One of the most notorious serial killers of the 1960s was the infamous Charles Manson, who was responsible for nine murders in California between 1969 and 1971. His group of followers, known as “The Family,” committed the killings in an attempt to start a race war. Manson and his followers were eventually convicted of the murders, and he is currently serving a life sentence in a California prison.
Manson wasn’t the only serial killer active in the 1960s, however. In fact, there were several other notorious serial killers operating in the United States during this decade. Here is a look at six of the most notorious serial killers of the 1960s in the United States.
1. Richard Speck
Richard Speck is one of the most infamous serial killers of the 1960s. In 1966, he broke into a student nurse’s dormitory in Chicago and held eight women captive. He then proceeded to rape, torture, and murder the women one by one. Seven of the women were killed, while one managed to survive. Speck was eventually arrested and sentenced to death, but his sentence was later commuted to 400 to 1200 years in prison. He died in prison in 1991.
2. Dean Corll
Dean Corll was one of the most prolific serial killers of the 1960s. He and two accomplices, Elmer Wayne Henley and David Owen Brooks, were responsible for the murders of at least 28 young boys and teenagers in Houston, Texas. The victims were often tortured and sexually abused before being killed. Corll was eventually shot and killed by Henley in 1973.
3. Herbert Mullin
Herbert Mullin was a serial killer active in California during the 1960s. He was responsible for 13 murders between 1972 and 1973, most of which occurred in Santa Cruz County. Mullin often chose his victims at random and claimed that he was killing them to prevent earthquakes. He was eventually found guilty of the murders and sentenced to life in prison.
4. John Norman Collins
John Norman Collins was a serial killer active in Michigan during the late 1960s. He is believed to have murdered at least seven young women in the Ann Arbor area between 1967 and 1969. All of the victims were found dead with their clothing arranged in a similar fashion. Collins was arrested and convicted of one of the murders in 1970 and sentenced to life in prison.
5. Robert Berdella
Robert Berdella was a serial killer active in Kansas City, Missouri during the late 1980s. He is believed to have kidnapped, tortured, and murdered at least six young men between 1984 and 1987. His victims were often sexually assaulted and mutilated before being killed. Berdella was eventually arrested and convicted of the murders in 1988 and sentenced to life in prison.
6. Tex Watson
Tex Watson was a member of Charles Manson’s “Family” and was involved in the Tate-LaBianca murders of 1969. He was convicted of seven counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. However, his sentence was later commuted to life in prison and he remains incarcerated in California to this day.
The 1960s saw the emergence of some of the most notorious serial killers in U.S. history. From Charles Manson to Tex Watson, these individuals were responsible for countless deaths and left a lasting impression on the nation. While these killers have been locked away for decades, their legacy still lives on today.
