Early Life: The Making of a Warrior Gilles de Rais was born into the House of Montmorency-Laval, one of the oldest and most distinguished families in Brittany. His father, Guy de Laval, was known for his martial prowess, which Gilles inherited. French historian Georges Bordonove described his upbringing as “soaked in military tradition, but also … Read more
Cody Posey became a household name in July 2004 when the news broke of his arrest for the murder of three family members in rural New Mexico. The case drew widespread media scrutiny, leading to public debates on the justice system’s treatment of minors involved in serious crimes. “A farm boy with a troubled past, … Read more
When the name Nannie Doss appears, it’s often with eerie epithets like “The Giggling Granny” or “The Black Widow.” Her story horrified America in the 1950s. Convicted for killing four of her husbands but suspected of murdering 11 family members, she was a paradox— a cheerful, church-going woman with a sinister side. A 1954 report … Read more
The Man of Many Myths The Count of Saint Germain has inspired a myriad of legends. He was a linguist, a musician, an alchemist, and an alleged immortal. Beyond his polymathic skills, what captivated high society was his mysterious aura. As Peter Krassa writes in “Saint Germain: The Immortal Count,” “He spoke Italian, Spanish, French, … Read more
The Stoneman of India is the name given to an unidentified serial killer who is believed to have terrorized the streets of Mumbai in 1983 and later Kolkata in the late 1980s. The killer targeted homeless individuals, typically while they were sleeping, using a heavy stone to crush the victims’ heads. Because the murders were … Read more
The Legend and Birth Expanded Mother Shipton’s birth story adds an air of mysticism to her legend. It’s said that she was born during a violent thunderstorm in a cave along the River Nidd in Knaresborough. The cave, according to local lore, was considered a “portal to the otherworld,” as David Clarke expands in his … Read more
Unlikely Duo, Unimaginable Crimes Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono were cousins with an unsettling relationship that led to a killing spree between 1977 and 1978 in Los Angeles. The term “Hillside Stranglers” quickly caught on in the media. Dr. Scott Bonn, a criminologist, once said in an interview, “It’s extraordinarily rare to have a team … Read more
Early Life in Soviet Turmoil Andrei Romanovich Chikatilo was born on October 16, 1936, in Yablochnoye, a village in the Ukrainian SSR. His early life was marred by the hardships of Stalinist policies, the famine of Holodomor, and the chaos of WWII. Raised in a one-room hut, he wet the bed until age 12, an … Read more
The Miyazawa family case is a chilling unsolved mystery that has gripped Japan since its occurrence in December 2000. Mikio Miyazawa, his wife Yasuko, and their two children, Niina and Rei, were found dead in their Tokyo home, victims of a brutal crime that defies explanation to this day. Japanese criminologist Dr. Kenji Nakayama once … Read more
Early Life John Norman Collins was born on June 17, 1947, in Center Line, Michigan. Raised primarily by his mother and his aunt after his parents’ divorce, he had a turbulent upbringing, punctuated by small run-ins with the law and signs of violent tendencies. Book Quote: “Collins was not your typical boy-next-door; early life misadventures … Read more