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Who Was Aileen Wuornos?
Aileen Wuornos was a notorious American serial killer, convicted for the murder of six men in Florida between 1989 and 1990. Before her killing spree, Wuornos had experienced a troubled childhood, marked by abnormal behavior and run-ins with the law. By the 1980s, she was working as a sex worker along Florida’s highways. Her murders, which began in late November 1989, earned her the media nickname “Damsel of Death.” After her arrest in January 1991, she confessed to killing seven men, though she was convicted and sentenced to death for six of those murders. Despite questions about her mental stability, Wuornos was executed by lethal injection in October 2002 at the age of 46. Her life and crimes have been widely documented, including in the 2003 film Monster, where Charlize Theron portrayed her, and the 2021 film Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman.
Early Life of Aileen Wuornos
Born as Aileen Carol Pittman on February 29, 1956, in Rochester, Michigan, Wuornos faced a difficult start in life. Her parents, Diane Wuornos and Leo Pittman, divorced before her birth. Diane abandoned Aileen and her older brother, Keith, leaving them to be adopted by their grandparents. Aileen never knew her biological father, who was imprisoned for child rape and later died by suicide.
Growing up in Troy, Michigan, Wuornos was raised by her grandparents, Lauri and Britta Wuornos, alongside Keith and her adoptive siblings (biologically her aunt and uncle). Her childhood was scarred by physical and sexual abuse, primarily at the hands of her grandfather, Lauri, a strict and violent man. Wuornos also experienced early sexual exploitation, offering sexual favors to boys in exchange for money or cigarettes, which further isolated her from her peers.
At 14, Wuornos became pregnant, reportedly as a result of rape, and was sent to a home for unwed mothers in Detroit. She gave birth to a son in 1971, who was immediately put up for adoption. After this, her life spiraled further into instability. She dropped out of school, frequently ran away from home, and drifted between juvenile detention centers and homelessness.
Life on the Road and Further Turmoil
In 1971, shortly after her grandmother’s death, her grandfather Lauri, unable to care for her, forced her out of the house. From then on, Wuornos led a transient lifestyle, hitchhiking across the country and surviving through sex work. Her grandfather’s suicide in 1976 marked another low point, and by that time, Wuornos had become fully entrenched in a life of crime, setting the stage for the violent acts that would later define her.
In 1971, shortly after her grandmother’s death, her grandfather Lauri, unable to care for her, forced her out of the house. From then on, Wuornos led a transient lifestyle, hitchhiking across the country and surviving through sex work. Her grandfather’s suicide in 1976 marked another low point, and by that time, Wuornos had become fully entrenched in a life of crime, setting the stage for the violent acts that would later define her.
Ex-Husband Lewis Fell
In Florida, Aileen Wuornos met Lewis Gratz Fell, a wealthy yachtsman significantly older than her. At just 20 years old, Wuornos married Fell in May 1976, though their union was brief. Fell, who was nearly five decades her senior, left her within a month, claiming she had a “violent and ungovernable temper” and had assaulted him with his own cane. Wuornos, on the other hand, accused Fell of being the aggressor. Their divorce was finalized on July 19, 1976, the same month her brother, Keith, passed away from cancer.
Girlfriend Tyria Moore
Wuornos’ criminal history began in the mid-1970s, with arrests for assault, disturbing the peace, and disorderly conduct. By the early 1980s, her criminal behavior escalated, resulting in a prison sentence for armed robbery after she attempted to rob a convenience store while reportedly wearing a bikini. Her rap sheet also included charges of forgery, resisting arrest, theft, and drunk driving.
In June 1986, Wuornos met 24-year-old Tyria Moore at a gay bar in Daytona, Florida. The two quickly entered into a passionate relationship that lasted 4.5 years. While Moore worked as a housekeeper, Wuornos supported herself through sex work along Florida highways. Wuornos, known to be possessive, disliked Moore going to work or interacting with others. The couple frequently moved between motels, apartments, and mobile home communities in and around Daytona.
It was during this relationship that Wuornos’ criminal activities took a darker turn, eventually leading to her involvement in multiple murders. Moore later cooperated with authorities, ultimately assisting in Wuornos’ arrest.
Murder Victims
From late 1989 through the fall of 1990, Wuornos fatally shot seven men, all middle-aged or older, near highways in northern and central Florida. Her first victim, Richard Mallory, a 51-year-old repair shop owner, was last seen on November 30, 1989. The next day, Wuornos allegedly told Moore she had killed a man. Mallory’s body was discovered on December 13, 1989, at an illegal dumping site in the woods.
Over the next several months, five more bodies were found. David Spears, a 43-year-old construction worker, was discovered on June 1, 1990. Charles Carskaddon, a part-time rodeo worker, went missing on May 31, 1990, with his body found on June 6. Salesman Troy Burress, 50, was found dead on August 4, 1990, five days after being reported missing. Child abuse investigator Charles “Dick” Humphreys, 56, was discovered on September 12, 1990. Walter Antonio, a trucker and reserve police officer in his 60s, was found dead on November 19, 1990.
Throughout this time, Wuornos frequently returned home with new possessions to pawn, using different aliases to obscure her activities. However, a crucial lead came in July 1990, when authorities examined the vehicle of Peter Siems, a 65-year-old missionary who had gone missing in June. Witnesses reported seeing Wuornos and Moore leave Siems’ car, and Wuornos’ fingerprint was found on the door handle, helping to connect her to the crimes.
Arrest, Trial, and Conviction
By late 1990, reports surfaced that authorities were seeking two women in connection with the murders, leading Moore to flee Florida. On January 9, 1991, Wuornos was arrested at The Last Resort bar in Port Orange, Florida, on an outstanding warrant. Soon after, police located Moore in Pennsylvania, who agreed to gather evidence against Wuornos in exchange for immunity from prosecution.
In a phone call recorded by authorities in mid-January 1991, Wuornos confessed to the murders, claiming she had acted out of love for Moore and a desire to keep their relationship intact. Following the confession, Wuornos went on to make further admissions to police, which were videotaped despite her attorney’s objections. Public interest in the case soared, partly due to the shocking nature of the crimes and the media’s portrayal of Wuornos as the nation’s first female serial killer, often calling her the “Damsel of Death.”
Wuornos was first prosecuted for the murder of Richard Mallory. During her January 1992 trial, she claimed she had killed Mallory in self-defense after being raped and assaulted, although these claims conflicted with her earlier confessions. While it was not disclosed in court, Mallory had a prior conviction for attempted sexual assault. However, no other victims came forward with allegations against him. Wuornos was found guilty of first-degree murder and robbery on January 27, 1992, and was sentenced to death on January 31.
Two months later, Wuornos pleaded no contest to the murders of David Spears, Troy Burress, and Charles Humphreys, and she later entered guilty pleas for the murders of Charles Carskaddon and Walter Antonio. For each of these crimes, she received additional death sentences. Wuornos was not charged with the murder of Peter Siems, as his body was never recovered.
Wuornos initially maintained that she had acted in self-defense but later recanted this claim. Law enforcement believed she had targeted men who either picked her up or stopped to assist her.
Death and Last Words
After a decade on death row, Wuornos chose to dismiss her appeals attorneys, despite their efforts to secure a stay of execution. Although her mental stability was called into question, the Florida Supreme Court ruled in April 2002 that she was competent to proceed with her execution. Governor Jeb Bush lifted a temporary stay in early October 2002, following a psychiatric evaluation that deemed Wuornos mentally fit to understand her fate.
Wuornos was executed by lethal injection on October 9, 2002, at the age of 46. Her final words were cryptic: “I’d just like to say I’m sailing with the Rock, and I’ll be back, like Independence Day with Jesus, June 6, like the movie, big mothership and all. I’ll be back.” Her ashes were scattered beneath a tree in Michigan.
Media Portrayals
Aileen Wuornos’ life and crimes have been the subject of extensive media attention. British documentarian Nick Broomfield produced two documentaries: Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer (1993) and Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2003). In 2003, actor Charlize Theron portrayed Wuornos in Monster, a film directed by Patty Jenkins. Theron underwent a significant transformation for the role, earning critical acclaim and winning the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2004. While Monster was lauded for Theron’s performance, it was criticized for inaccuracies.
The fascination with Wuornos’ story endures, with actor Lily Rabe portraying her in Season 5 of American Horror Story. Additionally, the 2021 film Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman dramatized her brief marriage to Lewis Fell.