Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Criminal.

Criminal Genius: A Portrait of High-IQ Offenders
"In most natural groupings, the higher one's intelligence, the less likely one is to commit criminal acts. Yet the unexpected results in this groundbreaking books show us that, at the extreme upper end of the scale, the immunity from crime that comes with intelligence tends to lose its potency. In the end, however, this reduced immunity stems not so much from this tiny group's intelligence as from its perhaps inevitable distance from ordinary mortals." - Travis Hirschi, author of Causes of Delinquency
By Monica Panait8 years ago in Criminal
Most Infamous Crimes of the 80s
The 1980s saw the rise of a number of the most prolific serial killers in the United States, including Jeffrey Dahmer and Richard Ramirez. The latter, also known as "The Night Stalker," was part of a rising public concern regarding Satanism, the occult, heavy metal music, and other elements of underground culture that many believed to be dangerous and violent. While Satanic worship seems overall to have been a false concern, some combination of factors certainly did lead this decade to be one of the deadliest, with some of the most shocking and infamous crimes of the 80s setting the standard for horrific crimes that have been committed throughout history.
By Nicola P. Young8 years ago in Criminal
Understanding a "Monster"
The video above is not my own, however, it conveys many of the points I make in the following post. I'll get straight to the point: I want to prevent rape and molestation.
By Jessica Drake8 years ago in Criminal
America's Dad
I was visibly upset. I was shaking. With every letter I typed on my phone, I had to erase because I managed to make some sort of error. Although I was upset, I stayed glued to all social media outlets discussing the case.
By Quintina .8 years ago in Criminal
The Creepiest Entertainers
It seems only fair to talk about the most prolific on this list of creepy entertainers. Someone that actually committed horrible crimes against children.
By Amanda S8 years ago in Criminal
A Knapp-tastic Time. Top Story - September 2018.
Ever wonder about the life of the man known as the "Serial Strangler?" Or maybe, you haven't heard of him at all. This man's legacy is not taught in all schools, if any, but is very intriguing none the less. So, whether you just want some research material, knowledge, or something to pass the time by, enjoy this tale I have offered you; a tale that begins and ends with a man named Alfred Knapp.
By Keri Gordon8 years ago in Criminal
The Horrifying Death of Junko Furuta
Junko Furuta's story begins in normalcy. She was a popular and pretty young girl preparing for her next step in life. She was close to graduating from high school, she had a part-time job, and she was likely to get a full-time position not soon after graduating high school.
By Amanda S8 years ago in Criminal
10 Bizarre Murder Cases No One Can Explain
Humanity has a natural knack for the macabre. People love talking about murder and mayhem, and solving whodunnits as soon as they hear about them. That's what makes the best true crime books of 2018 so fascinating, and what makes people love to read about the most famous serial killers in history.
By Cato Conroy8 years ago in Criminal
Father's Killer (Chapter 1)
I put my elbows on the bar top and place my head in my hands. I watch as the women strip on stage and money get's thrown at them. I used to do that for several years...
By Anna Luciano8 years ago in Criminal
What Is Murderabilia?
Let's cut right to the chase here: What is murderabilia? Murderabilia, also sometimes known as "murderbilia," is a term first coined by Andy Kahan, the director of the Crime Victims Office at the Houston Police Department. The term refers to a particularly macabre realm of collectible items. More specifically, murderabilia refers to collectible items that belonged to or are somehow connected to serial killers and other notorious perpetrators of violent crimes.
By Joseph D. N. Kendrick8 years ago in Criminal
Home Is Where the Murder Is
“My daddy is a hero, he helps me grow up strong. He helps me snuggle too. He reads me books. He ties my shoes. You’re a hero through and through. My daddy, daddy, I love you.” Bella Watts sang about her father, and murderer, Chris Watts. Watching the video of the little girl sing her daddy's praises is chilling. In the span of days, he would take her life, as well as the lives of her mother, her sister Celeste, and unborn brother. Chris Watts pleaded through the media for his family to return, “I just want everybody to come home,” an act of a desperate man, who needed to cover his tracks with his family missing and an alleged boyfriend coming out of the woodwork.
By Edward Anderson8 years ago in Criminal
Nothing Bad Happens Behind Pretty Doors
This why so many children end up on the streets; unprotected and alone. Children who run come from all different types of homes. Many of them come from middle to upper income households. Somehow we feel that these children are less likely to be suffering abuse… bad things don’t happen behind pretty doors. The truth is that child abuse knows no boundaries. Abuse doesn’t take up residence in a home because of how big or small it is… Abuse doesn’t know the difference between cash for groceries or food stamps.
By Marnie Grundman8 years ago in Criminal