Who are some notable American serial killers?

verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites

Notable American serial killers include David Berkowitz (“Son of Sam”), who killed 6 people in New York City in 1976–77; Ted Bundy, a killer and rapist who confessed to 28 murders but may have actually killed hundreds in the late 20th century; Jeffrey Dahmer, who murdered 17 people and engaged in cannibalism and necrophilia; John Wayne Gacy, whose killing of 33 men in the 1970s shocked his community, where he performed as a clown at charity events; and Ed Gein, who inspired the horror films Psycho (1960), Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), and The Silence of the Lambs (1991).