20 American Killers Who Still Haven't Been Caught
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VOICE OVER: Rebecca Brayton
Sadly, and horrifyingly, these American killers have yet to be caught. For this list, we'll be looking at perpetrators from around the United States who never faced justice. Our list includes The I-70 Killer, Charlie Chop-off, The Long Island Serial Killer, The Bible Belt Strangler, and more.
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re discussing 20 American Killers Who Still Haven’t Been Caught. For this list, we’ll be looking at perpetrators from around the United States who never faced justice. Which of these tragic stories impacts you the most?
It was after the deaths of four young girls throughout 1971 that the Washington Daily News deemed the perpetrator “the Freeway Phantom.” The killer would then take on the moniker with one more murder the same year. This was thought to be the fifth and final victim, but the Phantom struck again almost one year later when he killed Diane Williams. The murders, all of which involved African-American victims, were investigated by many task forces, including the FBI, but the search amounted to little in the end. Unfortunately, the case files were improperly handled and remain incomplete to this day.
Throughout the 1930s, Cleveland was besieged by a vicious criminal known as the Cleveland Torso Killer or the Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run, both names which were based on the location the killer operated in. They were brutal in their methods, often dismembering victims and disposing of remains in public. Once, these grisly remnants were placed in full view of Cleveland’s City Hall as a means to taunt the failing investigation. Twelve victims have been ostensibly traced to the Cleveland Torso Killer, but it is believed they may have killed as many as 20. Despite a massive manhunt, over 9,000 interrogations, and two primary suspects, the perpetrator was never verifiably identified or caught.
On March 13, 1919, a letter said to be from the Axeman of New Orleans was published in the city’s newspapers. The first sentence was “They have never caught me and they never will.” Unfortunately, this has continued to be true. Active between May 1918 and October of 1919, the Axeman took the lives of six people throughout the city and injured another six. He would often break into homes belonging to Italian immigrants and kill the female occupants. It was speculated that men would only be killed if they interfered or attempted to defend the women. The violence randomly stopped in the fall of 1919, and the Axeman of New Orleans quickly disappeared from the public consciousness.
Also known as the "Redhead Murders," the case of the Bible Belt Strangler remains unsolved. The perpetrator of these crimes received the moniker of the Bible Belt Strangler due to the crimes being committed in states like Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky and Mississippi, between the years of 1978 and 1992. The case bears similarities to the New Bedford Highway Murders, as the victims were usually either hitchhikers or sex workers, and their bodies were dumped on the side of local highways. A trucker named Jerry Leon Johns is considered today as a likely suspect in at least one of the murders, but he died in prison before he could be indicted.
Interstate 70 spans the Central United States, running from Maryland to Utah, the major highway which this murderer is named after. It is believed that, during the months of April and May in 1992, the I-70 Killer would enter small specialty shops close to the interstate and kill the female employees. Six clerks died during this crime spree, but the perpetrator may have taken the lives of three others between 1992 and 2001. Investigators produced a composite sketch of the suspect, who was said to have lazy eyelids and dark blonde hair. Unfortunately, the sketch did not amount to anything, and the man was never caught. However, the police are still on the lookout and, as of 2021, the sketch has been updated with age-progression.
The story of Delphine LaLaurie is legendary in the city of New Orleans. She was a prominent Louisiana socialite in her time and remarried after being widowed twice. She also owned a very beautiful mansion in the city’s famous French Quarter, and it’s here where she conducted her crimes. LaLaurie was known for being cruel to her servants, and the city’s gossip was proven on April 10, 1834. A fire started in her French Quarter mansion, and responders found numerous maimed servants who had been violently abused by LaLaurie. A furious mob destroyed the LaLaurie mansion, but the owner fled to France, escaping any punishment that awaited her in the U.S.
This serial killer should not be confused with The Skid Row Slasher, a.k.a. Vaughn Greenwood. For this entry, we're discussing The Skid Row Stabber, who reportedly had eleven victims to his or her name during their rampage in the late 1970s. The crimes all took place in or around Los Angeles' downtown "Skid Row" neighborhood, and targeted the area's substantial homeless population. Bodies were usually dumped or disposed of within various Skid Row alleys, and to this day no one knows the true identity of The Stabber. Bobby Joe Maxwell was arrested, tried and convicted of the Skid Row Stabber crimes, but the investigation was marred by corruption and circumstantial evidence, resulting in the ruling being overturned in 2010.
This man married his high school sweetheart, parented three children with her, and found a job with the U.S. State Department. But, this seemingly idyllic life was met with horror on the night of March 1, 1976. Bishop returned to his home after work and killed his mother, his wife, and his three sons, disposing of their bodies at a nearby swamp. Bishop’s motives are unknown, but they may be linked to marital or financial problems, and possibly the rejection of a promotion he’d been anticipating. No one knows for sure, however, because Bishop was never caught. His car was found weeks later all the way out in Tennessee, but there was no trace of him. Of the supposed sightings of him, all of them have been in Europe.
In 1911, the Atlanta Ripper began their killing streak. By the year’s end, anywhere from fifteen to twenty-one women’s deaths were connected to the murderer – or murderers. The victims of the Ripper were all dispatched the same way: their throats deeply slit. Each of the women was black and in their twenties. It wasn’t until the sixth murder that police began to consider the possibility of a serial killer. Some speculate that the lack of a lead, as well as racial prejudice of the time, led to the delay of the investigations, and their ultimately being dismissed. While several men were arrested, no charges were ever brought to court, and the case remains unsolved.
Between 1884 and 1885, the people of Austin, Texas, were reeling in shock from a seemingly endless string of brutal murders. Each murder took place while the victims were in the so-called safety of their own beds. The Servant Girl Annihilator’s name was devised by writer O. Henry in a letter penned to a friend, remarking “Town is fearfully dull, except for the frequent raids of the Servant Girl Annihilators, who make things lively in the dull hours of the night…” That’s one way to discuss an axe-murderer. The murders ended suddenly on Christmas Eve, 1885. Some believe they only stopped as he had boarded ship to begin his reign of terror elsewhere…
Lizzie Borden is a prominent name in the lore and history of Massachusetts. Back in 1892, Borden’s father and stepmother were violently killed in their Fall River home. Investigators immediately took note of Borden’s behavior, disliking her calm demeanor and the bizarre inconsistencies in her story. She was eventually arrested and tried for the deaths of her family, but ended up being acquitted of all charges. Despite this, Borden remained the primary suspect throughout her life and was ostracized from the local population. The killings remain unsolved, with the main suspects being Borden herself, her uncle, John Morse, and the family’s live-in maid, Bridget Sullivan.
New Bedford, Massachusetts is known for its thriving fishing industry, and for being a setting in Herman Melville's classic work, "Moby Dick." It’s also infamous for having been the hunting grounds of the New Bedford Highway Killer in late 1980s. The targets were all women with drug dependency issues or who worked in the city's sex industry, and their bodies were all found along major highways in the surrounding New Bedford area. A number of suspects have come up over the years as potential candidates for The New Bedford Highway Killer, including a hypothesis that the Portuguese criminal known as The Lisbon Ripper perhaps could've done double duty after leaving the area. To this day, families of the victims remain desperate for answers.
Chicago experienced what sounds like a Halloween urban myth throughout the fall of 1982. Someone was tampering with the city’s supply of Tylenol, poisoning capsules with potassium cyanide. This incident resulted in seven deaths, and Johnson & Johnson was forced to recall over 30 million bottles throughout the country. A man named James William Lewis was arrested after he sent a letter to Johnson & Johnson, demanding $1 million in exchange for ceasing the poisonings. He was sentenced to prison for extortion, but there was no hard evidence linking Lewis to the actual crime and he has continuously denied his involvement. The real perpetrator seems to have gotten away with it, but the incident did lead to many positive changes in the pharmaceutical field, like the introduction of tamper-resistant packaging.
This vicious killer was known for targeting African-American boys. He earned his ghoulish moniker from the brutal injuries he would inflict upon his victims. One of Charlie’s victims did, however, survive his attack, and in 1974 police apprehended a suspect, Erno Soto. Caught in the act of kidnapping a Puerto Rican boy, Soto was brought in for questioning. The surviving boy said he thought he looked like his attacker, but couldn’t be sure. Despite confessing to one of the murders, the Manhattan State Hospital – a psychiatric institution at which Soto was a patient – claimed Soto couldn’t be guilty, but did say it was possible he could have slipped out on their watch.
The Texarkana Moonlight Murders have spawned several urban legends and films. But in 1946, for the residents of the twin-cities of Texarkana, Texas and Texarkana, Arkansas, it was all too real. The first attack came against Jimmy Hollis and his girlfriend Mary Larey, who had parked their car on a secluded stretch of road known as “Lovers’ Lane.” Sound familiar? Both survived, though Hollis sustained skull injuries and Larey was assaulted. About a month later, another couple wasn’t so lucky. Three weeks later, two teens were shot and killed. After that, a married couple was attacked, but only the husband died. Hollis and Larey were the best lead for the Killer’s appearance, stating he wore a white hood, but when he stopped, so did investigations.
This series of killings is very unique. Throughout the early 1970s in Rochester, New York, the perp or perps targeted people whose first and last names began with the same letter. Three people were killed - Carmen Colón, Wanda Walkowicz, and Michelle Maenza. Their remains were then disposed of in places that began with the corresponding same letter. Colón was found in Churchville, Walkowicz in Webster, and Maenza in Macedon. As such, the case was labeled the “alphabet” or the “double initial” murders. It’s unclear if one person was solely responsible, and over 800 suspects were brought forward. Despite intense public interest and a large investigation, none of the cases were ever solved.
Over the course of about a year in the late 1970s, two boys and two girls went missing in Oakland County, Michigan. Their bodies were later discovered in public areas. These crimes led to the largest murder investigation in US history up to that time. Several witnesses came forward, but provided no concrete leads. One witness claimed to have seen one of the boys talk to a man in a blue AMC Gremlin, prompting investigators to inquire after every Gremlin owner in the county. But answers about the killer, or killers, remain elusive.
This killer has been at it awhile. In 2010, a police dog in training located the first body. It wasn’t long before investigators found more in the area, alerting them to the possibility of a serial killer. As the area was probed further, bits and pieces of bodies were found up and down Gilgo Beach in Suffolk County, NY. All of the victims, disposed of over a twenty-year period, were associated with the sex trade, several of them soliciting services over Craigslist. Almost nothing is known about this killer, except that they are morbidly prolific. The investigation is ongoing.
It’s the killing that rocked Hollywood and inspired countless noir stories. In January of 1947, a woman by the name of Betty Bersinger came across the bisected body of what she believed to be a mannequin. This was quickly debunked and revealed to be the body of Elizabeth Short, eventually dubbed the Black Dahlia by the media. The crime attracted national attention and an enormous manhunt was launched to catch the killer. Said manhunt produced over 150 suspects, one of whom was Bugsy Siegel, a prominent mobster. However, the investigation failed to produce concrete results, and the Black Dahlia is now one of the most notorious unsolved true crime cases in America.
Undoubtedly the most elusive killer in American history, the Zodiac Killer is like something straight out of a Hollywood nightmare. Also one to pen letters to the police, he did so by way of puzzles and complex cryptograms, boasting about his feats and demanding that his letters be published – on page one – of the newspapers, or else the body count would rise. This killer would hunt his victims, usually young couples in secluded areas, before carrying out his work. Similarities in method and physical description have led some to postulate that the Zodiac and Phantom Killer may be the same. Regardless, the Zodiac has left a grisly legacy all their own.
The Freeway Phantom
It was after the deaths of four young girls throughout 1971 that the Washington Daily News deemed the perpetrator “the Freeway Phantom.” The killer would then take on the moniker with one more murder the same year. This was thought to be the fifth and final victim, but the Phantom struck again almost one year later when he killed Diane Williams. The murders, all of which involved African-American victims, were investigated by many task forces, including the FBI, but the search amounted to little in the end. Unfortunately, the case files were improperly handled and remain incomplete to this day.
The Cleveland Torso Killer
Throughout the 1930s, Cleveland was besieged by a vicious criminal known as the Cleveland Torso Killer or the Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run, both names which were based on the location the killer operated in. They were brutal in their methods, often dismembering victims and disposing of remains in public. Once, these grisly remnants were placed in full view of Cleveland’s City Hall as a means to taunt the failing investigation. Twelve victims have been ostensibly traced to the Cleveland Torso Killer, but it is believed they may have killed as many as 20. Despite a massive manhunt, over 9,000 interrogations, and two primary suspects, the perpetrator was never verifiably identified or caught.
The Axeman of New Orleans
On March 13, 1919, a letter said to be from the Axeman of New Orleans was published in the city’s newspapers. The first sentence was “They have never caught me and they never will.” Unfortunately, this has continued to be true. Active between May 1918 and October of 1919, the Axeman took the lives of six people throughout the city and injured another six. He would often break into homes belonging to Italian immigrants and kill the female occupants. It was speculated that men would only be killed if they interfered or attempted to defend the women. The violence randomly stopped in the fall of 1919, and the Axeman of New Orleans quickly disappeared from the public consciousness.
The Bible Belt Strangler
Also known as the "Redhead Murders," the case of the Bible Belt Strangler remains unsolved. The perpetrator of these crimes received the moniker of the Bible Belt Strangler due to the crimes being committed in states like Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky and Mississippi, between the years of 1978 and 1992. The case bears similarities to the New Bedford Highway Murders, as the victims were usually either hitchhikers or sex workers, and their bodies were dumped on the side of local highways. A trucker named Jerry Leon Johns is considered today as a likely suspect in at least one of the murders, but he died in prison before he could be indicted.
The I-70 Killer
Interstate 70 spans the Central United States, running from Maryland to Utah, the major highway which this murderer is named after. It is believed that, during the months of April and May in 1992, the I-70 Killer would enter small specialty shops close to the interstate and kill the female employees. Six clerks died during this crime spree, but the perpetrator may have taken the lives of three others between 1992 and 2001. Investigators produced a composite sketch of the suspect, who was said to have lazy eyelids and dark blonde hair. Unfortunately, the sketch did not amount to anything, and the man was never caught. However, the police are still on the lookout and, as of 2021, the sketch has been updated with age-progression.
Delphine LaLaurie
The story of Delphine LaLaurie is legendary in the city of New Orleans. She was a prominent Louisiana socialite in her time and remarried after being widowed twice. She also owned a very beautiful mansion in the city’s famous French Quarter, and it’s here where she conducted her crimes. LaLaurie was known for being cruel to her servants, and the city’s gossip was proven on April 10, 1834. A fire started in her French Quarter mansion, and responders found numerous maimed servants who had been violently abused by LaLaurie. A furious mob destroyed the LaLaurie mansion, but the owner fled to France, escaping any punishment that awaited her in the U.S.
The Skid Row Stabber
This serial killer should not be confused with The Skid Row Slasher, a.k.a. Vaughn Greenwood. For this entry, we're discussing The Skid Row Stabber, who reportedly had eleven victims to his or her name during their rampage in the late 1970s. The crimes all took place in or around Los Angeles' downtown "Skid Row" neighborhood, and targeted the area's substantial homeless population. Bodies were usually dumped or disposed of within various Skid Row alleys, and to this day no one knows the true identity of The Stabber. Bobby Joe Maxwell was arrested, tried and convicted of the Skid Row Stabber crimes, but the investigation was marred by corruption and circumstantial evidence, resulting in the ruling being overturned in 2010.
Bradford Bishop
This man married his high school sweetheart, parented three children with her, and found a job with the U.S. State Department. But, this seemingly idyllic life was met with horror on the night of March 1, 1976. Bishop returned to his home after work and killed his mother, his wife, and his three sons, disposing of their bodies at a nearby swamp. Bishop’s motives are unknown, but they may be linked to marital or financial problems, and possibly the rejection of a promotion he’d been anticipating. No one knows for sure, however, because Bishop was never caught. His car was found weeks later all the way out in Tennessee, but there was no trace of him. Of the supposed sightings of him, all of them have been in Europe.
The Atlanta Ripper
In 1911, the Atlanta Ripper began their killing streak. By the year’s end, anywhere from fifteen to twenty-one women’s deaths were connected to the murderer – or murderers. The victims of the Ripper were all dispatched the same way: their throats deeply slit. Each of the women was black and in their twenties. It wasn’t until the sixth murder that police began to consider the possibility of a serial killer. Some speculate that the lack of a lead, as well as racial prejudice of the time, led to the delay of the investigations, and their ultimately being dismissed. While several men were arrested, no charges were ever brought to court, and the case remains unsolved.
The Servant Girl Annihilator
Between 1884 and 1885, the people of Austin, Texas, were reeling in shock from a seemingly endless string of brutal murders. Each murder took place while the victims were in the so-called safety of their own beds. The Servant Girl Annihilator’s name was devised by writer O. Henry in a letter penned to a friend, remarking “Town is fearfully dull, except for the frequent raids of the Servant Girl Annihilators, who make things lively in the dull hours of the night…” That’s one way to discuss an axe-murderer. The murders ended suddenly on Christmas Eve, 1885. Some believe they only stopped as he had boarded ship to begin his reign of terror elsewhere…
The Borden Family Killer
Lizzie Borden is a prominent name in the lore and history of Massachusetts. Back in 1892, Borden’s father and stepmother were violently killed in their Fall River home. Investigators immediately took note of Borden’s behavior, disliking her calm demeanor and the bizarre inconsistencies in her story. She was eventually arrested and tried for the deaths of her family, but ended up being acquitted of all charges. Despite this, Borden remained the primary suspect throughout her life and was ostracized from the local population. The killings remain unsolved, with the main suspects being Borden herself, her uncle, John Morse, and the family’s live-in maid, Bridget Sullivan.
New Bedford Highway Killer
New Bedford, Massachusetts is known for its thriving fishing industry, and for being a setting in Herman Melville's classic work, "Moby Dick." It’s also infamous for having been the hunting grounds of the New Bedford Highway Killer in late 1980s. The targets were all women with drug dependency issues or who worked in the city's sex industry, and their bodies were all found along major highways in the surrounding New Bedford area. A number of suspects have come up over the years as potential candidates for The New Bedford Highway Killer, including a hypothesis that the Portuguese criminal known as The Lisbon Ripper perhaps could've done double duty after leaving the area. To this day, families of the victims remain desperate for answers.
The Chicago Tylenol Poisonings
Chicago experienced what sounds like a Halloween urban myth throughout the fall of 1982. Someone was tampering with the city’s supply of Tylenol, poisoning capsules with potassium cyanide. This incident resulted in seven deaths, and Johnson & Johnson was forced to recall over 30 million bottles throughout the country. A man named James William Lewis was arrested after he sent a letter to Johnson & Johnson, demanding $1 million in exchange for ceasing the poisonings. He was sentenced to prison for extortion, but there was no hard evidence linking Lewis to the actual crime and he has continuously denied his involvement. The real perpetrator seems to have gotten away with it, but the incident did lead to many positive changes in the pharmaceutical field, like the introduction of tamper-resistant packaging.
Charlie Chop-off
This vicious killer was known for targeting African-American boys. He earned his ghoulish moniker from the brutal injuries he would inflict upon his victims. One of Charlie’s victims did, however, survive his attack, and in 1974 police apprehended a suspect, Erno Soto. Caught in the act of kidnapping a Puerto Rican boy, Soto was brought in for questioning. The surviving boy said he thought he looked like his attacker, but couldn’t be sure. Despite confessing to one of the murders, the Manhattan State Hospital – a psychiatric institution at which Soto was a patient – claimed Soto couldn’t be guilty, but did say it was possible he could have slipped out on their watch.
The Phantom Killer
The Texarkana Moonlight Murders have spawned several urban legends and films. But in 1946, for the residents of the twin-cities of Texarkana, Texas and Texarkana, Arkansas, it was all too real. The first attack came against Jimmy Hollis and his girlfriend Mary Larey, who had parked their car on a secluded stretch of road known as “Lovers’ Lane.” Sound familiar? Both survived, though Hollis sustained skull injuries and Larey was assaulted. About a month later, another couple wasn’t so lucky. Three weeks later, two teens were shot and killed. After that, a married couple was attacked, but only the husband died. Hollis and Larey were the best lead for the Killer’s appearance, stating he wore a white hood, but when he stopped, so did investigations.
The Alphabet Murders
This series of killings is very unique. Throughout the early 1970s in Rochester, New York, the perp or perps targeted people whose first and last names began with the same letter. Three people were killed - Carmen Colón, Wanda Walkowicz, and Michelle Maenza. Their remains were then disposed of in places that began with the corresponding same letter. Colón was found in Churchville, Walkowicz in Webster, and Maenza in Macedon. As such, the case was labeled the “alphabet” or the “double initial” murders. It’s unclear if one person was solely responsible, and over 800 suspects were brought forward. Despite intense public interest and a large investigation, none of the cases were ever solved.
The Oakland County Killer
Over the course of about a year in the late 1970s, two boys and two girls went missing in Oakland County, Michigan. Their bodies were later discovered in public areas. These crimes led to the largest murder investigation in US history up to that time. Several witnesses came forward, but provided no concrete leads. One witness claimed to have seen one of the boys talk to a man in a blue AMC Gremlin, prompting investigators to inquire after every Gremlin owner in the county. But answers about the killer, or killers, remain elusive.
The Long Island Serial Killer
This killer has been at it awhile. In 2010, a police dog in training located the first body. It wasn’t long before investigators found more in the area, alerting them to the possibility of a serial killer. As the area was probed further, bits and pieces of bodies were found up and down Gilgo Beach in Suffolk County, NY. All of the victims, disposed of over a twenty-year period, were associated with the sex trade, several of them soliciting services over Craigslist. Almost nothing is known about this killer, except that they are morbidly prolific. The investigation is ongoing.
Black Dahlia’s Killer
It’s the killing that rocked Hollywood and inspired countless noir stories. In January of 1947, a woman by the name of Betty Bersinger came across the bisected body of what she believed to be a mannequin. This was quickly debunked and revealed to be the body of Elizabeth Short, eventually dubbed the Black Dahlia by the media. The crime attracted national attention and an enormous manhunt was launched to catch the killer. Said manhunt produced over 150 suspects, one of whom was Bugsy Siegel, a prominent mobster. However, the investigation failed to produce concrete results, and the Black Dahlia is now one of the most notorious unsolved true crime cases in America.
The Zodiac Killer
Undoubtedly the most elusive killer in American history, the Zodiac Killer is like something straight out of a Hollywood nightmare. Also one to pen letters to the police, he did so by way of puzzles and complex cryptograms, boasting about his feats and demanding that his letters be published – on page one – of the newspapers, or else the body count would rise. This killer would hunt his victims, usually young couples in secluded areas, before carrying out his work. Similarities in method and physical description have led some to postulate that the Zodiac and Phantom Killer may be the same. Regardless, the Zodiac has left a grisly legacy all their own.
