Alive Killers

Joseph James DeAngelo, known as the "Golden State Killer," became one of the most infamous serial offenders in American history after committing a series of murders, rapes, and burglaries across California between 1974 and 1986. A former police officer, DeAngelo evaded identification for more than 40 years before investigators used investigative genetic genealogy to identify and arrest him in 2018. His case transformed modern criminal investigations and demonstrated the power of forensic DNA technology in solving long-unsolved crimes.

Joseph Kerekes was convicted of conspiring with Harlow Cuadra to murder Bryan Kocis, the founder of Cobra Video, in January 2007. Prosecutors established that the pair killed Kocis inside his Pennsylvania home as part of a plan to seize control of Cobra Video and profit from the career of Sean Lockhart, better known by his stage name Brent Corrigan, whose contract with Kocis had become the centre of a bitter legal dispute. A lengthy investigation involving DNA evidence, financial records and witness testimony ultimately exposed the conspiracy. Kerekes was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy and related offences in 2011 and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Joshua Stimpson is an English convicted murderer who killed his former girlfriend, 23-year-old university student Molly McLaren, in Chatham, Kent, on June 29, 2017. Stimpson and McLaren had met through Tinder and had been in a relationship for approximately seven months. After McLaren ended the relationship, Stimpson began repeatedly contacting and following her. She reported his behaviour to police, who warned him to stay away from her. On the morning of the murder, Stimpson followed McLaren to the gym at the Dockside shopping centre. After she left and returned to her car, he attacked her with a kitchen knife, stabbing her more than 75 times. She died at the scene. Stimpson was arrested at the scene and later charged with murder. He initially admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility but denied murder. A jury at Maidstone Crown Court rejected his defence and convicted him of murder in February 2018. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 26 years before parole consideration. His minimum term runs until 2044.

Julian Knight became one of Australia’s most notorious mass killers after carrying out the Hoddle Street massacre in Melbourne, Victoria, on August 9, 1987. Armed with multiple firearms, Knight opened fire on motorists and pedestrians along Hoddle Street, killing seven people and injuring numerous others in one of the deadliest mass shootings in Australian history at the time. The massacre shocked the nation and permanently altered public discussion surrounding gun control, mass violence, and offender psychology in Australia. Knight’s age, military background, and apparent emotional instability became major focuses during the investigation and trial. The case remained deeply embedded in Australian criminal history and later contributed to broader national debates surrounding firearm access and responses to mass casualty attacks.

Kalen Schlatter is a Canadian convicted murderer who killed 22-year-old Tess Richey after meeting her in Toronto's Church-Wellesley Village in November 2017. Schlatter accompanied Richey to a secluded outdoor stairwell, where prosecutors established that he sexually assaulted and strangled her before leaving her body concealed at the location. Richey's mother discovered her body several days later after conducting her own search. Schlatter was arrested in February 2018 and convicted of first-degree murder in March 2020. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with no possibility of parole for 25 years.

Karla Leanne Homolka became one of Canada's most infamous female killers after participating in the murders of her younger sister, Tammy Homolka, Leslie Mahaffy, and Kristen French alongside her husband, Paul Bernardo, between 1990 and 1992. Initially portrayed as a battered spouse, Homolka secured a controversial plea agreement before investigators discovered videotapes documenting her active participation in the crimes. She served 12 years in prison and was released in 2005, making her one of the most controversial offenders in Canadian criminal history.

Keith Dozier became known in Georgia criminal cases after being convicted in the 2012 home invasion killing of Gale Spencer in Macon, Georgia. Prosecutors alleged Dozier was one of four offenders involved in the violent robbery that ended in Spencer’s death. The homicide received local media attention because of the coordinated nature of the crime and the multiple offenders prosecuted afterward. Dozier later received a life sentence plus an additional 20 years for his role in the case.

Kevin West is an American convicted murderer and former battalion chief with the Camas-Washougal Fire Department in Washington. In January 2026, he was convicted of first-degree murder for strangling his wife, Marcelle "Marcy" West, inside their Washougal home in January 2024. Prosecutors proved West staged the killing as a medical emergency by falsely reporting that his wife had suffered a seizure. He was sentenced to 25 years' imprisonment in February 2026.