Art, obsession, and identity
Ma Barker is a well-known figure in American criminal history. During the early 1930s, Barker orchestrated a series of crimes, including robberies, murders, and kidnappings, alongside her two sons as part of the notorious Barker Gang. In 1935, the FBI ended her reign of terror when they found her hideout and fatally shot her. Even today, curious onlookers continue to visit this infamous house.
The Queen of England certainly earned the nickname "Bloody Mary." She was responsible for the persecution of Protestants in Great Britain and the deaths of over 300 people.
Mireya Moreno Carreon went from being a police officer in Mexico to a drug trafficker for the Los Zetas cartel. She rose up and became the head of the brutal organization, until she was apprehended in 2011.
Hindley, along with her partner Ian Brady, murdered five children aged 10 to 17 in England during the 1960s. The killing spree became known as the Moors murders. She received two life sentences and passed away at the age of 60 in 2002.
In 2008, Czech woman Klara Mauerova was sentenced to nine years in prison for her involvement in the torture of one of her children. She was reportedly a member of a religious cannibal cult, where she forced her son to engage in self-cannibalization.
A notorious killer in Mexico, Juana Barraza murdered around 42 to 48 elderly women. She was born in 1957 and gained fame as a professional wrestler. In 2006, she was arrested and sentenced to 759 years behind bars.
During the 18th century in Imperial Russia, there existed a noblewoman who was both a serial killer and a member of the aristocracy. Her heinous acts included the torture and murder of over one hundred serfs.
This woman from Colombia gained notoriety as a drug dealer, holding a prominent role in the Medellín Cartel. Blanco's alleged involvement in over 200 homicides has further solidified her terrifiying reputation.
Amelia Dyer, born in Bristol, England in 1837, gained notoriety as a murderer. With an estimated body count of hundreds of children over two decades, she was arrested in 1869 and ultimately executed by hanging.
This woman from New Orleans tortured and killed her household. After being found out, she managed to escape to France.
This British woman would purchase chocolates and secretly inject them with strychnine before returning them to the store for sale. Sadly, in 1871, a child died after consuming these poisoned chocolates. Edmunds received a death sentence initially, but it was later commuted to life imprisonment.
In the 1940s, the midwife (seen concealing her face) purposefully neglected children whose parents lacked the financial means to care for them. Eventually, she began demanding money from them, claiming it cost less than raising a child. It is believed that she murdered over 100 infants. During the trial, she shifted the blame onto the parents for abandoning the children, resulting in a mere eight-year prison sentence.
This American woman was responsible for the tragic death of a young girl. It was later revealed that she had carried out the heinous act alongside her own children and four other children from the neighborhood. In 1965, she was convicted of first-degree murder.
In the early 1990s, this Canadian woman, along with her husband Paul Bernardo, abducted, sexually abused, and murdered two young women. Shockingly, it was later discovered that they were also behind the sexual assault and killing of her own sister. In 2005, Karla Homolka was released after providing testimony against her former spouse. Changing her name, she was relocated to Guadalupe before ultimately returning to Quebec with her three children.
Koch (shown testifying) was married to a commander at the Buchenwald concentration camp. She physically assaulted prisoners, coerced them into performing unimaginable actions, and abused individuals with tattoos.
Aileen Wuornos, an American woman who spent much of her life homeless and in sex work, murdered seven men from 1989 to 1990. She was executed by lethal injection in 2002, and in 2003, Charlize Theron played her in the biopic titled 'Monster.'
Ranavalona I governed Madagascar for more than 33 years, earning a reputation as one of history's most brutal leaders. Thousands of people perished during her oppressive and merciless rule.
Belle Gunness, known as the Black Widow, was born in 1859 in Norway. Upon moving to the US, she murdered two spouses and her entire offspring. It is believed that her total victim count exceeded 40.
This Danish serial killer is believed to have murdered over 25 children from 1913 to 1920. In 1921, she was sentenced to death but later had her sentence commuted to life in prison. She passed away in 1929.
This noblewoman from Italy served as the queen consort of France between 1547 and 1559. Some allege that she was responsible for orchestrating the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre, where it's estimated that thousands of people died.
Leonarda Cianciulli tragically took the lives of three women between 1939 and 1940, creating cakes and soap from their remains. This was supposedly a means to lift a curse that plagued her family.
Irma Grese, an SS guard at Ravensbrück and Auschwitz concentration camps, had authority over approximately 30,000 captives. She subjected them to physical and psychological torment. Grese sported jackboots and always carried a pistol and a whip. At the age of 22, she was executed by the Allies for her acts of brutality.
Charlene, along with her spouse Gerald Gallego, was responsible for the deaths of 10 individuals from 1978 to 1980. Following her conviction, she served a 16-year prison sentence; however, she was subsequently released after providing testimony against her husband.
Known as the Blood Countess or Countess Dracula, Báthory was a Hungarian countess who inflicted pain and death upon hundreds of young women during the early 1500s. She had a peculiar preference for indulging in the blood of her victims, as she mistakenly believed it preserved her youth.
This individual, a Polish-American serial killer, operated in Chicago from the early 1900s until the mid-1920s. Over the course of eleven years, from 1912 to 1923, she utilized arsenic to poison approximately 20 individuals. While some victims managed to recover, unfortunately, all four of her husbands perished. In 1923, she received a life sentence.
See also: Mug shots of celebs you forgot had criminal records
Contrary to popular belief, terrifying crimes are not limited to men. It is quite astonishing to discover the extent of the truly barbaric crimes committed by women. These notorious criminals have cemented their place in history for all the wrong reasons, with some of their stories even being portrayed on the big screen!
Explore the gallery to gain insight into the lives of the most notorious female criminals, past and present.
The most brutal female criminals in history
Women who are infamous for dreadful acts of violence
LIFESTYLE Crime
Contrary to popular belief, terrifying crimes are not limited to men. It is quite astonishing to discover the extent of the truly barbaric crimes committed by women. These notorious criminals have cemented their place in history for all the wrong reasons, with some of their stories even being portrayed on the big screen!
Explore the gallery to gain insight into the lives of the most notorious female criminals, past and present.