3 serial killers who were never caught

Jack the Ripper is no doubt one of, if not, the most renowned serial killer of all time. The fact that no culprit has ever been officially held responsible for the killings only adds to the killer’s infamy. However, history is littered with tales of killers who managed to make their escape and though they aren’t as famous as Jack the Ripper, the stories surrounding them are still enough to send a chill down your spine!

The Honolulu Strangler

The clue is in this colourfully named killers title and he is thought to have murdered at least 5 women in Hawaii during the 1980s. His first victim, 27 year old Vicky Purdy, was found in May 1985. As you can probably guess, she had been strangled, but her hands had been tied behind her back. Another victim, 17 year old Regina Sakamoto, was found in January 1986 in a similar condition to Vicky Purdy. Three more women followed in quick succession, but not before an informant claimed to know the location of one of the bodies. The information turned out to be false, but the finger of suspicion soon fell upon the informant…

The police arrested him and when questioning his ex-wife, they discovered that he had a taste for bondage and whenever they used to argue, he would leave the house. The dates he left the house seemed to coincide with the murders. However, despite failing a lie detector and being identified by a witness from a photograph he was never put into custody. Soon after, the suspect moved to mainland USA and the murders stopped.

Bible John

Bible John was a Scottish serial killer who strangled his female victims with their own tights during the 60s. Three murders have been attributed to him and all three women attended the Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow for a night out. Bible John didn’t earn his nickname until after his third murder, when the victim’s sister shared a taxi with him. He was described as being tall, well-spoken and frequently quoted the bible. He also gave his name as John Templeton.

This prompted the largest manhunt in Scottish history for fear that he might strike again. Police would frequently mingle with crowds in Glasgow’s clubs in a bid to catch the killer in the act of stalking his prey. After several arrests no one was ever charged and as of 2014, the case remains unsolved.

Stoneman

In 1989, a homeless man in Calcutta was found dead; his head had evidently been caved in with a large stone as he slept. Unfortunately, he was the first of 13 homeless people to be killed in this fashion. Due to the victim’s vagrant lifestyles and injuries, many were never identified. The mysterious killer was dubbed simply Stoneman and is regarded as one of India’s most prolific serial killers.

However, the case bore startling similarities to a series of murders that took place in 1985, again committed with a blunt stone, against homeless people in Bombay. The police obviously concluded that they may have been committed by the same person or persons. Despite no incriminating evidence, several people were arrested but also released. However, the murders came to end following the police crackdown, so it’s possible that the Stoneman slipped through their fingers…

If these gruesome tales of murder and mystery have whetted your appetite for more intriguing tales or terror, then join us on one of our Jack the Ripper tours, where we will show you the hunting grounds of one of the most vaunted killers in history!