local news. While most of us hear the news only to double and even triple check the locks on our doors at night, others are fascinated by what makes these killers tick beyond being sick and twisted with a penchant for seeing helpless victims suffer.
Studying serial killers throughout history has shown that many choose to leave something with their victims’ bodies to give the police and even the world a clue to their work. Because of these clues, authorities have been able to find and arrest many serial killers but, some, as scary as it sounds, have never been caught and may still be on the loose.
Which serial killers haven’t been caught then? As if you weren’t already frightened enough, we found the top 10 most dangerous serial killers who are still on the loose. From murders that date back decades to others that can be traced back to just a few months, who are these murderers and what did they do to their victims? Let’s start with North Carolina and work our way around the United States and all the way to India!
#10 – The Edgecombe County Serial Killer
Lock your doors and bar the windows as the Edgecombe County Serial Killer from North Carolina is still wanted. Also known as the Seven Bridges Killer, the Edgecombe County killer has taken the lives of at least eight people with two others who are feared dead after going missing. In typical serial killer fashion, the victims share common characteristics and are all African American women with past arrests for drug possession and prostitution.
First acting in 2005 when he killed 29 year old Melody Wiggins, the investigation to find the Edgecombe killer has lasted for nearly a decade with little hope for justice. One man, Antwan Pittman, was actually convicted in 2011 for the murder of Taraha Nicholson, one of the victims, but all of the other murders have gone unsolved. Although Pittman is a suspect for the other deaths, police still are unsure that they’ve found the true criminal.
#9 – Beer Man
From the position of a body to a temporary tattoo, serial killers often leave trademarks near or on their victims as clues to the police to signify their evil work. The Beer Man, a serial killer in Mumbai, India, has followed similar suit when it comes to trademarks and leaves an empty beer bottle, void of any fingerprints or evidence, at the scene of his crimes.
In 2008, police actually thought they had captured the beer guzzling killer when they arrested and convicted Ravindra Kantrole of a seventh murder. However, upon investigation, they couldn’t prove Kantrole’s guilt in any of the other Beer Man murders. Needless to say, the other murders remain unsolved as even the beer bottles prove to be useless in capturing this evil drunkard.
#8 – Texas Killing Fields
Everything is big in Texas from the cowboy hats and belt buckles to the wide open spaces. One of the scariest places in the gigantic state is near the Calder Oil Field on Interstate 45, which is known as the Highway of Hell thanks to hundreds of fatal traffic accidents. But, that isn’t the only reason the Oil Field is scary!
Known for a series of murders that first brought attention to the land nearly 40 years ago, the Oil Field has been a discovery site for an estimated 30 dead bodies, most of whom were young women and girls. Many believe that most of the women were killed by the same person since the victims all have similar traits and were found near a body of water. One of the most notable murders that was actually solved in 2012 was when the FBI and local police arrested and later convicted Kevin Edison for the 1996 murder of Krystal Jean Baker.
#7 – The Frankford Slasher
Traveling from Texas to the northeastern United States, the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is home to a neighborhood by the name of Frankford. Between 1985 and 1990, there were eight (and possibly even nine) victims who were slain by a serial killer known as the Frankford Slasher who tormented the area. The Slasher, who was presumed to be a middle aged man named Leonard Christopher, sexually assaulted his victims and then stabbed them to death.
While working at a fish market near Frankford, Christopher became a suspect in the murder of Carol Dowd despite the fact that he didn’t match the police’s description. Police assumed that Christopher was behind all of the killings but, because they couldn’t prove their assumptions, Christopher was only charged with Dowd’s murder. With victims ranging from 28 to 74 years old, the final victim, Michelle Dehner, was discovered while Christopher was in jail, which means the Frankford Slasher is still a wanted man.
#6 – The Doodler
Want me to draw your picture? Known as one of the largest gay communities in the United States, San Francisco fell victim to the hands of a serial killer when a man known as The Doodler killed 14 men and assaulted three others. Occurring in a short span during the 1970s, The Doodler often frequented gay bars in the area where he would start talking to his victims by sketching them. Once he befriended his victims, he would lure them out of the bar where he would then stab them to death.
The Doodler has never been caught but police often believed they found the young man responsible for the tragic murders. Unfortunately, however, they could never be certain as the three victims who survived the attack refused to testify in court. But, why? Two of the victims were well-known in the entertainment and political arenas and feared that their careers would be over if they admitted to being gay. As a result, The Doodler went free and the victims attempted to resume life as normal.
#5 – The Long Island Killer
With a variety of nicknames like the Gilgo Beach Killer or the Craigslist Ripper, the most infamous serial killer in New York is most commonly known as The Long Island Killer. Despite the exact timeline of the murders being relatively unknown, many believe the killings began as early as 1996 and, scarily enough, could still be ongoing. Yikes!
Ranging between 10 and 17 victims, The Long Island Killer sought after and killed sex slaves who were traded in the black market. Once killed, the Killer dumped the bodies into the waters off of Gilgo Beach. In 2010, a group of four victims was found and then, just a year later, another six were found! Completely baffled by the murders, police haven’t been able to identify many of the victims and can only assume that the murderer is a man anywhere from his mid-20s to his mid-40s, which doesn’t offer much peace of mind for local residents.
#4 – The Original Night Stalker
Considered one of the sickest men in American history, the Original Night Stalker went on a raping and killing spree in Southern California. Murdering 13 victims and raping 50 others, the Stalker was almost caught when a witness reported a man stalking a woman in the area. Before police could arrive, however, the Stalker had already shot the witness and got away.
The Original Night Stalker often entered homes in the middle of the night, waking up couples at gunpoint. Tying up the husbands, the Stalker would then assault the wives and, sometimes, even kill his victims. While there have been several suspects brought in during the investigation, none of them could be connected to the crime scenes. Police aren’t even certain that the serial killer is still alive today.
#3 – Smiley Face Murders
First theorized by New York City detectives Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte, the Smiley Face Murders were the detectives’ method of linking nearly 50 murders across the United States together. During the 1990s and 2000s, nearly 50 young men in their late teens and early 20s were drowned across 11 different states throughout the Midwest. Many of the victims had been drinking at bars or at parties and, because of this, the detectives believed that the deaths were actually connected instead of accidental.
While revisiting each of the murders, Detectives Gannon and Duarte discovered that near the scene of the drownings, there was often a smiley face that had been spray painted on the ground or on a nearby structure. Because of this, the detectives knew their theory was right and believed that a group of people were targeting college-age white males for some unknown reason.
#2 – Flat Tire Murders
Have a flat tire? Lock your car door and call for help! Though many people often seek help when they have a flat on the side of the road, victims of the Flat Tire Murderer wish they hadn’t. In Florida in 1975, the Flat Tire Murderer targeted and killed victims by letting the air out of their tires and then offering to help them. With victims ranging from 14 to 27 years old, the Murderer killed a total of five victims throughout most of South Florida. But, what if the Murderer had killed somewhere outside of Florida?
A police officer from California believed that the Flat Tire Murderer had actually been working across the United States and had already killed over 30 times, only stopping once he finally reached Florida. With weapons ranging from a gun to an ice pick and even a hammer, the killings were not the same and many of the victims were left brutally disfigured and unidentifiable. Needless to say, Florida residents with flat tires often stayed on high alert!
#1 – New Bedford Highway Killer
From sunny Florida to chilly Massachusetts, we visit the town of New Bedford for the final killer on our list. Responsible for anywhere between nine and 11 murders throughout the late 1980s, the New Bedford Highway Killer sought after prostitutes and drug dealers according to police. The first victim, Debra Medeiros, was actually found two months after her disappearance when a driver stopped on the side of the highway to urinate.
After Medeiros was found, several more bodies were discovered along the same highway for over a year. Thanks to the dedication of the police, a suspect was brought in and arrested for rape but committed suicide before evidence could be found. Three more suspects were questioned in connection with the murders but the police have yet to identify this evil highway killer, leaving Massachusetts residents on edge.
No comments:
Post a Comment