List of serial killers in Colombia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more people, with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them.[1][2] The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines serial killing as "a series of two or more murders, committed as separate events, usually, but not always, by one offender acting alone".[2][3]
Identified serial killers
| Name | Years active | Proven victims | Possible victims | Status | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrés Leonardo Achipiz | 2009–2013 | 12 | 35 | Incarcerated | Known as "The Fish"; psychopathic hired killer who killed in Bogotá involved in the drug trade | [4] |
| José William Aranguren | 1956–1964 | 115 | 115 | Killed in a shootout with law enforcement | Bandit who murdered people across three municipalities, together with three accomplices | [5] |
| Daniel Camargo Barbosa | 1974–1986 | 72 | 180 | Murdered in prison by a victim's relative | Known as "The Sadist of El Charquito"; raped and murdered young girls across Colombia and Ecuador | [6] |
| Manuel Octavio Bermúdez | 1999–2003 | 21 | 50+ | 56 years; commuted to 26 years | Known as "The Monster of the Cane Fields"; raped and murdered children in rural Valle del Cauca | [7] |
| Cristopher Chávez Cuellar | 1990s–2015 | 6 | 15+ | 40 years | Known as "The Soulless"; murdered various people around three municipalities, including three underage brothers | [8] |
| María Concepción Ladino | 1994–1998 | 6 | 6 | 40 years | Known as "The Killer Witch"; fraudster who poisoned victims she had defrauded | [9] |
| Luis Garavito | 1992–1999 | 142 | 193+ | Died in prison | Known as "The Beast"; tortured, raped, mutilated and murdered children across Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela | [10] |
| Sandra Giraldo | 2008–2011 | 3 | 3+ | Incarcerated | Together with Emilsen Rojas and several accomplices, she led "The Black Widow Gang"; defrauded and poisoned men for their life insurance policies | [11] |
| Pedro López | 1969–1980 | 110 | 350+ | Fugitive | Known as "The Monster of the Andes"; raped and killed young girls across Colombia, Ecuador and Peru | [12] |
| Luis Alberto Malagón Suárez | 1995–2001 | 6 | 6+ | Incarcerated | Known as "The Sadist of Rincón"; kidnapped, raped, and killed five girls from 1995 to 1997 in Suba, and later killed his wife | [13] |
| Tomás Maldonado Cera | 2002–2018 | 7 | 10 | Incarcerated | Known as "The Satanist"; murdered victims on or around Halloween night, then carved Satanic symbols on their bodies | [14] |
| Jaime Iván Martínez | 2005–2016 | 4 | 25 | 42 years | Known as "The Guarne Killer"; strangled young children and his wife in Guarne; suspected in other murders | [15] |
| Élver James Melchor Bañol | 1990s–2019 | 4 | 4 | 60 years | Known as "The Predator of Picaleña"; serial child rapist who murdered a girl in Tolima after being released on parole for three similar murders and sex crimes | [16] |
| John Jairo Moreno Torres | 1997–1998 | 4 | 20 | Murdered in prison by fellow inmates | Known as "Johnny the Leper"; underage gang leader who murdered people who interfered with his criminal activities | [17] |
| Yadira Narváez | 2011 | 5 | 6+ | 100 years | Known as "The Queen of Scopolamine"; poisoned men with Carbofuran to steal their money | [18] |
| Hernando Arturo Prada | 1990s–1999 | 10 | 10+ | Killed by a paramilitary squad while on the run | Known as "The Angel of Death"; gang leader who killed people in Bucaramanga | [19] |
| Luis Gregorio Ramírez Maestre | 2010–2012 | 30 | 30 | 34 years | Known as "The Monster of Tenerife"; tortured and murdered motorists he came across on highways | [20] |
| Emilsen Rojas | 2008–2011 | 3 | 3+ | Incarcerated | Together with Sandra Giraldo and several accomplices, she led "The Black Widow Gang"; defrauded and poisoned men for their life insurance policies | [21] |
| Esneda Ruiz Cataño | 2001–2010 | 3 | 3 | Incarcerated | Known as "The Predator"; poisoned three husbands for their life insurance policies | [22] |
| Efraín Sarmiento Cuero | 2017–2023 | 3 | 3 | Incarcerated | Known as "The Beast"; murdered girlfriends during arguments, including one during a conjugal visit in prison | [23] |
| Fredy Armando Valencia | 2012–2014 | 8 | 100+ | 36 years | Known as "The Monster of Monserrate"; strangled women around Monserrate, then raped their bodies | [24] |
| Juan Carlos Villa | 2012–2023 | 11 | 11 | Incarcerated | Murdered 11 people across various municipalities. | [25] |
| Rubén Villalobos Herrera | 2012–2017 | 9 | 9 | Incarcerated | Known as "The Black Canes Monster"; raped and murdered women in Villavicencio, then had sex with their bodies post-mortem | [26] |
Unidentified serial killers
| Name | Years active | Proven victims | Possible victims | Regions where active | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monster of the Mangones | 1963–1970s | 30 | 38 | Valle del Cauca | Kidnapped, raped, tortured and then murdered between young boys and teenagers in Cali; investigators believe the killer to have suffered from clinical vampirism | [27] |