Top 10 Lesser-Known Serial Killers

Uncover the chilling tales of ten lesser-known serial killers, from the “Vampire of Dusseldorf” Peter Kurten to the “Internet Killer” John Robinson. Explore their disturbing crimes and dark backgrounds in this gripping article.

1. Peter Kurten, 1883–1931

Peter Kurten, known as the “Vampire of Dusseldorf,” was notorious for his horrific crimes in Germany during the summer of 1929. He was a sadistic killer who sought sexual gratification from drinking his victims’ blood. Kurten killed over thirty people, mostly young women, whom he slashed or bludgeoned to death. He terrorized Dusseldorf for eighteen months before his capture and subsequent execution by guillotine.

2. Peter Sutcliffe, 1946–2020

Peter Sutcliffe, the “Yorkshire Ripper,” committed a series of brutal murders starting in 1975. Over the course of his rampage, he killed thirteen women and attempted to murder seven more. Sutcliffe would often use a ball-peen hammer to incapacitate his victims before mutilating them with knives or a screwdriver. Despite being declared “fit” for release in 2009, his psychological damage left lasting scars on survivors.

3. Larry Eyler, 1944–1994

Larry Eyler, dubbed the “Highway Killer,” was known for targeting men along highways. Under the pretense of consensual sex, Eyler would lure his victims into his car, then take them to secluded areas where he would handcuff, beat, and often disembowel them. He was eventually linked to the murders of twenty-one men before dying of AIDS while on death row.

4. Carl Panzram, 1891–1930

Carl Panzram became one of America’s most violent serial killers after enduring severe abuse and mistreatment throughout his life. His killing spree began in 1920 with the murder of sailors in New York. Panzram’s crimes spanned across Europe, the United States, and South America, and he boasted about his violent acts, expressing regret only that he had not been “born dead.”

5. Bobby Joe Long, 1953–2019

Bobby Joe Long’s disturbing childhood, marked by numerous head injuries, may have contributed to his later crimes. Between 1980 and 1983, he preyed on housewives in Florida, binding and raping them before killing them. Long’s violent spree resulted in at least nine confirmed murders, though authorities suspect there were more victims. He was sentenced to death for his crimes.

6. Dennis Nilsen, 1945–2018

Dennis Nilsen, a Scottish serial killer, had a unique motive—he sought companionship. Nilsen would invite young men to his home, engage in sexual relations, and then murder them out of fear of being alone. He posed the corpses in various positions before disposing of them. Nilsen was arrested when bones and decomposed bodies were discovered in his apartment’s sewer system.

7. Arthur Shawcross, 1945–2008

Arthur Shawcross, also known as the “Genesee River Killer,” began his murder spree during the Vietnam War and continued upon his return to the United States. He claimed to have killed and eaten two young Vietnamese girls, and later murdered a ten-year-old boy and an eight-year-old girl. After serving fifteen years in prison, Shawcross resumed killing, targeting eleven prostitutes before being caught.

8. John Robinson, 1943–2020

John Robinson, often referred to as the “Internet Killer,” was involved in the murders or disappearances of eleven women. He lured victims through personal ads and online, eventually killing them and cashing in on their Social Security checks. Robinson was caught when two barrels containing female bodies were discovered on his property in Kansas.

9. Fritz Haarmann, 1879–1925

Fritz Haarmann, active during Germany’s economic depression in 1918, initially escaped detection after being caught with a young boy in his home. Although he was sentenced to prison for this, Haarmann’s house was not searched thoroughly, missing critical evidence like the head of another victim. It was only years later that he confessed to numerous murders.

10. Gerard Schaefer, 1946–1995

Gerard Schaefer, a policeman by profession, was convicted in 1973 of two murders, though he is believed to have killed over thirty women. He used his police badge to lure victims, then raped, tortured, and murdered them. Schaefer would leave the bodies tied to trees while he worked, with evidence found later in his mother’s attic.