This article was originally published on Kueez
Who doesn't love a good true-crime series to get their blood pumping? When we think of the most prolific criminals in history, it's hard to imaging how they could commit such heinous crimes, but learning about their early lives and last moments is fascinating, as it completes the picture of madness. Their stories, including their crimes, how they got caught, and their last words, are some of the most haunting things you will even hear. So take a look inside the most infamous criminal minds and see how these evil human beings were able to carry out such horrifying actions without regret or remorse and what ultimately happened to them.
1. Ted Bundy's Trial Was The First Televised Murder Trial
Handsome, well-educated, and oozing charm, Ted Bundy seemed the unlikeliest serial killer. It made his decade-long multi-state killing spree all the more surprising. Bundy terrorized the nation throughout the 1970s and, when he was finally apprehended, his trial became a media sensation.
Bundy welcomed journalists to his cell, received letters from fans, and fed police clues to other possible murders he might have committed. When it came time to face the music, Bundy said, " Jim and Fred [Bundy’s lawyers], I’d like you to give my love to my family and friends." It is still unknown how many victims he really had.
2. Charles Manson Encouraged His Followers To Commit Crimes
Just looking into those eyes sends chills down our spines. Charles Manson was infamously the leader of the Manson Family, a quasi-commune he formed in the 1960s. He believed in an impending apocalyptic race war that he termed "helter-skelter" and convinced his followers this was true.
Manson orchestrated a series of murders on consecutive nights to perpetuate the race war. In 1969, Manson and his loyal followers were convicted of murdering Sharon Tate among many others. Manson's death sentence was commuted to life in prison and, after 12 denied attempts to be released, he died in prison in 2017.
3. Aileen Wuornos Is The Most Infamous Female Serial Killer In History
As one of the most notorious female serial killers in history, Aileen Wuornos has no remorse. In the span of a year, she committed seven murders and claimed they were all in self-defense. However, the jury did not buy her story, and she was sentenced to death.
After her sentencing, Wuornos continued to stay in the news with her unhinged interviews. She was also the subject of the movie Monster starring Charlize Theron. In October 2002, she said her final words, "I’d just like to say I’m sailing with the rock, and I’ll be back like Independence Day, with Jesus June 6. Like the movie, big mother ship and all, I’ll be back."
4. John Wayne Gacy Performed As A Clown At Children's Parties
Clowns are already terrifying, and John Wayne Gacy gave clowns the killer reputation they still have today. To most of his suburban Chicago neighbors, Gacy was a friendly man who threw lively block parties and performed as a clown at children's parties. However, behind closed doors, he was a monster.
After many boys went missing and all signs pointed to Gacy, he was finally arrested in 1978. Police found the bodies of 26 victims, and he was sentenced to death after trying to present an insanity defense. Gacy had a bucket of KFC chicken and shrimp for his last meal because he managed five KFCs before he was convicted.
5. Jeffrey Dahmer Committed His First Murder At 18
As a child, all signs pointed to a troubled future for Jeffrey Dahmer. He was interested in dead animals, and it didn't take long for him to move on to human victims. By the time Dahmer was 18, he had committed his first murder and went on a spree till he was arrested in 1991.
Dahmer was sentenced to 957 years in jail, but after two years, a fellow inmate murdered him. According to the assailant, his last words were, "I don’t care if I live or die. Go ahead and kill me.” His sensational trial featured chilling details of his sick rituals that made him one of the most well-known serial killers in history.
6. Timothy McVeigh Recited A Poem As His Final Words
In 1995, Timothy McVeigh shook the nation by bombing a federal building in Oklahoma. It became the deadliest acts of domestic terrorism in US history. McVeigh was sentenced to death for killing 168 people and injuring 680 others. But he didn't spend much time on death row.
Most death row inmates are there for an average of 15 years, but McVeigh's execution moved at a more rapid pace. He was sentenced in 1997 and was executed in 2001. He expressed no remorse for his crime and said, "I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul."
7. Pablo Escobar Amassed A Fortune As The "King Of Coke"
Dubbed "The King of Cocaine," Pablo Escobar was the wealthiest criminal in history, having amassed a net worth of about $30 billion. At the height of his coke operation, the Medellín Cartel brought in more than $70 million per day, and he was wanted by the Columbian and US governments.
Escobar eliminated rivals and bribed government officials. Anyone who wouldn't take his bribes met a violent end and he was ultimately responsible for about 4,000 deaths. After surrendering in 1991, Escobar escaped, and there was a worldwide search. After 16 months on the run, Escobar was gunned down by the Columbian government.
8. Jim Jones Made Everyone Drink The Cyanide Kool-Aid
Jim Jones was the founder and leader of the People's Temple and fled California with his followers in 1974. They set up a compound in Guyana and dubbed it Jonestown. Jones became paranoid that the CIA and FBI were watching him, which caused his erratic behavior as he ruled the compound with an iron fist.
No one in Jonestown was allowed to leave, and US officials caught wind of this. After killing a congressman and defectors who tried to escape, 909 of Jones' followers died of cyanide poisoning, including Jones himself. It was the largest mass suicide in history and, until 9/11, the largest single loss of American civilians.
9. Jack The Ripper Was Never Caught
In the late 1800s, London's Whitechapel district was gripped by reports of a vicious serial killer. The unidentified man would lure women into dark alleys before brutally murdering them. Five victims were found, and it sparked a city-wide search for the killer. The killer sent letters to the police to taunt them and hint at upcoming murders.
Without modern forensics, Victorian police were at a loss in investigating the crimes. The case was closed in 1892, but the killer was never caught. There were over 100 possible suspects, and due to the killer's knowledge of anatomy, many theories pointed to a butcher or surgeon.
10. Ed Gein Inspired The Most Famous Horror Movies Ever
Between Psycho, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Silence of the Lambs, Ed Gein's crimes were the inspiration behind all these movies. Ed Gein was known as the "Butcher of Plainfield," whose house was discovered to be a hall of horrors when police showed up to investigate a shop owner's disappearance.
The police discovered the shop owner's body and found that many of his household items were made from human parts, which he got from people's graves. He said he was trying to assemble a new version of his mother, who had passed away. While on trial, Gein was declared mentally insane and spent the rest of his life in a mental institution.
11. Harold Shipman Was Known As "Dr. Death"
Harold Shipman was a popular British physician to the outside world, but behind his office doors, he managed to fit in 218 credited murders. He began his spree in 1972, and he is believed to have killed 71 patients at his first practice giving him the nickname "Dr. Death."
At his second practice, local police noticed that Shipman had signed off on an unusually high number of cremation certificates, which raised suspicions. After finally getting the evidence they needed, Shipman was convicted in 2000 and committed suicide in 2004. He never actually admitted to any of his crimes.
12. H.H. Holmes Was A Pharmacist With A Hidden Secret
As one of the first known serial killers in American history, H.H. Holmes inspired the book The Devil In The White Chit: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair That Changed America. The insurance scammer turned pharmacist moved to Illinois ahead of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.
Holmes was said to have built a murder "castle" where the rooms had hidden peepholes, gas lines, trap doors, and soundproofed padding; while others featured secret passages, ladders and hallways that led to dead ends. When Holmes was executed, he said, "Take your time," because he wanted his murder to be perfect.
13. Thomas Grasso Was Mad That He Didn't Get His Last Bowl Of SpaghettiOs
Famous inmates on death row get a considerable amount of interest when it comes to what they want for their last meal. When Thomas Grasso, who killed two elderly couples in Oklahoma and New York, was executed in 1995, he had one request for his last meal. But something went wrong, and he got very angry.
For his last meal, Grasso requested a can of SpaghettiOs, but someone messed up his order. When he didn't get his requested meal it inspired his famous last words, "I did not get my SpaghettiOs. I got spaghetti. I want the press to know this." Well, he got his point across.
14. Al Capone Was Once The King Of Chicago Crime
Infamous crime czar Al "Scarface" Capone was once the king of Chicago crime. The Prohibition-era gangster ruled a multimillion-dollar empire in the 1920s fueled by illegal booze, gambling, and prostitution. He is also thought to be behind the 1929 Saint Valentine's Day Massacre.
After a decade of crime, Capone's rule came to an end in 1931 when he pled guilty to tax evasion and prohibition charges. After serving just seven years in prison, Capone was released. By the time he got out, he was suffering from the side effects of syphilis and lived in seclusion until his death in 1947.
15. Ted Kaczynski Used His Experience As A Mathematician To Commit Crimes
Better known as the Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski was the mathematics prodigy who terrorized the nation between 1978 and 1995. He was responsible for more than a dozen bombings across multiple states that took three people's lives and injured 23 others. His goal was to destroy the worldwide industrial system.
The FBI had trouble pinning down a suspect until Kaczynski's brother, Dan, contacted the FBI to tell them that the Unabomber's manifesto that was published in The New York Times and Wahington Post was similar to his brother's papers. Kaczynski is currently serving life in prison without parole.
16. Henry Lee Lucas Confessed To Over 600 Crimes He Didn't Commit
The notorious subject of Netflix's Confession Killer, Henry Lee Lucas confessed to over 600 murders despite evidence that cleared him of all but 11 of the murders that he actually committed. Between 1960 and 1983 he committed crimes across a few different states.
Most of his confessions were before DNA testing, so police really only had his confessions and some minor evidence. Lucas became close with the sheriff as they spent hours going through the evidence, and he confessed only once he was given food and a place to sleep. Even though he was sentenced to death, he was commuted to life in prison and died in 2001.
17. The Zodiac Killer Outsmarted Police For Decades
Although he is only known by his pseudonym "The Zodiac Killer," this person operated in Northern California between the late 1960s and early '70s. His name originated in taunting letters he sent to the local press with encrypted notes that no one has was able to solve until 2020.
In one note, he claimed to have killed 37 people, but the number has never been confirmed. A group of mathematicians finally figured out one of his messages, which said, "I hope you are having lots of fun trying to catch me...I am not afraid of the gas chamber because that will paradise all sooner." He was never caught, and it is assumed that he is dead.
18. Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Managed To Escape From Prison Two Times
Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán is a Mexican drug lord and former leader of the Sinaloa cartel. Considered to be the most powerful drug lords in the world, El Chapo is famous for not only his drugs but also his ability to escape two maximum-security prisons. His first escape was in 2001 when he bribed a guard to let him out of his cell and sneak into a laundry cart.
It took 13 years to find him and lock him up again, but somehow, El Chapo managed to escape once again in 2015 and made a fool out of the high-security Mexican prison. In 2016 he was recaptured and is now in the most secure prison in the United States. He was sentenced to life without parole, plus an extra 30 years.
19. Jesse James Was An Infamous Missouri Outlaw
As a confederate guerilla in the US civil war, Jesse James turned into an American outlaw who became the leader of the James-Younger Gang. He was a man known throughout the land and took part in as many as 19 robberies, resulting in nearly 20 deaths.
James is often portrayed as the embodiment of Robin Hood, but there was never any evidence of his gang giving their loot to the poor. However, his gang was nearly annihilated, so James retreated and only trusted two people. But they betrayed him for the reward money and shot him in the head.
20. Bonnie And Clyde Found Love Through A Life Of Crime
As the most famous American crime couple, Bonnie and Clyde were responsible for a 21-month crime spree across Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Missouri between 1932 and 1934. Their story is always romanticized as the couple fell in love and were continuously on the run for their crimes.
After one of the most colorful and spectacular manhunts the nation had ever seen, Bonnie and Clyde were caught in a shootout from their car on May 23, 1934. Before they died, Bonnie penned a poem that ended in the line, "It’s death for Bonnie and Clyde." She died with a sandwich still in her hand.
21. Jeffrey Matthews Was Joking Till The Very End
When criminals are sentenced to death, they usually sit on death row for years before they find out their execution date. For Jeffrey Matthews, that experience came four times because the date was constantly getting postponed. It wasn't until January 2011 that Matthews' final date arrived.
After killing his uncle during a robbery, Matthews was sent to prison, where he became quite popular on death row. The other prisoners made lots of noise during his execution in solidarity. Meanwhile, Matthews hoped for another postponement and said, "I think the governor’s phone broke; he hasn’t called yet."
22. James French Created His Own Newspaper Headline
Usually, when people are convicted of murder, they try to fight the death penalty. However, James French was a bit different. After being convicted of killing a hitchhiker in 1958, French requested the death penalty, but he wasn't happy with his sentencing decision.
Throughout his years in prison, French got bored and began to plot the murder of his enemy and cellmate, Eddie Lee Shelton, so that he would get the death penalty. It worked, and he was sent to the electric chair. Before he died, he said, "How’s this for a headline? French fries."
23. William Bonin Wished He Could Have Gotten Help Before He Committed A Crime
After a year of terrorizing California highways, William Bonin, aka "The Freeway Killer," was finally caught in 1983. In one year, he killed 21 boys and was suspected of 15 more murders. He gained his nickname because he would leave his victims on the side of California highways.
While most people wouldn't take advice from a serial killer, Bonin left the world by sharing some wisdom. Bonin said, "I would suggest that when a person has thought of doing anything serious against the law, that before they did that, they should go to a quiet place and think about it seriously." Maybe his victims would be alive if he had gotten some professional help.
24. Gary Gilmore Inspired The Nike Slogan
When we think about the origins of Nike's slogan, we would think it was inspired by an athlete or historical figure rather than a murderer. Gary Gilmore, who was convicted of one murder in Utah, spent most of his life on death row, and his departing words inspired the most famous slogan.
Gilmore became well-known because he was the first person in 1977 to be executed after almost a decade. As he prepared for his death by firing squad, Gilmore said, "Let's do it!" He also said, "Dominus vobiscum," which meant "The Lord be with you" in Latin. While we're not saying this is where Nike got their slogan from, it's a possibility.
25. Patrick Bryan Knight Tried To Say He Was Someone Else
Patrick Bryan Knight was found guilty of killing his neighbors in 1991 and, two years later he was sentenced and convicted. For his final meal, Knight requested fried pork chops and chicken, garlic toast, and ice cream. He was then supposed to be executed, but something strange happened.
Right before he died, Knight said, "I said I was going to tell a joke. Death has set me free. That’s the biggest joke. I deserve this." He then went on to say, "The other joke is that I am not Patrick Bryan Knight, and y’all can’t stop this execution now. Go ahead; I’m finished."
26. Steven Timothy Judy Took Ownership For His Mistakes
Unlike many of the other criminals on this list, Steven Timothy Judy knew that he did something wrong. At just 13 years old, Judy attempted his first murder, so when he was finally executed at 24, the police said it was a long time coming.
Judy was officially convicted of murdering Terry Lee Chasteen and her children in 1979. However, instead of waiting for his execution, he made sure it wouldn't be too long after his trial and threatened the judge and jury. When he was executed, he said, "I don’t hold any grudges. This is my doing. Sorry, it happened."
27. Steven Avery Still Claims He's Innocent
The main focus of Netflix's Making A Murderer, Steven Avery spent 18 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted of sexual assault and attempted murder. After his release, Avery filed a lawsuit against the county police department and it did not end in his favor.
In 2005 with his civil suit still pending, he was arrested for the murder of a photographer who was last seen at his family home. Despite his claims of innocence, he and his nephew were both convicted of the crime and are currently in prison. Avery is convinced the police conspired against him because of his lawsuit and their hatred for his family.
28. Kimberly McCarthy Thought She Did Nothing Wrong
If you thought you had nightmarish neighbors, think again. Kimberly McCarthy was the worst neighbor of all time. In 1997, she was convicted for her neighbor's death, who was a retired college professor. Although this is the only crime she was convicted for, she was suspected of two other murders.
While the prosecution had plenty of hard evidence to convict her, McCarthy still maintained her innocence. However, the jury didn't buy her side of the story, and she was sentenced to death. Her final words were, "This is not a loss; this is a win. You know where I am going. I am going home to be with Jesus. Keep the faith. I love y’all."
29. Carl Panzram Had A Mile-Long Rap Sheet
If you ever want to see one of the longest rap sheets ever, take a look at all of Carl Panzram's crimes. From admitting to the arson at his boarding school to vandalism, theft, assault, attempted murder, and accessory to murder, it is surprising he wasn't in jail much sooner. Even when he was thrown behind bars he managed to escape a few times.
In 1928, he was put in jail for the last time for three murders. However, it wasn't until he killed a correctional officer that he got the death sentence. When it was his execution day, he was impatient and asked that they hurry up because he could kill a few people in the time they were taking.
31. Karla Faye Tucker Married Her Prison Minister
Death row inmates rarely get more than local media attention; however, Karla Faye Tucker was a special case. The Italian prime minister, a speaker of the House of Representatives, and the pope all spoke against Tucker's execution after a robbery left two people dead.
After getting her sentence in 1983, Tucker became a devout Christian and married the prison minister. Despite her claims that she had changed, Tucker was executed in June 1983. She said, "I will see you all when you get there. I will wait for you."
30. Lizzie Borden Was Somehow Found Not Guilty
"Lizzie Borden took an ax and gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one." As one of the most famous and unofficially solved murders, Lizzie Borden was the prime suspect for her parents' deaths, and the only one tried for the crimes.
In 1892, Lizzie's parents were found dead in their home, and Lizzie was tried but found not guilty a year later. Many people speculate that she did it because it didn't take long for her to collect the inheritance. She lived out the rest of her life in a mansion she bought with her sister.
32. The Menendez Brothers Went Down In History
The Menendez brothers became infamous for the slaying of their parents. The well-off, educated brothers from Beverly Hills didn't seem like the type of people who would commit such heinous crimes, but there might have been more to their very well-known story.
After growing up with an abusive father, Lyle and Erik Menendez couldn't take it anymore. They hatched a plan and went through with it on August 20, 1989. After one mistrial, and a second retrial, the brothers were convicted of murder, and each got two life sentences without parole.
33. Robert Charles Towery Really Like Potatoes
In September of 1991, Robert Charles Towery was involved in a robbery that went south. By the end of the night, a man was dead, and Towery was found guilty of the crime. He was given the death sentence, but it would be a while before his time came.
After sitting on death row for 20 years, Towery was executed in 2012. During his final moments, Towery apologized to the family of the man he killed and began to cry with regret. His final words were, "I love my family, potato, potato, potato." Some people think he was trying to say something else, but it wasn't clear.
34. Jack Jones Jr. Had Some Confusing Last Words
In another turn of horrible events, Mary Phillips and her daughter Lacy were at the wrong place at the wrong time. While filing taxes at an office, Jack Jones Jr. approached them and said he had to rob them. His actions quickly escalated to violence, and he murdered them, or so the police thought.
While police were photographing the scene, Lacy started to move, and they realized she survived the attack. By the time Jones was executed, Lacy was 22, and in his final words, he said, "I hope over time you can learn who I really am, and I am not a monster. There was a reason why those things happened that day. I am so sorry, Lacy, try to understand I love you like a child." That's not how most people treat children.
35. Robert Alton Harris Met The Grim Reaper
While at a fast-food restaurant with his brother, Robert Alton Harris approached two 16-year-old boys and made them drive them to a remote location. Harris and his brother murdered the boys, but the crime didn't end there. They then took the car and used it to rob a bank.
The car broke down, and the Harris brothers were caught an hour later. When it came time for his execution, Harris had some choice words to clear things up for everyone. He said, "You can be a king or a street sweeper, but everyone dances with the Grim Reaper."
36. Robert Charles Comer Was A Big Raiders Fan
When Robert Charles Comer was sentenced to death for killing a man and assaulting a woman, he was ready to die. By the time his execution came in 2007, he had been fighting appeals because he wanted to pay for the crimes he had committed.
Right before his execution, Comer admitted to killing Larry Pritchard. He also said he deserved to die for what he did because he was wrong. He had come to terms with his sentence, and in his final moments, he said, "Go Raiders." It was his favorite football team.
37. Vince Gutierrez Wished He Had A Stunt Double
In 1997 when Vince Gutierrez's friend bought a new car, they needed a specific part to fix it up. The part was found in Mazda RX-7, so Guitierrez suggested that they steal a Mazda for parts. They ended up finding one and breaking into it and held the owner at gunpoint.
The owner of the car was Air Force Captain Jose Cabo. Cabo managed to escape, but Gutierrez caught up and killed him. In his final moment before lethal injection, Gutierrez said, " My brother, where’s my stunt double when you need one?"
38. Eric Harris And Dylan Klebold Changed How People Feel When They Go To School
On April 20, 1999, the safe feeling of being at school changed forever. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold had been planning the Columbine school shooting for a while, and they finally picked that morning to execute their plan. They walked into Columbine High School where they killed 13 students and injured 24 others.
After going around terrorizing their fellow classmates and school staff, they walked into the school library where they were keeping hostages and committed suicide. It was all part of their horrific plan, and after many other school shootings, no one feels one hundred percent safe when they go to learn.
39. John Avalos Alba Had A Large Last Meal
John Avalos Alba was not a good man, to say the least. He was first arrested for assault charges on his niece's friend, and he asked his wife to bail him out of jail. When his wife refused, he went to hide at a friend's house until he could get revenge and kill her for her refusal later that night.
In 2010, as he was finally preparing for his lethal injection, he has a massive final meal. That meal consisted of fried chicken, fried pork chops, enchiladas, onion rings, salad, white bread, and six cold Cokes. He wanted to go out on a full stomach.
40. Peter Manuel Wanted To Go Quietly
Peter Manuel went on a wild crime spree between 1956 and 1958. His crimes lead to eight deaths across southern Scottland. As police hunted for the person responsible, he was given the nickname, "The Beast of Birkenshaw." After his arrest, it was rumored that he was responsible for many more deaths.
Although people believed he was responsible for many more murders, none of them were proven to be linked to him. In 1958, Manuel became the third to last person executed in Scottland. Despite his crazy life, he wanted his execution to be quick and peaceful.