List of rampage killers (home intruders in the United States)
This section of the list of rampage killers (home intruders) contains those cases that occurred in United States.
This section of the list of rampage killers contains those cases that either occurred mostly within a single household, or where most of the victims were members of a single family not related to the perpetrator. Cases where the primary motive for the murders was to facilitate or cover up another felony, like robbery, are not included.
A rampage killer has been defined as follows:
A rampage involves the (attempted) killing of multiple persons least partly in public space by a single physically present perpetrator using (potentially) deadly weapons in a single event without any cooling-off period.[1]
This list should contain every case with at least one of the following features:
- Rampage killings with 6 or more dead
- In all cases the perpetrator is not counted among those killed or injured.
All abbreviations used in the table are explained below.
Rampage killers
Perpetrator | Date | Year | Location | State | Killed | Injured | W | Additional Notes | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Leung Ying, 29 | August 22 | 1928 | Fairfield | California | 11 | 0 | FM | Sentenced to death; committed suicide while awaiting execution Possibly killed 3 people years earlier | [2] |
2. | Thomas, Christopher, 34[n 1] | April 15 | 1984 | New York City | New York | 10 | 0 | F | Sentenced to 83 to 250 years in prison Terminated a pregnancy | [3] |
3. | Unknown[n 2][n 1] | May 24 | 1906 | Milton | Florida | 9 | 0 | MA | Unsolved Possibly connected to the Villisca axe murders | [4] |
4. | Unknown[n 2][n 1] | September 13 | 1878 | Hockley | Texas | 8 | 1 | FMA | Unsolved | [5] |
5. | Hight, Spencer, 32[n 2][n 1] | September 10 | 2017 | Plano | Texas | 8 | 1 | F | Killed by police | [6] |
6. | Cummins, Michael Lee, 25 (suspect) | April 17/27 | 2019 | Sumner County | Tennessee | 8 | 1 | M | Arrested and charged | [7] |
7. | Unknown[n 1] | June 10 | 1912 | Villisca | Iowa | 8 | 0 | M | Unsolved Possibly connected to 18 other murders | [8] |
8. | Layer, Henry[n 1] | April 22 | 1920 | Turtle Lake | North Dakota | 8 | 0 | FM | Sentenced to life imprisonment | [9] |
9. | Speck, Richard Franklin, 24[n 1] | July 14 | 1966 | Chicago | Illinois | 8 | 0 | M | Sentenced to death, later changed to 400 to 1200 years in prison | |
10. | Wagner, George William (suspect) Wagner, Angela (suspect) Wagner, George (suspect) Wagner, Edward Jacob (suspect)[n 2] | April 22 | 2016 | Pike County | Ohio | 8 | 0 | F | Arrested | |
11. | Unknown | November 20 | 1965 | Sunbury | Pennsylvania | 7 | 7 | F A | Unsolved | [10] |
12. | Nelson, Martin, 24 | May 5 | 1885 | Bonito City | New Mexico | 7 | 1 | F | Killed | [11] |
13. | James Little Plume, 24[n 3] | October 11 | 1903 | Two Medicine | Montana | 7 | 1 | FM | Sentenced to 40 years in prison | [12] |
14. | Carlton, Julian, 30 | Aug 15 | 1914 | Spring Green | Wisconsin | 7 | 1 | MA | Died while awaiting trial | [13] |
15. | Rovansek, Cyril J., 31[n 3] | November 4 | 1973 | Cleveland | Ohio | 7 | 1 | F | Committed suicide | [14] |
16. | Abeyta, Ricky, 28 | January 26 | 1991 | Chimayo | New Mexico | 7 | 1 | F | Sentenced to 146 years in prison | [15] |
17. | Hance, Michael E., 51 | August 7 | 2011 | Copley Township | Ohio | 7 | 1 | F | Killed by police | [16] |
18. | Unknown | April 20 | 1928 | El Dorado | Kansas | 7 | 0 | F A | Unsolved | [17] |
19. | Unknown [n 2][n 1] | October 25 | 1967 | Arcadia | Florida | 7 | 0 | P | Unsolved | [18] |
20. | Freeman, John Gilbert, 41[n 2][n 1] | September 3 | 1971 | Phoenix | Arizona | 7 | 0 | F | Sentenced to life imprisonment | [19] |
21. | Workman, William, 43[n 3] | June 26 | 1973 | Palos Hills | Illinois | 7 | 0 | F | Sentenced to 100 to 300 years in prison Terminated a pregnancy | [20] |
22. | Moss, Adam Matthew, 23 | August 30 | 2001 | Sioux City | Iowa | 7 | 0 | M | Sentenced to life imprisonment | [21] |
23. | Brooks, Darrell L., 22[n 2][n 1] | October 16 | 2002 | Baltimore | Maryland | 7 | 0 | A | Sentenced to life imprisonment | [22] |
24. | Legg, John Michael, 20 (suspect) Rogers, Frederic Allen, 23 (suspect) | June 4 | 2020 | Valhermoso Springs | Alabama | 7 | 0 | F A | Both arrested Also killed a dog | [23] |
25. | Unknown | September 8 | 2020 | Aguanga | California | 7 | 0 | F | Unsolved | [24][25][26] |
26. | Mohawk, Samuel | July 1 | 1843 | Slippery Rock | Pennsylvania | 6 | 2 | M | Sentenced to death and executed | [27] |
27. | Harris, Frank, 56[n 2][n 1] | December 20 | 1963 | Trumann | Arkansas | 6 | 2 | F A | Sentenced to death | [28] |
28. | Baumberger, Albert F., 22[n 2][n 1] | July 7 | 1893 | Cando | North Dakota | 6 | 1 | FM | Sentenced to death and executed | [29] |
29. | Davis, Arthur James, 26[n 1] | August 26 | 1966 | New Haven | Connecticut | 6 | 1 | F | Sentenced to death | [30] |
30. | Marks, Cyrano, 39[n 2][n 1] | July 12 | 1999 | Atlanta | Georgia | 6 | 1 | F | Committed suicide | [31] |
31. | James, Llewelyn, 16[n 3] | February 4/5 | 2002 | Winslow Township & Lindenwold | New Jersey | 6 | 1 | FM | Sentenced to 315 years in prison | [32] |
32. | Jones, Thomas[n 2][n 1] | March 21/22 | 1900 | Garner | North Carolina | 6 | 0 | MA | Sentenced to death and executed | [33] |
33. | Batson, Albert Edward, 20[n 2] | February 13 | 1902 | Welsh | Louisiana | 6 | 0 | FM | Sentenced to death and executed | [34] |
34. | Davis, Walter Chesley, 48[n 1] | May 7 | 1907 | San Francisco | California | 6 | 0 | F | Found not guilty by reason of insanity | [35] |
35. | Miller, Alex[n 2][n 1] | December 21 | 1919 | Gilcrest | Colorado | 6 | 0 | F | Arrested | [36] |
36. | Bannon, Charles, 22[n 2][n 1] | February | 1930 | Schafer | North Dakota | 6 | 0 | M | Killed by angry mob | [37] |
37. | Cook, William Edward, 22 | January 2–5 | 1951 | Joplin Ogilby | Missouri California | 6 | 0 | F | Sentenced to death and executed Also killed a dog | |
38. | Unknown[n 2][n 1] | June 25 | 1968 | Good Hart | Michigan | 6 | 0 | FM | Unsolved | |
39. | Simants, Erwin Charles, 29[n 2][n 1] | October 19 | 1975 | Sutherland | Nebraska | 6 | 0 | F | Sentenced to death | [38] |
40. | White, Sarah Isabel, 18[n 2][n 1] | Dec. 31 | 1975 | Greenwood | Indiana | 6 | 0 | A | Sentenced to life imprisonment | [39] |
41. | Geschwendt, George, 24[n 1] | March 12 | 1976 | Trevose | Pennsylvania | 6 | 0 | F | Sentenced to death Also killed a dog | [40] |
42. | Carter, Robert Earl, 26 | August 18 | 1992 | Somerville | Texas | 6 | 0 | FMA | Sentenced to death and executed | [41] |
43. | Concepcion, Ramon, 28[n 1] | May 2/3 | 1993 | New York City | New York | 6 | 0 | MA | Sentenced to 37½ years in prison | [42] |
44. | Harris, Westley Devon, 22[n 2][n 1] | August 26 | 2002 | Rutledge | Alabama | 6 | 0 | F | Sentenced to death | [43] |
45. | Lewis, Lamont Merritt, Robert | August 26 | 2003 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 6 | 0 | E | Both sentenced to life imprisonment Also killed a dog | |
46. | Devoe, Paul Gilbert, 43 | August 24/27 | 2007 | Marble Falls & Jonestown State Line | Texas Pennsylvania | 6 | 0 | F | Sentenced to death | [44] |
47. | Anderson, Michele Kristen, 29[n 3] McEnroe, Joseph Thomas, 29[n 1] | December 24 | 2007 | Carnation | Washington | 6 | 0 | F | Both sentenced to life imprisonment | |
48. | Hudson, William Mitchell, 33 | November 14 | 2015 | Palestine | Texas | 6 | 0 | FM | Sentenced to death | [45] |
49. | Fenniel, Shad, 31 | July 3 | 1914 | Branchville | Texas | 5 | 5 | FM | Killed by police | [46] |
Abbreviations and footnotes
- All the victims were killed in the same household.
- All the victims were members of the same family.
- At least one of the victims was a relative of the assailant.
W – A basic description of the weapons used in the murders
- F – Firearms and other ranged weapons, especially rifles and handguns, but also bows and crossbows, grenade launchers, flamethrowers, or slingshots
- M – Melee weapons, like knives, swords, spears, machetes, axes, clubs, rods, stones, or bare hands
- O – Any other weapons, such as bombs, hand grenades, Molotov cocktails, poison and poisonous gas, as well as vehicle and arson attacks
- A – indicates that an arson attack was the only other weapon used
- V – indicates that a vehicle was the only other weapon used
- E – indicates that explosives of any sort were the only other weapon used
- P – indicates that an anaesthetising or deadly substance of any kind was the only other weapon used (includes poisonous gas)
References
- Seeger, Thorsten (ed.) School Shootings: International Research, Case Studies, and Concepts for Prevention; Springer, 2012.
- Maniac kills nine Chinese, Spokane Daily Chronicle (August 22, 1928)
– Two counties in terror as chinese who killed ten persons eludes posse, The Evening Independent (August 23, 1928)
– Los Angeles Times (August 28, 1928)
– Los Angeles Times (September 2, 1928) - N.Y. slaughter likely to have involved drugs, Daily Collegian (April 17, 1984)
– Police charge Bronx man in Palm Sunday massacre, The Prescott Courier (June 20, 1984)
– Defendant in the killing of 10 is guilty of reduced charge, The New York Times (July 20, 1985) - "Brutal Murder: An Entire Family of Nine Killed and Cremated" (PDF). The Times and Democrat. 24 May 1906.
James, Bill; James, Rachel McCarthy (September 19, 2017). The Man from the Train: The Solving of a Century-Old Serial Killer Mystery. New York: Scribner. ISBN 978-1-4767-9625-3. OCLC 962016034. - Horrible murder, Oshkosh Daily Northwestern (September 16, 1878)
– The Hockley Horror, Chicago Daily Tribune (October 13, 1878)
– Eight children murdered, Evening Post (December 14, 1878)
– Excitement at Hockley, The Galveston Daily News (November 8, 1878)
– Hockley's sensation, The Galveston Daily News (November 9, 1878) - http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2017/09/11/cowboys-cookoutwatch-party-ends-with-8-dead-in-plano/
- The Official Site of the Villisca Axe Murders of 1912
- Find eight murdered on North Dakota Farm, The New York Times (April 25, 1920)
– Admits killing 8, gets life term, The New York Times (May 14, 1920)
– Farmer, wife, five children and chore boy murdered by a neighbor, The Toronto World (May 15, 1920)
– Baby in cradle only survivor of 1920 mass murder, Minot Daily News (October 1, 2008) - 7 Children Burn to Death In Fire at Log-Cabin Home, The New York Times (November 22, 1965)
– Mysterious fire killing seven children probes, Ocala Star-Banner (November 22, 1965)
– Teenage boy admits shooting parents, starting fatal fire, Ocala Star-Banner (November 24, 1965)
– Youth tells police he set fire that killed 7 brothers, sisters, St. Petersburg Times (November 24, 1965)
– Youth pleads not guilty in seven deaths, The Lock Haven Express (July 25, 1966)
– Legal fight seen at murder trial, New Castle News (March 26, 1969)
– Youth cleared of charges in deaths of 7, The Altoona Mirror (March 31, 1969)
- Murder in Bonita City
– The Bonito City Story Archived 2011-07-24 at the Wayback Machine
– Murder at Bonito Archived 2011-05-20 at the Wayback Machine, Daily Bee (May 14, 1885)
– Seven persons murdered, The New York Times (May 7, 1885)
– Killings Began Town's Slide, Lake Later Finished It Off Archived 2009-10-30 at the Wayback Machine, Livestock Weekly
– Bonito City's history to be set straight, Ruidoso News (September 8, 2009)
– Bonito City – The Real Story
– The Mystery of the Mayberry Murders Archived 2011-08-30 at the Wayback Machine, Territorial News (April 20, 2005) - Seven Indians are massacred as the result of drunken row, The Anaconda Standard (October 12, 1903)
– Full confession by Little Plume filed, The Anaconda Standard (October 20, 1903)
– Seven men indicted by the grand jury, The Anaconda Standard (December 4, 1903)
– Forty years in pen for Little Plume, The Anaconda Standard (January 13, 1904)
– Little Plume kills eleven, The Morning Oregonian (October 16, 903) - Murderer of Seven: Sets Fire to Country Home of Frank Lloyd Wright Near Spring Green, The Weekly Home News (August 20, 1914)
– Mystery of the murders at Taliesin, BBC News (January 14, 2001) - Off-Duty Officer In Cleveland Kills Seven and Himself, The New York Times (November 5, 1973)
– Cleveland shootings leave 8 persons dead, Ellensburg Daily Record (November 5, 1973)
– Policeman kills 7, self, Daily News (November 5, 1973)
– 8 die in Ohio shooting spree, St. Petersburg Times (November 5, 1973) - Suspected killer of 7 caught in mountains of New Mexico, The Prescott Courier (January 28, 1991)
– 3 Charged in New Mexico Killings, The New York Times (January 29, 1991)
– Suspect in 7 slayings caught in New Mexico, The Milwaukee Sentinel (January 28, 1991)
– Mass killer gets 146-year sentence, Rocky Mountain News (December 21, 1991)
– Man charged in 3 of 7 deaths, Spokane Chronicle (January 29, 1991)
– New Mexico State Police Association: New Mexico State Police, 1933–2000; Paducah, Kentucky, 2000. ISBN 978-1-56311-587-5 - Gunman kills seven in Copley Twp. then is killed himself, Akron Beacon Journal (August 7, 2011)
– 8 Dead, 1 Hurt in Copley Shooting Rampage, Chicago Tribune (August 8, 2011)
– Copley spree killer may have had money troubles, letters indicate, Akron Beacon Journal (August 11, 2011)
– Vigil Held at Copley High After Shooting Rampage, fox8.com (August 8, 2011) - Youth confesses murder of seven, The New York Times (May 6, 1928)
– Youth murders entire family after quarrel, St. Petersburg Times (May 5, 1928)
– Oberst tells real story of killings, The Emporia Gazette (May 22, 1928)
– Jury deadlocked in patricide trial, San Antonio Express (December 4, 1930)
– Oberst order is not upheld, Iola Daily Register (June 6, 1931)
– Youth accused of murdering family freed, Albuquerque Journal (October 12, 1931) - 6 Arcadia children die in insecticide poisoning, St. Petersburg Times (October 26, 1967)
– Richardson says he ate stew, The Evening Independent (December 1, 1967)
– Richardson lawyers move for new trial, Ocala Star-Banner (June 18, 1968)
– New trial is asked in Arcadia deaths, Sarasota Herald-Tribune (July 8, 1970)
– Evidence may free father accused of killing 7 kids, The Palm Beach Post (August 12, 1988)
– 7 murders in Arcadia resurface, The Palm Beach Post (August 13, 1988)
– Man convicted of killing his 7 children freed, The Nashua Telegraph (April 26, 1989) - Suspect held for killing seven people, Rome News-Tribune (September 5, 1971)
– Suspect Is Charged With Slaying Seven In Arizona Family, The New York Times (September 5, 1971)
– Freeman guilty in mass murder, The Prescott Courier (April 25, 1975)
– Freeman gets life, The Prescott Courier (May 28, 1975) - Kin charged in separate family slayings, The Evening Independent (June 27, 1973)
– Seven Slain in Chicago Suburb, The New York Times (June 27, 1973)
– Slaying suspect placed under hospital care, St. Petersburg Times (June 28, 1973)
– 7 killed in Chicago suburb, Eugene Register-Guard (June 27, 1973)
– Workman gets 100–300 years, Chicago Tribune (June 18, 1981) - Accused Iowa killer of 7 arraigned, CNN (September 1, 2001)
– Man Is Arrested in the Killings of 5 Children and 2 Adults in Iowa, The New York Times (September 1, 2001)
– Suspect to Face Charges for Iowa Slayings, Fox News (September 2, 2001) - In Baltimore, Slogan Collides With Reality, The New York Times (September 3, 2003)
- An old crime recalled; a mother and five children killed by an Indian, The New York Times (July 9, 1887)
– The Case of Samuel Mohawk, an indian of the Seneca tribe, charged with the murder of the Wigton family in Butler County, Penna. with the charge of the court, as reported for the spirit of the age; Foster, McMillin & Gamble, Pittsburgh, 1843 - Boy says man killed parents and burned 4, The Gettysburg Times (December 21, 1963)
– Ex-convict questioned in Arkansas death of 6, Deseret News (December 23, 1963)
– Six in Arkansas family murdered, The Spokesman-Review (December 22, 1963) - Baumberger may be tried, The New York Times (July 14, 1893)
– Eager to lynch Bamberger, The New York Times (July 11, 1893)
– Kreider Family's Funeral, The New York Times (July 13, 1893)
– Death of D. S. Kreider, his wife and four daughters murdered, Terrell Times-Star (July 14, 1893)
– Shocking slaughter, Winnipeg Free Press (July 10, 1893)
– The deeds of a demon, Winnipeg Free Press (July 21, 1893)
– Kreider Massacre in North Dakota
– Capital crimes and criminals executed in northern Dakota Territory and North Dakota, 1885–1905 - Killer in New Haven Slays 5, Wounds 2, The New York Times (August 27, 1966)
– New Haven man, 26, guilty of slaying 6, The New York Times (November 17, 1966)
– Slayer of six gets the death penalty, The New York Times (November 18, 1966)
– 5 slain, 2 hurt in shooting; man held, Toledo Blade (August 26, 1966) - Shooter's kin puzzle over man's motive, Rome News-Tribune (July 15, 1999)
– Hundreds attend shooting victims' memorial tribute, Rome News-Tribune (July 16, 1999) - Prosecutor Says That Boy, 16, Killed to Silence Witnesses, The New York Times (May 4, 2002)
– Spree killer of six sentenced to 315 years in prison, NJ.com (January 25, 2008)
– New Jersey Man, 22, Convicted of Killing 6, The New York Times (November 2, 2007)
– Trial to Begin for Man Accused of Killing 6, abclocal.go.com (May 8, 2007) - A monstrous murder, The Fredericksburg Daily Star (March 23, 1900)
– Horrible crime in Carolina – Six colored people murdered, The Daily Index-Appeal (March 23, 1900)
– Negro Preacher Hanged for Murder, The New York Times (September 1, 1900) - Horrible & Gruesome Tragedy Near Welsh Archived 2012-03-03 at the Wayback Machine, Crowley Signal (March 1, 1902)
– The Earl Family, Galveston Daily News (March 3, 1902)
– Batson pleads not guilty, Davenport Daily Republican (March 21, 1902)
– Fixing guilt on Batson, Davenport Daily Republican (April 18, 1902)
– Confessed killing the Earls, The Kerrville Mountain Sun (May 3, 1902)
– Batson hanged for murder of the Earls, Richmond Times-Dispatch (August 15, 1903) - Crazy man kills six, The New York Times (May 8, 1907)
– Madman slays four men and two women, The San Francisco Call (May 8, 1907)
– Commission to inquire into sanity of Davis, The San Francisco Call (May 9, 1907)
– Insane murderer tries to commit suicide in emergency hospital, The San Francisco Call (May 10, 1907)
– Maniac who slew six committed to asylum, The San Francisco Call (May 21, 1907) - Colorado family of 6 murdered on farm, The New York Times (December 22, 1919)
– Denver farm hand held in murder of six people, Ludington Daily News (December 23, 1919)
– Kills farmer, wife and four children, Los Angeles Times (December 22, 1919) - Admits slaying six on No. Dakota farm, The New York Times (December 14, 1930)
– Discover three bodies in grave underneath barn, The Evening Independent (December 12, 1930) - Neighbor Held in Slaying Of Six in Nebraska Town, The New York Times (October 20, 1975)
– "Unknown" accused in 6 small town deaths, Boca Raton News (October 20, 1975)
– Death sentence for killings, Ellensburg Daily Record (January 30, 1976) - Indiana woman convicted of killing 6 continues fight for freedom, The Indianapolis Star (September 22, 2017)
- Neighbour is guilty in killing of family, The New York Times (July 20, 1976)
– Neighbor charged in "vendetta" killing of 6, Ocala Star-Banner (March 23, 1976)
– Man sentenced to death in state for slaying of six, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (June 14, 1978) - Boyfriend of One Victim Is Charged in 6 Slayings, The New York Times (May 5, 1993)
– 6 Are Found Slain In a Harlem Home That Was Set Afire, The New York Times (May 4, 1993)
– Killer of 6 Is Sentenced to Prison, The New York Times (June 28, 1994) - Judge delays sentence in killing of six in rural Alabama, al.com (August 1, 2005)
– Jurdge orders death for murderer of 6 in Alabama, Rome News-Tribune (August 13, 2005) - Man Sought in 6 Deaths Is Arrested in New York, The New York Times (August 28, 2007)
– Suspect May Have Shot at Others After Fleeing, The New York Times (August 29, 2007)
– Murder Trial Begins in Texas for Man Accused of Killing 6, Fox News (September 28, 2009)
– Murderer Accused in Cross-Country Killing Spree Sentenced to Death, Fox News (October 8, 2009)
– Paul Devoe will not be brought to Pennsylvania to stand trial in the murder of Betty Jane Dehart of State Line Archived 2011-10-08 at the Wayback Machine, Waynesboro Record Herald (May 21, 2010) - Negro kills 8 with a short handled axe, The Newark Advocate (July 3, 1914)
– Kills eight for revenge, The New York Times (July 4, 1914)
– Kills eight with an ax, The Washington Post (July 4, 1914)
– Negro kills 8 negroes, The Daily Advocate (July 4, 1914)
– Four Negroes Dead; Five are Wounded; Slayer Escaped, Cameron Herald (July 9, 1914)
– Two negroes killed and seven may die, The Galveston Daily News (July 4, 1914)
– Five negroes were killed, Corsicana Semi-Weekly Light (July 7, 1914)
– Negro desperado is shot and killed, The Galveston Daily News (February 22, 1915)