Evil takes many different forms and can manifest itself in people of all genders and ages. Throughout history, women have proven to be just as capable of committing horrifying acts as their male counterparts. From cruel rulers to brutal criminals, these women have not only left deep marks on history but have also inspired fear and revulsion. In this article, we delve into the stories of the ten most terrifying and evil women of all time—women whose names still send chills down the spine and who, in various ways, have shaped the darker sides of the world.
10 Karla Homolka (1970–)…
One of the most notorious female serial killers in Canadian history, Karla Homolka and her husband, Paul Bernardo, kidnapped, raped, and murdered at least three girls in the early 1990s. Their first victim was Karla’s own younger sister, 15-year-old Tammy Homolka.
Karla was later offered a plea deal in exchange for testifying against Paul Bernardo. As a result, she was sentenced to 12 years in prison and was released in 2005 after serving her full sentence. After her release, she changed her name to Leanne Bordelais and today lives on the island of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean, together with her new husband and three children.
In the image above, you can see Karla Homolka together with her ex-husband, Paul Bernardo. [source]
9 Tillie Klimek (1876–1936)…
Tillie Klimek was a Polish-born American serial killer who was active in Chicago in the early 20th century. She claimed to possess the ability to predict the dates of her victims’ deaths through her dreams and described herself as a fortune teller.
Between 1912 and 1923, Klimek poisoned at least 20 people with arsenic. Among her victims were all four of her husbands, each of whom died, while a small number of other victims survived. In 1923, she was sentenced to life imprisonment and died in prison in 1936, at the age of 60. [source]
8 Charlene Gallego (1956–)…
Charlene and Gerald Gallego were a married couple who committed a series of brutal crimes in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Together, they kidnapped, raped, and murdered a total of ten people, most of them young women and teenage girls, in Nevada and Northern California.
Gerald Gallego was sentenced to death and spent years on death row before dying of cancer in a prison medical facility. Charlene Gallego, however, cooperated with authorities and testified against her husband, which resulted in a significantly reduced sentence. She served 16 years in prison before being released, meaning her time behind bars was far shorter than Gerald’s. [source]
7 Catherine de Medici (1519–1589)…
Catherine de Medici was a highly influential and powerful figure of the French Renaissance and the wife of Henry II of France. She served as Queen of France from 1547 to 1559 and later ruled as regent for her sons, who went on to become kings Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III.
Historically, Catherine de Medici has often been accused of playing a central role in the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (1572)—a bloody persecution of French Huguenots (Protestants) carried out by Catholics. During the massacre, which took place in August 1572, thousands of Huguenots were killed, with estimated death tolls ranging from 5,000 to as many as 30,000, depending on the source.
It is important to note, however, that there is no full consensus among historians regarding Catherine’s exact role. Some historians argue that while she may have been aware of—and possibly even encouraged—the massacre in order to protect her family and strengthen Catholic power, she was not necessarily the primary instigator of the violence.
Instead, the massacre is widely seen as the result of complex political and religious tensions in France at the time, rather than the actions of a single individual alone. [source]
6 Delphine LaLaurie (1787–1849)…
Delphine LaLaurie was a prominent socialite in New Orleans who was later exposed as a cruel and brutal figure. Often referred to as Madame LaLaurie, she was a wealthy and respected woman in early 19th-century New Orleans. Her reputation, however, was shattered when it emerged that she had tortured and abused her enslaved people in horrifying ways.
The truth came to light after a fire broke out in her mansion on April 10, 1834. Firefighters and rescuers who arrived at the scene discovered a scene of extreme horror inside the house. In the attic, they found enslaved people who were bound, severely malnourished, and bearing clear signs of prolonged and sadistic torture.
After these revelations became public, LaLaurie’s home was attacked by an enraged mob, which looted and destroyed the mansion. Delphine LaLaurie managed to flee New Orleans and escape to France, where she lived out the rest of her life. The scandal and the atrocities she committed have ensured her place as one of history’s most infamous figures. [source]
5 Darya Saltykova (1730–1801)…
Darya Saltykova was a feared Russian female serial killer of the 18th century. A noblewoman by status, she is best known for torturing and murdering a large number of her servants. Historical sources suggest that she may have killed up to 140 servants, although the exact number varies depending on the source.
Saltykova was described as exceptionally brutal and sadistic, which has led to frequent comparisons with Elizabeth Báthory, the Hungarian noblewoman infamous for committing similar atrocities. Elizabeth Báthory was notorious for her extreme torture methods and the murder of young women, and her crimes have become legendary in the history of serial killers. Both women serve as chilling examples of how noble power and social status throughout history could be used to commit horrific crimes without immediate consequences. [source]
4 Leonarda Cianciulli (1894–1970)…
Leonarda Cianciulli, sometimes referred to as “The Soap-Maker of Correggio“, was an Italian female serial killer who was active between 1939 and 1940. She murdered three women, all of whom were middle-aged neighbors. After killing her victims, she boiled down their bodies and used the remains to make teacakes and soap.
Her horrific actions were driven by a deeply held belief that she needed to sacrifice these women to break a family curse—a curse she believed had been placed upon her by her parents, who disapproved of the man she married.
Cianciulli was extremely superstitious and believed that these sacrifices would protect her family and help them avoid an impending disaster. Her brutal crimes and the macabre use of her victims’ bodies cemented her infamy and gave rise to the chilling nickname “The Soap-Maker of Correggio“. [source]
3 Juana Barraza (1957–)…
Juana Barraza, also known as “La Mataviejitas” or the “Old Lady Killer“, was a Mexican serial killer who murdered elderly women between 1998 and 2006. Her crimes were especially shocking because she deliberately targeted a vulnerable and often overlooked group in society. Barraza had a background as a professional wrestler, using her strength and physical size to overpower her victims.
For years, she managed to avoid detection by using disguises and false appearances, which allowed her to remain unidentified for a long time. It was not until January 2006, when she was caught in the act during a murder, that she was finally arrested, identified, and later convicted. She was found guilty of 16 murders and received an extraordinarily long prison sentence—a total of 759 years, reflecting the extreme severity of her crimes.
The exact reasons behind her targeting of elderly women remain unclear, but several theories have been proposed. Barraza reportedly had a deeply troubled childhood, marked by abuse and trauma, including an alcoholic mother and a life shaped by poverty. These experiences may have contributed to a deep-seated anger and frustration that later manifested in her violent behavior.
There has also been speculation that Barraza harbored a personal grudge against older women. She may have felt a sense of personal revenge or deep-seated resentment toward this group, although no definitive explanation has ever been fully confirmed as to why she chose elderly women as her victims. [source]
2 Aileen Wuornos (1956–2002)…
Aileen Wuornos is widely regarded as one of the most infamous female serial killers in American history. Born in 1956, Wuornos endured a deeply tragic childhood marked by abuse and neglect. She was sexually abused, abandoned at a young age, and forced out of her home as a teenager. Her early life was defined by extreme vulnerability, and she later survived by working as a sex worker along Florida’s highways.
In November 1989, Wuornos began killing men she had picked up along the road. She claimed that she acted in self-defense, stating that the men had attempted to rape or assault her. Between 1989 and 1990, she killed seven men. Her crimes eventually led to her arrest in 1991. During the trial, prosecutors argued that the murders followed a clear pattern and revealed that Wuornos had robbed several of her victims.
Wuornos’s mental health became a central issue both during the trial and in the years that followed. She had a long history of mental illness and substance abuse, which contributed to the complex legal and moral questions surrounding her case.
Wuornos was sentenced to death and remained on death row in Florida while awaiting execution. She was executed by lethal injection on October 9, 2002. Her life and crimes have since been the subject of extensive media coverage, documentaries, and films, and her case continues to raise difficult questions about the social, psychological, and systemic factors that can lead to such extreme acts of violence. [source]
1 Miyuki Ishikawa (1897–1987)…
Miyuki Ishikawa was a Japanese midwife who became known as one of the most prolific serial killers in Japanese history. During the 1940s, Ishikawa worked as a midwife and, together with several accomplices—including her husband—was responsible for the deaths of a large number of infants, estimated to be between 85 and 169. Most of these deaths were caused through neglect and deliberate mistreatment, rather than direct violence.
Ishikawa and her accomplices abused their position of trust as healthcare providers to carry out these horrific acts. When brought to trial, Ishikawa claimed that the parents were ultimately responsible, arguing that they had abandoned their children and were unable or unwilling to care for them. Despite the staggering number of deaths and the evidence presented, her defense was partially successful. She was initially sentenced to eight years in prison, but after an appeal, her sentence was reduced by half.
Ishikawa’s case remains one of the most shocking and tragic episodes in Japanese criminal history, particularly due to the remarkably lenient punishment when weighed against the severity and scale of the crimes. [source]
Xtra Irma Grese (1923–1945)…
Irma Grese is difficult to place, yet she still feels like an undeniable inclusion on any list of the most evil women in history—which is why she appears here as a bonus entry. Grese was one of the most notorious female war criminals of World War II and is infamous for her brutal role as a guard in Nazi concentration camps. She was among the few female SS guards who were tried, convicted, and executed for war crimes after the war.
Grese served primarily at Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen. At just 22 years old, she was placed in charge of a vast number of female prisoners and quickly became known for her extreme cruelty and brutality. Reports suggest that she exercised authority over as many as 30,000 women, although the exact figure is difficult to verify.
As a camp guard, Grese frequently used violence and torture against prisoners. She wore heavy boots and carried a whip and a pistol, and there are accounts of her shooting inmates without warning. It is also well documented that she committed severe abuses and acts of cruelty, all of which formed part of the systematic persecution and terror that defined life in the camps.
Testimonies from survivors suggest that Grese appeared to take pleasure in her sadistic behavior, further cementing her reputation as one of the most brutal female guards of the Nazi regime. After the war, she was sentenced to death and executed by hanging on December 13, 1945. [source]
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