Alive Killers

Erik Menendez became one of the most infamous figures in American true crime history after he and his older brother, Lyle Menendez, were convicted of murdering their wealthy parents inside their Beverly Hills mansion in 1989. The brutal killings shocked the United States and quickly transformed the Menendez brothers into household names during one of the most heavily televised murder trials of the 1990s. During the trial, Erik was portrayed by prosecutors as a privileged young man motivated by money and inheritance, while the defense argued he was a traumatised victim of years of emotional, physical and sexual abuse inside the family home. His emotional courtroom testimony and visible vulnerability became central to the public perception of the case, helping fuel decades of debate over whether the brothers were cold-blooded killers or abused sons driven by fear.

Erin Caffey is an American woman convicted for orchestrating the murder of her mother and two younger brothers in Texas in 2008. At just 16 years old, she persuaded her boyfriend and accomplices to carry out the killings after her parents disapproved of the relationship. The case shocked the public due to her age and the calculated nature of the crime. Caffey was later sentenced to life imprisonment, and her case remains a disturbing example of manipulation and family-directed violence.

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.

Fred Waterfield became one of Florida's most infamous serial killers after participating in a series of abductions and murders alongside his cousin, David Alan Gore, during the early 1980s. The pair targeted young women across Indian River County, with Waterfield acting as an accomplice in several kidnappings, sexual assaults, and murders. Following his arrest, Waterfield cooperated with investigators and testified against Gore, helping prosecutors secure convictions in one of Florida's most notorious serial murder cases.

Gale Watkins is an American woman convicted in connection with the 2013 death of her three-year-old grandson in Florida. As a caregiver, she was responsible for the child’s welfare during the incident. She was later convicted of aggravated manslaughter of a child and sentenced to a lengthy prison term.

Gareth Pursehouse is an American man convicted of the 2020 murder of his ex-girlfriend in Los Angeles, California. The case involved a targeted attack following a prior relationship. He was later convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Gary Ridgway, known as the “Green River Killer,” is an American serial killer responsible for the murders of dozens of women in Washington State during the 1980s and 1990s. He targeted vulnerable individuals, often sex workers and runaways, and became one of the most prolific serial killers in U.S. history. Ridgway evaded capture for nearly two decades before advances in DNA technology led to his arrest in 2001. He later pleaded guilty to multiple counts of murder and received numerous life sentences, ensuring he would remain imprisoned for the rest of his life.

Grant Amato became infamous after murdering members of his own family inside their Florida home in 2019 following an escalating financial and psychological obsession with an online cam model. The case shocked the United States because investigators uncovered extreme levels of deception, addiction, theft and fantasy-driven behavior leading up to the killings. The murders later became one of the internet era’s most heavily discussed family annihilation cases due to the bizarre combination of online obsession, financial ruin and emotional isolation surrounding Amato’s motive. Extensive documentaries, podcasts and streaming coverage transformed the case into a major true crime phenomenon focused on digital addiction and parasocial relationships.