Article BY Shells Walter - Art by Joaquin Montalvan

• New York Serial Killers List
• New York Serial Killers List
• New York State Serial Killers List
• How Many Serial Killers Are Active In New York

Take the Golden State Killer, a serial killer linked to crimes that spanned decades. He started killing in 1976, and was only identified and arrested in 2018. The good news is that there is hope we'll see justice for the victims and their families, so let's talk about some of the most prolific serial killers still out there. Long Island Killer. Area: Long Island, New York; Murders: 10 to 17; Years Active: 1996 to Unknown; Long Island is not exactly known for its serial killers and it’s far from a crime riddled region. You won’t find many notorious serial killers here, but there is a major unsolved serial murder case that has hung over this area for many years. 1990-1993: Heriberto Seda, aka 'the Zodiac Killer,' killed three people and wounded four in New York City and is serving a 235-year sentence. 1989-1990: Aileen Wuornos, a rare female serial killer, was convicted of murdering six men while working as a prostitute along highways in central Florida. She was executed Wednesday. Michael Hernandez may be one of the youngest serial killers to actually openly admit that he wanted to be a serial killer. His victim, Jaime Gough, was his best friend—and he stabbed him to death at only 14 years of age. When officials found Gough's body lying lifeless in the school bathroom, Hernandez was immediately investigated. Myth: Serial killers want to get caught. Offenders committing a crime for the first time are inexperienced. They gain experience and confidence with each new offense, eventually succeeding with.

The 1800’s brought about some of the most extreme serial killers known. Names, such as Jack the Ripper, Dr. Thomas Neil Cream, were just a few of the murderers we look back on in History. The murders these killers committed were not only grotesque at times, but also more ‘motive’ orientated; sometimes even more cunning.

Poisoning was a popular way of killing. A lot of serial killers in the 1800’s took advantage of light regulations or none at all; such as the regulations on Arsenic.

Another thing that came about in the 1800’s was certain advances in Forensic Science. These advances proved troubling for serial killers of the era. It meant proving certain crimes such as poisoning, became easier. Some of these new advances in Forensic Science included:

The first use of photography in identification of a crime scene, evidence and criminals.

The first use of fingerprints in solving a crime.

The first use of arsenic detection in a jury trial. (James Marsh in 1930 developed a method for arsenic dectection and was the first one to use it in a trial basis.)

Bullet comparison to catch a murderer.

Though these new developments occurred and made things somewhat tricky for serial killers in this time, it didn’t stop them. There are well known serial killers such as Jack the Ripper, and others who killed and were never discovered. Serial killers were also not limited to one country. The killings occurred through out Europe, The United States and in other countries such as Canada.

The killings by these murderers brought shock and anger; sometimes even a mystery to the present day that is still questioned by experts and interested parties a like. The list of serial killers in the 1800’s are from any age group and from any gender as woman often killed too, poison often being their weapon of choice.

The list below is some of the recorded history and research of serial killers in that time period. Due to information that was not kept properly, or crimes not solved, some killers were never discovered and will always remain hidden to us.

Serial Killers of the 1800’s

Austin Axe Murderer

1854-1885
United States

There were at least 7 women who were murdered, most were servants. The murderer would drag the victims from whatever room they were in and proceed to rape them before slashing them to death. There were several of these victims who ended up being stabbed or even spiked in the ears or face. The first victim, Mollie Smith was in 1884. The last two victims were Eula Phillips and Sue Hancock in 1885. The murders were devastating and shocking. There was no one who was convicted of the crimes.

Patty Cannon

United States

She was part of a gang that kidnapped slaves and those who were not to sell, transport them to plantation owners. Thought to have murdered at least 25 victims, many slave traded. Bodies were found on the farm that was owned by Cannon in Delaware by the tenant farmer. The bodies included an infant female, an adult male, a male child and a boy. She was indicted for the four murders in 1829. Cannon died in her cell on May 11th, 1829. Authorities at the time suspected suicide.

Mary Ann Cotton

Approx.1865-1872
United Kingdom

Cotton killed those who were in her care. It is estimated that she had killed between 15-20 victims. Her choice of murder was poison. Cotton would extract arsenic from rat poison as the sale of it was not controlled at the time and give it to people in her care or that she wanted dead. Mary would move about in different areas marrying as she did so her name would change. The deaths were said to be contributed to gastric fever until traces of arsenic were found. She was finally caught trying to unload one of her victims into a warehouse. Arrested on July 18th, 1872 and was hung on March 24th, 1873.

Dr. Thomas Neil Cream

1880-1892
The United States and United Kingdom

It is said he has poisoned at least 7 women; the first being his wife Flora. However, with Flora it wasn’t discovered until later where traces of poison were found in her system. It was assumed she had died of consumption in 1877.

Cream had traveled away from Canada to England where he pursued his studies in medicine. A few years after, he returned to Canada where he went into being an
abortionist..

In May 1879, patient Kate Gardener was found dead behind a woodshed smelling of chloroform. She was pregnant at the time of her death. It was later discovered the chloroform was administered by force.

In August 1879 Cream went to Chicago. Another patient, Eleen Stack he gave anti-pregnancy pills that he designed. These pills were laced with strychnine. She died soon afterwards.

Julia Slott had an affair with Cream that would later lead to his capture. After the killing of her husband by poison in the pills, Slott would later turn state’s evidence to convict Cream in 1881. However, Cream was released in July of 1891 and went back to England.

Back in England he posed as a doctor and chose the name Thomas Neil. He poisoned at least two more women while there. He was finally caught again. Cream would not be released this time, but hung on Nov 16th, 1892.

Sarah Dazely

In March 1843, authorities charged Sara Dazely with murder. She had 3 husbands before who had died suspiciously. It was thought that she killed her husband just so she could marry again. Dazely was suspected of poisoning her past husbands as two of her previous husbands’ examination showed lethal doses of arsenic.

On August 5th, 1843 she was hanged after the conviction of two murders. The other corpses of the husbands were too decomposed to test for anything.

Frederick Deeming

1891-1892
Australia

Deeming was noted as having more than one family and disposing of the victims he murdered.

On March 3, 1892, police caught a smell coming from a house numbered 57 Andrew Street. What happened next started the process of catching Deeming. They unearthed the body of a young woman whose throat had been slashed, Emily Williams. It was estimated she had been dead for at least 3 months. The police also found children embedded in the cement laying at the woman’s feet.

Emily Mather was thought to be his wife after the murder of Emily Williams and the children. He took her to Australia where he married her and eventually murdered her.

New York Serial Killers List

He was caught on March 1892 in Perth, Australia. On May 23rd 1892 he was hung.

Amelia Dyer

Beginning unknown to 1896
United Kingdom

Amelia Dyer was thought to be trained as a nurse. The money she made was due to baby farming. She would advertise to adopt a baby or nurse a baby for one time payment and clothing. Dyer would then let them starve. If they did not go quickly, she would murder them and collect the fee.

In 1879, she was caught under suspicions of a doctor investigating the sudden deaths of children under her care. She was convicted and served hard labor for the crimes. Upon release she went back to her nursing duties and fell back and forth into mental hospitals.

After her last release from being in a mental hospital, Dyer went back into baby farming. She went further into disposing the bodies herself. She was eventually caught and later hung on June 10th, 1896.

Champ Ferguson

United States

During the height of the civil war, Fergsuson killed union soldiers and civilian supporters. It is thought that he killed over 100 people. He had claimed it was part of his military duty.

On May 1865 he was tried for the murders of only 53 people. He was hanged on October 20, 1865

Hare/Burke

Scotland

William Burke and William Hare started acquiring bodies from graves to sell to universities for money. There were no questions asked, so it was a good deal for them. However, after awhile that proved too difficult and time consuming for them. Instead of digging up the graves of already dead people, they chose to murder. The fresh bodies got them more money and were easier for them.

They strangled their victims in such a way as to suspect no foul play. They were suspected of killing at least 16 people. It was the 16th victim that led to their arrest.
William Hare and his wife gave evidence against Burke for immunity. The evidence sent Burke to the gallows on Jan 28th, 1829. Hare was thought to have died penniless in 1859.

John Hoch

United States

Born in Germany, came to United States in his youth. He moved through out the country marrying illegally and killing them for their money. Hoch would poison them and afterwards remove their organs for no traceable evidence.

He was thought to have murdered 15 people. He was only convicted of the Marie Walcker's murder in which investigators found poison in her body. Hoch was later hung on Feb 23rd, 1906.

In 1955, many of his missing wife’s bones were founding a Chicago home once occupied by him.

H.H. Holmes

1888–1894
United States

In 1884, he was enrolled in Michigan Medical School where he stole corpses and disfigured them under his medical experiments. After graduation he moved to Chicago to practice a more pharmaceutical tendency.

In 1893, Holmes had purchased a 3-story house. This 3-story house was later to be known as his ‘castle’. In the castle, he would lure victims in there. His office was located in the upper two floors. At times his victims would be locked in a vault by his office where he would then proceed to hear them panic, and hear them scream to eventually suffocate.

The victims would then be sent via a secret chute into the basement where at times skin would be removed, dissected or even bone skeletons made. Holmes through his connections was then able to sell organs, bones and even poisons. He also preformed illegal abortions, which in some cases the patients died and he sold their bodies as well.

It is thought that he had killed at least 20 people, possibly more. He was arrested on November 17th, 1894. On May 7th, 1896 he was hung in Philadelphia County Prison.

New York Serial Killers List

Frances Knorr

Australia

She was a baby farmer who got the babies from unwed mothers. She also advertised for mothers who wanted babies to contact her. If Knorr was not able to sell the babies, she was thought to have killed at least 13 of them.

There was in inquest held after 3 bodies were found in the backyard of one of her residencies. The doctor who examined one of the children found that it had been suffocated to death. Knorr denied all charges of murdering and hiding the babies.

She was convicted of 3 murders and hung on January 15, 1894.

Delphine La Laurie

United States

Laurie owned slaves in her Louisiana home. With these slaves, she abused them, killed them, mutilated them and often experimented on them.

In 1834, after a fire broke out at her estate, the fire brigade broke into the home to discover many horrible sightings. It was said that she had many slaves chained to the walls, some alive and in cages, some were obviously altered, such as a man who was changed into an attempt to be a woman, and some were medically experimented on. There were even some slaves who had their organs removed and reattached in other areas of their bodies or on other bodies.

After the discover of all the bodies in her home, a lynch mob was formed. However, Laurie escaped never to be found.

John Lynch

1840-1841
Australia

He had told police and others that ‘God’ had told him to commit the murders.
Lynch had killed whole families; including sons, fathers and mothers with a tomahawk. He always killed them from behind. The amount of killings that was thought to be done by Lynch is a total of 9 people.

He was finally caught and put to death by hanging on April 22nd, 1842.

Sarah and John Makin

Australia

The Makins put an advertisement out looking to adopt babies and give them a good home. They would kill the babies after a certain time, but still collect the money for fees. The mothers, often unable to take care of the babies themselves, would go to the Makins to allow them to adopt the baby. They were not allowed to see the babies, told different things that were not true to hide them from their mothers.

On October 1892, James Hanoney was digging into the ground for a clogged drain. In this ground he discovered two babies hidden in clothing that were dead. The police investigated and the property was found to be owned by the Makins. Upon removal of more ground, the police had discovered more bodies; total number of buried bodies at 12.

They were arrested and charged with murder a time later after the bodies were discovered.
The Makins tried to appeal a couple of times, but both were denied. John Makin was sentenced to the gallows and Sarah Makin was sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labor. She was released after 19 years.

Malachi Martin

Australia

On June 14th, 1856, William Robinson’s body was discovered with throat cut. It was thought that Martin was having an affair with Robinson’s wife. He also killed Jane Macmanamin, her body was discovered in May 1862. Later on two men from Salt Creek city bodies were discovered and attributed to Martin.

However, he was only tried for Jane’s murder and convicted. In 1862, he was hung for his crime.

Alfred G. Packer

United States

In 1872, was hired as a guide by a group of 20 men for a prospect trip into the Suan Juan Mountains of Southern Colorado.

Later a discovery of five missing men and strips of human flesh on the trail Packard had led these men. It was also found later that the five men had been cannibalized. The authorities tracked Packard down under a different name in 1883 to stand trail for the five missing men.

He claimed his innocence as a murderer, saying it was for self-defense and survival. Jury had found him guilty and he was charged with manslaughter. In 1901 he was released where there was nothing more documented of any crimes by him.

Jack the Ripper

1888
The United Kingdom

Jack the Ripper is noted for what is considered ‘The White Chapel Murders’. He was thought to have killed only prostitutes and 5 in total ending with Mary Kelly in November 1888. He would remove organs, slash their throats and leave them there to be found without leaving a trace of who he was. The last victim was brutally mutilated which gave suspicion of motives.

The mystery behind Jack the Ripper has caused many experts to debate who the killer was. However, it has not been found who Jack the Ripper really was.

Lydia Sherman

1858-1872
United States

She had poisoned 7 husbands and 3 children.
Sherman went on trail in 1872 and was convicted of second degree murder. She spent the rest of her life in prison.

Jane Toppan

1885–1901
United States

She trained as a nurse. Toppan enjoyed experimenting with combining different drugs. She liked to inject morphine first to put them in a coma state, and then used atropine to revive them which would end up killing them.

However, one victim didn’t die, Ameila Phinney who was one of her patients at the hospital she was at. Later, Toppan confessed to 31 victims. On October 29th, 1901, state police arrested her for the murder of Minnie Gibbs.

In 1902 she confessed to only 11 murders claiming she had an insatiable desire to watch death. Toppan was committed to a mental institution by not guilty by means of insanity.

John Williams and the Ratcliff Highway Murders

1811
United Kingdom

The first attack of the ‘Ratcliff Highway Murders’ took place December 7, 1811 on Ratcliff Highway in east end of London. The victims murdered were Timothy Marr, his wife Celia and 3 month son, Timothy and James Gowan their shop boy.

On December 19th, 1811, the second murders were committed of Williams’s wife, Elizabeth and Bridget Anna Harrington.

Williams was arrested because of a grievance against Timothy Marr when they were shipmates. The full extent of the crimes remain a mystery.

Catherine Wilson

1853-1862
United Kingdom

Wilson befriended people of wealth who would leave their possessions to her after they died. Her husband she had killed. The doctor wanted to do an examination, but she pleaded saying he didn’t wish to be cut up. He was buried with no further information gathered.

She killed what was thought to be 7 people after they had rewrote their wills to include her by poisoning.

Wilson was only tried for the murder of Mrs. Soames that died in 1856. On September 22nd, 1862 she was the last woman to be publicly hung.

Anna Zwanziger

Germany

Though she mostly committed her murders in the 1700’s, some were spread into the 1800’s.

New York State Serial Killers List

She was employed as different judges as caregivers to their families. Anna started killing by poisoning either the judges or family members of the judges. Her one appointment with a family turned to be her downfall, as she tried to poison the servants as well, but they survived. She left that house and then wrote letters to the family saying she was so sorry about their infant’s death. It so happened she had poisoned the infant.

Judge Gebhard had the food analyzed after Anna had left and it was discovered to have poison in it. On October 18th, 1809 she was arrested. After 6 months of questioning she broke down and confessed. She was beheaded in July of 1811.

How Many Serial Killers Are Active In New York

We have all heard of killers like Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer. They are the ones they caught, the ones whose stories came out after they were apprehended and the ones who we watched get sentenced for their crimes.

But what about the unsolved serial murders, the ones where we’ll probably never know who the killers were and the ones that will forever remain a mystery? There is an element of frustration with all of these unsolved serial murders. But that’s also part of the fascination and the intrigue, and in this guide we’ll look at the biggest and most fascinating.

The Zodiac Killer

• Area: San Francisco
• Murders: 5 Confirmed; More Estimated
• Years Active: 1960s, 1970s

There are many reasons why the legends of serial killers endure. From the ones who got there first, to the ones who were in the “right place at the right time” and the ones who do unspeakable things (see Worst Serial Killers). But if there is anything that can ensure the legacy of a killer it’s the fact that no one knows who they are.

The Zodiac Killer is one of most famous cases of unsolved serial murders in the history of the United States. He is a killer that spread fear into the hearts of the communities he terrorized and has draped a shroud of uncertainty over it ever since.

To read more about this case, take a look at our article on Who Was the Zodiac Killer?

Jack the Ripper

• Area: Whitechapel, London
• Murders: 5 Canonical
• Years Active: 1888 to 1891

You probably knew that Jack the Ripper would make it onto this list. We actually thought about omitting him because it’s a story that everyone knows already. In fact, many of you will probably skip this. But you can’t ignore the fact that this is one of the most famous unsolved serial murder cases in history.

There are many interesting theories out there linking him to everyone from the British royal family to American serial killer H. H. Holmes. Every new story is released to sell a new book or to launch a new TV program. The truth is, we’ll probably never know who Jack the Ripper really was.

Jack the Stripper

• Area: Whitechapel, London
• Murders: 8 Estimated
• Years Active: 1964 to 1965

While Jack the Ripper might have been an obvious inclusion, Jack the Stripper, also known as the Hammersmith Nude Murderer, is one that many of you won’t have heard of. He also targeted a poor area of London and like his namesake his reign was short, brutal, and all about prostitutes.

He was never caught, but there were no shortage of suspects. They included a 57 year old caretaker who plead guilty to one of the murders and then retracted his confession at a crucial time; a Scottish security guard by the name of Mungo Ireland; and a light-heavyweight boxer by the name of Freddie Mills.

Many names have been dragged through the mud, as so often happens, and as yet no one has been able to say definitively who Jack the Stripper was. See more on our British Serial Killers guide.

Long Island Killer

• Area: Long Island, New York
• Murders: 10 to 17
• Years Active: 1996 to Unknown

Long Island is not exactly known for its serial killers and it’s far from a crime riddled region. You won’t find many notorious serial killers here, but there is a major unsolved serial murder case that has hung over this area for many years.

It began in 2010 when the remains of 4 sex workers were found. All of them were thought to have offered their services on Craigslist, where it is believed the killer found them. More bodies would later be discovered, some of which had been missing since 1996. This implies that the killer, if indeed it was the work of a single person, had been committing these vile acts and getting away with them for over 15 years.

Deserving of an inclusion on any top list of unsolved serial murders, this is a case that is not yet cold and could still be solved in the near future. The problem is, police don’t have a great deal of evidence to work with.

Highway of Tears

• Area: British Colombia, Canada
• Murders: 16+
• Years Active: 1969 Onwards

This is one of those serial killers that might not actually be a serial killer, but a gang or even multiple serial killers operating at different times. That’s because these murders are all along a single stretch of highway, with no surviving witness, composite drawing, major MO, coded message or any other major defining factor that points to the work of one serial killer.

It involves a stretch of highway where bodies of women have been dumped, beginning in 1969 and happening as recently as 2006. Many think it is the work of a single serial killer, but it’s a bit of a stretch. It does make for an intriguing story though and one that no one has been able to get to the bottom of as of yet.

The Phantom (Texarkana Moonlight Murders)

• Area: Texarkana, Texas
• Murders: 5
• Years Active: 1946

This is a story that inspired the film The Town that Dreaded Sundown, which is a semi-biographical film. The story began in 1946 in Texarkana. Over a period of several months, 5 people were killed and 3 more were injured after being violently attacked in their homes.

One of the most famous unsolved serial murders in the United States, it was shocking in both the brutality of the attacks, the fear that it spread, the impact that it had on the community and the haste at which the attacks stopped. There were descriptions of the attacker, but these didn’t lead to an arrest. Instead, they actually served to spread more fear, as they described a tall, strong man who wore a white mask.

There were a few suspects, including one who was arrested is 1947 for car theft, only to be imprisoned for the next couple decades. One of the most compelling Phantom suspects is the Zodiac Killer, who was apparently finding his feet as a serial murderer.

We’ll probably never find out the truth, but this is definitely one of the more enduring of all unsolved serial murders in the United States.

Freeway Killer

• Area: Washington D.C.
• Murders: 6
• Years Active: 1971 to 1972

Six African American girls, all aged between 10 and 18, went missing after running errands for their families. They were all found dead—raped, murdered and then callously discarded. One of the victims carried a note that referred to the killer by the moniker “Freeway Killer” and declared—with mistakes that seem to be common of serial killer letters— that the killer had a distaste for people, “especially women”.

The police believe that this note was written by the victim after being dictated by the killer. At the end of the note the killer promised to “admit the others” if the police caught him. But he seemed to stop after one more murder and the police would never arrest anyone for the Freeway Killer murders.