December 2, 1979New York, New YorkThe bodies of two women, both missing their hands and heads, are found after a fire is reported in their hotel room The hotel staff were alerted to smoke coming from a room and emergency services were called. One firefighter told reporters he had seen what appeared to be two…
Suspected “Skid Row Slayer” dies from self-inflicted gunshot
October 10, 1986West Los Angeles, CaliforniaSuspected killer Michael Player (26) dies from a self-inflicted gunshot wound Between September 4 and October 9, 1986, at least ten men were killed by a person the press dubbed the Skid Row Slayer and the police called The Transient Killer. The victims were predominantly — but not exclusively —…
“The Truck Stop Killer” Robert Ben Rhoades is arrested
April 1, 1990 Casa Grande, Arizona Serial rapist and killer Robert Ben Rhoades (pictured) is arrested Rhoades, later dubbed “The Truck Stop Killer,” was a commercial truck driver. As such, his career granted him the opportunity to travel great distances across the country, and the overwhelming majority of his time was spent alone and in…
Suspected serial poisoner executed
March 24, 1873 Durham, England Mary Ann Cotton (34, pictured) is executed for the murder of her stepson Cotton, who eventually was given the nickname “The Dark Angel,” had a streak of suspicious deaths following her, including three husbands, her mother, a lodger, and twelve children (either her own or her stepchildren). The deaths in…
Mass-poisoner executed
February 26, 1852* Rennes, France Hélène Jégado is executed for murder * Note: the exact date of Jégado’s execution seems to be up for debate, with sources claiming either February 26 or 27, 1852, March 1852, or December 1851. For this entry, I chose to use the date listed in Fatal Violence: Case Studies and…
