Serial killers are defined as people who kill at least two people in a series of incidents over a period of time. The media and the general public have frequently picked up on serial killers’ acts, especially when there are several victims or the murders are carried out in a cruel or inhumane way.

Despite the alarming rate of crimes committed by such individuals, there are some individuals who have seized the spotlight for their horrific violations of human rights. We take a look at some of the most renowned serial killers in the world in the following list.

The Zodiac Killer

Among the four cryptographic protocols he provided to the Bay Area Press, only one was able to be decoded as a result of the Zodiac Killer’s threatening message. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, the assassin operated in California.

His first murder was committed in 1966 in Riverside, California, when he stabbed an 18-year-old student to death. In one of his letters, he stated: “Me-37 and SFPD-0” He claimed to have killed 37 people, but only seven were confirmed to be dead. The incident inspired the iconic 1971 action movie Dirty Harry and the highly acclaimed 2007 thriller Zodiac. As of 2022, the case is still open.