Think about a serial killer. Who do you see? Honestly, it’s probably a guy. Maybe someone like Ted Bundy or Jeffrey Dahmer. Pop culture has basically hard-wired us to believe that serial murder is a "man’s game." We imagine a predator lurking in the shadows, usually targeting strangers for some dark, sexual thrill. But that’s only part of the story.
The reality? Women do it too. They just do it differently.
What Percent of Serial Killers Are Female?
If you look at the raw data from the Radford University/FGCU Serial Killer Database, you’ll find that female serial killers aren't nearly as rare as you might think. Generally, women make up about 15% to 20% of all serial killers in the United States.
That’s roughly one in every six.
It’s a number that shocks most people. Why? Because we rarely hear about them. When a woman kills, the media often frames it as a "crime of passion" or a one-off tragedy. We have a collective cultural blind spot. We struggle to believe that a woman—especially one in a "nurturing" role—could systematically take lives over a period of years.
The "Quiet" Nature of Female Serial Murder
Men usually leave a mess. They use guns, knives, or their bare hands. They leave bodies in ditches. Because of this, they get caught faster.
Women are way more subtle.
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Statistics show that while male serial killers are caught, on average, within about four years, female serial killers often operate for eight to ten years before anyone notices. They don't usually hunt strangers in the woods. Instead, they "gather" their victims from their own lives.
How They Differ from Men
The motives are night and day. Male serial killers are frequently driven by sexual deviance or a need for dominance. For women, the primary driver is almost always financial gain.
Experts like Dr. Marissa Harrison, an evolutionary psychologist who has studied these patterns extensively, suggests this might be a dark twist on ancestral "gathering" roles. While men "hunted" (stalking strangers), women "gathered" resources (targeting people they knew for insurance money or inheritance).
Here is how the profile usually breaks down:
- Weapon of Choice: Roughly 80% of female serial killers use poison. It's clean. It looks like a natural illness. It’s hard to detect without a specific toxicology screen.
- The Victim Pool: About 70% to 90% of their victims are people they know. We’re talking husbands, children, elderly parents, or patients in their care.
- The "Angel of Death": A huge chunk of these women—nearly 65%—work in healthcare or caregiving. Think nurses or nursing home aides. They have "legitimate" access to vulnerable people and lethal drugs.
Aileen Wuornos: The Exception, Not the Rule
Whenever people talk about female serial killers, they bring up Aileen Wuornos. She’s the most famous one, but she’s actually a total outlier.
Wuornos killed seven men along Florida’s highways between 1989 and 1990. She used a gun. She killed strangers. She acted like a "male" serial killer. Because she fit that aggressive, outward-facing profile, she became a media sensation. But most female killers aren't hitchhiking with revolvers. They’re in the kitchen or at a hospital bedside, quietly administering a "final dose."
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Why the Numbers Might Be Higher
There’s a real possibility that the 15% figure is actually a lowball estimate.
Think about it. If you use poison and your victims are already sick or elderly, who is going to call for an autopsy? Many of these crimes are written off as "natural causes." It’s only when the bodies start piling up—or a suspicious insurance agent starts asking questions—that the truth comes out.
Take Jane Toppan, a nurse in the late 19th century. She confessed to killing 31 people. Her goal? She literally said she wanted to have killed more people than any other man or woman who ever lived. She was a "nurturer" who poisoned her patients to watch them die. She got away with it for years because she was "just a dedicated nurse."
The Psychology of the "Quiet" Killer
Many female serial killers have a history of childhood trauma or abuse—about 30% to 50%, depending on the study. However, unlike many male killers who exhibit "triad" behaviors (like animal cruelty) early on, women often appear perfectly normal, even "sweet," to their neighbors.
They are often middle-class, educated, and seemingly stable. This "mask of sanity" is incredibly thick. It allows them to blend into society in a way that a transient, violent male predator often can't.
Real Examples of the "15 Percent"
To understand the 15% to 20%, you have to look past the "monster" tropes. You have to look at the "Black Widows" and the "Angels of Death."
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- Judy Buenoano: Known as the "Black Widow," she poisoned her husband with arsenic, drowned her paralyzed son, and tried to blow up her boyfriend’s car. Her motive? Life insurance.
- Christine Falling: A babysitter who killed at least six children in her care. She would simply "smother" them when they got too loud. Because she was a young woman in a caregiving role, the first few deaths were written off as SIDS or medical anomalies.
- Belle Gunness: An early 1900s killer who lured men to her farm with "lonely hearts" ads. She killed her suitors, her children, and her husbands for their wealth.
These women don't fit the "Scream" movie profile. They aren't wearing masks. They are your neighbors, your sisters, and your caregivers.
What This Means for Criminology
We need to stop assuming that "serial killer" equals "man." When investigators look for patterns in unsolved deaths, they often overlook women because of gender bias. This is a "deadly mistake," as researchers often put it.
If a series of elderly people die in a specific ward, or if a woman’s third husband dies of "stomach issues," the red flags should go up immediately. But they don't. Our culture is in deep denial about female aggression. We want to believe women are inherently non-violent.
The data tells a different story.
Actionable Insights
If you’re interested in the reality of criminal profiling or just want to stay informed, here’s what you should take away from the stats on what percent of serial killers are female:
- Look for "Resource" Motives: When investigating multiple suspicious deaths involving a female suspect, follow the money. Insurance policies and inheritances are the most common "smoking guns."
- Watch the "Angel of Death" Pattern: Excessive deaths in a specific healthcare environment should always be audited by an outside party, regardless of the "reputation" of the staff.
- Question "Natural" Clusters: One sudden death in a family is a tragedy. Three is a statistical anomaly that requires a toxicology screen.
- Challenge Your Biases: The most effective way to catch a killer is to stop assuming what they look like.
The "15%" isn't just a number. It’s a reminder that lethal intent doesn't have a gender. By understanding that women can be just as methodical—and often more successful at hiding—than men, we can get better at identifying these patterns before the victim count climbs.
Next time you hear about a series of "unfortunate events" involving someone’s family members, remember: the gathering of resources can sometimes take a very dark turn. Stay skeptical, stay observant, and don't let a "nurturing" smile cloud your judgment of the facts.