A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more people, with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them.[1][2] The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines serial killing as "a series of two or more murders, committed as separate events, usually, but not always, by one offender acting alone".[2][3]
Identified serial killers
editName | Years active | Proven victims | Possible victims | Status | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aiutino, Vincenzo | 1991–1992 | 3 | 3 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Known as "The Man with the Fifty Affairs"; Swiss who raped and strangled three women between 1991 and 1992 in Meurthe-et-Moselle | [4] |
Alègre, Patrice | 1989–1997 | 5 | 5+ | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Raped and strangled women in Toulouse and Paris; his case caused accusations of a police cover-up | [5] |
Madame de Brinvilliers | 1666–1670 | 3 | 3 | Executed 1676 | Aristocrat who poisoned her father and two brothers | [6][7] |
Barbeault, Marcel | 1969–1976 | 8 | 8 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Known as "The Shadow Killer"; killed his victims during the nighttime or early mornings | [8] |
Chambet, Ludivine | 2012–2013 | 10 | 10 | 25 years imprisonment | Known as "The Poisoner of Chambéry"; nurse's aide who poisoned elderly people using antidepressants | [9] |
Chanal, Pierre | 1980–1988 | 8 | 17 | Committed suicide awaiting trial | Soldier suspected of raping and murdering young men in Marne | [10] |
Cottrez, Dominique | 1989–2006 | 8 | 8 | 9 years imprisonment | Murdered her newborn infants in her home in Villers-au-Tertre | [11] |
Dankerque, Casimir | 1935 | 4 | 4 | Executed 1936 | Known as "The Monster of Artois"; murdered elderly people during robberies in Pommier and Achicourt | [12] |
Dumollard, Martin | 1855–1861 | 3 | 3 | Executed 1862 | Known as "The Maid Killer"; with the help of his wife Marie-Anne Martinet, attacked and robbed maids in Lyon and Ain, killing three of them | [13] |
El Borgi, Thierry | 1989 | 4 | 4 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Together with partner Philippe Siauve and two other accomplices, murdered three women and an officer between May and July 1989 | [14] |
Fourniret, Michel | 1987–2003 | 8 | 12+ | Died in prison | Known as "The Ogre of the Ardennes"; with his help of his wife Monique Olivier, kidnapped, raped and murdered predominantly young girls across France and Belgium | [15] |
Frantz, Véronique | 1852–1854 | 3 | 3 | Executed 1854 | Poisoned her employer's mother-in-law and wife to become his mistress; later poisoned him after she learned he planned to remarry | [16] |
Garnier, Gilles | 1572–1573 | 4 | 4+ | Executed 1573 | Known as "The Hermit of St. Bonnot"; reclusive hermit who confessed to murdering and cannibalizing young children | |
Georges, Guy | 1991–1997 | 7 | 7 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Known as "The Beast of Bastille"; raped and murdered women in the Bastille neighbourhood of Paris | [17] |
Haddouche, Jacquy | 1992–2002 | 3 | 3 | Died in prison | Career criminal who murdered women across the country | [18] |
Heaulme, Francis | 1984–1992 | 9 | 9+ | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Known as "The Criminal Backpacker"; murdered a wide variety of victims across the country, some with a yet-unidentified accomplice | |
Jégado, Hélène | 1833–1851 | 3 | 36 | Executed 1852 | Domestic servant who poisoned various people with arsenic | |
Keller, Yvan | 1989–2006 | 23 | 40–150 | Committed suicide awaiting trial | Known as "The Pillow Killer"; smothered and then robbed elderly women across France, Germany and Switzerland | [19] |
Lagrée, Pierre | 1915–1916 | 4 | 6 | Executed 1916 | Soldier who killed people during robberies; confessed to two more while residing in New York, United States | [20] |
Landru, Henri Désiré | 1915–1919 | 11 | 11+ | Executed 1922 | Known as "The Bluebeard of Gambais"; killed mistresses and lovers during the war period; inspired the character of Monsieur Verdoux played by Charlie Chaplin | [21] |
Lastennet, Claude | 1993–1994 | 5 | 5 | Died in prison | Strangled elderly women after burgling into their Paris apartments | [22] |
Lefèvre, David | 1999–2011 | 3 | 3 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Known as "The Swamp Killer"; killed two acquaintances for trivial disputes and dumped their bodies in swamps, having previously served time for killing a homeless man | [23] |
Lesage, Celine | 2000–2007 | 6 | 6 | 15 years imprisonment | Suffocated and strangled her newborn infants in Valognes | [24] |
Louis, Émile | 1975–1980 | 7 | 7 | Died in prison | Prime suspect in the murders of handicapped women in Yonne | [25] |
Malèvre, Christine | 1997–1998 | 30 | 30 | 10 years imprisonment | Killed terminally-ill patients in Mantes-la-Jolie | [26] |
Millet, Albert | 1954–2007 | 3 | 3 | Committed suicide to avoid apprehension | Killed two girlfriends and one of his lover's friends in Hyères | [27] |
Monvoisin, Catherine | 17th-century | 1000 | 2500+ | Executed 1680 | Head of a Paris fortune teller network who sold poisons, contributing to thousands of deaths | [28] |
Palmier, Yoni | 2011–2012 | 4 | 4 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Perpetrator of the Essonne serial murders | [29] |
Paulin, Thierry | 1984–1987 | 18 | 21 | Died in prison | Known as "The Beast of Montmarte"; gay man who sexually assaulted and murdered old women in Paris | [30] |
Peiry, Michel | 1981–1987 | 5 | 11 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Known as "The Sadist of Romont"; Swiss national who sexually abused and murdered hitchhikers across several European countries and the USA | [31] |
Pesquet, Bernard | 1941–1976 | 7 | 7+ | Died in prison | Known as "The Landru of Val-d'Oise"; killed his best friend in 1941, released from prison and murdered at least six others | [32] |
Petiot, Marcel | 1926–1944 | 27 | 63+ | Executed 1946 | Doctor who murdered would-be refugees fleeing from the Nazis | [33] |
Philip, Baptistine | 1871–1878 | 3 | 3 | Died in prison | Fatally poisoned her employer, husband, and uncle-in-law for monetary gain | [34] |
Poirson, Louis | 1995–2000 | 4 | 4 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Known as "Rambo"; Malagasy-born stonemason who kidnapped and raped women, killing four of them | [35] |
de Rais, Gilles | 15th-century | 400 | 400+ | Executed 1440 | Compatriot of Joan of Arc and satanist who confessed to murdering scores of children | [36] |
Recco, Tommy | 1960–1980 | 7 | 10 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | One of the oldest living French prisoners | [37] |
Rezala, Sid Ahmed | 1999 | 3 | 3+ | Committed suicide in custody | Known as "The Killer of the Trains"; Algerian-born rapist who murdered at least three women near train tracks | [38] |
Richetto, Luigi | 1893–1899 | 4 | 4 | Died in prison | Italian concierge who robbed and murdered three women and one man in Lyon, dismembering their bodies afterwards | [39] |
Robini, André | 1955–1956 | 3 | 3 | Unknown | Known as "The Old Lady Killer"; assaulted and robbed numerous elderly women in Paris and Versailles, killing three of them | [40] |
Roy, Rémy | 1990–1991 | 3 | 3 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Known as "The Minitel Killer"; murdered three gay men after staged sadomasochistic acts | [41] |
Salameh, Patrick | 2008 | 4 | 4 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Known as "The Marseille Ripper"; kidnapped, raped and murdered three prostitutes and a student in Marseille | [42] |
Sasia, Giuseppe | 1934 | 4 | 5+ | Executed 1936 | Known as "The Shepherds' Killer"; Italian criminal who killed and then robbed shepherds in Draguignan; suspected of an earlier murder in 1930 | [43] |
Scieri, Antoinette | 1924–1926 | 12 | 12 | Died in prison | Italian-born nurse who poisoned elderly patients with herbicide pyralion | [44] |
Sedrati, Nadir | 1999 | 3 | 5 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Known as "The Cutter of the Canal"; murdered and dismembered three people, disposing of the remains into the Marne-Rhine Canal; suspect in two other disappearances | [45] |
Siauve, Philippe | 1989 | 4 | 4 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Together with partner Thierry El Borgi and two other accomplices, murdered three women and one man between May and July 1989 | [46] |
Stranieri, Alfredo | 1997–1999 | 4 | 4 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Known as "The Classified Ad Killer"; Italian-born con man who committed two double murders in order to obtain property or used cars | [47] |
Succo, Roberto | 1981–1988 | 7 | 7 | Committed suicide in prison | Murdered his parents in native Mestre, Italy, before fleeing to France and killing five more people | [48] |
Tissier, Patrick | 1971–1993 | 3 | 3 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Rapist who murdered two girls and a woman; his case and that of Christian Van Geloven influenced a judicial reform in France concerning infanticides and child killings | [49] |
Tomasini, François | 1907–1913 | 3 | 3 | Executed 1914 | Shot two men in Volpajola, shortly after his release from prison for a previous murder | [50] |
Vacher, Joseph | 1894–1897 | 11 | 27+ | Executed 1898 | Known as "The French Ripper"; drifter who raped, murdered, dismembered and disemboweled his victims across southeastern regions of the country | [51] |
Vérove, François | 1986–1994 | 4 | 4 | Committed suicide before any apprehension | Nicknamed "Le Grêlé" ("the pockmarked man"), Verove, a former police officer was blamed for four murders and a series of rapes since 1986. His confession was found on his suicide note alongside his body after he committed suicide in 2021. The crimes include the 1986 murder of an 11-year-old child, Cécile Bloch, in Paris. | [52][53] |
Waxin, Denis | 1985–1992 | 3 | 3 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Pedophile who raped and murdered children in Lille | [54] |
Weber, Jeanne | 1905–1908 | 10 | 10+ | Committed suicide in prison | Insane woman who strangled children, including her own | [55] |
Weidmann, Eugen | 1937 | 6 | 6 | Executed 1939 | German who murdered and robbed people around Paris, including American dancer Jean de Koven; last public execution in the country | [56] |
Zanchi, Honoré | 1992–2009 | 4 | 4 | Sentenced to life imprisonment; commuted to 30 years | Biker who killed assailants of his friends in order to "avenge" them | [57] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Ronald M. Holmes; Stephen T. Holmes (1998). Contemporary Perspectives on Serial Murder. SAGE Publications. p. 1. ISBN 0-7619-1421-8. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
Serial murder is the killing of three or more people over a period of more than 30 days, with a significant cooling-off period between the murders [...] The baseline number of three victims appears to be most common among those who are the academic authorities in the field. The time frame also appears to be an agreed-upon component of the definition.
- ^ a b Burkhalter Chmelir 2003, p. 1.
- ^ Morton 2005, p. 4, 9.
- ^ "Vincenzo Aiutino, le tueur de femmes du pays haut" [Vincenzo Aiutino, the country's top killer of women]. L'Est Républicain (in French). 10 September 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ Huret, Marie (7 February 2002). "L'homme qui aimait tuer les femmes" [The man who loved to kill women]. L'Express (in French). Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ Dumas, Alexandre (1850s). The Marquise de Brinvilliers. Paris: Marpon et Flammarion – via IntraText CT.
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 4 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 572.
- ^ "Les grands crimes du XXe siècle: Marcel Barbeault" [The great crimes of the 20th century: Marcel Barbeault]. France-Soir (in French). 9 August 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ "13 personnes âgées empoisonnées: l'aide-soignante condamnée à 25 ans" [13 Poisoned seniors: caregiver sentenced to 25 years]. L'Indépendant (in French). 23 May 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ Jacobson, Philip (17 December 2000). "Sadistic sergeant tries to escape serial killer trial". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2016-05-14.
- ^ "Details emerge in French baby killing case". BBC News. 29 July 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
- ^ "Dankerque, "The Monster of Artois", is sentenced to death" (in French). Le Petit Journal. May 20, 1936.
- ^ "Martin Dumollard, an orphan turned into serial killer of young girls" (in French). leprogres.fr. 19 October 2013.
- ^ 'MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR PARA MURDERERS': April 27, 1991 in L'Humanité (in French)
- ^ "Le tueur en série Michel Fourniret a avoué les meurtres de deux femmes" [Serial killer Michel Fourniret confessed to the murders of two women]. Libération (in French). 16 February 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
- ^ "JURIDICTION ADMINISTRATIVE — Strasbourg" [ADMINISTRATIVE JURISDICTION — Strasbourg] (in French). Le Droit. August 7, 1854 – via RetroNews.
- ^ "Beast of Bastille: Guy Georges – Crime Files". Crime & Investigation Network. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ Thiollier, Raphaël (27 October 2010). "Beauvais: mort de Jacquy Haddouche en prison" [Beauvais: death of Jacquy Haddouche in prison]. L'Observateur de Beauvais (in French). Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ "Tueur en série: l'affaire Yvan Keller est définitivement close" [Serial Killer: The Yvan Keller affair is definitely closed]. Le Parisien (in French). 27 May 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
- ^ "Lagrée, l'assassin du Quessoy et de Fermanville, a été fusillé" [Lagrée, the murderer of Quessoy and Fermanville, was shot] (in French). L'Ouest-Éclair. August 22, 1916.
- ^ Cawthorne, Nigel; Greig, Charlotte (21 September 2017). Serial Killers & Psychopaths. London, UK: Arcturus Publishing. p. 51. ISBN 978-1-78828-657-2.
- ^ Henry, Michel (23 October 1997). ""Il a fait ce qu'Il avait à faire, sans sentiment". Claude Lastenet a étranglé cinq femmes âgées. Aujourd'hui l'accusé voudrait que ce procès l'aide à comprendre pourquoi cet autre lui-même qu'il appelle "Il" l'a poussé à tuer" ["He did what He had to do, without feeling." Claude Lastenet strangled five elderly women. Today the accused would like this trial to help him understand why this other himself whom he calls "He" pushed him to kill]. Libération (in French). Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ Alberts, Jennifer (November 15, 2013). "Assises de la Somme: David Lefèvre sentenced to life imprisonment". France 3 Hauts-de-France (in French). Retrieved June 4, 2021.
- ^ Davies, Lizzy (March 19, 2010). "French woman sentenced to 15 years for killing six babies". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ "French serial killer given life". BBC News. 26 November 2004. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ Sage, Adam (16 June 1999). "'Mercy killer' on murder charges". The Times. London, UK – via Academic OneFile.
- ^ Boutry, Timothée (November 21, 2007). "Albert Millet, meurtrier jusqu'à son dernier jour" [Albert Millet, murderer until his last day]. Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ Ramsland, Katherine (2005). The Human Predator. New York: Berkley Books. ISBN 978-0-42526-553-6.
- ^ "Tueur de l'Essonne: en larmes, l'ex-petite amie raconte sa vie avec l'accusé, Yoni Palmier" [Killer of Essonne: in tears, the ex-girlfriend tells her life with the accused, Yoni Palmier]. Outre-mer la 1ère (in French). 2 April 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ Moréas, G. (27 January 2009). "Le complice du tueur des vieilles dames est libéré" [The accomplice of the killer of the old ladies is released]. Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ "Michel Peiry "Le sadique de Romont"" [Michel Peiry "The sadist of Romont"]. Meurtres en tout genre. 22 November 2007. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ Jacques Pradel and Charles Deluermoz (March 30, 2017). "Bernard Pesquet, the Landru of Val d'Oise". RTL (in French).
- ^ Newton, Michael. "Crime Library: Serial Killers: Dr. Marcel Petiot". TruTV.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-07. Retrieved 2013-06-11.
- ^ "A REMARKABLE POISONING CASE". The Queanbeyan Age. October 15, 1879. p. 4. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
- ^ Albouy, Stéphane (30 May 2002). "Plongée dans le terrible passé du tueur en série" [Diving into the terrible past of the serial killer]. Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ Gribben, Mark. "Gilles de Rais: The Pious Monster". The Crime Library. Archived from the original on April 19, 2012. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
- ^ Mousset, L. (19 May 2017). "Corse: Tommy Recco, auteur de 7 meurtres, demande une nouvelle fois sa libération à l'âge de 83 ans" [Corsica: Tommy Recco, perpetrator of 7 murders, again requests release at the age of 83]. La Chaîne Info (in French). Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ "'Confession' in Peake murder". BBC News. 19 May 2000. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ "The crime of Lyon". L'Ouest-Éclair (in French) (160). January 11, 1900. ISSN 1261-6249. Retrieved December 22, 2013..
- ^ "André Robini, the Old Lady Killer, will answer for three murders" (in French). La Gazette Provençale. March 26, 1958.
- ^ Vital-Durand, Brigitte (29 June 1996). "Le tueur du Minitel condamné à perpétuité. Rémy Roy était jugé pour le meurtre de trois homosexuels rencontrés par le biais de messageries" [The killer of Minitel sentenced to life. Rémy Roy was tried for the murder of three homosexuals met through couriers]. Libération. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ "Patrick Salameh: perpetuity confirmed" (in French). France 3 Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
- ^ "Faits-Divers: Les assassinats de bergers dans le Haut-Var" [News in brief: The murders of shepherds in the Haut-Var]. Le Temps (in French). 9 December 1934. p. 3. Retrieved 23 November 2019 – via RetroNews.
- ^ Nash, Jay Robert (1 November 1986). Look for the Woman: A Narrative Encyclopedia of Female Prisoners, Kidnappers, Thieves, Extortionists, Terrorists, Swindlers and Spies from Elizabethan Times to the Present. Lanham, Maryland: M. Evans and Company. ISBN 978-1-4617-4772-7.
- ^ "Nadir Sedrati, tueur machiavélique" [Nadir Sedrati, Machiavellian killer]. L'Est Républicain (in French). 12 September 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ 'MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR PARA MURDERERS': April 27, 1991 in L'Humanité (in French)
- ^ Bertrand, Olivier (21 July 1999). "Quatre cadavres avec preuves d'achat. Ce sont les ex-propriétaires des commerces rachetés par Stranieri" [Four corpses with proof of purchase. These are the former owners of the shops bought by Stranieri]. Libération. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ Romney, Jonathan (2 June 2002). "Cédric Kahn: Inside the mind of a killer". The Independent. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ "Patrick Tissier est condamné à la réclusion criminelle à perpétuité" [Patrick Tissier is sentenced to life imprisonment]. La Croix. 2 February 1998. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ "Condemned to Death" (in French). L'Écho d'Alger. July 27, 1914.
- ^ Lane, Brian; Gregg, Wilfred (1992). The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers. London, UK: Headline. ISBN 978-0-74723-731-0.
Yes, I committed the crimes... I committed them all in moments of frenzy.
- ^ "French policeman confesses to being serial killer in suicide note". aljazeera.com.
- ^ "Le « Grêlé » identifié grâce à l'ADN : il correspond à celui d'un ancien policier et gendarme qui s'est suicidé dans le Gard" par Antoine Albertini, Le Monde, 1er octobre 2021
- ^ Renoul, Bruno (4 August 2009). "Le cauchemar du pompiste pédophile" [The nightmare of the pedophile pump attendant]. Nord éclair. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ "Jeanne Weber, l'Ogresse de la Goutte d'Or" [Jeanne Weber, the Ogress of the Goutte d'Or]. 28 rue Affre (in French). 27 November 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ Flanner, Janet (29 January 1938). "American in Paris". The New Yorker. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ "Honoré Zanchi condamné en appel à trente ans de prison" [Honoré Zanchi sentenced to thirty years in prison on appeal]. France Bleu (in French). March 29, 2014. Archived from the original on September 30, 2021.
Bibliography
edit- Burkhalter Chmelir, Sandra (2003). "Serial Killers". In Robert Kastenbaum (ed.). Macmillan Encyclopedia of Death and Dying. Vol. 2. New York: Macmillan Reference USA/Thomson/Gale. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 3, 2009. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
- Morton, RJ (2005). "Serial murder multi-disciplinary perspectives for investigators" (PDF). Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
{{cite journal}}
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(help) - Hollandsworth, Skip (2015). The Midnight Assassin (1st ed.). New York: Henry Holt. p. 81. ISBN 978-0-8050-9767-2.
- Lane, Brian; Gregg, Wilfred (1995) [1992]. The Encyclopedia Of Serial Killers. New York City: Berkley Book. ISBN 0-425-15213-8.
- "L'affaire Prévost". La Lanterne (in French). No. 963. 10 December 1879. Retrieved 29 January 2017.