Kansas might be a nice place with mostly nice people, but we've had our share of rotten tomatoes. There's a few notorious serial killers from Kansas, including the possible "I-70 killer" still at large. The ones that live today are still sitting in cells right here in Kansas. Do you think these are some of the deadliest Kansans to ever live, or have you heard of worse?
1. The Bloody Benders
In an area near Cherryvale, during the 1870s, this family murdered at least 11 people who stayed at their Inn. They lived as a family, though it's rumored that none of them were even related, except the main married couple who owned the house. They invited their tenants to dinner, and while they were entertained, someone stood behind a hanging sheet, ready to pounce on the unsuspecting victims. Once the mysterious disappearances were linked to them, they disappeared themselves. It's said that they got away, but there's a few who think they were found and "dealt with."
2-3. Dick Hickock and Perry Smith
In 1959, these two men entered a home rumored to hold $10,000... and found none of the money promised. Instead, they killed the Clutter family, and fled to Las Vegas. Their story inspired Truman Capote's novel, In Cold Blood.
4. John Robinson, Sr.
Robinson was convicted in 2003 for the murder of three women, but he later confessed to killing five more. He made first contact with some of the victims through old internet chat rooms, and is sometimes referred to as "the Internet's first killer" because of this. One of the victims had a young baby which he stole and gave to his brother, forging adoption papers, and telling people she committed suicide.
5. Frazier Glenn Cross
Glenn "Miller" was a Neo-Nazi who targeted and killed 3 people outside the Jewish Community Center of Greater KC and Village Shalom, a retirement center. His ties to Neo-Nazi groups were apparent, as he yelled "Heil Hitler" during the shooting itself. He was the only suspect, and his hate crime landed him in prison for life. Today, he sits in a cell at El Dorado Prison.
6. Francis "Don" Nemechek
Known as "Don" Nemechek, this man was responsible for the deaths of four women and a toddler in the mid 70's. Two were abducted before being stabbed to death, and the other two had their tire shot out by Don before being shot themselves. The toddler, the son of one of the shooting victims, was abandoned by Don and froze to death after wandering off. However, the fact that he stalked all four women before ending their lives makes this murderer not only scary, but terrifying. They all reminded him of his wife in some way, leading to their deaths.
7. Richard Grissom
Richard Grissom was sentenced to life in prison in 1990 after at least four murders by his own hands. However, only three names are linked to his hands. Three women in the Lenexa area in 1989 were unlucky enough to be targeted by Grissom. He has never given information about where they're hidden, or what he did to them, and they remain missing to this day, along with the motive. Today, he sits in a cell at El Dorado Prison.
8. Dennis Rader, aka "BTK"
We've all heard the infamous "bind, torture, kill" sayings, but we didn't all expect this man to be behind the 10 murders he's convicted of. He sent letters to the press, telling them that their suspects were not guilty, and he would be known as BTK from then on. The investigation went cold, but in 2004, he sent more letters, which had officials scrambling once again to find his identity. Because he couldn't resist tempting the police and media, he was eventually caught after giving too many clues. Today, he sits in a cell at El Dorado Prison.
9-10. The Carr Brothers, Jonathan and Reginald.
The Carr Brothers are semi-recent, their murder spree happening in 2000. They are responsible for the event known as "The Wichita Massacre," killing quite a few people after forcing them to commit unspeakable acts together and with them. One of the victims survived when a hair barrette deflected a killing bullet, and she ran more than a mile, naked, in freezing temperatures, to report what had happened. Today, they sit in cells at El Dorado Prison.
11. "The I-70 Killer" - Still At Large
Dark Minds did an episode of this unknown killer, who is believed to have committed murders in multiple states, including Kansas. He killed six different store clerks in 1992, and has yet to be found. Five of the victims were young brunette women, and one was a brunet male who, unfortunately, wore a ponytail and may have been mistaken for a woman. However, he's also a suspect in three more shootings, (two dead, one survived) in Texas. Unless he's died since then, he still runs free to this day.
Berny Navarro/YouTube
In addition to these bits of Kansas history, if you're looking for something less grim, check out some of the oldest photos ever taken here!
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