The most dangerous serial killers are those that are the most skilled at not getting caught. They’re patient, cunning, yet eager to kill again. The fit into society and gain trust easily. Some have even earned the respect of the communities they stalk. These serial killers pride themselves on not getting caught until they decide the time is right.

The notorious murderers in the following list of the top 5 most dangerous serial killers all have one thing in common — a pathological desire to end other people’s lives. First though, one needs to examine what makes a dangerous serial killer.

What is a serial killer?

Most people immediately define a serial killer as someone who kills multiple people. According to the FBI, a serial killer is someone who murders more than three people with some length of time between kills. A mass murderer, on the other hand, is someone who kills more than four people at the same time, in the same general area. The FBI estimates between 14-25 serial killers could be active throughout America at any time.

One expert believes there are many more. Based on data analysis, murder researcher Thomas Hargrove of the Murder Accountability Project (MAP), estimates that there could be almost 2,000 serial killers currently at large in the United States. Of course, this number could reflect serial killers who themselves are now deceased and the cases never solved.

The first question everyone always asks about serial killers is, “Why do they do it?” Hargrove’s studies have revealed that while most dangerous serial killers murder for enjoyment, an almost equal amount do it for personal financial gain.

And while Hollywood has made us all believe that serial killers are mostly highly intelligent, meticulous, and calculating sociopaths, the truth is that the average I.Q. of a serial killer is just 94.5. This number is below the average American I.Q. of 98.

Who are America’s Five Most Dangerous Serial Killers?

Ted Bundy

Executed in 1989 for his crimes, Ted Bundy, used his charm and good looks to lure unsuspecting women to their brutal deaths. Police believe Bundy to be responsible for 30-100 murders in several different states.

A law student by day, Bundy blended into society with ease. His intelligence and somewhat elitist demeanor made him an unlikely suspect. He escaped from prison twice before finally being put to death.

His own lawyer, John Henry Brown, recently said of the killer, “Ted was the only person in my 40 years of being a lawyer that I would say that he was absolutely born evil.”

Rodney Alcala

Armed with a camera and an alluring smile, Rodney Alcala seduced young women and teenage boys with compliments. After convincing them to participate in erotic photo shoots, Alcala would rape and murder them.

Sometimes referred to as “The Dating Game Killer” because of an appearance on the show, Alcala is believed to have murdered between 50 to 130 women and young boys. The fact that Alcala was the contestant who won the date on the popular game show only proved his ability to gain people’s trust.

The State of California sentenced Alcala to death in 2010, but he is still alive in prison at this time.

Dean Corll

Known as “The Candy Man,” Dean Corll was a businessman whose family owned a candy factory in Houston Heights, Texas. Luring young boys with free candy, as well as drugs and alcohol, Corll and his two teenage accomplices would kidnap, torture, sexually assault and murder a total of at least 28 young men and boys.

Most dangerous serial killers work alone. However, Corll paid two teenage accomplices $200 for every boy they brought to the killer, under the guise that he was selling the victims into white slavery.

It wasn’t until one of the accomplices, Elmer Wayne Henley, Jr. shot and killed Corll that the so-called “Houston Mass Murders” came into the public eye.

Gary Ridgway

Friends and family considered Vietnam vet Gary Ridgway,( a.k.a. The Green River Killer) to be “friendly but strange.” He married three times and was a devout Christian, often weeping after attending mass or reading Bible passages. He worked for many years at the Kenworth truck factory as a spray painter. His addiction to murdering sex workers still came as a shock to all who knew him.

The court convicted Ridgway of 48 murders, all committed throughout the 1980s through the 1990s. The dangerous serial killer dumped the bodies of his first several victims in the Green River, in King County, Washington. Ridgway went to great lengths to confuse police. On several occasions, he moved bodies to another state. He even planted items from other people, like chewed gum and cigarette butts, at the murder scene.

At one point, detectives interviewed then-incarcerated serial killer Ted Bundy for his insights into the psychology of the Green River Killer. Bundy told police it was likely that the killer would return to the graves of his victims and have intercourse with the corpses. This theory turned out to be true.

Ridgway claims to have murdered a total of 71 people and once referred to murdering young women as being his “career.”

John Wayne Gacy

Famously known as “The Clown Killer,” John Wayne Gacy was a well-respected member of his community. He joined the civic organization known as The Jaycees, where he was a respected member for years. He also entertained children in the hospital while dressed as his character “Pogo the Clown.” Gacy even held an elected office and was a proud member of the Democratic party, having connected with First Lady Rosalyn Carter at one point.

The Killer Clown married twice, having two children with his first wife. He managed several Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants and had his own property management company.

During all of these civically minded activities, Gacy made time to murder 33 young men and boys. The Killer Clown buried most of his victims under his own home or in his backyard.

The judge in the case convicted Gacy of 33 murders and subsequently sentenced the killer to die by lethal injection. This condemnation came to pass on May 10, 1994, after he enjoyed a meal that included Kentucky Fried Chicken. Witnesses claimed that Gacy was quite jovial and cracking jokes right up until his final moments.

Why do Attorneys Defend Dangerous Serial Killers?

As John Wayne Gacy’s attorney put it, “Absolutely everybody deserves a defense. It’s irrelevant what they’ve done and what they’re accused of. It’s my job as a lawyer, and I believe in that passionately.” It is the duty of a criminal defense attorney to give each client the best representation possible, even for dangerous serial killers.

If you need a criminal defense attorney who will provide you with the fair, unbiased representation you deserve, call the Law Offices of Troy A. Smith at  (212) 537-4029 to schedule a free consultation.