American Killers

Brandon Andrew Clark became one of the most notorious killers in recent American criminal history after murdering 17-year-old internet personality Bianca Devins in Utica, New York, on July 14, 2019. The case received worldwide attention after Clark posted graphic photographs of the crime scene on social media, prompting renewed debate about online communities, the rapid spread of violent content, and the responsibilities of social media platforms. Clark later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.

Brandon Christopher Risner was convicted of murdering his longtime friend, 21-year-old Aaron William Davis, in Rome, Georgia, on November 11, 2022. Davis had travelled to Risner's home while on his way to visit his girlfriend in Alabama. Risner stabbed Davis repeatedly before dismembering his body and attempting to conceal the killing. He pleaded guilty to 12 charges, including malice murder, and was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole in July 2024.

Brendan Banfield was convicted of the aggravated murders of his wife, Christine Banfield, and Joseph Ryan in Fairfax County, Virginia, on February 24, 2023. Prosecutors said Banfield and the family's au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães, were having an affair and devised a scheme to lure Ryan to the Banfield home and make it appear that he had killed Christine before being killed himself. Banfield was convicted in February 2026 of two counts of aggravated murder, firearm use and child endangerment. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole in June 2026 and has since filed notice of an appeal.

Michael Brett Kelly became known in Georgia criminal cases after being convicted in the 2012 home invasion murder of Gale Spencer in Macon, Georgia. Prosecutors alleged Kelly was one of four offenders involved in the violent robbery that ended with Spencer’s death inside the residence. The case generated strong local media attention because multiple offenders participated in the fatal home invasion. Authorities later secured convictions against Kelly and the co-defendants following the investigation into Spencer’s killing. Kelly ultimately received a life sentence for his role in the homicide.

Brian Easterling became known in true crime coverage after being convicted of murdering his longtime friend Michael Evers in Kentucky in a case prosecutors described as calculated, deceptive, and financially motivated. Easterling, a respected local fire chief and mechanic, shocked the community after investigators alleged he killed Evers before attempting to hide evidence and maintain the appearance that nothing had happened. The case generated significant media attention because Easterling had publicly presented himself as a trusted community figure while secretly becoming the focus of a homicide investigation. Prosecutors argued the killing stemmed from financial disputes and personal conflict connected to vehicle projects and money owed between the two men. The contrast between Easterling’s public reputation and the brutality of the crime turned the case into one of the region’s most disturbing modern homicide prosecutions.

Brian Christopher Laundrie was an American man who became the central figure in the disappearance and death of his fiancée, Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito, in 2021. Their cross-country road trip attracted international attention after Petito disappeared and Laundrie returned to Florida without her. The couple had been travelling across the western United States in a van, documenting their journey on social media. In August 2021, police in Moab, Utah, responded to a reported domestic dispute involving the couple. Weeks later, Petito stopped communicating with her family, while Laundrie returned to Florida alone. Petito's remains were discovered on September 19, 2021, in the Spread Creek area of Wyoming. The Teton County coroner determined that she had died from blunt-force injuries to the head and neck, with manual strangulation. The FBI's investigation identified Laundrie as the person responsible for her death. Laundrie disappeared shortly after returning to Florida and became the subject of a nationwide search. His remains were found in October 2021 in a nature reserve near his parents' home. Investigators recovered a notebook containing written statements in which he claimed responsibility for Petito's death. Laundrie died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound before he could be prosecuted for her killing. His death ended the criminal investigation without a trial, but the FBI concluded that he was responsible for Petito's death.

Bricen John Rivers was convicted of the capital murder of his former girlfriend, 22-year-old Lauren Johansen, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, in July 2024. Rivers had been released from a Tennessee jail only days earlier while facing charges stemming from a violent assault on Johansen. Despite court-ordered restrictions, he returned to Mississippi and went to Johansen's home. Prosecutors said he abducted and beat her to death before driving away in her car with her body. Rivers was captured after a six-hour manhunt and ultimately pleaded guilty to capital murder in August 2026. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Bruce McGregor Davis was a prominent member of Charles Manson's Family who was convicted for his involvement in the 1969 murders of musician Gary Hinman and Spahn Ranch worker Donald "Shorty" Shea. Davis joined Manson's group during the late 1960s and participated in crimes committed around the period of the notorious Tate-LaBianca murders, although he did not participate in those killings. After spending more than a year as a fugitive, Davis surrendered in 1970 and was convicted in 1972 of two counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder and robbery. Originally sentenced under California's indeterminate life-sentence system, he has spent decades in prison, where he became a born-again Christian, pursued higher education and repeatedly sought parole.