Lauri and Britta Wuornos legally adopted Aileen and her brother Keith on March 18, 1960, who took on the surname of her grandfather as well. He had been shot twice with a .22-calibre pistol. Wuornos was sentenced to death for six of the murders and on October 9, 2002, after 12 years on Florida's death row,[5] was executed by lethal injection. At 14, Aileen Wuornos became pregnant. [41] Police located Moore the next day in Scranton, Pennsylvania. I've been evaluated so many times. They married quickly and the announcement of their nuptials was printed in the local newspaper's society pages. "[54] Her final on-camera words were "Thanks a lot, society, for railroading my ass. She divorced Pittman less than two years into the marriage, a few months before Aileen was born. In 1974, she was arrested for driving under the influence, disorderly conduct, and firing a .22-caliber pistol from a moving vehicle. In 1976, she met a man named Lewis Gratz Fell who was the president of a yacht club in Florida. As depicted in Nick Broomfield's"Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer," Aileen Wuornos' final days on Florida's death row were marked with paranoia. But he determined that she also had a biological predisposition for psychopathy. [77], In 2015, Lily Rabe portrayed a fictionalized version of Wuornos as part of a Halloween storyline in American Horror Story: Hotel in the fourth episode of the show's fifth season, and later in the season finale. On September 12, 1990, authorities discovered the bullet-riddled body of Charles "Dick" Humphreys, 56, in Marion County, Florida. Up until the moment she died she claimed to be monitored by external forces, clearly indicating she suffered from severe mental problems, even though she claimed this wasnt true in a letter: I killed those men, robbed them as cold as ice. She was diagnosed as a true psychopath, 17. Drawing a stolen, nine-shot .22-caliber pistol from her bag, Wuornos shot Mallory four times. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J01slNXT3zI, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wuornos.jpg, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgsA6Js5B_o, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl8yY1H3oMU, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKMXac-X3vA, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cjRWJurqDA. Hence, the police associated the murder with the same killer. [81], A parody cover version of Dolly Parton's song "Jolene" called "Aileen", dedicated by Wuornos, is featured on Willam Belli's third album. Her girlfriend helped the police to make her confess, 16. Diane Wuornos was just at the age of 14 years old when she married 18-year-old Leo Dale Pittman, on June 3, 1954, in Indiana according to her daughters Wikipedia. To say that her parents werent ready to become a parent is an understatement. Barry testified and said their family was a typical one and although Laurie was strict, he was kind. At 14, Aileen Wuornos became pregnant. Keith Wuornos was born on the 14th of March 1955 in Rochester, Michigan. Less than two years later, and two months before Aileen was born, Diane filed for divorce. If it gave her some solace, I have to be grateful.[59]. With Pittman away, Diane, already pregnant with Aileen, filed for divorce. Moore would write a letter to Wuornos requesting that she call her at a nearby motel. She adopted a life of crime from an early age. Her father was a pedophile who was in jail at the time of her birth, while her mother was an immature teenager who abandoned Aileen and her brother. At first, she didn't believe Wuornos, but the incident with the wrecked, stolen car further aroused her suspicions about Wuornos' activities. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. She was convicted for six of the murders WebAileen Carol Wuornos was a serial killer who had killed seven men. Still, she said she welcomed death as a conclusion to a torturous life. Broomfield later speculated on Wuornos' motive and state of mind: I think this anger developed inside her. Aileen Carol Wuornos, known as Lee to her friends, was born on February 29, 1956, in Rochester, Michigan (via Biography). I'll be back. Later in life, Wuornos' skills with a cue would serve her well as a shrewd pool hustler. Pittman was also a petty thief who graduated to more serious crimes. One of the most astounding Aileen Wuornos facts is that she claimed that she became a prostitute and exchanged sexual services for money, food, drugs, and cigarettes, at the age of 11. [2][16] Diane abandoned Wuornos and her brother, Keith, when Wuornos was only 4 years old. Wuornos's father, Dale Pittman, was in prison when she was born, having been convicted of sex crimes against children. The receipt for the stolen merchandise bore Wuornos' thumbprint. [14] On May 20, 1981, Wuornos was arrested in Edgewater, Florida, for the armed robbery of a convenience store, where she stole $35 and two packs of cigarettes. Soon after, she wound up in a juvenile detention center. In 2003, Aileen Wuornos' story was told in the dramatic film "Monster," starring Charlize Theron. Taking a seat across from the officers, Wuornos stated, "Well, I came here to confess to murder.". Despite prostituting herself to men, she had a female lover. Just 3 days later, on July 17, her brother Keith died of esophageal cancer and she received a huge check (at that time) of $10,000 from his life insurance policy. She also turned on her interviewer: "You sabotaged my ass! The matter was further complicated by the fact that the family was poor. Her father was a psychopath and child molester who was incarcerated at the time of her birth; he eventually committed suicide. Is He White or Black? Rhonda Bailey, who witnessed the accident, provided police with a description of two women,[38] resulting in a media campaign to locate them. She returned to Michigan[21][22] where, on July 14, 1976, she was arrested at Bernie's Club,[23] in Mancelona, in Antrim County and charged with assault and disturbing the peace for throwing a cue ball at a bartender's head. Keith died at a young age due to cancer, and Aileen inherited a $10,000 insurance policy. 1976 United States Supreme Court decision, Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer, Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer, List of people executed in the United States in 2002, List of serial killers by number of victims, List of serial killers in the United States, List of women executed in the United States since 1976, "Charlize Theron 2004: Oscars Red Carpet Fashion Through the Years", "The world's first female serial killer, Aileen Wuornos of the US", "Suspect in serial killings has long, troubled past", "The Role of Psychopathy and Sexuality in a Female Serial Killer", "The Phenomenon of Serial Murders and Women", University of North Carolina at Charlotte, "Notorious Crime Profiles Aileen Wuornos", "A Look At Aileen Wuornos' Tragic Love Affair", "The True Story Of Serial Killer Aileen Wuornos", "Aileen Wuornos Was Terrifying, But Fascinating", "Wuornos v. the State of Florida, 676 So. Like other bodies, this body too was naked and had been shot four times with a .22 firearm. It was 1991, and Aileen Wuornos was in the news for having allegedly murdered six men and was being held in a Florida jail. Interestingly, the man did have a criminal record for rape. She was born on February 29th, 1956, in Troy, Michigan to parents Diane Wuornos and Leo Pittman. Aileen suffered frequent beatings from her grandfather. [57] She was the second woman in Florida and the tenth in the United States to be executed since the 1976 United States Supreme Court decision restoring capital punishment.[58]. The family conducted a funeral for him, which saw several of their relatives, including their biological mother, in attendance. While not the first, she was one of only a few female serial killers who used a gun as their weapon. She claimed that he tried to rape her and that she killed him in self-defense. Aileen Wuornos murdered 7 men within a year, 13. She was raised in a dysfunctional family. "She was unloved, unwanted, and always in the way, and I think it gave her one hell of a chip on her shoulder," neighborJean Kear told author Sue Russell. Despite their best efforts, the defense was unable to use Wuornos' mental state and capacity to save her from the death sentence. His mothers name is Diane Wuornos, while his father was the late Leo Dale Pittman. Assured that she was not under arrest, Moore explained that Wuornos had told her about killing Richard Mallory. She declined her last meal which could have been anything under $20 and opted for a cup of coffee instead. [51], In 2002, Wuornos began accusing prison matrons of tainting her food with dirt, saliva, and urine. These were Aileen Wuornos last words, 20 Interesting Facts About Jack The Ripper, 15 Mysterious Facts About The Zodiac Killer, Kidnapping Julius Caesar? Initially, she maintained that all the victims had violently raped her when she was working as a prostitute. [63] He noted Wuornos as the sole exception. It would be Moore's testimony in exchange for immunity from prosecution that would send Aileen Wuornos to the death chamber. She was sentenced to prison on May 4, 1982, and released on June 30, 1983. It has, however, been claimed that Keith Wuornos was engaged in an incestuous relationship with his sister. Once Aileen was arrested for murder, he threw water on her defense narrative, which claimed she suffered abuse at the hands of her adopted father. When Merchant found out about this, she gave permission to use the song in the closing credits of Nick Broomfield's documentary Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer: When director Nick Broomfield sent a working edit of the film, I was so disturbed by the subject matter that I couldn't even watch it. Wuornos' last known victim was 62-year-old Walter Antonio. [31] On July 4, 1987, Daytona Beach police detained Wuornos and Moore at a bar for questioning regarding an incident in which they were accused of assault and battery with a beer bottle. She was later charged with failure to appear. Two months before Aileen's birth, Diane and Leo filed for divorce. But due to a "Son of Sam" law at the time that prohibited felons from profiting off their stories, there was no money to be made, and the adoption itself was conditional on Pralle's agreement to not exploit Wuornos for money. This means that the two teenagers had two children at a very young age. Wuornos scored a 32. [1] Her last words were, "Yes, I would just like to say I'm sailing with the rock, and I'll be back, like Independence Day, with Jesus. Her story begins with her mother Diane dropping out of school at age 15 to give birth to Aileen and quickly abandoning her. On June 1990, the naked body of David Spears was found with multiple bullet wounds. When it comes to the most cold-blooded female serial killer in history, the results answered some questions and filled in some holes. Witnesses placed Aileen Wuornos and Tyria Moore near the vehicle before its discovery. Theron's spot-on portrayal of Wuornos garnered her the 2004 Academy Award for Best Actress. Ultimately, she slipped through every societal safety net and turned to crime out of desperation and to murder out of sheer anger. This peculiar period in Wuornos's life was the subject of a prequel film to the 2003 biopic "Monster," called "Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman," per ET Online. Three days later, on January 16, 1991, Wuornos confessed to the murders. Wuornos' ashes were scattered beneath a tree in her native Michigan by Wuornos' childhood friend Dawn Botkins. Died 2002. [40] Wuornos had a criminal record in Florida, and samples of her prints were in a database. On January 14, 1991, Wuornos phoned Moore from jail. Using an outstanding warrant for an earlier Colorado weapons charge, the police were forced to keep any mention of murder charges under wraps until they could find Tyria Moore. Add or change photo on IMDbPro. Her image was printed on newspapers, and somewhere in Levy County, Florida, God-fearing horse-breeder Arlene Pralle saw her photo and wanted to become her friend, details the Los Angeles Times. That crime landed her in a Florida prison for a year. Theron won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the film.[6]. Wuornos also tested positive for Antisocial Personality Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder, the latter which psychologist Harry Krop testified to during her trial, reports UPI. "[74], The biographical drama film Monster (2003), written and directed by Patty Jenkins, stars Charlize Theron as Wuornos and Christina Ricci as Tyria Moore (named Selby Wall in the film). She died at 9:47 AM that morning. Aileen Carol Wuornos was sexually, physically, and psychologically abused at some point of her life. In 1961, "it was observed of Mr. Mallory that he possessed strong sociopathic trends". In her final interview, she stated that the police had allowed her to kill to "turn [her] into a serial killer" and that she was being tortured with "sonic waves." Her mother abandoned Aileen and her brother who were then adopted by her maternal grandparents. Her parents married at a very young Her troubled childhood and subsequent teenage years couldnt simply be erased. Theres no chance in keeping me alive or anything because Id kill again. Wuornos's mother, Diane Wuornos, was only 15 or 16 when she gave birth to her, and her father was only a couple years older. Diane abandoned Wuornos and her brother, Keith, when Wuornos was only 4 years old. Wuornos's father, Dale Pittman, was in prison when she was born, having been convicted of sex crimes against children. She started a relationship with Tyria Moore in 1986. One aspect of Wuornos' life, however, was all too typical among her male counterparts. She never met her father, Lee Dale Pittman, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Despite their unsavory upbringing and later separation, Keith and his sister, Aileen, remained quite close. [14], Much of Wuornos' childhood sexual abuse and career in sex work are said to have irrevocably damaged her,[61] and it could be seen that traumatic experiences throughout most of her young life could play a part in Wuornos's psychological state, including her biological mother's departure as well as her grandmother ignoring the abuse she endured from her grandfather, thus leading to the lack of development of a motherdaughter bond for Wuornos as a young girl. As detailed in "Dead Ends," investigators from Florida located Moore in Scranton, Pennsylvania. When Aileen was two, Diane Wuornos abandoned her children, leaving them in the care of friends. Moore returned with the police to Florida, where she was put up in a motel. On September 1990, the body of a former police chief named Dick Humphreys was found bearing six bullet wounds from a .22 pistol. [75] It stars Peyton List as a young Wuornos. Less than a decade after Aileen Wuornos was sentenced to death, on October 9, 2002, she received a lethal injection which put an end to her troubled life. All of the psychiatrists agreed that Aileen Wuornos was mentally unstable, something that should have been very clear if you see the horrible circumstances she grew up in. Wuornos mother Diane was 15 years old when she married Pittman on June 3, 1954. Vice notes that Wuornos is the subject of news articles, tabloid TV programs, books, documentaries, and a made-for-TV movie. The fact that it was proven that she suffered from a borderline personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder didnt matter, and she was sentenced to 6 death penalties after being found guilty of 6 counts of first-degree murder. She was raped and became pregnant when she was just 14she claimed that her brother was the father of her child. [25] In August 1976, Wuornos was given a $105 fine for drunk driving. Somehow, the 20-year old prostitute Aileen managed to convince the 69-year old Fell to marry her, which happened just a few weeks after they met. After her death, Wuornos' body was cremated. Aileen's older brother, Keith, was born in 1955. The case, as presented by her defense attorneys, painted Wuornos as a troubled woman with borderline personality disorder and an IQ of 81. The killers final victim was found on November 1990. Claiming that she feared for her life, Moore neglected to alert the authorities. The little girl must have been so happy to get new parents (who were actually her maternal grandparents) after her real parents failed to raise her. The highest a person could score is 40, while the minimum score needed for a psychopathy designation could either be 25 or 30. In truth, Aileen and her brother Keith were the children of Lauri and Britta's daughter Diane. As for Barry Wuornos, he was technically Aileen's uncle, 12 years older than her, and was less of a friend. Walter Antonio, a truck driver, had been killed less than 24 hours before his body was found. At that time, she was also wanted for consuming alcohol in a vehicle and driving without a license. Aileens mother Diane Wuornos was fifteen when she married Leo Pittman in 1954. From Sports, business, entertainment, to celebrity gossip and so much more, Ngozika has got you covered with the latest gist and happenings as they unfold, The Untold Truth of Destin Christopher Tucker Chris Tuckers Son, Meet Mariann Barrena McClay Carlo Ancelottis Wife, Meet Dashiell Connery Sean Connerys Grandson. All Rights Reserved. Wuornos then drove Mallory's car home. She later started robbing and killing men, earning the notoriety of being the first female American serial killer. It was apparent that they were dealing with a serial killer or pair of serial killers, and, to their shock, they were likely women. Her grandfather was a pedophile and sexually abused the girl from a young age. [82] The music video, featuring Gigi Gorgeous portraying Wuornos, was released on November 1, 2018. On 9 October 2002, she was executed by the state of Florida by lethal injection. In 1953, Diane, then just 14, married 17-year-old Leo Pittman. Pittman, bent on controlling his young wife's life, forbade Diane from leaving home while he worked a variety of jobs, ranging from gardening to making chrome car bumpers. Up until the day of her execution, she claimed that she still loved her. To Wuornos, men were only good for the quick cash she needed to survive. Until her execution, Wuornos angrily decried the exploitation of her story, as per the Chicago Tribune. [48][14][49] The checklist evaluates individuals on a 20-item list of antisocial and interpersonal behaviors, with each item being scored as zero, one, or two, with a maximum score of 40. For decades, the gruesome crimes of such repeat killers as Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, and David Berkowitz seemed to establish a basic profile of the serial killer as white, often motivated by sexual dysfunction, and exclusively male. Who Is Lonzo Balls Daughter, Zoey Christina Ball and How Old is She Now? Aileen Carol Wuornos was a serial killer who had killed seven men. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Its then that she murdered Richard Charles Mallory by shooting him with her .22 pistol. In November 1992, she received her fifth death sentence. WebDiane Wuornos was born on 12 August 1939 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. [1] On January 27, 1992, Wuornos was convicted of Mallory's murder with help from Moore's testimony. She would continue her hustling ways, including prostitution, for several years. By the age of 11, Wuornos began engaging in sexual activities in school in exchange for cigarettes, drugs, and food. Any speculation contrary to this may stem from Aileen Wuornos antecedents of killing several men. Buzzsouthafrica.com copyright 2023. Having returned to high school, Wuornos dropped out after a few months. [60], According to some specialists, Wuornos's crimes have been related to her psychopathic personality and her psychotraumatic past. [12] Leo Dale Pittman was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Just weeks after they got married, she caused trouble and beat Fell with his own cane, resulting in him acquiring a restraining order against her. Convicted of murdering seven men in Florida from 1990-1992, and after receiving six death sentences, was executed (9 October 2002). [18], On January 14, 1992, Wuornos went to trial for the murder of Richard Charles Mallory. [45] However, the judge refused to allow the records to be admitted in court as evidence and denied Wuornos' request for a retrial. As detailed by Michael Reynolds in his 2004 book "Dead Ends," Wuornos' adult rap sheet outlined the life of a violent troublemaker on her way to becoming a career criminal. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. She was previously married to Lewis Gratz Fell. He had been shot with a .22 pistol. I'm competent, sane, and I'm trying to tell the truth. Famed FBI profiler Robert K. Ressler, the man credited with coining the term "serial killer" as well as establishing the patterns found in serial murder, described Wuornos as an anomaly in his extensive research. The song "Poor Aileen" by Superheaven, which is the final track from the 2015 album Ours Is Chrome, is written about Aileen Wuornos. The police found a .22 pistol and spare ammunition hidden in her car. Expelled from the family home, Aileengave birth in a home for unwed mothers in Detroit, and the child was put up for adoption. Before Aileen Wuornos died, she was analyzed in prison by a psychologist, Wade Myers. Her mother, Diane Wuornos (born 1939), was 15 years old when she married Aileen's father, Leo Dale Pittman (died 1969), on June 3, 1954. Aileen Wuornos had a string of failed and abusive relationships with men, and they had only served to reinforce her hate of the opposite sex. She died in 2002. She would tell her companion Tyria Moore that she had made a lot of money on the road and that "some guy" had loaned her his car. "Women do commit multiple murders, of course, but they tend to do so in a spree, and not sequentially as is the pattern with [men].". Using the alias Sandra Beatrice Kretsch, Wuornos was charged with disorderly conduct, driving under the influence, and, in a bit of ominous foreshadowing, firing a .22-caliber pistol from the window of a moving vehicle. In the feature film Monster (2003), Wuornos' story is described from her first murder until her execution. The prosecution constructed a portrait of a calculating, man-hating killer who, under the guise of being distressed and stranded, lured seven innocent men to their deaths. She spent all the money in just 2 months, most of it on a new car which she wrecked shortly after! Her birth name was Aileen Carol Pittman. WebWuornoss father, Leo Dale Pittman, was a child molester and a sociopath who was strangled in prison in 1969. This concludes the ultimate list of Aileen Wuornos facts. Wuornos became pregnant at 14-years-old after being raped by a friend of her grandfather's and was sent to a home for unwed mothers. Her father was a paranoid schizophrenic, 4. The couple had a four-year-long relationship which ended in 1990. When Aileen was just 4 years old, her mother had enough of raising her two children and she dropped them both off at her grandparents house. Aileen Wuornos was born on February 29, 1956 in Rochester, Michigan, USA. "After that, she always said, 'All men are out to use women,'" Wuornos' sister Lori Wuornos Grody told the press at the time of her murder trial. But the marriage didn't last, as Wuornos couldn't escape her past, and their personalities couldn't be any more different. To give some reference to this number, somebody is considered to be a psychopath with a score of 25 in the United Kingdom and 30 in the United States. Exposed to sexual activities at a tender age, she began providing sexual favors in exchange for food, drugs, and cigarettes when she was just 11 years old. Big mother ship and all, Ill be back, Ill be back. Keith, on his part, avoided a life of crime. His maternal grandfathers name was Lauri Wuornos, while his maternal grandmothers name was Britta Wuornos. [48], Wuornos was incarcerated at the Florida Department of Corrections Broward Correctional Institution (BCI) death row for women, then transferred to the Florida State Prison for execution.