Over the decades, many serial killers and their crimes have come to light and garnered international media coverage. Obviously, these crimes are what has made them infamous and the mugshots taken at the time of their capture. Yet, behind every serial killer is the story of a man or woman who has lived a life full of family and friends. It is hard to reconcile who these people are outside of their crimes, but they all led lives that are seldom discussed, unless it is in a nonfiction book, a movie or in a television series.
Most of these notorious men and women had families and friends who were often photographed with them, and when you look at these photos it is hard to imagine who you see and the crimes they committed. For anyone who is a fan of true crime, and the backgrounds of some of the world’s most well-known killers this list will fascinate you. Start scrolling to see photos of serial killers just going about their regular day to day lives, and the people involved in them. This is a reminder that some people are able to hide a big part of themselves, which is exactly what the men and women on this list did.
Richard Ramirez
Richard Ramirez was an active serial killer in the 1980s with a focus in San Francisco. When he was finally caught, he had reportedly been linked to the passing of 17 men and women.
The media gave him the name of “Night Stalker” as that was the time of day when most of his crimes occurred. While his crimes were well documented, his time spent with a female friend in this photo looks relatively normal.
Just Relaxing
In another photo that shows Richard Ramirez simply enjoying life, you would think that he is just a regular guy. Psychologists have hypothesized that Ramirez may have gone down the path he did because of a rough childhood.
He may have been further influenced by a cousin who had shared some of the bad deeds he did during the Vietnam War. Ramirez never admitted that his actions were wrong, and eventually passed away from B-cell lymphoma.
Dennis Rader
Looking at this picture, you would think it is simply a man enjoying the breathtaking views of the Grand Canyon. Once you find out who exactly that man is, the photo will appear slightly more sinister.
The man smack dab in the middle of this photo is none other than Dennis Rader, the infamous BTK Killer. In his capacity as a serial killer, he was active in the 1970s through to the early 1990s.
The Capture Of Dennis Rader
Over the decades Dennis Rader was active, he claimed the lives of ten people. Prior to his stint as a serial killer, he was a member of the United States Armed Forces, and served in the air force.
It took the police decades to catch him, and eventually they were able to because of his own hubris. He enjoyed the notoriety and would send the police clues, one of which was a floppy disk with incriminating information.
Family Time
Perhaps one of the most shocking things related to Dennis Rader, is the fact that he was a family man. While he had been on the loose for 30 years as a serial killer, he had managed to maintain a happy marriage, raise two children, and regularly attend church services.
Once he was in prison, his family decided they did not want to know him, which he had trouble accepting. In his mind, his secret life should not have affected their love for him.
Ed Kemper
Ed Kemper or the ‘Co-ed Killer’ as he was later dubbed was known for being unusually smart. He had an IQ that measured at 145, and was known for enjoying long intellectual discussions and his imposing height. He is a whopping 6’9”.
In this photo, he can be seen holding a baby that belonged to some close friends of his. Everything appears perfectly normal, and nobody knew at the time that he was killing college students.
Joseph DeAngelo
As you stare at this picture, you will probably just see an elderly man enjoying his catch of the day. In reality, this is one of the most well-known serial killers of all time, who is responsible for the death of at least 13 people.
Joseph DeAngelo is the original ‘Night Stalker’ and has been given many names over the decades, but he is probably best known as the ‘Golden State Killer’ due to most of his crimes occurring in California.
Just Hanging Out
In another rare glimpse into Joseph DeAngelo’s personal life, he is seen pictured here with his young niece. Take a look at the phone in the picture, it is believed that that is the exact phone DeAngelo would call police from, and goad them into catching him for his crimes.
It was not until 2016, that the FBI finally found the evidence they needed to convict him, and DeAngelo is now spending life in prison.
Ted Bundy
Ted Bundy is a name everyone in North America knows. He was a very active serial killer that primarily targeted young women in the Pacific Northwest. Prior to his active years, he met a woman named Liz who had a young daughter named Molly.
He and Liz quickly hit it off, and he became a father figure to Molly in the years that he was with Liz. Eventually, Liz would realize something wasn’t right with Bundy.
Gone Camping
Bundy would take Liz and Molly on camping adventures, like the one pictured here. He always enjoyed being in nature, and it would later come to light that he would use this time to scout out potential locations for committing his crimes.
Seeing him jumping up in the air, and clicking his heels makes it look like he doesn’t have a care in the world. In reality, he was responsible for at least 30 deaths.
Nap Time
Many psychological profiles have been done on serial killers, and when Ted Bundy was taken into custody it was discovered that he was suffering from mental illness. He had bipolar mood disorder which led to extreme highs and lows.
This picture appears to capture him during one of his low moments, and while on trial the jury would see moments where he was extremely engaged, and then moments like this.
A Stand-In Father
In many of the candid photos taken by Liz during her relationship with Ted Bundy, it appeared that they had an almost idyllic life. Molly would later recount that Bundy liked to play odd games of hide and seek with her, and sometimes felt unsafe when alone with Bundy.
Overtime, Liz would realize that Bundy was not the perfect partner, and the real person underneath would eventually come to light. Liz has since detailed her life with Bundy in a book.
An Uneasy Childhood
Judging by the photos, Ted Bundy enjoyed spending time in his neighborhood and playing with children. In this photo, he can be seen hosing down Molly and some of her friends on a hot summer’s day. Bundy’s own childhood was less than idyllic though.
He was raised by his grandparents, and his older sister was actually his mom. This information had been hidden from him until his grandparents thought he was old enough to understand.
A Tender Moment
When Ted Bundy and Liz met, it felt like the stars had aligned. He had not yet begun committing crimes, and Liz believed that he loved her whole heartedly. In this rare image, Bundy can be seen gazing lovingly at Liz during a holiday at her parents’ home in Utah.
Bundy would later claim that an entity in his head would possess him, and that is why he committed the crimes that he did.
An Imperfect Father
As Molly grew up with Bundy, he began to embrace fatherhood. The two shared a close bond as Liz and Bundy lived together. At one point, Liz and Bundy almost had a child of their own, but ultimately decided that the timing and the cost was too much for them to handle.
Bundy was starting university, and law school was where his focus needed to be. He would later go on to have a child with a woman named Carole Ann Boone.
Flashback To Utah
Eventually Liz began to notice a few suspicious items popping up in their shared home. Bundy was known for playing the victim to the women he would approach, and that required certain props.
Crutches or a fake cast were items that he often employed to gain sympathy and build trust with the women he would target. Liz took note of Bundy’s new possessions and eventually reported her findings to the police to aid in his capture.
Having A Beer
After a lengthy evidence gathering period, Ted Bundy was eventually arrested in 1975. The evidence collected was not enough to hold him though, and the police had to release him.
Once more, Bundy began to prowl and women all over the Western United States feared for their lives. Eventually he was caught in Colorado and put on trial, where he was convicted for the lives he took. Instead of accepting the court’s decision, Bundy escaped custody for almost a week.
Enjoying Some Downtime
Looking at this picture of Bundy with a friend, you would not guess that he had done the things that later came to light. A pattern of behavior, and a type was established by crime profilers for Bundy.
Most of the women he approached were brunettes with middle parts, and generally in their early 20s. It’s believed his ‘type’ stems from a woman in his past who rejected him, and he never got over it.
Jeffrey Dahmer
There have been a plethora of serial killers in North America, and Jeffrey Dahmer is another particularly notorious one. He was known for going after men, and it’s estimated that he killed 17 in total.
The name given to him by the papers was the Milwaukee Monster. Here, he can be seen wearing some swimming trunks and enjoying a quiet day at the beach. It’s hard to imagine that he is more than just a regular guy.
Prom Night
For most teens, prom night is a special night to remember. It marks the end of high school, and the beginning of adult life. Jeffrey Dahmer attended prom with Bridget Geiger. At the time, Dahmer had not begun committing crimes.
He would begin his spree in 1978 until he was eventually caught in the early 90s. After an intense psychological exam, it was determined that he suffered psychoses and schizophrenia. He eventually died in prison, after joining the general population.
A Neglected Child
Serial killer profilers have attempted to understand the factors that contributed to them choosing this way of life. Dahmer had a quiet childhood, as his mother often worried that she was ill and his father had to care for her.
Left unattended, Dahmer became interested in dead animals and preservation techniques. In this photo, he poses with his family after finishing a training program for the Army.
Ed Gein
Ed Gein known as the ‘Butcher of Plainfield’ was by no means a regular guy. One thing that made him stand out was his interest in cemeteries and exhuming bodies from them.
He would be arrested for two crimes in 1984, and eventually be sentenced to live out his days in a psychiatric hospital. This would be his final resting place, and this photo was taken right before his passing.
Aileen Wuornos
There are very few women serial killers, and Aileen Wuornos is one of them. Pictured here, Wuornos can be seen as a young woman going for a bicycle ride. Later on, while working in Florida, Wuornos would be involved with several crimes, all involving men.
Initially, she claimed it was self-defence, but this was proven to be untrue and she later admitted it as well.
Growing Pains
Wuornos, like many of the people on this list, did not have a great childhood. She was the product of teenage parents, with her father later ending up in prison.
Her grandparents did not raise her in a loving home, and she suffered from this, especially in regards to her grandfather. It is believed that this upbringing contributed to her life of crime.
Karla Homolka
Karla Homolka is a Canadian woman who is best known for being Paul Bernado’s wife. She was known for being his accomplice, and looking at her in this picture you would have no idea.
The two enjoyed going out together, and it looks like she got dressed up for a night out on the town one evening. She is out of prison now.
In The Garden
Homolka did not spend very much time in prison, and now lives her life with her new husband.
She fell in love with the brother of her trial lawyer, and the two share a child together. In this photo, she can be seen posing in a garden and looks like she is about to get her hands dirty and plants some more beautiful flowers.
Gary Ridgway
Everyone loves animals, which Gary Ridgway showcased in these photos. He was dubbed the ‘Green River Killer’ and outside of his life of crime spent most of his time with his beloved poodles.
These little guys sure are adorable. Even serial killers have downtime, and that involves having families and pets. He was active from the 1980s through to the 1990s.
Charles Manson
Charles Manson is an honorable mention on this list, because he only gave the directions on the crimes committed by some of the members of his cult.
In this photo, Manson is sitting in his prison cell after being found guilty of a number of charges. Manson passed away in 2017, after spending decades in prison.
John Wayne Gacy
Another well-known serial killer is John Wayne Gacy or ‘Pogo the Clown.’ While he led a secret life, he was largely known as a family man who loved his wife. Pictured here, Gacy stares lovingly into his new wife’s eyes, and would often help out in his community.
Gacy would volunteer at the hospital, and perform tricks in a clown costume for children being treated there.
One Of The Boys
Gacy had a vivid social life, and often enjoyed spending time with his male friends. In the late 1960s, Gacy began to commit crimes, but looking at this photo and the smiling young man in a bow tie, you would not have guessed he was capable of it.
Sometimes looks can be deceiving, which is what all of these pictures show.
