MY FAVORITE MURDERERS

WRITTEN BY DIANA C. MARTINEZ

I listen to a podcast called My Favorite Murder where two besties, Karen and Georgia, just sit and talk about their favorite murders. This podcast is so fun, I feel like I'm at a sleepover with friends talking about real-life scary stories (this isn't sponsored, I just really love Karen and Georgia). 

So, inspired by them and the spirit of Halloween I've made a list of my favorite murderers. My list will only include murderers that were dubbed nicknames by the media while they were committing the murders. As a journalism student I acknowledge the fact that the media dubs them a nickname to sensationalize the news, as if people being brutally murdered wasn't enough. So, when I say "favorite" I don't mean I condone what these people did. I'm just fascinated by the nicknames given to them. Frankly, I can't wrap my head around all the atrocities people are capable of committing but it's interesting to learn about it.

Read at your own risk. 

THE ZODIAC KILLER

This murderer was (is?) based in Northern California during the 60's. They called him the Zodiac Killer after he sent letters to a Bay area newspaper taunting them about his murders. All the letters he sent were ciphers and only 1 of the 4 he sent were solved. In his letters he claimed thirty-seven murders but only 7 were ever confirmed. There are so many suspects and theories to this killer but to this day the identity of this killer is unknown. This murder even has an official website that tracks all the material related to this murder. It's very outdated and not nice to look at but check it out here.

THE NIGHT STALKER

Richard Ramirez was a serial killer, rapist and burglar that committed his crimes in Los Angeles and San Francisco from June 1984 to August 1985. He would break into homes, steal valuables, rape the women and sometimes kill them and anyone else in the house. He used a wide variety of weapons, including handguns, knives, and hammers in his attacks. He was a avowed Satanist that would make the women he raped swear they loved Satan. He was finally caught when one of his victims was able to give a detailed description to the cops. He was sentenced to death but died at 52-years-old from lymphoma. According to Wikipedia, the judge who upheld his death sentences said that Ramirez's deeds exhibited "cruelty, callousness, and viciousness beyond any human understanding". While in jail he had fans write to him and he ended up marrying one of them (Honestly, women that knowingly marry serial killers are insane). 

He isn't the original Nightstalker but he is more memorable due to how atrocious his crimes were and the lack of remorse he showed. 

THE VAMPIRE OF SACRAMENTO

Richard Chase killed and drank the blood of his 6 people in the span of a month in Sacramento, California during the 70's. He was convinced that his heart stopped beating, that someone stole his pulmonary artery and that the Nazis were trying to turn his blood into powder. He also shaved his head because he believed his cranial bones moved around and he wanted to see them. After moving into his own apartment because he thought his mother was trying to poison him, he would kill animals and make smoothies out of them. 

Read more details about all the other things he did here (yes, there is way more things he did). 

He wandered around neighborhoods and thought that locked doors were a sign that he was not welcome, but unlocked doors were an invitation to come inside (lock your doors people). The details of the murders he committed are very hard for me to read, this man was seriously mentally ill so read at your own risk. 

Richard killed himself by overdosing on antidepressants while in jail.  

THE MILWAUKEE CANNIBAL

If you're into researching murderers you know about the infamous Jeffery Dahmer. He raped, murdered and dismembered seventeen males from May 21, 1960 – November 28, 1994 in Ohio, Wisconsin. While he was young he developed his fascination with killing animals. He committed his first murder at eighteen, the victim was a young hitchhiker that he buried in his backyard. Nine years passed until he committed his second murder. Jeffery was an alcoholic from age 14. He dropped out of college after 3 months, quit the army and  couldn't hold a job for too long due to his addiction. When he was caught he gave a complete confession and turned to Christianity while in jail.  He was sentenced to 957 years in prison for his crimes. While in jail an inmate beat him to death. 

If you're interested in reading more about murderers, check out Murderpedia.org!