Who was the first female serial killer in the US?

Aileen Wuornos, born Aileen Carol Pittman.

http://www.nndb.com/people/871/000109544/

Answer

Aileen Wuornos was not the first female serial killer.

• Belle Gunness (1896 - 1908) aka 'Lady Bluebeard' was labeled as a Black Widow (women who kill men in particular.) On a farm outside of Chicago she killed 49 people, including multiple husbands, ranch workers, children she adopted and killed them by poison. She set up a ranch worker to take the fall for it (he died in prison) and she was never brought to justice.
• Ellen Etheridge (1912 - 1913) was 22 years old. She married a Texas millionaire and inherited 8 of his children and she would killed off three at a time by arsenic poisoning. She served life in prison.
• Martha Wise (1924 - 1925) aka 'the Borgia of America' was a 39 year old widow from Ohio. When her family opposed her marrying a younger man she used arsenic to kill three of her family members, but the family became suspicious and reported her to police. She not only admitted to the three murders, but burning down the church because the minister had been reluctant to marry her and her lover. She served life in prison.

Killers who are females are rare or unknown only because they are more cunning and society prefers to see a serial killer as a male. Some have even been known as 'contract killers' and are for hire. Some work with a male partner and although rare some will work with a female partner. Some work in groups such as 'Charles Manson Group'. Women are generally more successful at being serial killers (a serial killer is considered one with three or more victims) and are intelligent, resourceful and more careful than the male serial killers. Many kill for money (marrying, murdering their husband and remarrying, thus, 'The Black Widow.'

There are many more female serial killers that could be named, but the above is to show that these are the female serial killers that were caught and there were more before them and female serial killers are on the rise now. They are more crafty and less likely to be caught.

First answer by ID3409840649. Last edit by Marcy. Contributor trust: 3518 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 11 [recommend question]