Between the two cold war rivals, who had the most terrifying serial killer?
Let’s start with, who many believe, is America’s Worst Serial Killer: Samuel Little, who had a confirmed death toll of 93 victims, Samuel Little has been proclaimed as the most prolific serial killer in US history. His backstory is full of chaos and destruction, having grown up in an impoverished, violent home that saw him bouncing between foster homes. He had a history of petty crimes and was known for his charm and striking good looks.
Little was able to evade detection for decades by moving from state to state, preying on vulnerable women who were often homeless or drug addicts. He strangled them and dumped their bodies around the country. It wasn’t until 2018 that he was finally caught after DNA evidence linked him to three unsolved murders in California. Since then, he has been providing details of other murders that have yet to be officially confirmed.
Now, let’s look at ‘The Werewolf of Russia’ – Andrei Chikatilo. A serial killer that stands out, even in comparison to Samuel Little. The notorious “Werewolf of Russia”, Andrei Chikatilo was born on October 16, 1936 and had a tumultuous upbringing; his father was sent to a gulag during World War II and his mother suffered from mental illness.
Andrei Chikatilo was the Russian equivalent of America’s worst serial killer, known as the “Werewolf of Rostov”. He committed a total of 52 murders between 1978 and 1990 in what is now the Ukraine and Russia. Unlike Little, Chikatilo had an unremarkable life before committing his string of horrific acts.
Born into a poor family in 1936 and joined the Soviet Army in 1955 where he served until 1960. After leaving the military, he became a teacher and was married. However, it wasn’t until after his daughter died from meningitis that he began his killing spree.
When comparing these two notorious serial killers, one of the most significant differences is the victims they chose. While Samuel Little victimized mainly female drug addicts and prostitutes, Chikatilo was known for targeting children, teenagers, and adults alike, mostly females but also some males.
Little showed little remorse while Chikatilo expressed regret over his actions during his trail. Another difference between them is in the way that they disposed of their victim’s bodies. Little usually left them in remote areas or dumped them in rivers while Chikatilo would bury them in secluded areas.
Chikatilo’s own criminal career began in 1978 when he evaded prosecution for sexually assaulting two young girls. Throughout the 1980’s, he traveled throughout the Soviet Union preying on victims ranging from ages 8-44. Like Samuel Little, he would lure them with promises of alcohol or money before killing them by stabbing or strangulation.
The differences between these two notorious serial killers can also be seen in their motivation and methods of operation. While Little seemed to act mainly out of predatory impulse, Chikatilo was driven by a deep-seated resentment for society and his own history of abuse. Little tended to target vulnerable women, whereas Chikatilo was not discriminate about his victim’s gender or age; he would kill anyone who got in his way. Little killed mainly through strangulation while Chikatilo preferred stabbing and mutilation as his primary modes of murder.
Do we know what created these Monsters? No, it is impossible to say definitively what created either one of these men, as it likely lies in a complex combination of factors. Both Little and Chikatilo had difficult upbringings that were rife with poverty, abuse, and neglect; this was exacerbated by their own mental illness and sociopathic tendencies.
Ultimately, it appears that the combination of their troubled pasts and mental states resulted in an almost unstoppable urge to kill. This suggests that while genetics may play a role in determining someone’s propensity towards violent behavior, environmental factors can also have a major impact on how those traits manifest themselves.
Both Little and Chikatilo will be remembered as monsters. Despite what created them, they can never be forgotten for the terror they caused in their respective countries. The only thing humanity can do is learn from these tragedies and work towards ensuring such atrocities never happen again.
Between the two cold war rivals, who had the most terrifying serial killer?
Let’s start with, who many believe, is America’s Worst Serial Killer: Samuel Little, who had a confirmed death toll of 93 victims, Samuel Little has been proclaimed as the most prolific serial killer in US history. His backstory is full of chaos and destruction, having grown up in an impoverished, violent home that saw him bouncing between foster homes. He had a history of petty crimes and was known for his charm and striking good looks.
Little was able to evade detection for decades by moving from state to state, preying on vulnerable women who were often homeless or drug addicts. He strangled them and dumped their bodies around the country. It wasn’t until 2018 that he was finally caught after DNA evidence linked him to three unsolved murders in California. Since then, he has been providing details of other murders that have yet to be officially confirmed.
Now, let’s look at ‘The Werewolf of Russia’ – Andrei Chikatilo. A serial killer that stands out, even in comparison to Samuel Little. The notorious “Werewolf of Russia”, Andrei Chikatilo was born on October 16, 1936 and had a tumultuous upbringing; his father was sent to a gulag during World War II and his mother suffered from mental illness.
Andrei Chikatilo was the Russian equivalent of America’s worst serial killer, known as the “Werewolf of Rostov”. He committed a total of 52 murders between 1978 and 1990 in what is now the Ukraine and Russia. Unlike Little, Chikatilo had an unremarkable life before committing his string of horrific acts.
Born into a poor family in 1936 and joined the Soviet Army in 1955 where he served until 1960. After leaving the military, he became a teacher and was married. However, it wasn’t until after his daughter died from meningitis that he began his killing spree.
When comparing these two notorious serial killers, one of the most significant differences is the victims they chose. While Samuel Little victimized mainly female drug addicts and prostitutes, Chikatilo was known for targeting children, teenagers, and adults alike, mostly females but also some males.
Little showed little remorse while Chikatilo expressed regret over his actions during his trail. Another difference between them is in the way that they disposed of their victim’s bodies. Little usually left them in remote areas or dumped them in rivers while Chikatilo would bury them in secluded areas.
Chikatilo’s own criminal career began in 1978 when he evaded prosecution for sexually assaulting two young girls. Throughout the 1980’s, he traveled throughout the Soviet Union preying on victims ranging from ages 8-44. Like Samuel Little, he would lure them with promises of alcohol or money before killing them by stabbing or strangulation.
The differences between these two notorious serial killers can also be seen in their motivation and methods of operation. While Little seemed to act mainly out of predatory impulse, Chikatilo was driven by a deep-seated resentment for society and his own history of abuse. Little tended to target vulnerable women, whereas Chikatilo was not discriminate about his victim’s gender or age; he would kill anyone who got in his way. Little killed mainly through strangulation while Chikatilo preferred stabbing and mutilation as his primary modes of murder.
Do we know what created these Monsters? No, it is impossible to say definitively what created either one of these men, as it likely lies in a complex combination of factors. Both Little and Chikatilo had difficult upbringings that were rife with poverty, abuse, and neglect; this was exacerbated by their own mental illness and sociopathic tendencies.
Ultimately, it appears that the combination of their troubled pasts and mental states resulted in an almost unstoppable urge to kill. This suggests that while genetics may play a role in determining someone’s propensity towards violent behavior, environmental factors can also have a major impact on how those traits manifest themselves.
Both Little and Chikatilo will be remembered as monsters. Despite what created them, they can never be forgotten for the terror they caused in their respective countries. The only thing humanity can do is learn from these tragedies and work towards ensuring such atrocities never happen again.
