Serial Killer Quiz – True or False?
Are you a true crime pro? Do books about Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer and the Zodiac killer line your shelves? Is your podcast history 90% serial killers? Then you’re in the right place! Test your knowledge with this serial killer quiz and find out just how much you really know about the darkest of murderers.
Get Started With the Serial Killer Quiz
It sounds easy: decide whether the statements about serial killers are true or false. But beware – the devil is sometimes in the details, and not everything is as well-known as you might think. Have fun, enjoy, and maybe you’ll even learn something new in this serial killer quiz.
Most serial killers have a diagnosed psychopathological disorder.
You are correct or wrong!
False
While most serial killers do display signs of psychopathy or antisocial personality disorders, the majority never receive a formal diagnosis. What’s even scarier: They often blend in very well in everyday life, making it nearly impossible to spot before their crimes are uncovered.
There is a higher share of women among serial killers than among other types of murderers.
You are correct or wrong!
True
Surprisingly, women are indeed overrepresented among serial killers compared to other murderers. They also share some interesting similarities: around 40% of female serial killers have a background in healthcare, and poisoning is most often their method of choice.
Want to know more about women who kill? Read the full article here.
The most prolific serial killer murdered around 150 people.
You are correct or wrong!
False
Luis Garavito is believed to have the highest count of confirmed victims: He killed more than 190 boys between the ages of six and sixteen. Shockingly, he stood a decent chance of getting out of prison during his lifetime, but he died before becoming eligible for parole in 2023.
Aileen Wuornos is considered to be the first female serial killer in the US.
You are correct or wrong!
False
While Aileen Wuornos is certainly the most famous female serial killer, she wasn’t the first. Belle Gunness murdered at least 14 men in the late 19th century, and Nannie Doss – known as the “Jolly Black Widow” – rose to infamy with 11 victims between the 1920s and 1950s. And there are many more beyond these examples.
Sounds shocking? Read more about female killers in this article.
The most famous serial killer is a cold case.
You are correct or wrong!
True
While Ted Bundy, Jeff Dahmer & Co. have received extensive coverage in recent years, the most infamous serial killer is still Jack the Ripper. He targeted and brutally murdered prostitutes in Victorian London, but his identity was never revealed – and remains one of history’s greatest mysteries to this day.
Charles Manson is one of the best-known modern serial killers.
You are correct or wrong!
False with a twist
Contrary to popular belief, Charles Manson is technically not a serial killer. He never directly killed anyone but manipulated his followers into brutally murdering seven people during a killing spree in 1969.
Serial killers are a fairly modern phenomenon.
You are correct or wrong!
False
Contrary to popular belief, serial killers have existed throughout history. There are even records of ancient and medieval cases. The media coverage of contemporary cases might give the impression that serial killers are a recent phenomenon, but they’re not.
Per definition, a serial killer is someone who killed at least two people.
You are correct or wrong!
True
While the exact definition has evolved over time, the FBI currently defines a serial killer as someone who has killed two or more people in separate crimes, over a period ranging from hours to years. On the other hand, mass murderers kill multiple people in a single incident.
Ed Gein killed more than 12 people.
You are correct or wrong!
False
When the police raided the house of the “Butcher of Plainfield”, they discovered numerous grisly artifacts made from human remains. However, Ed Gein is believed to have killed only two women. The rest of the remains came from bodies he exhumed from local graveyards.
The Zodiac killer sent multiple codes to the police that were all deciphered.
You are correct or wrong!
False
While the Zodiac killer did send several ciphers to law enforcement, not all of them have been decoded. Two remain unsolved to this day, adding to the mystery of one of the most puzzling criminal cases of the 20th century.
How did you do?
Hopefully, you had fun with the serial killer quiz and discovered some new and fascinating facts along the way.
If you want to know more about murder, mystery, and the (forensic) science behind it, make sure to check out the blog and dive right in.
And don’t forget to share this quiz with your friends – who knows, they might learn something new too!
Nadja
A deep love for the dark in life and beyond and cosy crime watching with my family brought me to the world of true crime. My days are spent in the realms of digital marketing, but the hours after dark belong to my beloved hobby: writing about crime and mysteries.