Posted by2 months ago
![Trauma Trauma](/uploads/1/2/5/6/125614452/498619030.jpg)
Apr 09, 2019 Aileen Wuornos was as much a victim as the men she killed. Unlike 'Monsters' like Dick Cheney and other assorted war pigs who kill for greed, she was driven to mental illness and lashed out at the world in an act of frustration and anger at love denied. Jun 14, 2018 Aileen Wuornos, who was born in Rochester, Michigan, in 1956, murdered at least seven middle-aged men in 1989 and 1990 while working as a sex worker along Georgia and Florida highways. Born to a teen mother and a schizophrenic father who committed suicide in prison after a child-molestation conviction, Wuornos was left to the care of her grandparents.
Aileen Wuornos: Profile of a Killer
In a name that is now synonymous with the words “Female Serial Killer,” Aileen Wuornos stunned the world not only with the manner in which she executed seven men, but also her approach to the reason some women might snap and become killers. Between the years of 1989 and 1990, Aileen Carol Pittman (Later changed to Aileen Wuornos) murdered seven men by shooting them at point blank range with a low caliber firearm. During her trial, she claimed to have killed all of the men out of self defense, as they had all either attempted to rape or successfully raped her. Despite working as a prostitute at the time of the murders, the events of her traumatic past changed the worlds perception of why someone might kill. Do you believe Aileen killed in self defense? Take a look into her morbid past and decide for yourself.
On February 29, 1956 Aileen Carol Pittman was born to a Finnish-American mother by the name Diane Wuornos and father, Leo Pittman. Diane was only seventeen at the time of Aileen’s birth and Leo was nineteen. At the time of Aileen’s birth, Leo and Diane already had one son, Keith, and were only married for two years before Diane filed for divorce. Aileen never met her father due to his incarceration at the time of her birth and his charges for sex crimes against children. After being charged with multiple crimes against children, Leo committed suicide in his prison cell in 1969, ending any chances of Aileen meeting her father.
When Aileen was only four years old, her mother left her children under the care of their maternal grandparents. On March 18, 1960 Aileen and Keith were legally adopted by their grandparents in what seemed to be a miraculous second chance at a normal life- however, this is when Aileen’s true nightmarish life began. Throughout her childhood, Aileen claimed to have been sexually assaulted and beaten by her alcoholic grandfather. During those beatings, she was forced to strip naked while accepting her punishment. By age 11, Aileen was trading sexual favors with her peers in return for cigarettes, food, and drugs.
On March 23, 1971 Aileen gave birth to a son in a home for unwed mothers after being raped and impregnated by an acquaintance of her grandfathers; she was only 14 at the time of her sons birth. Shortly after, her son was given up for adoption. A few months after this traumatic experience, Aileen’s grandmother died from liver failure and she was kicked out of her childhood home after dropping out of school. In order to provide for herself, she became a prostitute and began living in a wooded area near her old home. At age 18 she was arrested for driving under the influence and firing a 22-caliber pistol from a moving vehicle.
In 1976 Aileen hitchhiked to Florida where she met 69 year old yacht club President, Lewis Gratz Fell; they married almost instantaneously. Their marriage was annulled only nine weeks after the duo said “I do” after Aileen assaulted him with his own cane. On July 17, 1976 her older brother Keith died from esophageal cancer; she inherited a $10,000 life insurance policy and blew through the entire amount within a months time on drugs and partying.
In 1981 Aileen was charged with armed robbery and spent a short time in prison for this charge. After her release, she met local hotel maid Tyria Moore and began an intimate relationship with her. Shortly after their meeting, Aileen and Tyria moved in together and supported themselves using the money Aileen was still earning from working as a prostitute.
On November 30, 1989 electronics store owner Richard Mallory’s body was discovered in a wooded area near Marion County, Florida. He had been shot several times, with two of those bullets entering his left lung and causing his death; Mallory was a convicted rapist. When Aileen was finally connected to his murder, she claimed that he brutally raped her and she shot him as an act of self defense.
On June 1, 1990 the body of construction worker David Spears was found along Florida State Road 19- he was naked and was shot a total of six times.
On May 31, 1990 part time rodeo worker Charles Carskaddon was shot nine times with a small caliber weapon.
On July 4, 1990 retired merchant Seaman Peter Siems’ abandoned car was located in Orange Springs. Despite his body not being located, Aileen was connected to the crime because of a full palm print she left on the inside door of Siems’ vehicle.
On August 4, 1990 the body of sausage salesman Troy Burgess was discovered in a wooded area along State Road 19- he was also shot twice with a small caliber weapon.
Aileen’s final victim was Walter Antonio, a police reservist and security guard. His naked body was found near a remote logging road in Dixie County; he was shot four times.
After Aileen and Tyria crashed Siems’ car and numerous witnesses provided details of their names and physical descriptions, authorities finally had their sights on the serial killer that was murdering men along State Road 19. On January 9, 1991 Wuornos was arrested at a biker bar in Volusia County and Tyria was located the following day in Scranton, Pennsylvania. In exchange for immunity from the prosecution of any charges, Tyria agreed to extract a confession from Aileen for authorities. Tyria then purchased a hotel room with the help of authorities and spent an entire weekend speaking with Aileen in attempts to get a full confession. Three days later, on January 16, 1991 Aileen condemned herself for the seven murders she committed- however, she claimed she did so in an act of self defense when the men tried to rape her.
When Aileen was sent to a court appointed psychiatrist she was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder and Antisocial Personality Disorder. However, she was deemed mentally competent to stand trial.
On January 14, 1992 Aileen stood trial was her first murder, the murder of Richard Mallory. Despite Mallory being sent to prison for intent to commit rape in the state of Maryland and being sentenced to a maximum security prison for eight years with a focus on sexual offenders, the judge refused to use this evidence in court. Aileen claimed that Mallory brutally raped her and she shot him to death in order to protect herself- for this crime, she was sentenced to death.
Aileen was later tried for the murders of David Spears, Charles “Dick” Humphreys, Troy Burgess, Charles Carskaddon and Walter Antonio and was handed five additional death sentences for these crimes. She was not forced to stand trial for the murder of Peter Siems due to his body never being located. After being handed six death sentences, Aileen made a confession.
“I wanted to confess to you that Richard Mallory did violently rape me as I’ve told you; but these others did not. They only began to start to.”
Aileen was then sent to Florida State of Corrections Broward Correctional Institution on death for before being sent to Florida State Prison for her execution. In 1996, she appealed her execution date to the United States Supreme Court but it was denied. In 2001, after a change of heart, Aileen made a request to Florida State Supreme Court to dismiss her legal counsel and terminate any pending appeals. After the court appointed panel of psychiatrists agreed that she was mentally competent to make a decision of that magnitude, her execution date moved forward with no stopping.
In Aileen’s final years on earth, she became increasingly paranoid, often complaining of prison guards wanting to rape her, kitchen personnel spitting in her food and poisoning her, and the government using sonic pressure to “crush her head.” In Aileen’s final on camera interview weeks before her execution, she seemed increasingly dissociated from reality with ramblings of society sabotaging her and the government torturing her. Her final on camera words were:
“Thanks a lot, society, for railroading my ass.”
On October 9, 2002 Aileen Wuornos was executed at 9:47 a.m. In her final hours, she declined a final meal but did drink a cup of coffee. Her final words were:
“Yes, I would 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 mother ship and all, I’ll be back. I’ll be back.”
Aileen Wuornos was the first woman to be executed in the state of Florida since the Supreme Court’s 1976 ruling to legalize capital punishment. After a childhood of sexual abuse and emotional trauma, Aileen Wuornos snapped. In her wake, she left seven men dead; the question is, did she kill them out of self defense or did she kill them because the hatred she felt for the human race ran so fluidly through her veins?
Cold Case Blogger
93% Upvoted
Notorious female serial killer Aileen Wuornos took the lives of her victims as violent revenge for the horrific sexual abuse she suffered as a child, a new documentary claims.
Wuornos, a prostitute, was sentenced to death after being convicted of the murder of six men who she picked up on the highways of Florida in 1989 and 1990, each of whom she shot multiple times before dumping their bodies.
Police believe she was also responsible for the deaths of two further male victims.
The murderer, dubbed the Damsel of Death, initially claimed she had acted in self-defence, but later admitted she did it simply because she hated men and wanted to steal their money.
Now criminal experts have re-examined audio recordings of Wuornos to offer fresh insight into the motives for her crimes.
Speaking on CBS documentary Voice Of A Serial Killer, they explain how they believe Wuornos was 'projecting' on to her victims the sense of 'anger' she had harboured since she was abused by her grandfather as a young girl.
Sordid: Prostitute Aileen Wuornos, pictured, was sentenced to death after being convicted of the murder of six men who she picked up on the highways of Florida in 1989 and 1990
Traumatic: Wuornos (pictured as a child) was sexually abused by her grandfather, who pimped out his pre-pubescent granddaughter to his friends. She started selling herself for sex aged 11
Wuornos was born to an unstable mother and a child molester father who spent much of his life in prison, before being sent to live with her grandparents, where she was sexually abused and pimped out by her grandfather.
Commenting on how her 'disturbing' early experiences shaped the rest of her life, forensic psychologist Mike Berry explained: 'I think without a doubt she projected on to these men her sense of betrayal, her anger, at being abused.
Share this article
'They were the men, the [men in their] 50s and 60s, they were the age group who abused her earlier in her life. Whether they actually abused her or not is debatable, but we're looking at her perception.
'Her perception was that these are abusers: 'I need to protect myself' and at the same time, get revenge on society for what society's allowed to happen to her as a child.'
Chilling: Wuornos was executed by lethal injection in a Florida prison in October 2002
Violent revenge: A gallery of Aileen Wuornos's six male victims
Aileen Wuornos was convicted of the murders of six men - Richard Mallory, David Spears, Charles Carskaddon, Peter Siems, Troy Burress, Charles Humprheys and Walter Jeno Antonio - in Florida between December 1989 and November 1990, making her one of America's first known female serial killers.
Her first victim was Richard Mallory (left) who was found dead in December 1989 after being shot several times. Her second was David Spears (right), in May 1990
Wuornos' third victim was Charles Carskaddon (left) who was found in June 1990 after being shot nine times. Fourth was Troy Burress, right, in August of that year
Former chief of police Charles Humphreys, left, was found dead after he was shot six times in September 1990. Right, trucker Walter Jeno Antonio was killed in November
Wuornos became one of America's first known female serial killers when she was convicted of the murders of six men - Richard Mallory, David Spears, Charles Carskaddon, Peter Siems, Troy Burress, Charles Humprheys and Walter Jeno Antonio - across Florida between December 1989 and November 1990.
Each of the men were shot multiple times and their bodies dumped. Police believe she might have been responsible for the deaths of two more men.
At the time Wuornos was working as a prostitute to support herself and girlfriend Tyria Moore.
Remorseless: Wuornos (pictured on trial in 1992) initially claimed the murders were carried out in self-defence but later admitted she simply had a deep-rooted hatred of men
Hollywood film: Charlize Theron won an Oscar for her portrayal of Wuornos in 2004's Monster
Wuornos, dubbed the Damsel of Death by tabloids, first claimed she had killed all of her victims in self-defence after they assaulted her, but later admitted she lied. Her only motive was robbery and a loathing of men, she said.
Murders that sparked a media frenzy
The sordid story of Wuornos' life and crimes captivated the media in the early 1990s and has gone on to inspire films, books and songs.
In 2004 actress Charlize Theron won a Best Actress Academy Award for her portrayal of Wuornos in film Monster.
The murders and subsequent trials have also been the subject of a number of television documentaries.
She was put to death by lethal injection in October 2002 after volunteering for execution and waiving all appeals. Her story was told in 2003 film Monster, for which Charlize Theron won the Academy Award for her portrayal of Wuornos.
The new documentary explains how Wuornos was abused by her father from early childhood.
She and her siblings were abandoned by her mother when she was just four-years-old, and sent to live with their grandparents. Her father took his own life in prison.
Wuornos' grandfather was also sexually abusive and even 'rented' her out to his friends.
Aged just 10 or 11 Wuronos started to prostitute herself to local boys for money to buy cigarettes, which led to her becoming pregnant and giving her child up into care.
Confession: Girlfriend Tyria Moore, pictured, testified against Wuornos in 1992
Wuornos, seen testifying in Florida in 1992, lost track of her 'moral compass', experts say
Speaking on the documentary, criminologist Wensley Clarkson claims these horrific early experienced led to Wuronos having a 'warped' sense of morality.
Clarkson explains in the show: 'It's horrific stuff and very disturbing for a child, and without doubt it warped her mentality.
'It made her lose track [of] any moral compass whatsoever, and possibly with reality because her life was horrendous.'
After her grandfather kicked her out of home as a teenager Wuornos moved to Florida, where she met Tyria Moore, and went on to kill.
Voice of a Serial Killer continues on Wednesday on CBS
Timeline of Wuornos' killing spree
Sentenced to death: Aileen Wuornos
December 1989: Body of electronics store owner convicted rapist Richard Mallory, 51, found on December 13, several days after his abandoned car was found by a Volusia County deputy sheriff. He had been shot several times.
May 1990: Naked body of construction worker David Spears, 43, is found along Florida State Road 19 in Citrus County. He had been shot six times.
June 1990: Part-time rodeo worker Charles Carskaddon, 40, is found dead in Pasco County on June 6. He had been shot nine times.
Retired merchant seaman Peter Siems, 65, left Jupiter, Florida, for Arkansas.
July 1990: On July 4 Peter Siems' car is found in Orange Springs, Florida. Moore and Wuornos were seen abandoning the car, and Wuornos' palm print was found on the interior door handle. Moore was never convicted of the murder but later admitted she was responsible. Siems' body was never found.
Sausage salesman Troy Burress, 50, is reported missing on July 31.
August 1990: Body of Troy Burress found in a wooded area along State Road 19 in Marion County. He had been shot twice.
September 1990: Body of former Chief of Police Charles 'Dick' Humphreys, 56, is found on September 12 in Marion County. He was fully clothed and had been shot six times in the head and torso.
Last beer: Wuornos was arrested at biker bar Last Resort, pictured, in January 1991
November 1990: Trucker and police reservist Walter Jeno Antonio, 62, was found dead on November 1990. His nearly nude body was found near a remote logging road in Dixie County. He had been shot four times.
January 1991: On January 9, Wuornos was arrested on an outstanding warrant at biker bar The Last Resort.
January 10 - Police located Moore the next day in Scranton, Pennsylvania. She agreed to elicit a confession from Wuornos in exchange for immunity from prosecution.
January 16 - Wuornos confessed to the murders but initially claims they were carried out in self-defence.
January 1992: Wuornos was convicted of Mallory's murder with help from Moore's testimony
February 1992: Wuornos is sentenced to death
March 1992: Wuornos pleads no contest to the murders of Humphreys, Burress, and Spears. She confesses that while Mallory had raped her the others had not, as she had initially claimed.
May 1992: Wuornos is given three more death sentences.
June 1992: Wuornos pleads guilty to the murder of Carskaddon
November 1992: She receives her fifth death sentence
October 2002: Wuornos is executed by lethal injection in prison