Los Angeles, LA, or the City of Angels, as some may like to call it, is a fascinating place. Los Angeles County attracts millions of tourists seeking Southern California’s sun, sand, and glamor, from Hollywood via Malibu to Pasadena. It’s home to all types of glamor you can imagine, from movie stars and rock bands to absolutely wealthy.
However, the City of Angels has a darker side that lurks beneath its glamorous facade. Behind all the glitz and glamor lies a town haunted by the sinister desires of brutal and sadistic killers who have left their marks on its history. With the population exceeding 9 million, the city has witnessed its fair share of murders and brutality. From lowest street thugs to mob bosses and mafias, this city has cradled all sorts of killers.
So, let’s delve deeper and reveal the 10 most notorious Los Angeles killers.
10. The Lonely Hearts Killer
Los Angeles was the dreamland of every aspiring model during the 50’s. While the innocent aspiring models wanted that perfect shot, sinister eyes lurked behind the lens. We are talking about Harvey Glatman, also known as the “Lonely Heart Killer” or “Glamour Girl Killer,” who murdered more than 3 women between ‘57 and ‘58.
Harvey moved to LA in 1957 and made a point of hanging out around modeling agencies. After finding his prey, he would disguise himself as a photographer, inviting them to their apartment under the pretext of getting them modeling gigs.
Then he would tie them up and brutally murder them after raping them. He met his third victim through an ad in the Lonely Heart Newspaper, where he got his name.
He was, however, caught by a police officer who found him struggling on the roadside with his to-be fourth victim. Later, he was found guilty of three murders, but people believe this Los Angeles killer has taken more than 3 innocent lives.
9. The Grim Sleeper
“The Grim Sleeper,” or David Franklin Jr, was a notorious Los Angeles Killer active in Los Angeles from 1985 to 2002. He earned his name for the 14-year age gap between his murders. He had murdered at least 10 people, primarily targeting young prostitutes. These murders were initially discarded as NHI due to their drug-related lifestyle. However, later, due to community pressure, LAPS began investigating these cases as serial killings.
Franklin would offer rides to his prey and murder them after assaulting them sexually, dumping their bodies in alleys or dumpsters. He was caught after his DNA linked him to the murders in 2010. Convicted in 2016, Franklin was sentenced to death but died in prison in 2020. His crimes were later featured in a 2014 HBO documentary.
8. The Highway Killer/ Freeway Killer
William George Bonin, infamously known as the Freeway Killer, was a serial killer who terrorized Southern California during the late 1970s. His killing spree commenced in 1979 and lasted until his capture in 1980. Bonin targeted young hitchhikers, luring them into his trap, i.e., his van, where he would tie them up, torture them, and murder them, later disposing of their bodies along freeways.
Due to the extensive nature of Bonin’s crimes, various law enforcement agencies had to intervene in the investigation of Freeway Killer. Ultimately, he was arrested and convicted of around 14 murders, although police suspect he may have killed atleast 21 people. In 1982, Bonin was punished with the death penalty for these heinous acts, which included the rape, torture, and murder of numerous young boys. He was executed by lethal injection in 1996, becoming the first person in California to be put to death using this method.
7. The Hillside Strangler(s)
You thought one vicious Los Angeles Killer was enough terror? Well, we got a pair now! The Hillside Strangler(s) was a duo of cousins Bianchi and Buno. Posing as police officers, the duo would abduct young women and girls, many of whom were prostitutes or runaways, and subject them to horrifying abuse before murdering them, dumping their bodies on the hillsides surrounding LA.
Bianchi got caught when he attempted additional murders in England, where he moved to evade capture. Bianchi confessed to his crimes and implicated Buono under pressure. Buono died in 2020 while serving life imprisonment where, as Bianchi is still serving multiple life sentences in prison.
6. The Trash Bag Killer
The “Trash Bag Killer” operated from 1965 to 1967 in Southern California. Born in 1939, Patrick Kearney preyed on young boys, often hitchhikers. Kearney’s modus operandi involved shooting victims in the head, dismembering bodies, and disposing of remains in trash bags along highways.
After a brief marriage, Kearney moved to Redondo Beach and began a relationship with David Hill. Their frequent arguments led Kearney to seek out victims. Sick of waiting for hitchhikers, he started going around gay bars.
Kearney’s youngest victim was just five years old. In 1977, he was arrested after a failed abduction attempt. He confessed to 21 murders but is suspected of up to 43. To avoid the death penalty, Kearney pleaded guilty in 1978 and received 21 life sentences without parole. He remains incarcerated in California.
5. The Skid Row Slasher
The “Skid Row Slasher” murdered almost eleven people by slashing their throats. Although Vaughn Orrin Greenwood, or the Skid Row Slasher, began his criminal career in 1964 by killing two victims, he took a decade-long hiatus before returning to murder in 1974 with a vengeance, attacking nine individuals in two months.
From 1974 to 1975, Greenwood killed at least eleven men, leaving their bodies posed in disturbing ways and showing signs of possible ritualistic motives, including evidence that he drank their blood.
He was arrested for an unrelated burglary in February 1975 after attempting to break into actor Burt Reynolds’ home. Greenwood was convicted in 1977, where he died in 2020.
4. The Scorecard Killer
Born on 19 March 1945, Randy Kraft was a serial killer, the “Scorecard Killer,” terrorizing California primarily.
Despite his normal appearance, Kraft’s gruesome crimes involved targeting men, preferably young military personnel. He would offer them rides before drugging, torturing, sexually assaulting, and ultimately killing them using methods like strangulation or asphyxiation. He would mutilate their bodies and dispose of their bodies along highways after murdering them.
He was caught in 1983 when he was pulled over on a highway for a routine checkup, but police found a body in his car along with other evidence. This led to his arrest and conviction. In 1989, he was sentenced to death for 16 murders, although investigators believe he may have been responsible for up to 67 victims.
3. The Night Stalker
Richard Ramirez, born on February 29, 1960, in El Paso, Texas, was an evil Los Angeles killer who lurked in Southern California from 1984 to 1985. He commenced criminal activities at an early stage in life, influenced by a traumatizing upbringing.
Ramirez’s spree was marked by simpleness and brutality, breaking into homes at night and attacking victims of all ages with various weapons.
He left satanic symbols at crime scenes, with his first known victim being 79-year-old Jennie Vincow, who was nearly decapitated. Although people believe he has taken the lives of many people, he was convicted of 13 murders only.
He was recognized by some residents, leading to his arrest on August 31, 1985. His trial in 1989 revealed the extent of his crimes, leading to a death sentence. Ramirez died on June 7, 2013, from serious health issues while waiting for execution at San Quentin State Prison.
2. The Golden State Killer
The “Golden State Killer,” or Joseph James DeAngelo, was a former Navy serviceman turned Los Angeles Killer, burglar, and rapist who terrorized California from 1974 to 1986.
DeAngelo conducted a string of Burglaries in Visalia, getting the name “Visalia Ransacker.” Then he escalated to more heinous crimes such as rape. He raped more than 50 women and murdered 13 more, earning the name “Original Night Stalker,”
This Los Angeles Killer would break into the house, assault or rape his victims and steal their items. His police training helped him plan his crimes effectively and discard him from the suspect’s list. His history included thirteen confirmed murders, fifty rapes more than two hundred burglaries in California, thus becoming one of the most prolific criminals in California. He confessed to his crimes in June 2020 to avoid a death sentence. On the 20th of August, he was sentenced to life in prison with no parole.
1. The Manson Family
Have you heard of the famous murder case of Tate-LaBianca? It was a series of murders orchestrated by Charles Manson and his followers, or “The Manson Family.” Charles Manson, a cult leader, coerced a group of young followers known as the Manson Family to execute his evil plans, which he referred to as “Helter Skelter,” a phrase inspired by a song from The Beatles.
On August 8, Charles Manson directed his followers to a residence on Cielo Drive, targeting it because its former occupant was a record producer who had refused him a deal. They killed the resident actress Sharon Tate, who was 8 months pregnant at the time, along with other wealthy socialites.
This high-profile investigation led to the arrest of The Manson Family. Charles Manson, the leader of the “Manson Family,” was sentenced to death. However, California’s no-death penalty led him to life in prison instead.
Conclusion
To sum it up, Los Angeles has experienced the terror of some very famous killers in history. Each one left a scary impact on the city. Known criminals like “Night Stalker” Richard Ramirez and “Grim Sleeper” Lonnie Franklin Jr. brought fear and changed how people think about safety in public places. Their terrible actions make us remember the nasty sides of people. Knowing about these cases is important because it shows respect to those who suffered and teaches us that we must stay alert and work together in our communities to stop such tragic events from happening again.
