Introduction
Every state in the U.S. has produced at least one serial killer. According to the FBI, a serial killer is a person who has murdered three or more people, in separate events. The span of time within which the murders occur is important because it helps to distinguish serial murder from mass murder.
More serial killers have originated in the United States than in any other country. Although the United States only contains 4.25% of the world’s total population, it has contained 67.58% of all known serial killers, with 3,204 documented serial murderers. In Alaska for instance, despite the relatively small population, it has had the highest density of serial killings occurring within its borders since 1900.
According to the FBI, serial killers act for a number of reasons, although their motives are usually limited to a handful of causes: anger, thrill, attention-seeking, financial gain, and sex.
Serial Killing Statistics by State
# | State | Serial Killers | Serial Killer Victims |
---|---|---|---|
1 | New York | 18 | 677 |
2 | California | 15 | 1,777 |
3 | Texas | 8 | 984 |
4 | Illinois | 7 | 680 |
5 | Ohio | 7 | 505 |
6 | Indiana | 6 | 349 |
7 | Louisiana | 6 | 344 |
8 | Pennsylvania | 5 | 462 |
9 | Georgia | 4 | 409 |
10 | Kentucky | 4 | 212 |
11 | Massachusetts | 4 | 200 |
12 | South Carolina | 4 | 198 |
13 | Washington | 4 | 396 |
14 | Alabama | 3 | 199 |
15 | Connecticut | 3 | 134 |
16 | Iowa | 3 | 53 |
17 | Maryland | 3 | 213 |
18 | Michigan | 3 | 425 |
19 | Missouri | 3 | 350 |
20 | Oklahoma | 3 | 200 |
21 | Wisconsin | 3 | 118 |
22 | Arkansas | 2 | 143 |
23 | Delaware | 2 | 16 |
24 | Minnesota | 2 | 81 |
25 | New Jersey | 2 | 232 |
26 | New Mexico | 2 | 72 |
27 | North Carolina | 2 | 295 |
28 | Oregon | 2 | 175 |
29 | South Dakota | 2 | 10 |
30 | Utah | 2 | 86 |
31 | Alaska | 1 | 64 |
32 | Arizona | 1 | 188 |
33 | Colorado | 1 | 161 |
34 | District of Columbia | 1 | 169 |
35 | Florida | 1 | 933 |
36 | Hawaii | 1 | 13 |
37 | Idaho | 1 | 45 |
38 | Kansas | 1 | 181 |
39 | Maine | 1 | 35 |
40 | Mississippi | 1 | 98 |
41 | Montana | 1 | 47 |
42 | New Hampshire | 1 | 14 |
43 | North Dakota | 1 | 13 |
44 | Rhode Island | 1 | 25 |
45 | Tennessee | 1 | 208 |
46 | Vermont | 1 | 11 |
47 | Virginia | 1 | 272 |
48 | West Virginia | 1 | 43 |
49 | Nebraska | 0 | 82 |
50 | Nevada | 0 | 117 |
51 | Wyoming | 0 | 32 |
Serial Killers by State
New York is the state with the most serial killers, with a total of 18 serial killers born in the state. California comes in as the second state with the most serial killers, with 15, followed by Texas with 8, and Illinois and Ohio with 7 each. Indiana and Louisiana both have had 6 serial killers born in their state, while Pennsylvania is the eighth state with the most serial killers, with 5.
Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, South Carolina, and Washington each have 4 serial killers, while Alabama, Connecticut, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wisconsin all have 3 serial killers each. The remaining states have one or two serial killers born in the state, except for Nebraska, Nevada, and Wyoming, which have none.
Most Serial Killers by State
The ten states with the most serial killers are New York, California, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Kentucky. The ten states with the most serial killers are :
1. New York – 18
2. California – 15
3. Texas – 8
4. Illinois – 7
5. Ohio – 7
6. Indiana – 6
7. Louisiana – 6
8. Pennsylvania – 5
9. Georgia – 4
10. Kentucky – 4
Famous Serial Killers
The United States has seen its fair share of notorious serial killers. Among the most famous is Ted Bundy, who confessed to 30 homicides committed in seven states between 1974 and 1978. John Wayne Gacy, also known as the “Killer Clown,” was responsible for the murders of at least 33 young men and boys in Illinois during the 1970s. Jeffrey Dahmer, known as the “Milwaukee Cannibal,” committed the rape, murder, and dismemberment of 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991.
Other notable serial killers include Gary Ridgway, also known as the “Green River Killer,” who confessed to 49 murders of women and girls in Washington State; Aileen Wuornos, who killed seven men in Florida in the late 1980s; and David Berkowitz, also known as the “Son of Sam,” who terrorized New York City in the summer of 1976 with a series of shootings that left six dead.
Source
The data on the number of serial killers by state comes from Mapfact.com, which provides data on the number of serial killers in each state and the total number of victims they have claimed. The data on the number of victims of serial killings comes from the Radford/FGCU Serial Killer Database, which collects data on the characteristics of serial killers and their victims, as well as the methods and motives of their crimes.
Serial Killers by State
Alabama
Serial Killers
3
Ranked in the US
#14
Serial Killer Victims
199
Ranked in the US
#22
Three serial killers came from Alabama: Joseph Paul Franklin, Cleophus Prince Jr., and Nannie Doss. This makes Alabama the fourteenth state with the country's highest number of serial killers and in total, the state had 199 serial killer victims. Joseph Paul Franklin, a white supremacist, is suspected to have murdered more than twenty individuals in the 1970s and early 1980s. Cleophus Prince Jr. was convicted of six murders in California between 1990 and 1991. As for Nannie Doss, she confessed to killing 11 people between the 1920s and 1950s, including four of her five husbands. She was dubbed the "Giggling Granny".
Alaska
Serial Killers
1
Ranked in the US
#31
Serial Killer Victims
64
Ranked in the US
#38
One serial killer came from Alaska and there were 64 serial killer victims in this state. Robert Hansen, also known as the "Butcher Baker", was an American serial killer who operated in and around Anchorage, Alaska in the 1970s and early 1980s. He kidnapped women, flew them into the Alaskan wilderness, and then hunted and killed them. He was known for his skill as a hunter and used it to stalk his victims like prey. He was eventually caught and convicted of multiple murders in 1983 and died in prison in 2014.
Arizona
Serial Killers
1
Ranked in the US
#32
Serial Killer Victims
188
Ranked in the US
#24
Arkansas
Serial Killers
2
Ranked in the US
#22
Serial Killer Victims
143
Ranked in the US
#29
Two serial killers are from Arkansas making Arkansas the twenty-second state with the highest number of serial killers in the U.S. In total, there were 143 serial killer victims in this state. The first serial killer is Mack Ray Edwards, who was convicted of killing at least 6 children in California in the 1950s. He was never formally charged with additional murders but he is suspected of killing many more children. He died by suicide in prison in 1971. The other serial killer born in Arkansas is Chester Turner who was born in 1966 and was convicted of killing 10 people between 1987 and 1998 in California. In 2014, he was charged with the murder of four other victims and was sentenced to death for his crimes in 2007.
California
Serial Killers
15
Ranked in the US
#2
Serial Killer Victims
1,777
Ranked in the US
#1
The second state with the highest number of serial killers is California with fifteen serial killers coming from California. The state also has the highest number of serial killer victims in the country with 1,777 serial killer victims. One of the most notorious serial killers operating in Northern California is the Zodiac Killer. He is believed to have killed at least 5 people and injured 2 others in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He gained notoriety for taunting the police and the media with cryptic letters and codes. Despite an extensive investigation, the identity of the Zodiac Killer remains unknown to this day.
Colorado
Serial Killers
1
Ranked in the US
#33
Serial Killer Victims
161
Ranked in the US
#28
Colorado is the thirty-third state with the most serial killers with one serial killer coming from Colorado. There were 161 serial killer victims in total in this state. The name of Colorado’s serial killer was Scott Lee Kimball and he was convicted of the murder of four individuals that were committed while he was working as an FBI informant. Kimball pleaded guilty to two of the murders and was sentenced to 70 years in prison. He died in prison in 2021.
Connecticut
Serial Killers
3
Ranked in the US
#15
Serial Killer Victims
134
Ranked in the US
#30
Delaware
Serial Killers
2
Ranked in the US
#23
Serial Killer Victims
16
Ranked in the US
#46
District of Columbia
Serial Killers
1
Ranked in the US
#34
Serial Killer Victims
169
Ranked in the US
#27
Florida
Serial Killers
1
Ranked in the US
#35
Serial Killer Victims
933
Ranked in the US
#3
Florida is the thirty-fifth state with the most serial killers with one serial killer born in Orlando, Florida in 1946. Yet the state has the third-highest number of serial killer victims in the country with 933 serial killer victims. The name of Florida’s serial killer was Paul John Knowles but was known as the "Casanova Killer" because of his charm and good looks, which he used to lure his victims. Knowles killed at least 18 people in a cross-country killing spree in 1974, before being captured and killed in a shootout with police in Georgia.
Georgia
Serial Killers
4
Ranked in the US
#9
Serial Killer Victims
409
Ranked in the US
#9
The ninth state with the highest number of serial killers is Georgia with four serial killers coming from this state. Georgia also ranks ninth in terms of serial killer victims with 409 victims. Georgia’s most infamous serial killer was Wayne Williams, also known as the “Atlanta Monster”. Williams was convicted of killing two adults but is suspected of killing at least 23 children and young adults in the late 1970s and early 1980s. After a controversial investigation and trial, Williams was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. However, he still maintains his innocence to this day.
Hawaii
Serial Killers
1
Ranked in the US
#36
Serial Killer Victims
13
Ranked in the US
#48
Idaho
Serial Killers
1
Ranked in the US
#37
Serial Killer Victims
45
Ranked in the US
#41
Illinois
Serial Killers
7
Ranked in the US
#4
Serial Killer Victims
680
Ranked in the US
#4
The fourth state with the highest number of serial killers is Illinois with seven serial killers coming from this state. Illinois also ranks fourth in terms of serial killer victims with 680 victims. One of the most infamous is John Wayne Gacy who was convicted of killing at least 33 teenage boys and young men in the 1970s. Gacy was known for luring his victims into his home, where he sexually assaulted and murdered them before burying their bodies or dumping them in nearby rivers. He was arrested in 1978 and sentenced to death for his crimes. He was executed by lethal injection in 1994.
Indiana
Serial Killers
6
Ranked in the US
#6
Serial Killer Victims
349
Ranked in the US
#12
Indiana is the sixth state with the highest number of serial killers with six serial killers being born in this state. Indiana ranks twelfth in terms of serial killer victims with 349 victims. One of Indiana’s most notorious serial killers is Herb Baumeister. He is believed to have killed at least 11 men in the 1980s and 1990s. Baumeister was known for luring his victims to his home, where he would strangle them and bury their bodies on his property. In 1996, his crimes were discovered and he fled to Canada where he committed suicide. Baumeister was the subject of the book "The I-70 Strangler" by Brian Lee Tucker.
Iowa
Serial Killers
3
Ranked in the US
#16
Serial Killer Victims
53
Ranked in the US
#39
Kansas
Serial Killers
1
Ranked in the US
#38
Serial Killer Victims
181
Ranked in the US
#25
Kentucky
Serial Killers
4
Ranked in the US
#10
Serial Killer Victims
212
Ranked in the US
#18
Louisiana
Serial Killers
6
Ranked in the US
#7
Serial Killer Victims
344
Ranked in the US
#13
Louisiana is the seventh state with the highest number of serial killers with six serial killers born in this state. Louisiana ranks thirteenth in terms of serial killer victims with 344 victims. Derrick Todd Lee is one of the most infamous serial killers from Louisiana. He is suspected of having killed at least seven women in the Baton Rouge area and was known for stalking his victims before breaking into their homes and attacking them. Lee was eventually caught through DNA evidence and was sentenced to death in 2004. He died in prison in 2016.
Maine
Serial Killers
1
Ranked in the US
#39
Serial Killer Victims
35
Ranked in the US
#43
Maryland
Serial Killers
3
Ranked in the US
#17
Serial Killer Victims
213
Ranked in the US
#17
Massachusetts
Serial Killers
4
Ranked in the US
#11
Serial Killer Victims
200
Ranked in the US
#20
Michigan
Serial Killers
3
Ranked in the US
#18
Serial Killer Victims
425
Ranked in the US
#8
Michigan is the eighteenth state with the highest number of serial killers with three serial killers born in this state. Yet, Michigan ranks eighth in terms of serial killer victims with 425 victims. John Norman Collins is one of the most notorious serial killers from Michigan. He was convicted of killing one young woman and is suspected of killing six others in the late 1960s. Collins was known for targeting college-aged women in the Ann Arbor area and was eventually caught and sentenced to life in prison.
Minnesota
Serial Killers
2
Ranked in the US
#24
Serial Killer Victims
81
Ranked in the US
#36
Minnesota is the twenty-fourth state with the highest number of serial killers and had 81 serial killer victims. The two serial killers who were born in this state were Carl Panzram who spent much of his life traveling and committing crimes all over the country, and Paul Michael Stephani. The latter was also known as the "Weepy-Voiced Killer" because he would call the police and confess to his crimes in a high-pitched, crying voice. Stephani is suspected of killing at least three women in the Minneapolis area in the early 1980s. He was caught and sentenced to 40 years in prison where he died in 1998.
Mississippi
Serial Killers
1
Ranked in the US
#40
Serial Killer Victims
98
Ranked in the US
#33
Missouri
Serial Killers
3
Ranked in the US
#19
Serial Killer Victims
350
Ranked in the US
#11
Montana
Serial Killers
1
Ranked in the US
#41
Serial Killer Victims
47
Ranked in the US
#40
Nebraska
Serial Killers
0
Ranked in the US
#49
Serial Killer Victims
82
Ranked in the US
#35
Nevada
Serial Killers
0
Ranked in the US
#50
Serial Killer Victims
117
Ranked in the US
#32
New Hampshire
Serial Killers
1
Ranked in the US
#42
Serial Killer Victims
14
Ranked in the US
#47
New Jersey
Serial Killers
2
Ranked in the US
#25
Serial Killer Victims
232
Ranked in the US
#16
New Mexico
Serial Killers
2
Ranked in the US
#26
Serial Killer Victims
72
Ranked in the US
#37
New York
Serial Killers
18
Ranked in the US
#1
Serial Killer Victims
677
Ranked in the US
#5
North Carolina
Serial Killers
2
Ranked in the US
#27
Serial Killer Victims
295
Ranked in the US
#14
North Dakota
Serial Killers
1
Ranked in the US
#43
Serial Killer Victims
13
Ranked in the US
#49
Ohio
Serial Killers
7
Ranked in the US
#5
Serial Killer Victims
505
Ranked in the US
#6
The fifth state with the highest number of serial killers is Ohio with seven serial killers coming from this state. Ohio ranks sixth in terms of serial killer victims with 505 victims. One of Ohio’s notorious serial killers is Anthony Sowell who is also known as the “Cleveland Strangler”. He was convicted of killing 11 women in the Cleveland area between 2007 and 2009. Ultimately, Sowell was arrested and sentenced to death. He died in prison from a terminal illness in 2021.
Oklahoma
Serial Killers
3
Ranked in the US
#20
Serial Killer Victims
200
Ranked in the US
#21
Oregon
Serial Killers
2
Ranked in the US
#28
Serial Killer Victims
175
Ranked in the US
#26
Oregon is the twenty-eighth state with the highest number of serial killers with two serial killers born in this state named Dallen Bounds and Randall Woodfield. The former was convicted of killing four women in the early 1990s, while the latter was known as the "I-5 Killer" and was convicted of killing at least seven women and girls in the late 1970s. Both men are currently serving life sentences in prison for their crimes. Additionally, Oregon ranks twenty-sixth in terms of serial killer victims with 175 victims in total.
Pennsylvania
Serial Killers
5
Ranked in the US
#8
Serial Killer Victims
462
Ranked in the US
#7
Rhode Island
Serial Killers
1
Ranked in the US
#44
Serial Killer Victims
25
Ranked in the US
#45
South Carolina
Serial Killers
4
Ranked in the US
#12
Serial Killer Victims
198
Ranked in the US
#23
South Carolina is the twelfth state with the highest number of serial killers, with four being born in this state. In terms of serial killer victims, South Carolina ranks twenty-third with 198 victims. One of South Carolina’s most notorious serial killers is Donald Henry Gaskins, also known as "Pee Wee" Gaskins. Gaskins was convicted of killing at least 12 people in the 1960s and 1970s, but he claimed to have killed over 100 people. He was known for his violent and sadistic nature and was eventually sentenced to death and executed in 1991.
South Dakota
Serial Killers
2
Ranked in the US
#29
Serial Killer Victims
10
Ranked in the US
#51
Tennessee
Serial Killers
1
Ranked in the US
#45
Serial Killer Victims
208
Ranked in the US
#19
Texas
Serial Killers
8
Ranked in the US
#3
Serial Killer Victims
984
Ranked in the US
#2
The third state with the highest number of serial killers is Texas with seven serial killers coming from this state. Texas ranks second in terms of serial killer victims with 984 victims. One of the most notorious serial killers who operated in Texas was Henry Lee Lucas who was known for his strange behavior and ability to manipulate others, including law enforcement. He was convicted of killing eleven people and was eventually sentenced to death which was commuted to life in prison by then-governor George W. Bush. Lucas died in prison in 2001
Utah
Serial Killers
2
Ranked in the US
#30
Serial Killer Victims
86
Ranked in the US
#34
Vermont
Serial Killers
1
Ranked in the US
#46
Serial Killer Victims
11
Ranked in the US
#50
Virginia
Serial Killers
1
Ranked in the US
#47
Serial Killer Victims
272
Ranked in the US
#15
Virginia is the forty-seventh state with the highest number of serial killers with one serial killer born in this state named Gary Ray Bowles. He was born in Virginia but he committed most of his murders in Florida where he was convicted of killing six men in 1994. Bowles was known for his violent tendencies and had a history of criminal behavior. He was sentenced to death and executed in 2019. Additionally, Virginia ranks fifteenth in terms of serial killer victims with 272 victims in total.
Washington
Serial Killers
4
Ranked in the US
#13
Serial Killer Victims
396
Ranked in the US
#10
Washington is the thirteenth state with the highest number of serial killers, with four being born in this state. In terms of serial killer victims, the state of Washington ranks tenth with 396 victims. One of Washington’s most notorious serial killers is Robert Lee Yates who was a former U.S. Army helicopter pilot. He is known for murdering at least 13 women in Spokane, Washington, between 1975 and 1998. Yates targeted sex workers and other vulnerable women and often disposed of their bodies in remote locations. He was arrested in 2000 and later pleaded guilty to 13 counts of first-degree murder. He is currently serving a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
West Virginia
Serial Killers
1
Ranked in the US
#48
Serial Killer Victims
43
Ranked in the US
#42
Wisconsin
Serial Killers
3
Ranked in the US
#21
Serial Killer Victims
118
Ranked in the US
#31
Wisconsin is the twenty-first state with the highest number of serial killers, with three being born in this state. In terms of serial killer victims, Wisconsin ranks thirty-first with 118 victims. Jeffrey Dahmer is one of Wisconsin’s most notorious serial killers. He is known for the rape, murder, and dismemberment of 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991. Dahmer was arrested in 1991 and later pleaded guilty to 15 counts of murder. He was sentenced to life in prison but was beaten to death by another inmate in 1994. Dahmer's crimes were particularly gruesome, as he often kept body parts and even consumed some of his victims.
Wyoming
Serial Killers
0
Ranked in the US
#51
Serial Killer Victims
32
Ranked in the US
#44
No serial killers were born in Wyoming ranking the state fifty-second in the country. However, there were 32 serial killer victims in total in Wyoming.
FAQs
What state has the most serial killers ?
New York has the highest number of serial killers that were born in the state, with 18 serial killers.
What are the top ten states with the most serial killers ?
The top ten states with the most serial killers are New York, California, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Kentucky.
What are the top 10 serial killers ?
The top ten serial killers in the United States include Gary Ridgway, Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Aileen Wuornos, Dennis Rader, Richard Ramirez, David Berkowitz, Gary Heidnik, and Robert Hansen.
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