Herman Webster Mudgett (May 16, 1861 – May 7, 1896), better known as Dr. Henry Howard Holmes or H. H. Holmes, was an American con artist and multiple murderer active between 1891 and 1894.
H.H. Holmes, byname of Herman Mudgett, (born May 16, 1861?, Gilmanton, New Hampshire, U.S.—died May 7, 1896, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), American swindler and confidence trickster who is widely considered the country's first known serial killer.
One of America's First Recorded Serial Murderers
Herman Webster Mudgett, aka Dr. Henry Howard Holmes, is one of America's first noted serial murderers. He killed at least 27 women during the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition (e.g., World's Fair) in Chicago.
Serial killers with the highest known victim count. The most prolific modern serial killer is arguably doctor Harold Shipman, with 218 probable murders and possibly as many as 250 (see "Medical professionals", below). However, he was actually convicted of a sample of 15 murders.
From Australia's first serial killer (William MacDonald) to its worst (the "Snowtown" murders), Australia has suffered a wide range of homicidal psychopaths who were compelled to keep killing until they were caught.
Amarjeet Sada: The Eight-Year-Old 'Sadist' Who Became The World's Youngest Serial Killer.
Story of Amarjeet Sada, 8-year-old boy from Bihar also known as world's youngest serial killer. Amarjeet Sada, an eight-year-old alleged serial killer, was labeled a sadist by psychologists. Amarjeet Sada, the enigmatic figure shrouded in darkness and mystery, emerged from the quaint village of Mushahar in Bihar, India ...
Research shows that certain genes can predispose people to violence. Many serial killers experience childhood trauma or early separation from their mothers.
Legend has held that the first widely recognized first female serial killer in the United States is Lavinia Fisher, born in 1793, but the location of her birth, her maiden name, or any information about her childhood is unknown.
Lavinia Fisher: Lavinia Fisher has the dubious distinction of being the first female serial killer in the United States, or at least the first one to grip to the public consciousness and earn the title.
H.H. Holmes was one of America's first serial killers. He lured victims into his hotel, the “Murder Castle”. This guide provides access to materials related to the “H.H. Holmes” in the Chronicling America digital collection of historic newspapers.
The phenomenon of serial killings has been recognized since a man dubbed "Jack the Ripper" murdered seven London prostitutes in 1888. The FBI terms serial killings as serial murders and as the killing of several victims in three or more separate events.
It is estimated that there have been over 400 female serial killers throughout history with an average age at arrest being 33 years old and African Americans accounting for 20%.
Baba Anujka spent the last two years of her life in her home in Vladimirovac. She died on September 1st, 1938, at the tender age of 100, but her reputation as one of the most prolific serial killers in human history became legend.
There are however some very famous serial killers such as Ted Bundy, Jeffery Dahmer, Richard Storlett and Paul Bernardo. These killers seem to be the nature side of the equation. Each one of these killers recall having a very loving and normal childhood. According to Ted Bundy, he had an “uneventful childhood”.
Childhood Abuse
Many serial killers are abused – physically, psychologically, sexually – as children by a close family member. This behavior instills in the child feelings of humiliation and helplessness, feelings which they will later seek to instill in their victims.
Unlike other serial killers, Amarjeet Sada was only seven years old when he committed three brutal murders. Amarjeet's poor parents were happy when they were blessed with a son. They thought he would live a positive life and spread the light of love and joy wherever he went.
While each of these types and their crimes have distinguishing characteristics, a general profile of serial killers indicates they are generally white males from 25 to 34 years old. They are charismatic, intelligent, and mobile. They generally kill in ways that involve contact with the victim.
Sharon Louise Carr (born 1979), also known as "The Devil's Daughter", is a Belize-born English woman who, in June 1992, aged only 12, murdered 18-year-old Katie Rackliff after picking her out at random as she walked home from a nightclub in Camberley.
More than a century after his death, Holmes—widely considered the United States' first known serial killer—continues to loom large in the imagination.
On July 26, 1984, Ed Gein, a serial killer infamous for skinning human corpses, dies of complications from cancer in a Wisconsin prison at age 77.
Some murderers, such as Albert Fish, Boone Helm, Andrei Chikatilo, and Jeffrey Dahmer, are known to have devoured their victims after killing them. Other individuals, such as artist Rick Gibson and journalist William Seabrook, have legally consumed human flesh out of curiosity or to attract attention to themselves.
John George Haigh (/heɪɡ/; 24 July 1909 – 10 August 1949), commonly known as the Acid Bath Murderer, was an English serial killer convicted for the murder of six people, although he claimed to have killed nine.