Aileen Wuornos: Female Serial Killer

Aileen Wuornos is a bit of a rarity. She is one of the few female serial killers in the public eye. Some say she killed in cold blood while others maintain she killed in self defense. Regardless of motive, she did kill seven people between December 1989 and November 1990.

Wuornos was born to a teenage couple. Her father was arrested for child molestation and hung himself in jail. Her mother abandoned her at six months old, along with her brother. Grandparents took her in.

Aileen Wuornos gave birth at age thirteen, claiming the child was a result of rape. She was then kicked out of her grandparents' house. A year later she was living in an abandoned car, drinking and doing drugs. In order to get money, she worked as a prostitute.

In 1976 she was arrested for throwing a cue ball at a bartender's head. She had also been driving without a license and drinking while in a car. When her brother died in July of that year, she collected his insurance and used part of the large sum to pay her $105 fine.

She married a 70 year old when she was only 20. The marriage lasted a mere month. According to her, her husband was abusive. According to him, he wanted to divorce after she beat him up for his car keys.

An attempted suicide occurred two years later. Although she shot herself in the stomach she survived. She then robbed a convenience store, served 13 months in jail, and had other arrests for auto theft and check forgery.

Aileen Wuornos and Tyria Moore began a lesbian relationship in 1986. They quickly became an inseparable duo.

In 1989 Wuornos hitchhiked and was picked up by Richard Mallory. His abandoned car was found the next day with his wallet, a package of condoms and half a bottle of vodka. Mallory's body was found twelve days later. Six similar incidents occurred.

Wuornos and Moore were spotted driving a victim's car, enabling Florida police to find their trail. Wuornos was arrested in The Last Resort, a biker bar. She confessed to the murders but said all were committed in self defense. At trial for Richard Mallory's murder, the jury was not convinced. She received the death penalty.

Wuornos was given three additional death penalties in subsequent proceedings. In October, 2002 she received a lethal injection.

Aileen Wuornos' last words were quite odd, demonstrating how unbalanced she had become while serving on death row: "I'll be back like Independence Day with Jesus, like the movie, big mothership and all. I'll be back."

Sources:
The A to Z Encyclopedia of Serial Killers; Schechter, Harold and Everitt, David; Pocket Books, 2006.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aileen_Wuornos