10 Creepiest Real Life Crime Families

10 Creepiest True Crime Families

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were looking at ten of the creepiest biological families who have been involved in some kind of true crime.

Las Poquianchis

The Guinness World Records currently lists Las Poquianchis as the most prolific murder partnership, which is an odd record, to be sure. Mexican sisters Delfina, Carmen, María de Jesús, and María Luisa ran a series of brothels in the state of Guanajuato, and its here where most of their heinous crimes occurred. They lured young girls with false promises of employment, only to drug, kidnap, and force them into sex work. The sisters then killed many of the girls once they stopped attracting customers - usually by getting sick or pregnant - while also murdering the clients and pimps who threatened to report them. It is believed that the sisters killed at least 91 people in this manner, but estimates also go much higher.

The Tromp Family Disappearance

On August 29, 2016, Mark and Jacoba Tromp, along with their three adult children, abandoned their Australian farm, leaving behind valuables like their passports, credit cards, and cell phones. However, the trip rapidly deteriorated, with Mark convinced that someone was tracking or threatening them. By the end of the trip, two of the children had returned home, one was found in a near-catatonic state in the back of a strangers truck in Goulburn, Jacoba was found disoriented in Yass, and Mark was found dehydrated near Wangaratta airport. To this day, no one knows what happened to the family or why they became so scattered, but some mental health professionals consider their case a rare but compelling example of shared psychosis.

The Harpe Brothers

The earliest documented serial killers in American history are actually two brothers - or maybe first cousins, history isnt really sure. They are Micajah and Wiley Harpe, or Big and Little Harpe, respectively. These two brothers terrorized the American south in the late 18th century, often robbing and murdering settlers around the Appalachian Mountains. The Harpes killed indiscriminately, and their murders were said to be of a heinous nature, often involving extreme brutality and mutilation. Micajah even murdered his own daughter after growing annoyed by her constant crying. They are thought to have killed between 40 and 50 people, but their crimes ultimately caught up with them - Micajah was killed by a posse, and Wiley was caught and executed.

The Ramseys

The death of JonBenét Ramsey is one of the most infamous cold cases in modern American history. Ramsey was found dead in her family home on the morning of December 26, 1996, the result of obvious foul play. Her murder was blamed on a failed kidnapping, but many have long suspected the Ramseys themselves. The ransom note was handwritten using pen and paper from inside the house, and many suspect JonBenéts mother Patsy of being the author. There were also no signs of forced entry, and the Ramseys were reluctant to speak with police, fueling intense suspicion. Even though they have been exonerated of JonBenéts death, the familys behavior remains unsettling, and many believe that they staged the scene to cover up her accidental death.

The Sawney Bean Clan

The legend of Sawney Bean is one of the most gruesome and enduring tales in Scottish folklore, although there is considerable debate over its authenticity. The clan supposedly consisted of over 40 family members, all of whom were descended from Sawney and bred through continued incest. The depraved family lived in a coastal cave on Bennane Head and ambushed travelers on remote roads before taking them back to their cave, butchering them, and eating their remains. The Beans allegedly killed and ate over 1,000 people throughout the 16th century before attracting the attention of King James VI, who found the Beans and had them all executed. The story persisted throughout the centuries, eventually serving as the main inspiration for The Hills Have Eyes.

The Turpins

The highly publicized story of the Turpin family shocked the nation, betraying the very notions of family and security. David and Louise Turpin were the parents of thirteen children, and they subjected all of them to horrific mistreatment. They were all confined to the house and had little to no interaction with the outside world, resulting in significantly stunted emotional and intellectual development. They were also severely malnourished, lacking in basic medical care, unbathed, and controlled through the use of physical punishment and restraint. Their crimes were finally uncovered in January 2018, when 17-year-old Jordan Turpin escaped the house and contacted police. The house of horrors was subsequently raided, and both David and Louise were given life in prison.

Fred & Rose West

One of the most notorious true crime stories in British history is that of Fred and Rose West of Gloucestershire. The married couple acted in tandem, and between the late 60s and late 80s, they kidnapped and murdered at least twelve known victims. Among the deceased were Freds stepdaughter, Charmaine, who was killed by Rose West, and the couples biological daughter, Heather, who was supposedly murdered after growing suspicious of her parents. The Wests would kidnap and imprison their victims in their Gloucestershire home and subject them to horrific abuse before murdering them and burying their remains in the garden. Luckily, their horrific crimes were uncovered while police were investigating the disappearance of Heather. They were brought down by their daughter after all.

The Briley Brothers

Richmond, Virginia was subjected to a horrible crime spree throughout much of 1979, in which at least twelve people were targeted and killed. The perpetrators were brothers Linwood, James, and Anthony Briley, along with their mutual friend, Duncan Meekins. Their sadistic seven-month spree throughout Richmond involved arson, robbery, home invasion, sexual assault, and murder, their methods involving tools like cinder blocks, scissors, and forks. The victims were also completely indiscriminate, ranging from young to old, from elderly women to young disc jockeys. However, Meekins eventually flipped and helped authorities apprehend the Briley brothers. Linwood and James were executed, and Anthony is currently serving a life sentence in the Lawrenceville Correctional Center.

The Gang of Amazons

Its not rare for family men to be serial killers. But it is quite rare for entire families to be serial killers. Thats the case with the so-called Gang of Amazons from Russia. The gang consisted of matriarch and leader Inessa Tarverdiyeva, her husband Roman Podkopaev, and their two children. Also involved were Romans sister Anastasiya, who stored stolen goods, and her husband Sergei, a police officer who fed the family inside information. Together, they robbed and killed between ten and thirty people, with many of their victims being remote travelers in rural and unguarded locations. However, the house of cards collapsed when Roman was shot and killed by the police. The rest of his family received lengthy prison sentences.

The Bloody Benders

While they sound like a punk band, The Bloody Benders were actually a serial killing family from Kansas, though there is some debate about whether they were actually related. As the story goes, John Bender, his wife Kate, and their two children ran a small inn where they offered meals and lodging to weary travelers. However, the visitors would be murdered as they ate, usually by an attack from behind. Their bodies were then buried in the garden of the inn. Authorities were eventually drawn to the Benders following numerous reports of missing travelers, but when they arrived at the inn in 1873, they found nothing but a bloody cellar. The family had fled into history, and their fates remain unknown.

Which case do you find the most unsettling? Let us know in the comments below!