10 of the World's Most Notorious Serial Killers

Ted Bundy once remarked, “Sometimes I feel like a vampire.” On the surface, he appeared and spoke like any ordinary person, but beneath that exterior lay a true monster. Serial killers are devoid of the qualities that make us human, and the 10 terrifying individuals on this list exemplify this chilling reality.

10. The Killer Behind the Suicide Website

While the internet offers endless information and entertainment, it also harbors a sinister side. In Japan, individuals struggling with depression and fearing solitude often turn to the web to create suicide pacts. After connecting online, they meet in person to end their lives together. This unsettling phenomenon makes them vulnerable to predators like Hiroshi Maeue, who exploit their despair.

Maeue was diagnosed with paraphilic psychosexual disorder, a condition that drove him to derive sexual pleasure solely from inflicting pain on others. His preferred method was suffocation, and between 1988 and 2005, he attempted to strangle five individuals, receiving minimal punishment for only two of these assaults. These early attempts were merely a prelude. As online suicide pacts gained traction, Maeue shifted his focus to hunting victims on the internet.

His first target was 25-year-old Michiko Nagamoto. Maeue bombarded her with emails, persuading her to join him in a suicide pact. He proposed they sit in his car and inhale fumes from burning charcoal. She agreed, but upon meeting him, Maeue restrained her and smothered her to death. When questioned about his motives, Maeue chillingly stated, “I wanted to watch a face in agony.”

Maeue’s next victims included a 14-year-old boy and a college student. Each time, he lured them with promises of a peaceful death, only to bind and kill them. Afterward, he concealed their bodies in remote areas like mountains or near dams, then returned home to relive the murders through recordings. Thankfully, Maeue was apprehended before he could harm more people and was executed by hanging in 2009. Notably, he never appealed his sentence, perhaps indicating he, like his victims, was prepared to face his end.

9. The Sunday Morning Slasher

In 1981, Houston, Texas, was a city plagued by violence, earning the grim title of having the highest number of homicides in the nation—exceeding 700 that year. The arrival of Carl Eugene Watts only intensified the city's turmoil.

Prior to his reign of terror in Houston, Watts had already left a trail of bloodshed in Michigan. He was the main suspect in the 1980 killings of three women in Ann Arbor, but insufficient evidence allowed the 'Sunday Morning Slasher' to evade conviction. Upon his relocation to Houston, Michigan authorities could only alert local police that danger was imminent.

Once in Texas, Watts escalated his killing spree with alarming speed, employing varied methods for each murder. Victims were stabbed, strangled, or even hanged, as Watts claimed they harbored 'evil in their eyes.' Believing they were malevolent, he often took keepsakes from his victims and burned them to rid himself of their supposed curses. His rampage claimed 12 lives until May 23, 1982, when he attempted to drown Melinda Aguilar and her roommate. Aguilar managed to escape and seek help, leading to Watts' capture as he tried to flee.

Despite the severity of his crimes, the Houston District Attorney struck a deal with Watts. The Slasher admitted to 12 additional murders in return for a 60-year sentence. However, due to a legal loophole, he received reduced time for good behavior—three days off for every day served—meaning he could have been released in 24 years. Determined to prevent his freedom, Michigan authorities intervened. In November 2004, a witness connected Watts to the murder of Helen Dutcher, resulting in a life sentence in a Michigan prison. Watts died of prostate cancer in 2007.

8. The Murderous Reporter

Vlado Taneski, a Macedonian journalist, redefined the boundaries of investigative reporting when he chronicled the gruesome acts of a serial killer in Kicevo. During the mid-2000s, Taneski detailed the brutal rapes and murders of three women, aged 56 to 65, all cleaners who bore a striking resemblance to one another. Each victim had been strangled with a telephone cord, placed in plastic bags, and discarded on the outskirts of town. Despite his unassuming demeanor, Taneski captivated readers with his meticulous and chilling descriptions of the crimes.

The depth of detail in Taneski’s articles caught the attention of local law enforcement. Detectives were puzzled by his knowledge of unreleased information, such as the specific type of phone cord used to bind the victims. When authorities collected Taneski’s DNA, it matched the semen found at the crime scenes. Arrested on suspicion of murder, Taneski’s dark past came to light. He had a troubled relationship with his mother, a cleaner who resembled the victims. Before facing trial, Taneski took his own life in his cell by drowning in a bucket of water, a grim admission of his guilt.

7. Whips And Chains

Here’s a chilling fact: In 2012, the FBI estimated that at least 300 highway serial killers were operating on America’s interstates. While 300 might seem insignificant in a country of over 300 million, it’s little comfort to those who fall victim. Robert Ben Rhoades’s victims likely never imagined their fate would be a grim end on the roadside.

Rhoades, a long-haul trucker with the CB handle “Whips and Chains,” was deeply involved in the BDSM scene. When not frequenting clubs, he preyed on young female hitchhikers at truck stops, using his calm and confident demeanor to gain their trust. Once lured into his truck, he would restrain them, shave their bodies, and subject them to horrific abuse using a kit filled with whips, needles, and other instruments of torture. After his sadistic acts, Rhoades killed his victims, often using a wire to end their lives.

Rhoades’ reign of terror ended on April 1, 1990, when an Arizona officer noticed his truck’s hazard lights were on. Upon investigation, the officer discovered a naked woman chained inside. Rhoades was arrested, and a search of his truck and apartment revealed bloodstained towels, a journal detailing his crimes, and photos of a terrified girl later identified as 14-year-old Regina Kay Walters, whose body was found in Illinois. Facing the death penalty, Rhoades struck a plea deal and received a life sentence. Years later, he was given two additional life sentences for murdering two traveling missionaries. The true number of his victims remains unknown.

6. The Railroad Killer

The angel described in Revelation 18 is far from a gentle figure. It embodies apocalyptic power, delivering messages of fire and brimstone—a symbol that Angel Maturino Resendiz, a Mexican immigrant with a violent streak, believed represented him. Resendiz claimed to be a half-human, half-angel being, impossible to kill, and saw Timothy McVeigh as a “holy brother.” He believed it was his sacred mission to punish those he deemed wicked.

Resendiz roamed across the United States, hopping freight trains and traveling from place to place. He claimed to sense evil and would disembark to hunt down those he considered sinners. However, FBI profilers argued his motives were far less noble, suggesting he killed for sexual pleasure. From 1989 to 1999, the Railroad Killer left a trail of bodies in his wake: eight in Texas, two each in Florida and Illinois, and one each in Georgia, Kentucky, and California.

Initially, Resendiz targeted victims near train tracks, using firearms or railcar couplings to kill, often sexually assaulting female victims post-mortem. Over time, he evolved into a “Blitzkrieg killer,” venturing away from the tracks to invade homes. He brutally murdered his victims and then fabricated reasons to justify his actions, accusing them of being pro-choice, homosexual, or involved in witchcraft.

His methods were as varied as they were brutal. He used a sledgehammer to kill a pastor and his wife, a pickax to murder two people in a single night, and even an antique statue to bludgeon a physician to death. By the time of his capture, Resendiz had taken at least 14 lives. The Railroad Killer was executed in Texas on June 27, 2006, proving his claim of immortality to be false.

5. The Cannibal Of Muensterberg

While Hannibal Lecter has made cannibal killers somewhat less shocking, Karl Denke elevated the horror to new heights. He was a chilling blend of Lecter and Mrs. Lovett, combining gruesome acts with a macabre twist.

Denke resided in Muensterberg, Germany (now Ziebice, Poland), where he was a cherished community member. Known as “Papa Denke,” he was deeply involved in church activities and known for his generosity, often offering shelter to the homeless. When not performing charitable acts, he sold suspenders, belts, and jars of pickled pork. His popularity overshadowed the oddities, such as the buckets of blood he frequently dumped outside his home and the strange odors emanating from his apartment.

On December 21, 1924, a coachman heard screams from Denke’s home and discovered a bloodied young man inside. Denke claimed the man was a thief he had attacked with an ax. The police arrested Denke, but he later hanged himself in his cell using his handkerchief. A search of his home revealed horrifying evidence: human skin used for making suspenders, jars of preserved flesh, and a journal detailing names, dates, and weights. Authorities estimated Denke had killed 40 people over four years, and the townspeople had unknowingly consumed his victims.

4. The Godfather Of Matamoros

As a baby, Adolfo Constanzo was given a bowl of water infused with boiled human bones by a priest, marking the start of his dark, magical journey. Raised by his mother in the Palo Mayombe tradition, an African-derived religion, Constanzo later devoted himself to Kadiempembe, his interpretation of the devil. He became a fortune teller and magician, catering to a criminal clientele. The Florida native offered Mexican gangsters psychic guidance and promised powers like invisibility and the ability to repel bullets.

Constanzo’s magnetic personality drew in loyal followers, including drug traffickers who believed his rituals boosted their operations. To appease the gods, Constanzo demanded human sacrifices. At his ranch near Matamoros, known as “El Padrino” (The Godfather), he slaughtered rival gang members, farmers, and even children. His methods included throat slitting, genital mutilation, decapitation, and the removal of hearts and lungs. The remains were boiled in cauldrons, and cult members consumed the gruesome broth.

Constanzo’s downfall began when he sacrificed Mark Kilroy, a 21-year-old American student abducted while visiting Matamoros. Kilroy’s disappearance drew the attention of the U.S. government, and his family offered a reward for information. Under pressure, Mexican police launched a massive search. A breakthrough came when a cult member evaded a police roadblock, leading authorities to the ranch. There, they uncovered 15 bodies buried in the desert, alongside evidence of more killings in Mexico City. A month later, Constanzo was cornered in a follower’s apartment. Surrounded by nearly 200 officers, he ordered his followers to shoot him and his lover, proving his claims of invincibility false.

3. The Serpent

Charles Sobhraj, a multilingual, psychology-savvy gemology expert, was a Nietzsche enthusiast who often discussed “Beyond Good and Evil.” Between 1975 and 1976, this half-Vietnamese, half-Indian self-proclaimed “ubermensch” killed more than 20 people across India, Thailand, Nepal, Turkey, and Iran. His intelligence nearly allowed him to escape justice.

Sobhraj’s method involved befriending Western travelers on the “Hippie Trail,” a popular route through Asia. He would drug his victims, leaving them too weak to resist, before killing them. His methods varied—strangulation, stabbing, or even burning them alive. Sobhraj viewed his actions not as murder but as a form of purification, seeing himself as a superior being.

Sobhraj’s downfall came when he poisoned 60 French tourists at an Indian hotel. The attempt failed, causing only severe diarrhea, and led to his arrest. However, Indian authorities could only convict him on minor charges, resulting in an 11-year sentence. Upon his release, Thailand sought to extradite him for capital crimes, but a Thai law prevented prosecution if 20 years had passed since the offense. Sobhraj aimed to delay his release to avoid extradition, ensuring his freedom.

Known as “The Serpent” for his cunning escapes, Sobhraj plotted to drug his guards and flee prison—a feat he had accomplished four times before. The escape succeeded, but he was recaptured two weeks later. This extended his sentence, delaying his release until 1997. Free from Thai prosecution, he planned to enjoy wealth from selling his story’s rights. However, in 2003, he was arrested in Nepal for killing two North Americans and remains imprisoned. In 2004, he attempted another escape, proving that the Serpent’s schemes never cease.

2. The S-Bahn Murderer

Between 1933 and 1945, Germany was plagued by numerous psychopathic killers, many of whom wore Nazi uniforms. Among them was a man who terrorized Berlin’s women. The attacks began in 1939, with three women surviving stabbings and beatings. However, Gerda Ditter was not as fortunate. In October 1940, her body was discovered with multiple stab wounds and signs of strangulation. More bodies were found near the S-Bahn, a railway running through Berlin, all showing signs of blunt force trauma before being thrown from trains.

While some newspapers attempted to minimize the attacks, the public was gripped by fear of the S-Bahn murderer. Many women working in munitions factories traveled late at night, often on trains during blackouts meant to protect the city from bombers. These blackouts inadvertently aided the killer. To safeguard citizens, police officers escorted women home or rode trains disguised as women. When these tactics failed, female officers rode the S-Bahn alone, wearing protective headgear—but the murderer remained elusive.

Berlin’s Kriminalpolizei faced challenges due to blackouts and the high number of accidental deaths along the railway, complicating their investigation. Prejudices also hindered progress, with suspicions falling on Jews, foreign laborers, or even British spies. Eventually, they identified the killer as Paul Ogorzow, a misogynistic assistant signalman and Nazi SA member. Forensic evidence confirmed his guilt, and he was convicted of eight murders and executed by guillotine. Ironically, one of the officers involved in his capture later led an execution squad in Eastern Europe, highlighting the normalization of murder in Nazi Germany.

1. The Ukrainian Terminator

In “The Terminator,” the T-800 invades homes and even a police station, killing everyone in its path. Similarly, Anatoly Onoprienko, the Ukrainian namesake, mirrored this brutality in real life.

In 1989, Onoprienko approached a car parked on the roadside and opened fire on everyone inside. His actions lacked motive; they were driven by a sudden impulse. Later, he and a gym acquaintance broke into a house, stole valuables, and murdered the occupants. Soon after, he targeted another car, killing the family inside and burning their bodies.

Between 1995 and 1996, Onoprienko, armed with a sawed-off shotgun, invaded homes across Ukraine, annihilating entire families. He either shot door locks or threw bricks through windows to lure victims outside. While he consistently shot the men, his methods for killing women and children varied—using shotguns, knives, hammers, or axes. After the killings, he took trophies and set the houses ablaze. Witnesses were silenced permanently. By his arrest in 1996, he had murdered 52 people.

At his trial, Onoprienko claimed he was possessed, spied on by government agencies, and driven by voices from outer space to kill. It was later revealed his lawyer advised him to feign insanity, but the act failed to sway the court. Initially sentenced to death, he received life imprisonment after Ukraine abolished the death penalty. He died of a heart attack in 2013 after 17 years in prison. Among his bizarre claims, one likely held truth: “There is no better killer in the world than me.”