10 Mistakes That Got Serial Killers Caught

10 Mistakes That Got Serial Killers Caught

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down the errors and miscalculations that led to serial killers getting captured.

Parking Ticket

David Berkowitz
One of the scariest modus operandi of serial killers is when they select victims randomly, as did David Berkowitz, AKA the Son of Sam. Beginning his deadly spree in 1975, Berkowitz took the lives of six people and injured 11. In 1977, Cacilia Davis was walking near one of Berkowitz’s crime scenes when she spotted a man next to a car. Something told her to run, so she did, hearing shots as she sprinted away. Davis eventually told the police about the incident and that the vehicle the man was using had a parking ticket. After checking the details, the cops found Berkowitz, discovered weapons in his car, and arrested him. In 1978, he was sentenced to 25 years to life for each murder.

Missing License Plate

Joel Rifkin
In 1994, Joel Rifkin was found guilty of nine counts of murder and sentenced to 203 years in jail. Yet it’s believed he may have slain up to 17 victims during his four-year reign of terror in New York. If it wasn’t for one error in 1993, Rifkin may never have been caught. When the police attempted to pull him over for missing a rear license plate, Rifkin panicked and sped off with the cops in hot pursuit. However, after over 20 minutes of reckless driving, the serial killer crashed his truck into a pole, allowing the officers to arrest him. Yet, as they approached the truck, there was a strong odor. When the cops looked under a sheet, they discovered one of Rifkin’s victims.

False License Plate

Peter Sutcliffe
Between 1975 and 1980, the North of England was in a state of fear. A criminal known as the Yorkshire Ripper had taken the lives of 13 people, a figure that was suspected to be much higher later, and badly injured several others. Yet the police had no leads. In 1981, Peter Sutcliffe was arrested after the police noticed him in a car with an escort, and while he indeed had a license plate, it was a false one.The cops quickly realized Sutcliffe matched the Yorkshire Ripper’s description. One officer discovered weapons dumped where Sutcliffe was arrested and a knife hidden in the toilet at the police station. After intense interviewing, Sutcliffe confessed. He was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years, which was later changed to a whole-life tariff. Sutcliffe passed away in jail in 2020.

Scratch Marks

Earle Nelson
After sustaining a head injury as a child, Earle Nelson, AKA The Dark Strangler or The Gorilla Man, began showcasing more and more erratic behavior. Eventually, it led to him becoming one of the US’s most prolific serial killers. In just over a year, Nelson took the lives of up to 29 people throughout many states, including Washington, California, Oregon, and Missouri, and eventually ended up in Winnipeg, Canada. After more slayings, a search was underway for someone matching Nelson’s description. With all this going on, he visited a barber. However, the worker noticed blood and scratch marks on Nelson, and they told the cops. Eventually, Nelson was discovered and arrested. In 1928, Nelson was executed for his crimes.

Public Indecency

Arthur Shawcross
In 1987, Arthur Shawcross, later known as the Genesee River Killer, was released from jail for taking the lives of two children. By the following year, he began terrorizing citizens in Rochester, New York. Shawcross took the lives of around 12 people until 1990. At that time, the police had discovered one of his victims, and a helicopter was checking out the area in the belief the killer would return to the scene. They spotted Shawcross on a nearby bridge, seemingly relieving himself in one form or another. After running his vehicle license plate and discovering his morbid history, the cops arrested Shawcross, who admitted his guilt. He was sentenced to 250 years in jail before passing away in 2008.

Forged Will

Harold Shipman
After the Shipman Inquiry concluded in 2005, it was discovered that Harold Shipman might be one of the most prolific killers in history, with upwards of 250 victims. Later known as Dr. Death, Shipman was a general practitioner around Manchester, England. He befriended older patients, getting them to leave money to him in their wills, then giving them fatal amounts of morphine. But when solicitor Angela Woodruff was told that her mother’s will had left everything to Shipman, she got suspicious. An investigation led to the police realizing the doctor’s typewriter was used to write the will, as well as his fingerprint being on the letter. In 2000, Shipman received life imprisonment before taking his own life in 2004.

Plumbing Issues

Dennis Nilsen
Between 1978 and 1983, Dennis Nilsen lured up to 15 victims to his residences in London, England, taking their lives and then living with the remains for a while. But by 1983, a plumber was examining a drain pipe that various residents had complained about. The worker found a strange substance coating them. After an investigation, it was discovered to be human remains, and it led to Nilsen. When the police got there and searched the property, they found more remains scattered about. Nilsen had disposed of evidence either by a bonfire or flushing it in the toilet, leading to his downfall. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for 6 murders and 1 attempt. In 2018, Nilsen passed away in jail.

Erratic Driving

Randy Kraft
In 1983, California Highway Patrol officers noticed a car driving erratically on the freeway. Understandably suspecting this was a DUI, they pulled the car over. As one cop spoke to the driver outside the vehicle to give him a sobriety test, the other checked the passenger, who remained sitting. However, they discovered he was tied up and wasn’t alive. By pure happenstance, these officers uncovered the identity of the notorious Scorecard Killer, Randy Kraft. By 1989, Kraft was found guilty of taking the lives of 16 men, receiving an execution sentence. However, it’s speculated he might have slain up to 67 people. At the time of writing, Kraft was still on death row.

Stolen Car

Ted Bundy
In early 1978, Florida was experiencing a series of brutal attacks and slayings within a short amount of time. And it all ended when Officer David Lee realized a car that had been reported stolen was in front of him. While the thief attempted to escape by running away, Lee tackled and arrested him. It was soon discovered Lee had brought Ted Bundy to justice, who had escaped custody multiple times and committed horrific crimes. After a series of trials for his crimes, Bundy was sentenced to capital punishment. While he confessed to killing 30 people and was confirmed to have taken 20 lives, there’s speculation the true number could be much, much higher. In 1989, Bundy’s sentence was carried out.

Floppy Disk

Dennis Rader
Between 1974 and 1991, several people perished around Kansas at the hands of BTK, a self-given nickname by the monster who taunted the media and police in his messages. But then, he vanished. Yet by 2004, BTK began sending detailed letters to the newspaper, The Wichita Eagle. Looking to receive more of his writings, the police convinced BTK that he couldn’t be traced if he sent a floppy disk containing the documents. However, he could, and he fell for the bait. Specialists discovered evidence on the disk linking it to a church and its council president, Dennis Rader. In 2005, Rader pled guilty to 10 counts of murder and was sentenced to 175 years in jail.

Which serial killer mistake was the most surprising? Let us know in the comments.