If you love true-crime podcasts, subscribe to the Murder Mile true-crime podcast on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podbean, Pocketcast, Stitcher, Acast, Tune-In, Otto Radio or Libsyn
It is often said that you can tell a lot about a person's personality by their zodiac or star-sign; whether they're mild-mannered, moody or mischievous, happy, half-witted or horny, astrologers believe that everything about us is "in the stars". But is this also true about serial killers? Can the stars predict a madness according due to the month they're born? Are Pisces predatory, Virgos vicious, Geminis less likely to garrote or an Aquarius almost certain to go ape-shit? And more importantly, do you share a star-sign (and personality traits) with a mass murderer? Let's find out.
The following study is taken from a RANDOM SAMPLE of 100 of the world's most infamous serial killers with a few notable exceptions where I was unable to track their exact date of birth (listed in the footnotes**). Therefore not every serial killer nor murderer can be included. This is a part one of a three-part blog on whether the star-sign*, birthday or lunar cycle can predict whether anyone is predisposed to becoming a serial killer. Who knows, it may be you?
Love true-crime podcasts? Try the Murder Mile, featuring 300+ unsolved, untold and long forgotten murders, within 1 square mile. Click PLAY on the media player below to listen to Ep1.
If you love true-crime podcasts, subscribe to the Murder Mile true-crime podcast on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podbean, Pocketcast, Stitcher, Acast, Tune-In, Otto Radio or Libsyn
Which Serial KIller Shares My Zodiac/Star-Sign?
So what does that mean? Are those born under the sign of Gemini, Pisces and Capricorn more likely to be murderers, with those born under Cancer being more placid and less likely to kill, and every other star sign set aside to be... erm... their victims? Let's see. The following attributes of each star-sign was kindly purloined from The Psychic Guild website and Astrology.com. .
ARIES: Strengths; independent, generous, optimistic, enthusiastic and courageous. Weaknesses; moody, short tempered, self-involved, impulsive and impatient. Ruling planet: Mars (God of War), life pursuit: the thrill of the moment, secret desire: to lead the way for others, and serial killers who are an Aries; Henri Desire "The Ladykiller" Landru (who romantically trapped widows and murdered them for their money), John Reginald Christie (the West London strangler, necrophile and murderer who killed under the guise of a kindly neighbourhood abortionist) and Judy Buenoano.
TAURUS: Strengths; dependable, persistent, loyal, patient and generous. Weaknesses; stubborn, laziness, possessive, materialistic and self-indulgent. Symbol: the bull, life pursuit: emotional and financial security, secret desire: to have a secure, happy and wealthy life/marriage, and serial killers who are a Taurus; Albert Fish (the child killer and cannibal), Orville Lynn Majors and Michael “Hungerford Massacre” Ryan
GEMINI: Strengths; energetic, clever, imaginative, witty and adaptable. Weaknesses; superficial, impulsive, restless, devious and indecisive. Life pursuit: to explore a little bit of everything, intense mental energy, secret desire: to be ahead of the crowd, and serial killers who are Gemini; Peter "Yorkshire Ripper" Sutcliffe, Peter "The Vampire of Dusseldorf" Kurten, Anthony "The Camden Ripper" Hardy, David "Son of Sam" Berkowitz, Jeffrey "The Killer Cannibal" Dahmer and Dr Thomas "The Lambeth Poisoner" Neil Cream. And if you're wondering? No, they don't just dole out notorious nicknames to anyone, you have to have... erm... earned it.
Oh, and who else is a Gemini? The 45th President of the USA - Donald J Trump.
CANCER: Strengths; loyalty, dependable, caring, adaptable and responsive. Weaknesses; moody, clingy, self-pitying, oversensitive and self-absorbed. Life pursuit: constant reassurance and intimacy, secret desire: to feel safe (emotionally, spiritually and financially). That's an interesting series of personality traits given that there are ONLY TWO SERIAL KILLERS (in the list above) were born under the sign of CANCER. Hmm.
LEO: Strengths; confident, ambitious, generous, loyal and encouraging. Weaknesses; pretentious, domineering, melodramatic, stubborn and vain. Symbol: the lion, life pursuit: to lead the way, secret desire: to be a star, and serial killers who are a Leo; John George "The Acid Bath Murderer" Haigh, Myra "Moors Murderer" Hindley and Faye Copeland (aged 69, with her husband Ray aged 78, they were the oldest couple ever sentenced to death for murder in the USA).
VIRGO: Strengths; analytical, observant, helpful, reliable and precise. Weakness; sceptical, fussy, inflexible, cold and interfering. Symbol: the virgin, life pursuit: to do the right thing, secret desire: to love and be loved in return, and serial killers who were Virgo; Dr H H Crippin (supposedly killed his wife to marry his mistress), Albert "The Boston Strangler" DeSalvo and Ed Gein (the inspiration for Norman Bates in Psycho who slept with his dead mother's corpse, fashioned himself a "woman suit" made from the skins of his victims, as well as wearing belts made from their nipples, making lampshades from their faces and eating out of bowls made from their skulls).
LIBRA: Strengths; diplomatic, graceful, peaceful, idealistic and hospitable. Weaknesses; superficial, vain, indecisive and unreliable. Life pursuit: to be consistent, often unsteady, secret desire: to live an easy, uncomplicated life, and serial killers who are Libra; Fred West (part of the notorious killer couple Fred & Rose West), Derrick "The Cumbria Killer" Bird and Beverly "The Angel of Death" Allitt (a paediatric nurse who'd attempt to murder 13 sick children under her care in just two months).
SCORPIO: Strengths; loyal, passionate, resourceful, observant and dynamic. Weaknesses: jealous, obsessive, suspicious, manipulative and unyielding. Symbol: the Scorpion, life pursuit: to survive against all opposition, resilient, secret desire: to triumph, and serial killers who are Scorpio; Kimberly Clark-Saenz, Kristen Gilbert and Velma Barfield - all of whom were nurses who killed their patients.
SAGITTARIUS: Strengths; independence. Weaknesses; unemotional (oddly there were only two personality traits listed for Sagittarius, it's almost as if they're robots or inhuman)? Life pursuit: to live the good life, overly expressive with frequent burnouts, secret desire: to make a difference in the world, and serial killers who are Sagittarius; Dennis Nilsen (murdered 15 men, attempted to murder 9 others), Ted Bundy (killer of 30+ victims and necrophile), Edmund "The Co-Ed Killer" Kemper and Rosemary West. (Learn more about the life of Dennis Nilsen on a Murder Mile Walks tour).
CAPRICORN: Strengths; responsible, patient, ambitious, resourceful and loyal. Weaknesses; dictatorial, inhibited, conceited, distrusting and unimaginative. Life pursuit: to be proud of their achievements, powerful resilient energy, secret desire: to be admired by their family and friends and the world at large, and serial killers who were Capricorn; "Moors Murderer" Ian Brady, "Doctor Death" Harold Shipman (283 known victims, estimated to be 400+), Cynthia Coffman (lured four women to their deaths at the hands of her brutal husband), Dorothea "The Death House Landlady" Puente and Janie Lou Gibbs, who murdered her three sons, grandson and husband with rat poison.
AQUARIUS: Strengths; witty, clever, humanitarian, inventive and original. Weaknesses; stubborn, unemotional, sarcastic, rebellious and aloof. Life pursuit: to understand life's mysteries, secret desire: to be unique and original, and serial killers who are Aquarius; Joel Rifkin. That's it. And for those of you who don't know, I am an Aquarius, and as much as I don't believe in Astrology, that's a pretty accurate assessment of me. Eek!
PISCES: Strengths; compassionate, adaptable, accepting, devoted and imaginative. Weaknesses; oversensitive, indecisive, self-pitying, lazy and escapist. Life pursuit: to avoid feeling alone and instead feel connected to others and the world at large, erratic energy levels, secret desire: to live their dreams and turn fantasies into realities, and serial killers who are Pisces; John Wayne "The Killer Clown" Gacy (sadist, serial killer and children's entertainer), Richard "The Night Stalker" Ramirez, Colin "The Gay Slayer" Ireland (who pretended to be gay to lure homosexual men to their deaths) and Aileen Wuornos (prostitute, who murdered her punters, claiming self-defence in all cases).
Whether you believe in Astrology or not, I think it's safe to say, by the personality traits alone, steer clear of anyone who is a Gemini, Pisces and Capricorn, and anyone else in between, except Cancer and Aquarius. Join me for next week's blog which asks: "could you be a serial killer because of the day you were born?"
If you "enjoyed" this blog post, why not take a peek at; Serial Killers as Siblings, Serial Killer's Nicknames, Serial Killers Who Were Never Caught, London's Deadliest & Often Forgotten Disasters, Are More Serial 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.
* Obviously anything to do with Astrology is slightly cocked up, given that the exact dates in which your star-sign sits changes according to the celestial cycle, as explained by New Scientist
** Those I couldn't find the exact birth dates of were Linda Hazzard 1867, Catherine Flannagan, “Black Widows of Liverpool” 1829, Margaret Higgins “Black Widows of Liverpool” 1829, Mary Elizabeth Wilson 1893, Rhonda Belle Martin 1907, Tillie Klimek 1876, Jane Toppan 1857, Amy Archer-Gilligan 1868, Amelia Dyer 1837, Gordon Frederick Cummins 1913/14, William Burke “The body snatchers” 1792, William Hare “The body snatchers” 1792, and Michael Lupo 1953. Oddly, excluding those born overseas, the majority were working-class females.
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, 3 serial killers, across 15 locations, totalling 75 deaths, over just a one mile walk.
12 Comments
If you love true-crime podcasts, check out the Murder Mile true-crime podcast on iTunes, Soundcloud, Podbean, Pocketcast, Stitcher, Acast, Tune-In, Otto Radio or Libsyn
To paraphrase Andy Warhol "everyone will get their fifteen minutes of fame", and in today's media saturated society the easiest way to do that is by appearing on television, whether as a game-show contestant, a vox-pops soundbite on the News or as a brainless monkey in a reality TV series. Unfortunately some people get two big bites of the fame cherry, firstly as a blink-and-you'll-miss-me nobody hoping to cash in any ounce of self respect for £250 and a cuddly toy, and secondly, as a serial killer. What follows is footage of infamous serial killers - before they were famous - who appeared, just like a regular Joe Public, on our nations favourite TV shows, such as BBC's Masterchef, ITV's Bullseye, Panorama, the news and even American's own matchmaker show - The Dating Game.
John William Cooper - "The Bullseye Killer": Having burned alive siblings Richard & Helen Thomas at their Scoveston Park farmhouse on 22nd December 1985 in a bungled burglary, John William Cooper would later go on to tie-up, rob and brutally murder holiday-makers Peter & Gwenda Dixon by shooting them, in the face, at point blank range, with a shotgun, on the 29th June 1989. Barely one month before this horrific double-killing, he appeared on the ITV game-show Bullseye. Footage of his TV appearance is seen here.
Stephen Port: Between June 2014 and Sept 2015, chef Stephen Port "allegedly" (as the case is ongoing) drugged his male victims with lethal quantities of GHB, raped and dumped their bodies. He is currently on trial at The Old Bailey for the murders of Anthony Patrick Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylor. During the same month that his first victim was discovered, Stephen Port appeared on BBC TV's Masterchef, where he helped JLS singer JB Gill and actress Emma Barton (Honey Mitchell in EastEnders)* make meatballs. The footage has been removed from youtube, but stills can be seen here.
Rodney Alcala: Dubbed "The Dating Game Killer", Rodney Alcala is a convicted serial killer, kidnapper and rapist who is currently awaiting execution on Death Row (San Quentin, California) for the rape and murder of 7 women, although it has been speculated that he may have murdered as many as 50 women. Therefore it's shocking to see that in 1978 - in the midst of his killing spree, having already been convicted of rape and registered as a sex offender - Rodney Alcala appeared as a contestant on the US TV show The Dating Game (like Blind Date). Even more shockingly he won the episode and his prize was to go on a date with contestant Cheryl Bradshaw, but - lucky for her - she refused to go on a date with him as she found him "too creepy". See the actual The Dating Game footage here.
Ian Huntley - "The Soham Murderer": In the following two weeks after the disappearance of schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman on 4th August 2002, Ian Kevin Huntley, a 29 year old caretaker of Soham Village College appeared on Sky News and Look East, expressing shock and concern at their vanishing. And yet, appearing to proactively assist the Police with their search, he had in-fact murdered the two friends in his home, barely yards from where he was filmed - as seen here. Their bodies were found on 17th August 2002, he'd dumped them in a ditch near a perimeter fence at RAF Lakenheath (Suffolk). Huntley was sentenced to two life terms, with a minimum sentence of 40 years in prison. See the footage here.
Of course, these aren't the only "killers" who have appeared on TV. There are loads of famous people (many still working in film & TV today) who have either murdered, killed, or caused the death of someone, as seen in my blog - Famous Celebrities Who Have Killed.
* don't worry, I haven't heard of JB GIll or Emma Barton either.
Michael J Buchanan-Dunne is a writer, podcaster, 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 18 murderers, 3 serial killers, across 21 locations, totalling 75 deaths, over just a one mile walk.
If you love true-crime podcasts, subscribe to the Murder Mile true-crime podcast on iTunes, Soundcloud, Podbean, Pocketcast, Stitcher, Acast, Tune-In, Otto Radio or Libsyn
What are the last words, at the very moment of the execution, of some of the world's most notorious serial killers and murderers? And why is what they've said, so important? Well, most of us will never be given the opportunity to plan, write and rehearse our final words, at best we'll be able to mutter "ouch", "f**k" or "what bus?", so reading the final words of a person whose final moment is fast approaching, gives you a startling insight into their lives, loves, fears and regrets. I've chosen fifty for your absorbing; some are silly, some are sad, some are alluringly profound, but all are the actual final words of a murderer or serial killer.
If you'd like to read up further articles such as unusual last meal requests on Death Row, the most likely day job for a serial killer, most likely name for a mass murderer, or even what is a serial killer's favourite drink, as well as a wealth of others? Click on the links marked in red.
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 18 murderers, 3 serial killers, across 21 locations, totalling 75 deaths, over just a one mile walk.
 Serial killers (by county of birth):
#1: LONDON (7) Seven of the fifty-four serial killers were born in London, they are Levi “Bus Stop Stalker” Belfield (born in Isleworth), Peter Bryan (East London), Kenneth “Stockwell Strangler” Erskine (Hammersmith), Robert “Green Chain Rapist” Napper (Erith), George “Brides in the Bath” Joseph Smith (Bethnal Green), Margaret “Baby Farmer” Waters (Brixton), and Graham “The Teacup Poisoner” Young (who born in Neasden). #2 - YORKSHIRE (6) Six of the fifty-four serial killers were born in Yorkshire, including John Reginald Christie (Northowram), Stephen “The Crossbow Cannibal” Griffiths (Dewsbury), Trevor “The Beast of Manchester” Hardy (Rotherham), Gordon Frederick "The Blackout Ripper" Cummins (York), Donald “Black Panther” Neilson (Bradford) and Peter “Yorkshire Ripper” Sutcliffe (Bingley). #3 - LANARKSHIRE (4) Four of the fifty-four were born in Lanarkshire, including Ian “Moors Murderer” Brady (Glasgow), Thomas “The Lambeth Poisoner” Neil Cream (Glasgow), Colin Norris (Glasgow), and Archibald “Monster Butler” Hall (Glasgow). #4 - LANCASHIRE (3) Three of the fifty-four were from Lancashire, including Myra “Moors Murderer” Hindley (Crumpsall), Mary Ann Britland (Bolton) and Dale Cregan (Tameside). #5 - LINCOLNSHIRE (2) And two of the fifty-four were from Lincolnshire, including Beverley “Angel of Death” Allitt in Grantham and John “Acid Bath Murderer” Haigh in Stamford. Others include; County Durham (2), Mary Ann Cotton in Low Moorsley and Steven “The Sunderland Strangler” Grieveson. Staffordshire (2); Anthony “Camden Ripper” Hardy in Burton-upon-Trent and Raymond “A34 Killer” Morris in Walsall. Kent (2(; Colin “The Gay Slayer” Ireland and Patrick Mackay both in Dartford. Leicestershire, (1); Frederick Bailey Deeming in Ashby-de-la-zouch. Cambridgeshire; Joanna “The Ditch Murderer” Dennehy in Peterborough. Gloucestershire; Amelia Dyer in Pyle Marsh. Shropshire; Robin Ligus in Shrewsbury). Merseyside; Robert “Hannibal the Cannibal” Maudeley in Toxdeth. Aberdeenshire; Dennis Nilsen in Fraserburgh, Nottinghamshire; Harold “Dr Death” Shipman in Bestwood, Hampshire; John Straffen at Borden Camp. Herefordshire; Fred West in Much Markle. Devon; Rosemary West in Northam. Norfolk; Steve “The Suffolk Strangler” Strangler in Erpingham. Sterlingshire; Robert Black at Grangemouth. Renfrewshire; Peter Tobin in Johnston, and Pembrokeshire; John “The Wildman” Cooper in Milford Haven. Hmm, the rule of thumb seems to be to avoid any counties beginning with "L". Serial killers (by county they killed in): #1 - LONDON (17) Levi “Bus Stop Stalker” Belfield (West Drayton), Peter Bryan (East London), John Reginald Christie (Notting Hill), Thomas “The Lambeth Poisoner” Neil Cream (Lambeth), John Duffy & David Mulcahy – “The Railway Killers”, Amelia Dyer (Willsden), Kenneth “Stockwell Strangler” Erskine (Wandsworth), John “Acid Bath Murderer” Haigh (Kensington), Anthony “Camden Ripper” Hardy (Camden), Colin “The Gay Slayer” Ireland (Soho, Earls Court), Michael “Wolf Man” Lupo (West London), Robert “Hannibal the Cannibal” Maudeley (Hamsptead), Robert “Green Chain Rapist” Napper (Wimbledom & Plumstead), Dennis Nilsen (Muswell Hill & Willsden), George “Brides in the Bath” Joseph Smith (Highgate), Margaret “Baby Farmer” Waters (Brixton) and Gordon Frederick "The Blackout Ripper" Cummins (Soho/Paddington). #2 - LANCASHIRE (9) Stephen “cul-de-sac killer” Akinmurele (Manchester), Ian “Moors Murderer” Brady (Gorton), Myra “Moors Murderer” Hindley (Gorton), Mary Ann Britland (Ashton-under-lyme), Robert George Clements (Preston), Dale Cregan (Clayton), Trevor “The Beast of Manchester” Hardy (Manchester), Donald “Black Panther” Neilson (Baxenden), George “Brides in the Bath” Joseph Smith (Blackpool). #3 - YORKSHIRE (6) Stephen “The Crossbow Cannibal” Griffiths (Bradford), Donald “Black Panther” Neilson (Harrogate), Colin Norris (Leeds), Harold “Dr Death” Shipman (Todmorden), Peter “Yorkshire Ripper” Sutcliffe (Leeds & Bradford) and Robert Black (Hillsborough). #4 - MERSEYSIDE (4) Robert George Clements (Southport), Frederick Bailey Deeming (Rainhill), Catherine “The Black Widow” Flannigan (Liverpool) and Margaret “The Black Widow” Higgins (Liverpool). #5 - EDINBURGH CITY (4) Robert Black (Leith), William “Body Snatcher” Burke (Edinburgh), William “Body Snatcher” Hare (Edinburgh) and Angus “World’s End Murderer” Sinclair (Edinburgh). Others include: Lanarkshire (3); Archibald “Monster Butler” Hall (Glasgow), Peter Manuel (East Kilbride, Burnside, Mouth Vernon and Uddingston) and Peter Tobin (Glasgow). Herfordshire (3); John Duffy & David Mulcahy “The Railway Killers” and Graham “The Teacup Poisoner” Young (Bovington). Gloucestershire (3); Amelia Dyer (Cheltenham), Fred West (Gloucester) and Rosemary West (Gloucester). Kent (3); Patrick Mackay (Gravesend), George “Brides in the Bath” Joseph Smith (Gravesend) and Peter Tobin (Margate). County Durham (2); Mary Ann Cotton (Sunderland) and Steven “The Sunderland Strangler” Grieveson. Sussex (2); George Chapman and John “Acid Bath Murderer” Haigh (Crawley). Shropshire (2); Robin Ligus and Donald “Black Panther” Neilson (Highley). Cambridgeshire; Joanna “The Ditch Murderer” (Peterborough). Lincolnshire; Beverley “Angel of Death” Allitt (Grantham). Berkshire; Amelia Dyer (Reading). Birmingham; Donald “Black Panther” Neilson (Langley Green). Staffordshire; Raymond “A34 Killer” Morris (Cannock). Cheshire; Harold “Dr Death” Shipman (Hyde). Dorset; George “Brides in the Bath” Joseph Smith (Weymouth). Somerset; John Straffen (Bath). Norfolk; Steve “The Suffolk Strangler” Wright (Ipswich). Northumberland; Robert Black (Cornhill-on-Tweed). Dumfriesshire; Archibald “Monster Butler” Hall (Middiebie). Invernesshire; Archibald “Monster Butler” Hall (Tomich). Pershire; Archibald “Monster Butler” Hall (Braco) and Hampshire; Peter Tobin (Havant & Reigate). If you'd love to know more about London's most notorious serial killers and murderers, come on a Murder Mile Walks, by simply clicking "Buy Tickets" on the tab above. 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 18 murderers, 3 serial killers, across 21 locations, totalling 75 deaths, over just a one mile walk.
What is a serial killer;s favourite drink? You might think blood? Well you would be wrong... probably. Serial killers have incredibly similar tastes to me, to you, to everyone, they are (deep down) just "normal people" (sort of), so whether you're sat in a pub supping a pint, standing in a queue in the off-licence with a bottle of Chianti, or heading out for a boozy session, you have to ask yourself, "what is a serial killer's favourite drink?" and do I share a preferred tipple with a mass murder. Murder Mile blog investigates...
Dennis Nilsen – Rum & Coke: Widely dubbed Britain’s most notorious serial killer, Nilsen would lure homeless men into his Muswell Hill lair with the promise of a meal, a place to sleep, companionship and a little libation – Nilsen’s favourite being Captain Morgan’s Black Label rum mixed with a full-fat Coke, ice but no slice. Seasonally, Nilsen was famous for his mulled wine, which - those who’ve been on my tour can testify – he boiled himself, but probably never drank.
John Wayne Gacy – J&B Scotch: “The Killer Clown” would often drink himself into such an alcoholic stupor that – after a whole bottle of Justerini & Brooks (J&B) whiskey - he’d blackout, and would later claim not to remember any of his actions, during the 36 rapes and murders of young men he would go on to commit. Psychiatrists have questioned whether his need to “blackout” helped justify his homosexual fantasies, given that he was in fact a heterosexual.
Ian Brady & Myra Hindley – White Wine: Without doubt the most vile couple in Britain, but had we known how their thirsts were quenched, we’d probably have hated them more, as “The Moors Murderers” liked white wine; a cheap German Hock known as ‘Blue Nun’. Brady was also partial to brewing his own brand of beverage in a drum, full of vegetable scraps, wine dregs, sugar and alcohol).
Jeffrey Dahmer - Rum & Coke and Beer: “The Killer Cannibal” was a notoriously heavy drinker who’d lace the drinks of his victims with sleeping pills, before strangling and dismembering them. Dahmer would start the night on beer – Miller or Pabst – before moving onto blended scotch whiskey, or any brand of Jamaican rum, both with coke (any brand).
Dr Harold Shipman – Gin & Tonic: Dubbed “Dr Death”, the infamous Hyde GP, who was found guilty of murdering fifteen patients before his suicide (later confirmed as 218 victims… and still counting), he liked to relax after a hard day at work with a Gordon’s gin, with Indian tonic, ice and a slice.
Theodore “Ted” Bundy – Malt Liquor: Often being introverted, shy and retiring, many serial killers drink to dampen down their inhibitions before conducting any act which persons of sound mind would consider heinous. Bundy’s drink of choice was Mickey’s Big Mouth Malt Liquor… although, with a meal, he would be partial to a nice glass of red wine.
John George Haigh – Sherry: Although ‘The Acid Bath Murderer’ often claimed he drank a cup of blood from each of his victims – Haigh was a notorious fantasist and consummate liar – but would always partake of a glass or two of wine with dinner (red with meat, white with fish) as well as a sherry beforehand. But he would never, ever drink beer. He considered it “vulgar”, said the man who dissolved a woman in a vat of sulphuric acid, and then bragged about it.
Peter Sutcliffe – Beer with Whiskey Chasers: “The Yorkshire Ripper” had simple tastes, often never sticking to one brand, but instead opting for whatever was cheapest or - as a lorry driver – limited to whatever was in tonight’s pub of choice, whether Skol, Carling Black Label, Harp, Hofmeister or McEwans, with a neat shot of Famous Grouse, or… gulp… a rum and coke. Currently as an inmate in Broadmoor prison, his favourite tipple is Diet Coke.
Anthony Hardy – Rum & Coke: Not wishing to cast aspersions now, but like many serial killers listed above, Anthony “The Camden Ripper” Hardy was prone to drinking rum and coke (no preferred brands, but in lethally high quantities, so he often pick the supermarket’s cheapest) as well as whiskey and coke.
Aileen Wuornos – Black Coffee & Miller Beer: The Florida prostitute and serial killer, who claimed that all of her seven victims were punters, and each murder was in self-defence, loved nothing more than a black coffee throughout the day and a few Miller beers at night. Wuornos loved black coffee so much, that was all she had as her final mean on death row. Read more about the last meals of Death Row inmates.
Edmund Kemper – Tequila: Dubbed ‘The Co-ed Killer’, Edmund Kempner (serial killer, necrophile and cannibal) would often knock back shots of Tequila or Mezcal in a bar called The Jury Room with some of his friends from the Santa Cruz police department. Unlike the serial killers above, Edmund drank the tequila neat, never with a mixer such as Coke, and often in high quantities with little effect. Kempner had an IQ of 145. Read about more serial killers with abnormally high IQs here.
Dr Thomas Neil Cream – Guinness: Known as “The Lambeth Poisoner”, Dr Thomas Neil Cream, a man of ample means and supposed respectability would lure prostitutes into his home with the promise of money, warmth, a “good time” and – they would hope – a drink which reflected his refinement, whether white wine, champagne or a sherry? But no. The appropriately named Cream treated them to a frothy white-headed bottle of Guinness… laced with Strychnine.
Obviously, this article is entirely non-scientific but, if you know anyone who’s partial to a rum & coke? Run! And if - having read this - you're worried that (given your preferred tipple) that you might be a serial killer in the making, feel free to check your name, job title, IQ, music tastes and diet against other mass murderers. Oh, and if any drinks companies would like to hire me to work on their next advertising campaign, call me.
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 18 murderers, 3 serial killers, across 21 locations, totalling 75 deaths, over just a one mile walk.
If you love true-crime podcasts, subscribe to the Murder Mile true-crime podcast on iTunes, Soundcloud, Podbean, Pocketcast, Stitcher, Acast, Tune-In, Otto Radio or Libsyn
Nutraload - a standard prison meal for veggies
It is said that every condemned person deserves a last meal when they are on Death Row, ready to walk the last mile. But, if your next meal was to be your last, what would you eat? Maybe you'd go all posh and ask for caviar, champagne and a fine cigar? Perhaps you'd push the chef to his/her limits and opt for a odd little din-dins like a deep-fried panda snout? Oddly, when given the choice, most death row inmates don't.
With the vast majority of Death Row inmates coming from impoverished families, they are more likely to ask for comfort food, a simple home-cooked request which brings back fond memories from their childhood, of a time when life was good and memories were fond. They include:
#1 - Aileen Wuornos - prostitute and serial killer of seven men in "self defence", executed in 2001, and her last request was "a simple cup of black coffee". #2 - Allen Lee Davis - robbery and three counts of murder, executed in 1999, ask for "lobster tail, fried potatoes, 1/2lb of shrimp, 6oz fried clams, 1/2 loaf of garlic bread and 1ltr of root beer". #3 - Angel Nieves Diaz - murder, kidnapping and armed robbery, executed in 2006, declined a last meal, was served a standard prison meal, but declined that too. #4 - Gerald Lee Mitchell - robbery, drug-dealing and murder, executed in 2001, his last meal was a bag of Jolly Rancher (hard, fruit-flavoured, boiled sweets). #5 - John Wayne Gacy - serial murderer and killer clown, executed 1994, ordered "12 deep-fried shrimp, a big bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken's original recipe chicken (he used to run a KFC), with French fries and a pound of strawberries". #6 - Karla Faye Tucker - double murder, executed in 1998, asked for "a garden salad with Ranch style dressing, a banana and a peach". #7 - Mark Dean Schwab - kidnapping, sexual assault and murder, executed in 2008, had a plate of "bacon, sausage, fried eggs, hash browns, with buttered toast and chocolate milk". #8 - Ricky Ray Rector - double murder, executed in 1992, asked for "steak, fried chicken, a cherry Kool-Aid and a pecan pie" but he did not eat the pie as he was "saving it for later". #9 - Ronnie Threadgill - murder, executed in 2013, requested "baked chicken, mashed potato, country gravy, vegetables, sweet peas, bread, tea, water and punch". But because Texas abolished Death Row inmates getting a choice of last meal in 2011, he was given the same meal as every other inmates. (Why was this abolished? Find out at the end) #10 - Stephen Anderson - burglary, assault, prison escape and 7 counts of murder, ate "2 grilled cheese sandwiches, 1 pint of cottage cheese, pecan pie, chocolate chip ice cream and radishes" #11 - Ted Bundy - serial-killer, executed in 1989, declined a final meal so was given a standard final meal of medium rare steak, over-easy eggs, hash browns, toast, milk, coffee, juice and a bowl of jelly, none of which he ate. #12 - Teresa Lewis - double murder and conspiracy, executed in 2010, ate "two fried chicken breasts, buttered beans, chocolate cake and a can of Dr Pepper" (because as the slogan says "what's the worst that can happen?") #13 - Timothy McVeigh - "The Oklahoma Bomber", executed in 2001, asked and ate "two tubs of chocolate & mint ice-cream" #14 - Velma Barfield - murder, died in 1984, her last meal was "a bag of Cheez Doodles and a can of Coca-Cola". #15 - Victor Feguer - kidnapping and murder, executed in 1963, as his final meal he asked for "a single olive with the pit still in it". #16 - Gary Heinik - double murder, executed in 1999, his last meal was "two slices of cheese pizza, and two cups of coffee" for himself. #17 - Ronnie Lee Gardner - two counts of murder, executed by firing squad in 2010 (yes, 2010), asked for "a lobster tail, a steak, and an apple pie with vanilla ice cream, to be eaten while watching The Lord of The Rings trilogy". Other, slightly unusual "last meal" requests include:
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
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, 3 serial killers, across 15 locations, totalling 75 deaths, over just a one mile walk.
If you love true-crime podcasts, subscribe to the Murder Mile true-crime podcast on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podbean, Pocketcast, Stitcher, Acast, Tune-In, Otto Radio or Libsyn
Murder is a truly abhorrent act; so unforgivable, so shocking and so primal in its execution, that surely any civilised, modern and/or educated person in our enlightened world - where knowledge is power, information is key and our glorious grey matter is held as highly as gold - must see murder as an act committed solely by those with an abnormally low IQ? Surely all killers are a bit thick? Aren't all murderers missing a few vital cogs? And doesn't every serial killer put a big 'X' in crayon where there name should be? Well, no.
According to a study into the IQ levels of 4086 of the world's most prolific serial killers by Radford University - a PDF of the study is attached here - there is a very definite correlation between a serial killer's IQ level and the method they use to kill.
Before we start, let's put IQ levels into context. According to IQ Research, the average IQ of a British person is 100, an American is 98, with a score from 90 to 105 considered "average intelligence". And yet, the average IQ of a serial killer was 94.7 - a surprisingly average score. Which is not to say that all of them were stupid. Yes, many had subnormal IQ's, most had average IQ's, but quite a few were blessed with impressively high IQ's. But that begs the question, why did they end up a serial killers?
As always, this is not a comprehensive or complete list, and will be updated as and when new data comes to light, if you have any new info, share it via my Twitter account @mmiletours. Mx
Like true-crime podcasts? Check out Ep1 of the Murder Mile, featuring 300+ untold, unsolved and long-forgotten murders, all within one square mile. Click PLAY on the media player below.
Serial Killers & Murderers with the Highest IQs
Leopold & Loeb; two privileged University students attempted to pull off the "perfect murder" as a demonstration of their supposed intellectual superiority by kidnapping and murdering 14-year-old Robert Franks in Chicago in May 1924 and get away with it. The Leopold & Lobe story was fictionalised in the 1948 film Rope directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
Ted Kaczynski dubbed the “Uni' Bomber” entered the prestigious Harvard University at just 16 years old, graduated at 20, with a PHD in Mathematics and was the University of Berkley’s youngest professor. Ted Bundy graduated with a BA in Psychology and expertly defended himself in court, having taught himself law. And Nathan Leopold & Richard Lobe, who kidnapped and murdered teenager Robert “Bobby” Franks in 1924, believing they were “Nietzschean supermen” whose vast intellects entitled them to ‘kill for the thrill’ and evade capture", had IQ's of 169 (Richard Lobe) and 210 (Nathan Leopold)*... and yes, they were caught, unsurprisingly they were outwitted by their own arrogance.
Other serial killer IQ's include: Ted Bundy (136), Joel Rifkin (129), Raymond Morris (120), John Wayne Gacy (118), David Berkowitz (118), John Reginald Christie (128), Ed Gein (106), David Copeland (126), Kenneth Bianchi “Hillside Strangler” (116), Gary Heidnek (148), David Carpenter “The Trailside Killers” (125), Carroll Edward Cole (152), Juan Corona “The Machete Murderer” (130), Michael Gary Hilton (120), Patrick McCullough (120), Derek Ernest Percy (122), Lesley Eugene Warren “Babyfaced Killer” (115), Arthur Shawcross (86/105/107 tested 3 times) and Warren James Bland (107). An IQ of roughly 98-100 is considered normal, so the following fall below that; Richard Chase “Vampire of Sacremento” (95), Robert “Willie” Pickton (86), Jessie James Cummins (81), Gary Ridgeway “Greenriver Killer” (81), Daniel Blank (85), Tommy Lynn Sells “Coast to Coast Killer” (80), Henry Lee Lucas (76-89), Glen Edward Rogers “The Casanova Killer” (76), William K Sapp “The Dreaming Demon” (73), Alton Coleman (72) and John Straffen (tested twice, IQ of 58 and 64). It’s worth noting that an IQ of 70 is classified as retarded. Thanks to University of Radford for the additional information. Although not a serial killer, Derek Bentley - who was infamously tried, executed and posthumously pardoned for the murder of British Policeman Sidney Miles in 1952, a crime which brought about the abolition of capital punishment in the UK - had an IQ of just 66. And - although technically a spree-killer - Martyn Bryant who mass-murderer who killed 35 people in the Port Arthur massacre in 1996 - also had an IQ of just 66.
But what difference should a serial killer's IQ make? Surely killing is killing? Well, not quite. According to Radford University's study into 4086 serial killers across the world, the level of IQ a serial killer has, often defines what method is killing they are likely to prefer. What follows is a list of preferred methods of killing, by serial killers, how many and their average IQ.
And yet, as seen in the Broad Motives of Serial Killers chart, 48% murder for enjoyment, which accounts for the bulk of those with high IQ's, where as the other 52% - with average or below average IQ's - kill for personal needs.
If you'd like to learn more about the IQ of serial killers, read more at Business Insider, or download Radford University's comprehensive study here, as it goes into great detail into serial killers as defined by - not just IQ - but also by age, geography, wealth, ethnicity, era, how many were in military service (a topic Murder Mile touched on here).
And in case you're wondering, how safe am I, in my own country, with all these serial killers running around - regardless of how smart or dumb they might be? Well, you'll be fine, just as long as you live in Norway, Sweden or Denmark (see Serial Killers by Country chart), they're not even listed. Where-as the United States? You must be bricking it.
If you "enjoyed" this blog post, why not take a peek at; Serial Killers as Siblings, Serial Killer's Nicknames, Serial Killers Who Were Never Caught, London's Deadliest & Often Forgotten Disasters, Are More Serial 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.
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, 3 serial killers, across 15 locations, totalling 75 deaths, over just a one mile walk.
  Whether you are a die-hard vegan, a flaky vegetarian, a raw veg' muncher, an ardent lentil-nibbler, a committed carnivore or an "only on special occasions" cannibal, we all have dietary quirks and foodie foibles which - we hope - will make our lives longer, our bodies better, our souls sweeter and our brains... well... not as bunged-up, bungling and bumbling as it normally is. But, how does your daily dietary requirements compare with some of the world's most powerful people? Murder Mile blog investigates the extremely odd diets of everyone from captains of industry, to sadistic serial-killers, to the world's most dangerous and deranged despots. Adolf Hitler: Having always suffered from chronic flatulence, Adolf Hitler - an evangelical vegetarian - believed that a meat-free diet could cure this, along with numerous herbal remedies, which his famously quack-ish doctor Theodore Morrell tried to cure using extract of Bulgarian peasants' faeces. Being notoriously paranoid, Hitler had a fifteen strong team of female food tasters on hand at all times, who - only after they had survived a full 45 minutes after tasting his meal - would he allow any food to be served. Idi Amin: Uganda's infamous dictator adored a simple goat stew, but his life was shrouded in a cloud of cannibalism after he was quoted saying “I don’t like human flesh… it’s too salty”, and cited by the cook of Jean Bedel Bokassa (Central African Republic) who prepared a human cadaver which was reputedly stuffed with rice and flambeed in gin. But then Idi Amin was an odd man, it is reported that he was so obsessed with HRH The Queen that he once sent her a letter asking for a pair of her knickers. Nicolae Ceausescu: Whilst being hosted by other leaders, the Romanian Communist party boss insisted he would only drink raw vegetable juice through a straw and avoided all solids, but whilst relaxing at home he loved nothing more than a simple chicken stew, made with breast, beak, feet, the whole lot. Like Hitler, Ceausescu was notoriously paranoid and travelled with a chemist and a fully functioning food testing laboratory. Benito Mussolini: Coming from peasant stock (as many dictators did), Mussolini loved nothing more than a big bowl of raw chopped garlic. So much so that his wife couldn’t sleep next to him after he’d eaten his favourite dish as the aroma was simply too overpowering. During WW2, a Nazi doctor examined Mussolini a declared that he was "dangerously constipated", meaning his stools were as likely to move forward as his tanks. Muammar Gaddafi: A big fan of couscous and camel meat, Gaddafi was famously flatulent, as recounted in BBC journalist John Simpson's book - 'A Mad World: My Masters' - "I listened (to the recording of the interview). There was absolutely no doubt about it. The personal microphone which Bob had pinned on [Gaddafi] had picked it up very clearly. The wind passage lasted for about ten minutes of our half-hour interview. [Gaddafi] would rise up a little in his seat, the thunder would roll for fifteen or twenty seconds at a time, and then he would sink back into his seat with a pleased expression on his face". Of course, if you're looking for a list of dictator's foodie favourites, including gastronomic gems such as that Saddam Hussein loved Raisin Bran and Mars Bars, and how Stalin was particular about the ripeness of bananas, click on this link. But how different were these dictators to the world's most notorious serial killers, and especially to the cannibals - such as Jeffrey Dahmer - who dined on their victims? Were they ALL meat eaters? Well, as suspected most were meat eaters, but not to an extreme. Only Ted Bundy during his last few years in prison became a vegetarian (after his conversion to Hinduism), and often their eating habits were not listed. Although we do get a fascinating insight into the dietary desires of mass murders, by looking at the final death row meals they requested, courtesy of Henry Hargreaves. But what if you're not a murderous dictator, or a sadistic serial killer, do you dine on a ominously ordinary dinner just like a regular Joe Blow, or are you as equally messed-up when you masticate a midnight feast of fois-gras and fish fingers on chocolate wafers? Well let's find out. Mark Zuckerberg: CEO & Co-Founder of Facebook said in 2011 “this year I've basically become a vegetarian since the only meat I'm eating is from animals I've killed myself. So far, this has been a good experience. I'm eating a lot healthier foods and I've learned a lot about sustainable farming and raising of animals”. His diet regime lasted just one year. Steve Jobs: Ironically - the man behind Apple - would famously eat just one single type of food (whether carrots or apples) for weeks on end, as he believed that his very restrictive vegan diet made sure his body was odour-free so he only had to bathe once a week. Henry Ford: The automotive tycoon and mass-production pioneer saw his body just like a car's engine which needed fuel, so - never shopping in a grocery store - Ford instead ate the weeds straight from his garden, many of which ended up in sandwiches. Yum. Charles Darwin: Explorer & originator of the theory of Evolution was so fascinated by every animal he discovered that he wanted to know what they all tasted like, and ate almost every type, including iguanas, armadillos, owls, rheas and (the almost extinct) giant tortoise. He was patron of the infamous Gourmet Club at Cambridge whose members attempt to eat as many rare animals as possible. And - with it being Wimbledon at the time of writing this - here's one for you tennis fans. Although tennis ace Novak Djokovic dines solely on gluten-free products, and avoids caffeine, dairy and any refined sugars, he diet does stretch to the truly odd. In 2011, having beaten Rafael Nadal, he dropped to his knees and began munching on the grass of the Centre Court lawn, later commenting that it was "well kept" and that "I wanted to see how it tastes. It tastes good". Hmm. Weirdo. 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 18 murderers, 3 serial killers, across 21 locations, totalling 75 deaths, over just a one mile walk.
If you love true-crime podcasts, subscribe to the Murder Mile true-crime podcast on iTunes, Soundcloud, Podbean, Pocketcast, Stitcher, Acast, Tune-In, Otto Radio or Libsyn
Music is an incredibly important part of almost everyone’s life, whether you’re a magically gifted maestro, an enthusiastic strummer, an avid listener, a liker of listening to a bit of background noise whilst bathing, or simply someone who loves to sing-along to Sinatra but is oblivious to how tone deaf they truly are. Music is essential for affecting your mood centre, whether to get you pumped, perked up, levelled off, or merely to bring you down.
But how do your musical tastes differ from your neighbours, friends or family? What does it say about you? And more importantly – for Murder Mile especially - how does the much-loved musical tastes of sadistic serial killers compare to those of the world’s most respected political leaders? Do mass murderers always prefer death metal, thrash and an impossibly painful wall of noise, compared to an impeccably performed aria? What follows is a list of the world’s most powerful people (whether notorious killers, world leaders, or both – depending on your political leanings) and what music makes them tick? Serial Killers:
Dennis Nilsen, prior to strangling each of his victims, Dennis used to get himself “in the mood” by listening to Tommy by The Who, Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Rick Wakeman, Royal Philharmonic’s Hooked on Classics, and – his personal favourite - Frankenstein by The Edgar Winter Group.*
* click on any red text for more information
John Wayne Gacy, dubbed the “killer clown” owing to his part-time job as a children’s entertainer, but when he wasn’t dismembering and stashing the bodies of young men underneath the floorboards, he sang along to Keep On Loving You and Take It On The Run by REO Speedwagon.
Jeffrey Dahmer, the “cannibal”, who once stored the decapitated head of one if his victims in his work’s locker whilst working in a chocolate factory, loved Black Sabbath’s Paranoid, The Wizard and Iron Man.
Peter Sutcliffe, the “Yorkshire Ripper” loved a truly eclectic mix such as reggae, Mozart’s Requiem, Better To Have Lost In Love and I Can’t Stand It by The Eurythmics, and - oddly for a man with such a hatred of women - Joan Baez’s album Feminine Touch.
Charles Manson, cult leader of “Helter Skelter”, loved The Beatles’s White Album, which he said was a message to his followers about the upcoming race wars. Manson also supposedly was a big fan (and befriended) Dennis Wilson from The Beach Boys, the Mammas & The Pappas, and Neil Young.
Hmm, quite an eclectic mix, wouldn’t you say? But how, you might be asking, do the tastes of serial killers and mass murderers differ from the world’s most dangerous despots and dictators? Ah, well, this is where things get very interesting.
Military Despots & Dictators
As we know, Adolf Hitler, the “Nazi Nutjob”, the "Teutonic tit" and the "one-balled odd-ball" was a huge fan of Wagner and apparently carried around a copy of Tristan und Isolde in his knapsack.
Syria’s Bashar Al-Assad had his iTunes account hacked, which revealed that his favourite songs are I’m Sexy & I know it by the gold jock-strapped prancers LMFAO, I’m Too Sexy and Don’t Talk Just Kiss by the notoriously camp and openly homosexual songsters Right Said Fred, as well as Hurt by Leona Lewis, Look at Me Now by Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes and A Tribute to Cliff Richard.
North Korea’s Kim Jong Un is not only a fan of plinky-plonky pop-synch pap such as Moranbong, who belt out such state-approved songs like Oh My Motherland Full of Hope, Our Father, We Think of the Marshal Day & Night, but apparently his favourite song is Excellent Horse-Like Lady by Hyon Song-Wol - click the red link, I defy you to watch it all.
The former Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi reportedly paid out millions of dollars to celebrities to perform for him and his family. They include: Nelly Furtado for $1million for a 45min set (who has since donated her entire fee to charity), Mariah Carey in 2010 (who hasn’t), 50 Cent at a festival in Venice and Lionel Richie at a concert to mark 20 years since the US air raids on Libya. As well as Usher, Kanye West and Beyonce. But then again, all stars make mistakes…
…even the environmentally-friendly front-man and political flag-waver Sting is not immune to performing for despots. October 2009, he was paid £1million to perform for the daughter of Uzbek president – Islam Karimov – who has been denounced for serious human rights violations, the massacre of protesters and has a dreadful environmental record.
As well as Rapper (and self-proclaimed “creative genius”) Kanye West who was paid a whopping $3million to perform a mercifully short 30 minute set at the family wedding of Kazakhstan's tyrannical President Nursultan Nazarbayev.
And Jennifer Lopez supposedly serenaded Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, the President of Turkmenistan on his 56th birthday, entirely unaware of his truly appalling human rights record. That said, if she could actually manage to pronounce his name, even just a little bit, she deserves to keep every penny.
And just in case you’re wondering whether the musical tastes of Eastern despots to current and former Western leaders – who are supposedly less despotic and war-mongering according to western media, but then I have had to add Tony Blair and George W Bush into this list, so you decide – here’s what our boys and girls listen to.
And if you’re unsure which way to vote in the upcoming British General Election, Jeremy Corbyn loves House of the Rising Sun by The Animals and Boris Johnson like anything by The Rolling Stones, although here’s a video of bumbling Boris attempting to sing some Bob Marley.
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 18 murderers, 3 serial killers, across 21 locations, totalling 75 deaths, over just a one mile walk.
Work. An annoying distraction to an otherwise delightful day, which – whether we like it or not, and usually it’s “not” – we put up with, as it funds our food, fags, frivolous trips and frequently boozy slips, all dubbed “fun at the weekend”, simply to help us forget that it’s almost Monday… again
And so, as you sit there, clock-watching, crisp-munching and counting down the hours till it’s time to bog off, wondering how many pee-breaks you can sneak in without anyone noticing, before it’s time to go home, a strange thought suddenly crosses your mind… “Is my work colleague… a serial killer?” Which is an odd thing to think, but this isn’t the first time you’ve thought that, now is it? I mean, yes they’re a little bit strange (or “eccentric” as they like to call it), but then again they’re also unnervingly handy with a letter opener, weirdly a “devout vegan” one week and a “true carnivore” the next, are always tired after a weekend but when asked “what did you do?” they always say “oh… nothing”, and keep in their drawer a roll of gaffer tape, a spare ID badge and a full can of Febreeze (the “odour eliminator”). But, ask yourself “how well do you know your work colleague?” Especially given that having never met them before (until your boss, who doesn’t like you much, “interviewed them”), forcing your together, so now you spend more than half your day – more than most family members – within strangling range, sharing every secret, scandal and sordid detail about everything from your worst toilet habits to your so-called sex-life, accepting cups of tea off them without sniffing it first, and yet you’ve probably have never seen inside their home. Hmm, I wonder why? So, “Is my work colleague… a serial killer?” Probably not. But statistically… there’s a chance. Because, when they’re not murdering, serial killers are real people too, just like you. They lead regular lives, at regular times, in regular homes, by drinking in pubs, bathing in tubs, and collecting pay-stubs, for a day-job they can’t even bare, which covers the cost of their “fun at the weekend”. And when questioned by the Police, after the “incident”, their colleagues always say “we had no idea, they seemed so nice, so normal, so lovely, so… like us”. What follows is a list of the TOP 15 “day-jobs” and professions undertaken by some of the UK and USA’s most notorious serial killers to help you decide if the person sitting next to you… is deadly: #15 - Factory: Peter “Yorkshire Ripper” Sutcliffe was a factory worker, and Jeffrey Dahmer was a chocolate mixer, who kept the dismembered head of one victim, at work, in his work locker. #14 - Hospitality: Richard Ramirez was night porter at the Holiday Inn, and Colin “The Gay Slayer” Ireland was barman at Admiral Duncan, Old Compton Street, Soho. #13 – Driver: Fred West a van driver, Peter Sutcliffe HGV driver and Derrick Bird taxi-driver. #12 – Government/State: Dennis Nilsen a civil servant, Theodore “Ted” Bundy an admin' assistant at Washington State Dept, and David “Son of Sam” Berkowitz was a postman. #11 – Prostitution: Rosemary West, Aileen Wuornos, were all prostitutes, where-as Dorothea Puente was a brothel owner. #10 - Landlady: Dorothea Puente, and Catherine Flannagan & Margaret Higgins - the “Black Widows of Liverpool” all owned boarding houses. #9 – Crime: Richard Ramirez was a burglar, Henri “The Ladykiller” Desire Landru an embezzler, Peter “The Dusseldorf Vampire” Kurten and Colin Ireland both burglars. #8 – Catering: Dennis Nilsen an army butcher, John Wayne Gacy manager of a Kentucky Fried Chicken, Fred West ice-cream man, and Jeffrey “The Cannibal” Dahmer a sandwich maker. #7 – Administrative: Dennis Nilsen was a job centre manager, Moor’s Murderer Ian Brady a clerical assistant), Joel Rifkin a records clerk at Times Square Stores, Moor’s Murderer Myra Hindley a junior clerk & typist and Theodore “Ted” Bundy was a researcher for DES, a government agency involved in the “search for missing women”, yes you read that correctly. #6 – Children’s Services: John Wayne Gacy clown & children’s entertainer, Fred West ice-cream man, Beverly Allitt babysitter, Amelia Dyer a nanny and - Wisconsin serial killer, cannibal, grave-robber, necrophiliac and inspiration for the film Psycho - Ed Gein was also a baby sitter, and apparently a very good one too. #5 – Retail/Sales: Henri Desire Landru was a 2nd hand furniture dealer, Michael Ryan part-time antiques dealer, Ed Gein insurance salesman, Michael Lupo florist, Michael Lupo sales assistant at Yves Saint Laurent on Brompton Road, London, Joel Rifkin florist’s clerk, and John “The Acid Bath Murderer” George Haigh was... a life insurance salesman. #4 – Military: Dennis Nilsen army cook, Richard Ramirez US army in Vietnam, Henri Desire Landru French army, David Berkowitz US army, Michael Lupo Italian army, Jeffrey Dahmer US army. William Burke officer’s servants in the army, and Albert “Boston Strangler” DeSalvo US army. Note: all were army, no navy or RAF. For RAF, see “The Blackout Ripper”. #3 – Housewife/Mother (f/t): Rosemary West, Cynthia Coffman, Faye Copeland, Janie Lou Gibbs, Judy Buenoano, Kristen Gilbert, Mary Elizabeth Wilson, Rhonda Belle Martin all had multiple husbands, and Tillie Klimek, who all murdered their own husbands and children. #2 – Construction & Engineering: John Wayne Gacy was a builder, Fred West builder, Albert Fish painter & odd-job man, Michael “Hungerford Massacre” Ryan handyman, Ed Gein carpenter, Ian Brady labourer, Joel Rifkin landscape gardener, Anthony “Camden Ripper” Hardy engineer, John George Haigh mechanic / engineer, William “Body Snatcher” Burke navvy/labourer, and William “Body Snatcher” Hare navvy/labourer. #1 - Medical: Dr H H Crippin homeopath / ear & eye specialist, Orville Lyn Majors nurse, Harold Shipman GP/doctor, Thomas “The Lambeth Poisoner” Neil Cream doctor, Beverly Allitt nurse, Amelia Dyer nurse, Amy Archer-Gilligan nurse & nursing home owner, Dorothea Puente nurse’s aide, Jane Toppan nurse, Judy Buenoano nurse, Kimberly Clark-Saenz nurse, Kristen Gilbert nurse, Linda Hazzard unqualified nurse, and Velma Barfield nurse. Oddly, a list of the professions you are most likely to trust.
Surprised? You probably thought that truck drivers, butchers and army soldiers would be higher on the list, but they aren’t? Maybe you thought teachers might appear somewhere, well they do, but just not in the UK/USA (see Mohan Kumar, Kevin Paulus, Andrei Chikatilo, Ronald Janssen and Atalay Filiz)? And what about “medical”, how did that become number one? Well, in truth, it wasn’t. It was way down on the list of male serial killers, but when I added in the females, it shot up to the top.
Statistically, female serial killers are young, middle-class, usually married and (oddly) devoutly Christian, who work in “the caring profession” with vulnerable people. And given that they are more inclined to poison their victims (a method which leaves very little trace of the perpetrator), female serial killers are less likely to be caught, and often have a longer career as a killer, with men lasting two years, and women lasting between eight and eleven. Read more in this Washington Post article. And yet, one profession was almost ominously absent, with the exception of David “Son of Sam” Berkowitz? The Postman. Why was there only one postal worker on the list of serial killers, given the prevalence of the phrase “to go postal”, meaning to “shoot your co-workers dead”, with 40+ people being gunned down from 1986-97 by postal workers in the US alone. Because, even though a killing spree by a postman does seem to be an oddly recurring occurrence, the killer tends to target very few victims (usually less than three), specifically chosen, and usually ending with themselves. The pattern is unmistakably ominous. They include:
So, “Is my work colleague… a serial killer?” That's down to you. But if you're still unsure, feel free to compare your co-worker to my two other serial killer blogs, "Were You Born To Kill... Because Of Your Name?" and "100 Top Tips To Decide If Your Work Colleague Is A Serial Killer". Either way... it was nice knowing you.
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 18 murderers, 3 serial killers, across 21 locations, totalling 75 deaths, over just a one mile walk.
|
AuthorMichael J Buchanan-Dunne is a crime writer, podcaster of Murder Mile UK True Crime and creator of true-crime TV series. 
Archives
October 2024
Subscribe to the Murder Mile true-crime podcast
Categories
All
Note: This blog contains only licence-free images or photos shot by myself in compliance with UK & EU copyright laws. If any image breaches these laws, blame Google Images.
|
