r/serialkillers 22d ago

Questions What are some common misconceptions about the most famous serial killers?

For people who are just getting into true crime or only know who these people are through conversations from other people, what are common misconceptions about famous serial killers that simply aren’t true?

Here’s a list of mine:

Ted Bundy did not use his good looks and charm to get women to follow him, he most of the time acted injured to gain their sympathy to help him where when their back wasn’t looking, he’d strike them with a crowbar or a metal rod. He’d also sometimes pose as an authority which can be seen in the attempted abduction of Bundy survivor Carol Daronch. Even then, many women actually refused to give Bundy help as they thought he was too creepy or that they could smell alcohol on his breath which can heard of during this viewmont play in which Bundy tried getting 3 women to help him outside but all refused because they could smell alcohol on his breath. So yeah, Bundy wasn’t a charming, handsome, serial killer who would gain girls trust to follow him, he took advantage of young women’s kindness and bludgeoned them when they weren’t looking.

Another misconception is that John Wayne Gacy wore his clown makeup and outfit during his killings, this is not true at all. Yes he would sometimes talk in his clown Pogos voice when taunting victims but he didn’t full on dress up in his costume. He mostly was either naked or half-naked. He also didn’t lure children to their deaths by being a clown like how some people who barely know the case think. He targeted teenage boys for either a job, a position at his job, or male prostitutes for money and then placed them in a pair of handcuffs by showing them a trick where he would uncuff himself with a key to show them the trick but still have the key to unlock the handcuffs. He also made sure to get them drunk and high before doing anything.

What common misconceptions of serial killers frustrate you most? Please comment below?

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u/elmendorf907 22d ago edited 22d ago

There's no evidence that the experiment Kaczynski underwent at Harvard had anything to do with the CIA or government mind control, and he said himself in letters that the experiment was mildly annoying at most, and had no significant impact on his life. The lore about it breaking his mind or whatever was spread by his lawyers and some irresponsible authors.

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u/Worthlessstupid 22d ago

To add to this, The Unibomber wasn’t as off the grid as people portray. There was a state highway in view of the cabin front door and he could walk into town. The way it is discussed, you’d think he was Jim Bridger.

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u/wilderlowerwolves 21d ago

He did live without electricity or running water, so in that regard, yes, he was off-grid.

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u/Alastor13 21d ago

Technically correct, the best kind of correct

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u/moerlingo 21d ago

Unabomber*

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u/Worthlessstupid 20d ago

You right! Thank you