Mass Murderer

Charles Whitman was an American mass murderer responsible for the 1966 University of Texas tower shooting in Austin. Prior to the attack, he killed members of his family before carrying out a public shooting that resulted in multiple deaths and injuries. The incident became one of the earliest widely documented mass shootings in modern U.S. history. Whitman was killed by police during the attack, ending the event.

Edward "Jake" Wagner admitted participating in the Pike County massacre, one of the deadliest family murder cases in Ohio history, by pleading guilty to murdering eight members of the Rhoden family in April 2016. Prosecutors established that Wagner, together with his parents Angela Wagner and George "Billy" Wagner III and his brother George Wagner IV, planned and carried out the coordinated killings during a custody dispute involving his young daughter with Hanna Rhoden. In exchange for avoiding the death penalty, Wagner agreed to testify against his family members and became the prosecution's key witness during their trials. He is serving eight consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.

Elliot Rodger was an American mass murderer responsible for the 2014 Isla Vista killings in California. He carried out a planned multi-location attack targeting individuals in a university community. He killed six people and injured others before dying by suicide at the scene.

Erin Patterson became one of Australia’s most internationally discussed accused killers after allegedly poisoning multiple family members with deadly mushrooms during a lunch gathering in regional Victoria in 2023. The case generated extraordinary worldwide attention because of the unusual alleged murder method, the family dynamics involved and the mystery surrounding whether the poisonings were deliberate. The investigation rapidly became one of the biggest true crime stories in Australia, attracting nonstop media coverage, internet speculation and global fascination. The combination of toxicology evidence, alleged deception, suspicious behavior and courtroom developments transformed the case into one of the most discussed criminal prosecutions of the decade.

George Emil Banks became one of the most infamous mass killers in Pennsylvania history after murdering 13 people during a shooting spree in Wilkes-Barre on September 25, 1982. Among his victims were five of his own children, their mothers, and several relatives. The murders shocked the United States because of the extraordinary number of family members killed in a single attack. After decades of legal proceedings centred on his mental competency, Banks died in prison in 2024 without ever being executed.

George "Billy" Wagner III was a member of the Wagner family responsible for the Pike County massacre, one of the deadliest family murder cases in Ohio history. Prosecutors proved that Wagner, together with his parents George "Billy" Wagner II and Angela Wagner, and his brother Edward "Jake" Wagner, conspired to murder eight members of the Rhoden family in April 2016 during a bitter custody dispute over Jake Wagner's daughter. Following one of Ohio's largest criminal investigations, Wagner was convicted in 2022 of eight counts of aggravated murder and numerous related offences. He was sentenced to eight consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole and remains incarcerated.

George Wagner IV was convicted for his role in the Pike County massacre, one of the largest homicide investigations in Ohio history. Along with his father, George "Billy" Wagner III, mother Angela Wagner and younger brother Edward "Jake" Wagner, he participated in a conspiracy that resulted in the murders of eight members of the Rhoden family across four crime scenes on April 22, 2016. Prosecutors established that the killings were motivated by a custody dispute involving Jake Wagner's daughter. Following a lengthy trial, George Wagner IV was convicted in 2022 of eight counts of aggravated murder and numerous related offences. He was sentenced to eight consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole and remains incarcerated.

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.