California Serial Killers [crime, california]

If you know me, you know one of the things I most like to read about are serial killers. I've noticed over the years of reading about these fascinating people that a great deal of them live and commit their crimes in the Golden State. Why are so many of these killers in California?

While living in Los Angeles, I compiled a list of Californian serial killers. I started out by dividing the list into simply Northern and Southern California, eventually adding Central California, and ultimately, an entire category for just the Los Angeles area itself.

California has a disproportionate amount of serial killers compared to the rest of the nation while LA has a disproportionate amount of serial killers compared to the SF Bay Area and the rest of California.

What makes the Golden State, especially the LA area, such a popular destination for serial killers?


California Serial Killers

Northern California

San Francisco Bay Area

Zodiac Killer
Trailside Killer - David Carpenter
Michael Bear Carson & Suzan Carson

Sacramento

The I-5 Strangler- Roger Reece Kibb
The Vampire of Sacramento - Richard Chase
Gallego Sex Slave Killers - Gerald & Charlene Gallego
Dorothea Puente
Morris Solomon, Jr.
Leonard Lake & Charles Ng (Calaveras County)

Santa Cruz

Herbert Mullin
The Co-Ed Killer - Edmund Kemper

Yosemite

The Yosemite Killer - Cary Stayner

Humboldt

Wayne Adam Ford

Yuba City

The Machete Murderer - Juan Corona

Central California

Bakersfield

Vincent Brothers

Fresno

Marcus Wesson

Southern California

Los Angeles

The Night Stalker - Richard Ramirez (also SF Bay area)
Charles Manson
The Dating Game Killer - Rodney Alcala
The Red Light Bandit
The Grim Sleeper - Lonnie David Franklin, Jr.
The Hillside Strangler - Kenneth Bianchi & Angelo Buono, Jr.
The Freeway Killer - Patrick Kearney (shares this nickname with William Bonin and Randy Steven Kraft)
Sunset Strip Killer - Doug Clark
Michael Hughes
Timothy Joseph McGee
The Freeway Killer - William Bonin
Bruce Jeffrey Pardo
Chester Dewayne Turner
The Lonely Hearts Killer - Harvey Glatman
Wineville Chicken Coop Murderer - Gordon Stewart Northcott
Mack Ray Edwards
Thor Nis Christiansen
Louise Peete

Orange County

The Freeway Killer - Randy Steven Kraft
Bedroom Basher - Gerald Parker
I-5 Killer or I-5 Bandit - Randall Woodfield

San Diego

The Clairemont Killer - Cleophus Prince, Jr.

Riverside

Riverside Killer - William Suff
Dana Sue Gray
Phillip Carl Jablonski (Riverside & SF Bay area)


Sources:

List of Serial Killers by Country

California’s Most Notorious Killers


If I've left anyone off the list, feel free to comment or contact me and I'll update the list.

The Killing [tv].

I am catching the pilot for AMC's The Killing right now on OnDemand. The show premiered last night to very positive reviews and looks like another win for AMC, adding to the phenomenal success of Mad Men, The Walking Dead, and a recent favorite of mine, Breaking Bad.

IMDb

Reviews:

New York Times

The Hollywood Reporter

Variety

Blast Magazine

Much-anticipated and controversial mini-series "The Kennedys" also premiered over the weekend to stellar reviews as well. "The Kennedys" stars Katie Holmes as Jackie and was pulled from the History Channel schedule and passed up by Showtime before Reelz decided to air it.

Lifetime Movies: The Craiglist Killer & Amanda Knox [crime, movies]

I am just finishing up "The Craigslist Killer," the Lifetime movie portraying the story of Philip Markoff, the med student convicted of robbing and killing a young woman he met off of Craigslist in Boston.

In a completely self-centered act Markoff committed suicide in jail before standing trial, leaving the family of his victim in the dark about the last minutes' of their loved one's life. As if the suicide wasn't enough, Markoff went so far as to write his ex-fiance's name in his own blood on the wall of his cell where he killed himself, leaving behind a gruesome shrine with numerous pictures of his ex.
Next up is the controversial world premiere of Amanda Knox: Murder on Trial in Italy, chronicling the story of American former University of Washington student Amanda Knox accused of sexually assaulting and killing her roommate while studying abroad in Italy. The film is supposedly going to air without a controversial graphic scene depicting the murder.

Amanda's family wanted Hayden Panettierre (who portrays Amanda in the film), to meet Amanda before filming but their multiple requests were never acknowledged by Lifetime. It has been reported that Amanda herself "was shocked and hyperventilating when she saw a TV newscast in her Italian prison cell this weekend about Hayden Panettierre playing her in the Lifetime movie."

I also eventually read the book written about this story, "Angel Face: The True Story of Student Killer Amanda Knox."

Hiccup Girl Charged with Murder [crime]

All the fucked up stuff happens in Florida. "Hiccup Girl" Jennifer Mee has been charged with first-degree murder in St. Petersburg.

Jennifer attracted national media attention when she couldn't stop hiccuping for five weeks in 2007.

Sleepwalker Shoots Himself in Foot [wtf]

A 63-year-old sleepwalking man shot himself in the foot. Why a loaded gun was near a sleepwalking man is beyond me.

15-yr-old Boy Charged with Rebecca Aylward Murder [crime]

via the BBC:

A 15-year-old boy has been charged with the murder of a schoolgirl whose body was found in woodland in south Wales.

What Do You Think This Guy Was Convicted Of?

If you guessed rape, you're right on. I am sure ladies do not love his upper lip tattoo.

Unlikely Suspects. [playing the race & age card]

This 30-year-old (white) man was recently arrested for donning a black mask called "The Player" and robbing five banks.

Can I get a WTF?

Speaking of WTF and bank robbery, a 60-70 year old man has been robbing banks in SoCal since last August.