List of famous serial killers of women, loosely ranked by their infamy. When it comes to serial killers, the most common victims are women. There are a myriad of reasons why serial killers, both men and women, often prey on females over men. Some of these vicious killers believe that women are the easier targets to release their homicidal tendencies. Other serial killers use their hatred of the fairer sex as an excuse for their horrific violent crimes. Female victims are, more often than not, raped,tortured and/or mutilated by their killers as part of a sick ritual.
This list of famous serial killers of women seeks to answer various questions about these crazed madmen and women. Who are the most famous serial killers who exclusively murdered women? What are their motives for killing women? What are their methods of murder? And, finally, what became of these serial killers after they were caught?
The most famous serial killers of women come from all over the globe, from America to Japan. While most of the murders are sexually motivated, there are many other reasons why these serial killers targeted women. This list features the worst of the worst when it comes to female-seeking serial killers.
40 Famous Serial Killers of Women,
Ahmad Suradji
Indonesian serial killer Ahmad Suradji killed at least 42 women, between the ages of 11 to 30. He killed throughout the '80s and 90s, burying the strangled victims near his home. Suradji believed that his father's ghost came to him in a dream and told him to kill 70 women and drink their saliva in order to become a mystic healer, despite having killed women for years before the dream. He was executed via firing squad on July 10, 2008.
Andrei Chikatilo
Andrei Chikatilo, during the period between 1978 to 1990, claimed the lives of at least 52 women and children. He raped and mutilated his victims, as well. Sometimes known as the Butcher of Rostov, the Ukrainian serial killer was executed in 1994.
Béla Kiss
In the early 1900s, Hungary was plagued by serial killer Bela Kiss who killed at least 24 young women. To make matters worse, he also tried to pickle his victims in metal drums. He was caught in 1914, but he escaped. His fate remains unknown.
David Birnie
In their Australian home, David Birnie and his wife Catherine killed at least 4 women. The Moorhouse Murders, as they were called, took place in 1986, claiming the lives of women between the ages of 15 and 31. The victims were raped and murdered by the couple. Their 5th victim escaped and lead to the capture of the evil couple. David Birnie killed himself in 2005.
Futoshi Matsunaga
Between 1996 and 1998, Futoshi Matsunaga tortured and killed at least 7 women, as well as defrauding them of many millions of yen. The details of the psychological and physical torture of his victims horrified the Japanese media. Matsunaga was sentenced to death by hanging in 2005.
Gary Ridgway
Better known as the Green River Killer, Gary Ridgway murdered at least 49 women, with the total number probably somewhere around 90 victims. His method of murder was strangulation, before leaving the bodies in the forest. His reign of terror lasted from 1982 to 1998. When he was caught in 2001, he pled guilty and is serving life in prison.
Leonard Lake
Along with his friend Charles Ng, Leonard Lake raped, tortured, robbed and killed at least 11 victims. The crimes were video taped in his cabin's dungeon. When Lake was arrested on a separate firearms charge, he killed himself with a cyanide pill. Only then were his horrific crimes revealed.
Moses Sithole
Between 1994 and 1995, Moses Sithole, a South African serial killer better known as the ABC Killer, murdered at least 38 women by strangulation. Sithole had previously been a leader in the Youth Against Human Abuse organization, which fought child abuse, but he used his position to lure potential female job applicants to remote areas in order to rape, torture and strangle them. Sithole was caught in 1995 and sentenced to 2,410 years in prison.
Ted Bundy
Notorious serial killer Ted Bundy killed at least 30 women, but it's likely he had many more victims. Bundy kidnapped many of his female victims to rape and torture, while some of his victims he killed in their sleep. Bundy's crime spree began in 1974 and came to an end in 1978 when he was caught. He was executed on January 24, 1989.
Jose Antonio Rodriguez Vega
Jose Antonio Rodriguez aka El Mataviejas aka The Old Lady Killer claimed the lives of at least 16 elderly women after raping them. His victims were between 61 and 93 years old, killed during 1987-1988. While on trial, he claimed the women died of natural causes, but he was still sentenced to 440 years in prison. In 2002, he was killed by two fellow inmates.