A lot of serial killers have been cop groupies.
“A lot of serial killers have been cop groupies.”
Serial killers who were police officers
Joseph James DeAngelo (Golden State Killer): A former police officer, DeAngelo used his training to avoid detection for over 40 years. He committed a series of rapes and murders across California between the mid-1970s and 1980s.
Mikhail Popkov (The Werewolf of Angarsk): This Russian police officer used his patrol car to pick up women before taking them to remote areas to murder them. He was convicted of killing at least 81 people between 1992 and 2012.
John Christie: A former British police officer, Christie murdered at least eight women in the 1940s and 1950s. He often used a guise of offering medical assistance to lure his victims.
Gerard John Schaefer: Before becoming a serial killer, Schaefer was a police officer in Florida. He was convicted of murdering two women in the 1970s, but is suspected of killing many more.
Norbert Poehlke: A German police officer who committed a series of bank robberies and murders before taking his own life in 1985.
Rosemary Ndlovu: A South African police officer and serial killer who murdered her live-in partner and five family members for insurance money.
Serial killers who posed as police
Kenneth Bianchi (Hillside Strangler): In addition to his cousin Angelo Buono, Bianchi posed as an undercover cop to get victims into his car. He even participated in police ride-alongs.
The Zodiac Killer: This unidentified killer was known to call police and taunt them about the murders he committed. He showed a deep fascination with law enforcement, and his communications with the police and press were a central part of his activity.
Cop wannabes with an interest in law enforcement
Ted Bundy: Bundy worked in law enforcement for a time and was known to have a strong interest in police procedures. He was also an observer at a police academy.
Dennis Rader (BTK Killer): Rader, like many killers, considered a career in law enforcement and had a deep fascination with the police procedures used to investigate his crimes.
Ed Kemper (Co-ed Killer): Kemper, who had a high IQ, considered becoming a police officer and had a deep knowledge of police procedures. This knowledge helped him avoid suspicion for years.