Chicago, also known as the Windy City, has a dark history when it comes to serial killers. Over the years, several notorious killers have terrorized the city and left a trail of death and destruction. In this article, we will take a look at some of the most infamous Chicago serial killers and their heinous crimes.
John Wayne Gacy
John Wayne Gacy, also known as the Killer Clown, was one of the most notorious serial killers in American history. He was convicted of killing 33 young men and boys between 1972 and 1978. Gacy would lure his victims to his home, where he would torture and sexually assault them before strangling them to death. He then buried their bodies in the crawl space underneath his house. Gacy was executed by lethal injection in 1994.
H. H. Holmes
H. H. Holmes, also known as America's first serial killer, was active in Chicago during the late 1800s. He is believed to have killed at least 27 people, although some estimates put the number as high as 200. Holmes built a hotel in Chicago, which he designed specifically to facilitate his murderous activities. The hotel had hidden rooms, secret passages, and a gas chamber. He would lure his victims to the hotel, where he would torture and kill them. Holmes was eventually caught and hanged in 1896.
Richard Speck
Richard Speck was responsible for one of the most brutal and shocking mass murders in American history. In 1966, he broke into a Chicago dormitory for student nurses and proceeded to rape and murder eight of them. Speck was eventually caught and sentenced to death, although his sentence was later commuted to life in prison. He died in prison in 1991.
Angel Maturino Resendiz
Angel Maturino Resendiz, also known as the Railroad Killer, was responsible for a string of murders across several states in the 1990s. He would ride freight trains from city to city, killing people along the way. Resendiz was eventually caught in 1999 and was executed by lethal injection in 2006.
The Chicago Rippers
The Chicago Rippers were a group of three men who were responsible for a series of gruesome murders and mutilations in the early 1980s. They would abduct women, torture them, and then dismember their bodies. The group was eventually caught, and all three men were sentenced to life in prison.
Andrew Urdiales
Andrew Urdiales was a serial killer who was active in Chicago during the 1990s. He was convicted of killing eight women, although he is suspected of killing several more. Urdiales would pick up prostitutes, torture and rape them, and then kill them. He was eventually caught and sentenced to death, although his sentence was later commuted to life in prison. He died in prison in 2018.
Conclusion
Chicago has a dark history when it comes to serial killers. The city has been home to some of the most notorious killers in American history, including John Wayne Gacy, H. H. Holmes, and Richard Speck. While these killers are now behind bars or dead, their legacy lives on as a stark reminder of the evil that can lurk in the shadows.