Top 10 Friday the 13th Crimes That Were Truly Chilling

Jason isn’t the only foe who hides their face on Friday the 13th. While this criminal didn’t harm anyone like Mr. Voorhees, they still committed a serious felony. On September 13, 2019, a First Convenience Bank in a Harris, Texas grocery store was held up. The culprit? Somebody hidden behind sunglasses, a wig, a baseball cap, and - most distinctly - white gauze, giving them the appearance of a mummy. Although difficult to identify, the so-called “Mummy Marauder” was described as a 5’11, 20-something Black man who drove a Mitsubishi Montero SUV. The FBI offered a $5,000 reward for more information. FBI spokesperson Connor Hagan couldn’t resist saying, “We are hoping to wrap this case up quickly,” although the Mummy Marauder is seemingly still at large.

Christopher Bernard Wilder’s heinous crimes weren’t restricted to one date or even one location. Throughout six months in 1984, this Australian-American serial killer traveled from Florida to several other states. Along the way, he murdered at least eight women and abducted at least four more in addition to several attempted kidnappings. He was also a suspect in the unresolved Wanda Beach Murders. Wilder’s final crime would be resisting arrest during a shootout with the police on April 13, 1984. Spotted by two state troopers in New Hampshire, Wilder reached for a Colt Python in his car. A struggle transpired with Wilder being fatally shot twice. One of the troopers, Leo Jellison, was also hit, but made a full recovery.

In addition to slasher villains, the 80s saw the rise of cybercrimes. In October 1987, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem detected a computer virus that would officially be called Jerusalem. Since the virus was first activated on May 13, 1988, though, the Friday the 13th Virus became a popular nickname. This was notably just one day before the anniversary of Israel’s establishment. It wouldn’t be the last time a virus spread coincided with Friday the 13th. On January 13 of the following year, another virus affected hundreds of personal computers across the U.K. It remains unclear if these viruses were connected and exactly who was behind them. All we know is that Friday the 13th must be a busy day for tech support.

On March 13, 1970, Marie Anstey disappeared in Vallejo, California, presumably being kidnapped. About a week later, Anstey’s nude body was discovered in Lake County, hidden in a bush. A scalp wound suggested that the young woman was beaten and drowned. Experts determined that she had been dead anywhere between five and seven days. While Anstey’s murder was never solved, some suspected the Zodiac Killer to be the culprit. It’s also been theorized that the Zodiac was behind the Santa Rosa hitchhiker murders, although this remains unconfirmed. Likewise, it’s unclear if Anstey was part of the Santa Rosa murders, but she’s been listed as a possible victim. Whoever was behind this crime, the authorities are still searching for a sign.

Throughout the 60s and 70s, Irish-American mobster Mickey Spillane ran the rackets in Hell’s Kitchen. Unlike some other organized crime figures, Spillane gained a reputation as the last “gentleman gangster.” That said, Spillane’s gentlemanly reputation didn’t spare him from a violent fate. Even as the Italian mob clashed with the Irish mob, Spillane maintained control over his territory. His luck ran out on May 13, 1977, when Spillane was shot multiple times outside his Queens apartment. Mickey Featherstone, a Westies gang member, was arrested for Spillane’s murder, but he was ultimately acquitted. Westies founder James Coonan was also accused of orchestrating the murder with assistance from Roy DeMeo. Spillane notably kidnapped and beat Coonan’s father years earlier. In any case, Coonan took over Spillane’s territory.

Being the subject of two recent miniseries, Candy Montgomery has reentered the zeitgeist along with Betty Gore. A wife and mother, Montgomery engaged in an affair with Gore’s husband, Allan. On June 13, 1980, Allan struggled to contact his wife while out of town. Neighbors discovered Betty’s body with her young daughter crying in another room. Gore’s death was traced to Montgomery, who claimed she was acting in self-defense after being confronted about the affair. According to Montgomery, Gore came at her with an axe. Montgomery then supposedly turned the axe against Gore. Although Montgomery was found not guilty, many remain skeptical, especially considering how many times Gore was struck. A crime definitely occurred that fateful Friday, but the public still debates who instigated it.

Brittany Killgore was last seen alive wearing a purple evening gown on April 13, 2012. Days after filing for divorce, Killgore met Louis Ray Perez. Killgore wasn’t interested when Perez invited her on a dinner cruise, but she agreed after he offered to help her move. Instead, Perez allegedly took Killgore back to his place where Grace Marie Maraglino and Jessica Lynn Lopez joined them. Four days later, Killgore’s body was found. Over the following weeks, Perez, Maraglino, and Lopez were arrested. An investigation uncovered evidence suggesting that the trio was into S&M that crossed a line. It was argued that they murdered Killgore after she refused to participate. Although they pleaded not guilty, the three were all sentenced to life without parole.

Arriving home from work during the early hours of March 13, 1964, bartender Catherine “Kitty” Genovese walked behind an alley where she was confronted by Winston Moseley, who followed her there. As Genovese attempted to run away, Moseley repeatedly stabbed her. Hearing Genovese’s cries for help, a neighbor yelled at Moseley, prompting him to flee. Moseley returned shortly after, proceeding to stab Genovese in addition to sexually assaulting and robbing her. Genovese died before she arrived at the hospital. Moseley later died in prison. A New York Times article claimed 38 people witnessed the crime without intervening, although that was proven inaccurate. While a couple of witnesses did call the police, Genovese’s murder provided the basis for the bystander effect and helped create 911.

Jason Voorhees may be synonymous with this infamous day, but David McGreavy has been called the Real Friday the 13th Killer, as well as the Monster of Worcester. Even Jason had limits, namely when it came to children. This wasn’t the case with McGreavy, who was living with the Ralph family. Since both parents worked, they trusted McGreavy to babysit. Although McGreavy was said to have loved kids, he was also a drinker prone to violence. When a triple homicide occurred on April 13, 1973, the evidence pointed to McGreavy, who initially denied involvement before confessing. The Ralphs’ marriage fell apart while McGreavy received multiple life sentences. He was paroled in December 2018 after nearly four decades in prison, currently living as a free man.

The European Union faced its deadliest attack in over a decade in November 2015. The attack commenced on Friday the 13th when three separate explosions transpired outside of and near the Stade de France stadium. One person died along with the three bombers, who failed to enter the stadium where President of France François Hollande was attending a game. The terror didn’t end there, however. Multiple shootings and another bombing ensued across Paris as the night progressed. The most casualties occurred at the Bataclan theatre where over 1,000 people attended an Eagles of Death Metal concert. Islamic terrorists carried out these attacks, which ultimately claimed more than 100 lives. The attacks ended around 12:20 a.m., but Paris remains shaken.

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