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Are More Serial Killers Born During A Full Moon?

18/11/2016

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In the final part of Murder Mile's three part blog on whether a star-sign, birthday or lunar cycle could help predict if anyone is more/less predisposed to being a serial killer, we present a curious look at whether serial killers are more likely to be born... during a full-moon? Just as (we've seen in my previous blogs) serial killers are three times more likely to be a Gemini than most other star signs and twice as likely to be born on a Monday than any other day. 

Which is not to say that the "position of the moon" is the overall factor in determining whether someone could become a serial killer - of course not, that's just stupid - but what I'm asking is, could these small, yet seemingly insignificant details be a contributing factor worth considering?

Consider this: the Moon is the fulcrum upon which the Earth generates and regulates its gravity, the Moon is vital for regulating time, days, moods, sleep, seasons and it is scientifically proven that more people are born and die during the ebb-tide (3am & 3pm, when the moon's gravitational pull is at its weakest). So could the position of the Moon have a significant affect on a (future) serial killer during one of the most traumatic experiences of their life - their own birth? 

As before, the following is taken from a sample of 38 of the world's most infamous serial killers
 (including Dennis Nilsen, Ted Bundy, Aileen Wuornos, Hindley & Brady and Dr Shipman), as used in my previous blog on the most popular names for serial killers, with a few notable exceptions where I was unable to track their exact date of birth (listed in the footnotes**). 
​
Are more serial killers born during a full moon? Or maybe, more murderers were born during a new moon, first quarter, last quarter or maybe it makes no difference what-so-ever? Let's find out. 

What Was The Lunar Cycle On The Day A Serial Killer Was Born?
What follows is a list of 38 infamous UK/USA serial killers and murderers, their birthdays and what phase the moon was in on the day they were born. You can work out what your birth lunar cycle was by clicking here and changing the year (../1976) at the end of the web address. The lunar cycle has distinct four phases: Full Moon, New (or no) Moon, First Quarter and Third Quarter (which are often referred to as a crescent moon). Simply for speed and to save confusion, I've eliminated waxing & waning crescents, although this may appear in later blogs. 

* denotes a birth on the exact day of that specific Moon phase
** denotes a birth exactly in the middle two Moon phases
No asterisk denotes being born during any other day 

​
  • Dennis Nilsen, 23rd November 1945 – 1st Quarter / Full Moon **
  • John Wayne Gacy, 17th March 1942 – New Moon *
  • Fred West, 29th September 1941 – 1st Quarter
  • Peter Sutcliffe, 2nd June 1946 – New Moon
  • Ted Bundy, 24th November 1946 – New Moon
  • Richard Ramirez, 29th February 1960 – New Moon
  • Anthony Hardy, 31st May 1951 – New Moon / 1st Quarter **
  • Colin Ireland, 16th March 1954 – Full Moon
  • Orville Lynn Majors, 24th April 1961 – 1st Quarter / Full Moon **
  • David Berkowitz, 1st June 1953 – Full Moon / 3rd Quarter **
  • Derrick Bird, 8th October 1957 – Full Moon *
  • Michael Ryan, 18th May 1960 – 3rd Quarter
  • Ed Gein, 27th August 1906 – 1st Quarter *
  • Ian Brady, 2nd January 1938 – New Moon
  • Harold Shipman, 14th January 1946 – 1st Quarter / Full Moon **
  • Jeffrey Dahmer, 21st May 1960 - 3rd Quarter / New Moon **
  • Joel Rifkin, 20th January 1959 – 1st Quarter / Full Moon **
  • John George Haigh, 24th July 1909 – 1st Quarter
  • Albert DeSalvo, 3rd September 1931 – 3rd Quarter
  • Edmund Kempner, 18th December 1948 – Full Moon
  • Myra Hindley, 23rd July 1942 – 1st Quarter
  • Beverly Allitt, 4th October 1968 – Full Moon
  • Rose West, 29th November 1953 – 3rd Quarter
  • Aileen Wuornos, 29th February 1956 – Full Moon
  • Cynthia Coffman, 19th January 1962 – Full Moon
  • Dorothea Puente, 9th January 1929 – New Moon
  • Faye Copeland, 4th August 1921 – New Moon
  • Janie Lou Gibbs, 25th December 1932 – New Moon
  • Judy Buenoano, 4th April 1943 – New Moon *
  • Kimberly Clark-Saenz, 11th November 1973 – Full Moon
  • Kristen Gilbert, 13th November 1967 – 1st Quarter / Full Moon **
  • Velma Barfield, 29th October 1932 – New Moon * 

And to summarise this: 
  • Five births on the exact day of a Moon phase (*), eight born precisely between two Moon phases (**) and eighteen born on all other days, which - even statistically, based on the number of days in a week - is more likely, so no surprises there.
  • Of those five born on the exact day of a Moon phase; three were born under a New Moon, only one under a Full Moon, one under a 1st Quarter and none under a 3rd Quarter. 
  • Of those born exactly between two Moon phases (**); five were born under a Full Moon, five under a 1st Quarter, two under a New Moon and two under a 3rd Quarter. 
Which - as admitted above - could simply be a statistical anomaly, given such a small sample I'm working with, and yet, if we look at which phases they were born on or near: 
  • Thirteen born on/near a Full Moon
  • Twelve born on/near a New Moon
  • Ten born on/near a 1st Quarter
  • Five born on/near a 3rd Quarter
That's almost three times as many serial killers and murderers born under a Full/New Moon than under a 3rd Quarter (crescent) moon. So, could there be a correlation between the weaker gravity of a crescent moon than the strength of a total moon?

Does this mean that those born on/near a Full/New Moon are three times more likely to be a serial killer of mass murderer? Probably not. But - as before - let's delve in a little deeper into the personality traits of those born under specific moon phases to see whether the moon phase could affect your personality, as kindly purloined from the lunar natal site Cafe Astrology. 
FULL MOON: An idealist who is always searching for belief system they can relate to, has high value of family life, they are thoughtful, emotional and caring yet struggles to fit in, because of thier need for perfection and completion, so often gets bogged down by their desires. Murderers born under a full moon include; Dennis Nilsen, David Berkowitz, Dr Harold Shipman, Joel Rifkin and Beverly Allitt. 
NEW MOON: Intuitive and instinctive, who navigate life without a map or a plan, and yet seem to reach their destination with time to spare, but are often too self-involved to see the dangers and are unwilling to learn when confronted by unsavoury facts or unpleasant truths. Murderers born under a New Moon include: John Wayne Gacy, Peter Sutcluffe, Ted Bundy, Ian Brady, Jeffrey Dahmer and Velma Barfield. 
1ST QUARTER: Trail blazers, able to rise to the occasion, make split second decisions and tear down old structures, but often they get bored too easily and create havoc for the sake of excitement, and yet sometimes this conflict helps balance the status quo. ​Murderers born under a 1st Quarter include: Fred West, Ed Gein, Myra Hindley and John George Haigh "The Acid Bath Murderer". 
3RD QUARTER: Appearing to be in a world of their own and yet they are great at re-evaluating life, thoughts and actions. Although regarded by others as uncooperative and rebellious, they are often very surprising, but easily get disillusioned with the shackles of life. ​Murderers born under a 3rd Quarter include: Albert DeSalvo, Rose West and Jeffrey Dahmer. 
So, are more serial killers and murderers born under a Full Moon? Yes. But almost as many as were born under a New Moon? So what does this mean? Could there a correlation between the strength of the moon during a traumatic event (with our births being just one of many events) which could contribute to the creation of a serial killer? Who knows. 

But this information is not to be taken in isolation - as stated at the start - this is just a small exploratory study to see if the lunar phase could be a contributing factor in the early development of a serial killer, just as their names, jobs, music, foods and favourite drinks could also be? 

​If you "enjoyed" this blog post, take a peek at other intreguing topics such as; Killer Couples Part 1 & Part 2, Life, Death & Whole Life Sentences, Famous British Serial Killers - Where Are They Now? Serial Killers & Murderers Who Were Never Caught, London's Deadliest & Often Forgotten Disasters, KIllers Born During a Full Moon, Killer's Birthdays / Star Signs, Serial Killers Who Were On TV, Celebrities Who Have Killed, London's Railway of Death, Serial Killers as Kids and the World's Weirdest Death Rituals

No plans this weekend? Treat yourself to Murder Mile Walks, rated FIVE STARS by Time Out Magazine
Michael J Buchanan-Dunne is a writer, crime historian and tour-guide who runs Murder Mile Walks, a guided tour of Soho’s most notorious murder cases, hailed as “one of the top ten quirky & unusual things to do in London” and featuring 12 murderers, including 3 serial killers, across 15 locations, totalling 75 deaths, over just a one mile walk.
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    Michael J Buchanan-Dunne is a crime writer, podcaster & tour guide of Murder Mile Walks, hailed as one of the best "quirky curious & unusual things to do in London". 

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