With Halloween fast approaching, it’s everybody’s favorite time of the year to creep themselves out with stories of famous serial killers. Though you’ve probably heard of Ted Bundy and Charles Manson, the 10 most prolific serial killers are likely people you’ve never heard of before. Without further adieu, here are the top 10 most prolific serial killers in the world, according to the number of confirmed victims.
Number Ten: Gary Ridgway – 49 Proven Victims. The most prolific serial killer in the United States, Gary Ridgway was a truck painter popularly known as The Green River Killer. He confessed to killing 71 women, all of whom were sex workers from Seattle, and he is suspected of killing more than 90 women in total. He was active from 1982 to 2000. He is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Number Nine: Anatoly Onoprienko – 52 Proven victims. Anatoly Onoprienko, also known as “The Beast of Ukraine,” “The Terminator,” and “Citizen O,” is from Ukraine and was an active killer from 1989 to 1996. In court, he claimed that voices in his head told him to commit the 52 murders to which he confessed, including that of several families. Onoprienko died in 2013 from heart failure.
Number Eight: Andrei Chikatilo – 53 Proven Victims. With monikers like the Butcher of Rostov, The Rostov Ripper and The Red Ripper, Soviet-born Andrei Chikatilo comes in eighth on our list with 53 proven victims. He was executed on Valentine’s Day in 1994 at the age of 57.
Number Seven: Abul Djabar – 65 Proven Victims. Afghan Abul Djabar raped and murdered at least 65 men and boys. He accomplished this by suffocating his victims with a turban. Djabar was active up until 1970, and he is suspected of killing over 300 people in total. He was hanged in 1970.
Number Six: Yang Xinhai – 67 Proven Victims. Known as the “Monster Killer,” Yang Xinhai was active from 2000 to 2003 and murdered at least 67 people. His tactic was to enter the homes of Chinese families and murder every single family member with various tools, including, cleavers, axes, and shovels. He is China’s most prolific serial killer and was executed in 2004.
Number Five: Kampatimar Shankariya – 70 Proven Victims. Known for murdering his victims with only a hammer, Kampatimar Shankariya was active fin 1977 and 1978 and murdered at least 70 people. He was hanged in 1979.
Number Four: Pedro Rodrigues Filho – 71 Proven Victims. Pedro Rodrigues Filho, who is also known as Pedrinho Matador, murdered at least 71 people, 47 of whom he murdered while in jail. He also killed his father and ate a piece of his heart. He is currently serving a 128-year-long sentence in Brazil.
Number Three: Daniel Camargo Barbosa – 72 Proven Victims. Colombian-born Daniel Camargo Barbosa was a prolific child murderer and rapist. Though he confessed to 72 murders, it is suspected he has killed over 100 virgin girls. He was active from 1974 to 1986 and was murdered in 1994.
Number Two: Pedro López – 110 Proven Victims. Coming in at number two on our list is Pedro López, with 110 proven victims. López was known as “The Monster of the Andes,” and was a child murderer and rapist. He was active from 1969 through 1980 and is suspected of killing over 300 people. Eerily enough, López was released from prison in 1998, and his current whereabouts are unknown.
Number One: Luis Garavito – 138 Proven Victims. At number one on our list of the 10 most prolific serial killers is Luis Garavito, who was born in Colombia and was active in the 90s. Garavita was also known as The Beast and was known for raping and murdering children. Though he only has 138 proven victims, he is suspected of killing more than 400 people, most of them being street children. Because Colombian law limits prison sentences to 40 years and he helped the police find bodies, Garavito’s sentence was whittled down to a meager 22 years. He was apprehended in 1999.
