10 Of The Most Thrilling True Crime Cases In America
- Timothy McVeigh killed 168 and injured over 600 people in an explosion now called the Oklahoma City Bombing.
- The kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh's son from his crib, who ended up dead soon after the disappearance in 1932, was named the
- Charlie Manson went to prison for life on account of his crimes, ultimately dieing in the prison in 2017, of a heart attack.
True crime stories have started becoming gradually more popular in recent years, taking over the pop-culture domain across various TV series and documentaries. Even though these stories may seem less scary and shocking when watching them on the screen being played by actors, they are nonetheless real crimes that have happened to real people.
Here are ten of the most intriguing and most notable cases of crime and murder in America's history.
The Zodiac Killer
The notorious and unsolved murder case that happened in the late 1960s in Northern California. This mysterious case included a series of letters sent to various newspapers in California, with an anonymous threat of a killing rampage in case they were not published. Even though the letters are not believed to have been written by the same person, the Zodiac Killer confessed to as much as 37 murders. The police only verified seven of those attacks.
The Eyeball Killer
Charles Albright, also known as "The Eyeball Killer," was a psychopath from Texas that murdered with surgical precision, leaving his victims naked on the street, with their eyes being removed. He was convicted of killing only one woman and suspected of killing two other victims in 1991.
The Black Dahlia
This enigmatic case from 1947 remains as one of the most famous unsolved crimes in America. "The Black Dahlia" was actually a name given by the media to the 22-year-old victim Elizabeth Short. Elizabeth's body was found cut in half by a woman out for a walk in Los Angeles. There have been almost 200 suspects in "The Black Dahlia" murder case, none of which resulted in solving the case and finding the murderer.
New Orleans Axeman
Most of the victims of this serial killer were Italian-Americans, murdered with either an ax or a razor. The Axeman was never identified, but apparently, he was a lover of jazz music. He said so in a letter published in newspapers on March 13, 1919, where he promised to spare anyone who was in the vicinity of a jazz band concert.
The Unicorn Killer
There is nothing fairy-tale-like in the case of Ira Samuel Einhorn as the part of his alias might suggest. Ira Einhorn, or "The Unicorn Killer," was convicted of murdering Holly Maddux, his ex-girlfriend. Police found her decomposing, mummified body in Einhorn's closet.
Murder Of Laci Peterson
Laci Peterson was killed while she was pregnant with her child, just around Christmas in the year 2002. The killer was Scott Peterson, her husband, who reported her missing on Christmas Eve. His motive was money, as he bought a 250,000 dollar life-insurance policy on Laci Peterson. Eventually, he got caught and sentenced to death row at San Quentin State Prison in California, on account of two murders, both his wife and their son.
Oklahoma City Bombing
On April 19, 1995, Timothy McVeigh was responsible for killing 168 and injuring more than 600 people due to an explosion near Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. This former US Army more solid detonated a truck filled with 2 tons of explosives as a message against the government and federal authority. There were 19 young children among the victims that died as a result of this deadly act of terrorism.听
The Manson Family Murders
There are not many people who have not heard about Charles Manson and his cult and the crimes they committed. Manson became a celebrity of a kind, appearing on the cover of He and his followers committed as much as 35 killings in the late 1960s. Most notable of such crimes is an "attack" on the Hollywood elite, including the home of the movie director Roman Polanski. Manson was imprisoned for life, and he died in 2017 in prison of a heart attack.
The Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping
This particular crime was also known as the "Crime of the Century." In 1932, the son of the aviation hero Charles Lindbergh was kidnapped in the middle of the night from his crib. The baby's body was eventually found in a field near the family's home. What makes this crime controversial is that Bruno Richard Hauptmann, who was convicted and executed for the crime, might have been innocent.
The Dating Game Killer
That was the nickname of Rodney Alcala, who once appeared as a contestant on the TV show named "The Dating Game." His date from the popular show never accepted to meet him afterward, a decision that probably saved her life. Alcala attacked an 8-year old girl in 1968, who was found raped and strangled, with Alcala already on the run.
He was eventually captured by the police and condemned to his first prison sentence. As if his crime was not already gruesome enough, he killed four more victims after he was released from prison. After that, he was sentenced to capital punishment in the state of California.