Female Killers

Aileen Wuornos was an American serial killer who murdered multiple men in Florida between 1989 and 1990. Operating primarily along highways, she targeted men she encountered while working as a sex worker. Her case gained widespread attention due to her background, her claims of self-defense, and the rarity of a female serial killer receiving the death penalty. Wuornos was convicted of multiple murders and executed in 2002.

Amy Bishop is an American former professor who carried out a mass shooting at the University of Alabama in 2010, killing multiple colleagues during a faculty meeting. The attack shocked the academic community and raised concerns about workplace violence. Bishop was arrested shortly after the incident and later pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty. She was sentenced to life imprisonment, and her case remains one of the most notable instances of academic workplace violence.

Angharad Williamson became one of the United Kingdom's most reviled child killers after murdering her two young sons, John Paul Bennett and Jake Bennett, alongside her partner, Jamie Barrow, in South Wales in 2020. The boys endured prolonged abuse before being killed inside their family home. Following a high-profile trial, Williamson and Barrow were convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, with the case prompting renewed calls for stronger child protection measures.

Ashley McArthur is an American woman convicted of the 2017 murder of a woman in Pensacola, Florida. The case gained attention due to her background in crime scene work and the financial relationship between her and the victim. McArthur was later convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. The case is often noted for the role of financial motive and concealment efforts.

Carol Ann Kopenkoskey is an American woman convicted of the 2012 murder of her husband in Michigan. The case involved a long-term marriage that ended in a planned domestic killing carried out in a secluded location. She later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to a lengthy prison term.

Courtney Kelly became publicly known after being convicted in the 2012 murder of Gale Spencer during a home invasion robbery in Macon, Georgia. Prosecutors alleged Kelly participated alongside three co-defendants during the violent crime. The case generated local attention because of the multiple offenders involved in the fatal robbery. Authorities later secured convictions against all four defendants connected to Spencer’s death. Courtney Kelly ultimately received a life sentence.

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.