10 Serial Killers Who Killed TOGETHER

10 Serial Killers Who Killed TOGETHER

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be looking at the deadliest duos, be they romantic couples, blood relatives or simply friends, who spread terror in their corners of the world and together claimed multiple lives.

Paul Bernardo & Karla Homolka

Infamously known as the Ken and Barbie Killers, Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka first met in 1987 and instantly fell in love. That same year, Bernardo began committing a series of sexual assaults in Ontario, Canada, which eventually escalated to murder. Together, he and Homolka sexually assaulted and murdered at least three girls, including Homolka’s sister, Tammy. They were finally arrested in 2003, at which point Homolka turned on Bernardo, claiming she had been coerced into participating in the crimes under threat of violence. She struck a deal with prosecutors, pleading guilty to manslaughter, and received a 12-year prison sentence. Bernardo, on the other hand, was convicted of multiple crimes, including first-degree murder and sexual assault, and was sentenced to life in prison.

Amelia Sach & Annie Walters

In the late 1800s, British midwife Amelia Sach ran a nursing home in London, employing a nurse named Annie Walters. Together, they became involved in baby farming, offering new mothers, most of whom were servants, a place to recover after giving birth and charging them a fee to have their unwanted children adopted. However, instead of finding new homes for these children, Sach and Walters sent them to an early grave either by poisoning or strangulation. Their deadly collaboration ultimately claimed the lives of over a dozen children. The two were arrested after Walters’ landlord, a police officer, grew suspicious when she brought one of her victims home. They were convicted of the murders and executed by hanging.

Leonard Lake & Charles Ng

These two ex-Marines first met in the early 1980s and began their killing spree shortly after. They committed their crimes at a cabin Leonard Lake owned in California, primarily targeting women, but sometimes wiping out entire families. In total, they were responsible for up to 25 murders. Their reign of terror ended in 1985 when they both visited a hardware store and Charles Ng was caught shoplifting. While Ng escaped on foot before police arrived, Lake was apprehended but he ended his own life by swallowing a cyanide pill. Police later searched the cabin and unearthed the remains of their victims. It took weeks before authorities found Ng in Canada. He was extradited to the U.S. and sentenced to death for 11 murders.

Lawrence Bittaker & Roy Norris

While incarcerated in the San Luis Obispo Men’s Colony Prison for various violent crimes, Lawrence Bittaker and Ray Norris developed a deadly friendship. They bonded over their shared interest in sadism and discussed plans to act out their violent fantasies once released. In 1979, after regaining their freedom, they acted on those plans, kidnapping, sexually assaulting and murdering at least five victims that year. They might have claimed many more lives had Norris not discussed the murders with another former inmate who then reported them to the police. Norris eventually testified against Bittaker, securing a life sentence instead of the death penalty. Bittaker was however convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. Both men died of natural causes in prison.

Charles Starkweather & Caril Ann Fugate

Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate began dating in 1956, after being introduced by Fugate’s sister. Starkweather committed his first murder in November 1957, but it wasn’t until two months later that he killed with Fugate’s involvement. When he visited her house, Fugate’s mother and stepfather asked him to leave. In response, he killed them and her younger sister. Following this, the two lovers embarked on a week-long killing spree, traveling from Nebraska to Wyoming and taking at least seven more lives. Upon their arrest, they turned on each other: Fugate claimed she was being held hostage, while Starkweather insisted she was a willing participant. Ultimately, Starkweather was executed, and Fugate received a life sentence, though she was paroled after serving 18 years.

Ray & Faye Copeland

Ray Copeland began his life of crime by forging checks. After marrying Faye Wilson in 1940, Ray remained fraudulent, hiring drifters to buy cattle with forged checks, only to swiftly sell off the cattle and fire the farmhands, to avoid being traced. Eventually, police uncovered the scam and sent him to jail. Upon his release, Ray devised a more sinister plan to ensure the drifters couldn’t be found. Together with Faye, he murdered at least five employees. Their crimes went undetected until one man reported to the police that Ray tried to kill him and that he had seen human remains on their farm. The Copelands were both convicted of murder and sentenced to death, although Faye’s sentence was later commuted to life in prison.

Gwendolyn Graham & Cathy Wood

In the 1980s, Gwendolyn Graham and Cathy Wood were nurse’s aides at a Michigan nursing home where they became romantically involved. By January 1987, they committed their first murder together, smothering an elderly patient who had Alzheimer’s disease. This was the first of five murders they would carry out in the nursing home over a span of weeks. The crimes were eventually discovered in 1988, after the two lovers split up, when Wood confessed to her ex-husband. She ultimately cooperated with authorities, claiming Graham was the mastermind while she only acted as a lookout. Although this account has been disputed, Wood served prison time for second-degree murder and was released in 2020. Graham, however, was convicted of first-degree murder and received five life sentences.

Delfina & María de Jesús González

Born in Jalisco, Mexico, Delfina and María de Jesús González became known for running several brothels across the country. But what many did not know was that they killed some of their workers and customers, and buried their remains on the property. Their murderous spree came to an end when police arrested one of their recruiters, who gave them up. A search of their property revealed the remains of 91 men and women, although it is believed their total victim count could exceed 200, ranking them among the most prolific murderers in history. Both sisters received the maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. While Delfina died in an accident during her sentence, María completed her term and essentially vanished after her release.

Fred & Rose West

After separating from his first wife Catherine, Fred West began seeing Rosemary Letts, whom he married in 1972, following Catherine’s mysterious death. During their marriage, Fred and Rose lured several women to their house, often under the pretense of offering lodging. Once there, they would sexually assault and murder them, then bury their remains on the property. Among their victims were their own daughter, Heather, and Fred’s stepdaughter, Charmaine. It is believed that Fred was also responsible for Catherine’s death. In 1994, police visited the Wests’ home in Gloucester, England to investigate Heather’s disappearance, but discovered several human remains. In 1995, after their arrest, Fred took his own life in prison, while Rose was convicted of 10 murders and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Henry Lee Lucas & Ottis Toole

This notorious serial killer duo met at a soup kitchen in 1976 and began working together. They traveled across multiple states, committing random murders, primarily targeting hitchhikers and drifters. One of their supposed victims was Adam Walsh, a high-profile murder that drew national attention. They were eventually arrested in 1983 for separate, unrelated crimes: Toole for arson and Lucas for unlawful possession of a firearm. While in custody, Lucas confessed to numerous murders, claiming to have committed nearly 600, and implicating Toole. Many of these claims have now been proven false. Nevertheless, Lucas and Toole were both convicted of multiple murders and sentenced to death, but these were later commuted to life in prison, where they ultimately died.

Which of these cases terrified you the most? Let us know in the comments below.