True crime is a captivating genre. Like many, I get sucked into all the documentaries and television shows where true-life murder is the featured subject. From Dateline to Forensic Files, there is a never-ending supply of disturbing stories.

Photo by Andrey Soldatov on Unsplash
Photo by Andrey Soldatov on Unsplash

Serial killers are perhaps the most fascinating, as morbid as it is.

Serial killers can - and do - live in cities big and small across the United States. If I were to ask you which states have the highest percentage of serial killers, per capita, you might guess California, New York, Illinois, or Texas. You would be wrong.

Photo by Maxim Hopman on Unsplash
Photo by Maxim Hopman on Unsplash

Statistically, Montana has a lot of serial killers?

According to data shared by the folks at Metal Floss, certain states have a substantially higher concentration of serial killers than others. Montana made the Top 5. Here's how it breaks down, based on the number of serial killers per 1M people.

  • Wyoming takes the #1 spot, with 8 known serial killers who killed a total of 32 known victims. This gives the Cowboy State a rank of 13.59 serial killers per 1M people.
  • Alaska is #2, with 9 known serial killers who killed a total of 64 known victims. This puts Alaska at 12.21 serial killers per 1M people.
  • Oregon is #3, with 32 known serial killers who killed a total of 175 known victims. Oregon has 7.49 serial killers per 1M people.
  • Montana is #4, with 8 known serial killers who killed a total of 47 known victims. The Treasure State has 6.99 serial killers per 1M people.
  • Missouri rounds out the Top 5, with 41 known serial killers who killed a total of 350 known victims (!!!), putting the Show Me State at 6.54 serial killers per 1M people.
Photo by Veer Mickey Shah on Unsplash
Photo by Veer Mickey Shah on Unsplash

Some of Montana's most infamous serial killers include David Meirhoffer, from the Manhattan area, Wayne "Missoula Mauler" Nance, and Nathaniel Bar-Jonah, from  Great Falls.

The Bands 10 Infamous Serial Killers Loved

The favorite musicians and songs of infamous serial killers. 

Gallery Credit: Todd Fooks

The 12 Deadliest Serial Killers in Washington State's Bloody History

Every state is known for something. Florida has swamps and beautiful weather, Iowa has wrestling and corn, New York has Manhattan and Brooklyn-style pizza, Maryland has crabcakes. Washington has apples, wine, IPAs, and serial killers. This article is not meant to glorify these evil people in any way, just shed some light on a bizarre Washington truth. From Bundy to the Green River Killer, these are twelve of the deadliest killers in Washington state history.

Gallery Credit: Pete Christensen