Our Wrongful Death Serial Series

Over the last couple of months, we have created a series of blogs, videos, infographics and social media posts that provide our followers with information about various serial killers. If you are wondering why a law firm like Robert J. DeBry and Associates would take the time to compile this kind of research, it all comes back to wrongful death.

Whether the death of a loved one comes by an accident or by the malicious intent of an individual, people need to recognize when someone’s death is categorized as wrongful death. In the case of murder, the victim’s family can most definitely file for wrongful death. That being said, all deaths involved with serial killers could be categorized as wrongful deaths.

Apart of the research we have conducted, we have asked whether or not the victims’ families ever filed for wrongful death against the killer. Sadly and surprisingly, a very low number of them actually did. The list below contains all the serial killers that we have discussed and a brief overview of how many lives were taken, how many families pressed charges, and what happened to each killer.

Jack the Ripper (unknown): 

• • 5 victims
  • Years of crimes: 1888-1891
  • No legal cases filed
  • Never caught

H.H. Holmes (1861-1896):

• • 27 victims
  • Years of crimes: 1891-1894
  • No legal cases filed
  • Hung for his crimes

Ed Gein (1906-1984):

• • 2 victims
  • Years of crimes: 1954 and 1957
  • No legal cases but his property was auctioned off
  • Died from heart failure while at the Mendota Mental Health Institute

Zodiac Killer (unknown):

• • 37 claimed but 7 confirmed
  • Years of crimes: 1960s and 1970s
  • No legal cases filed
  • Never caught

Charles Manson (1934-2017):

• • 7-9 victims
  • Year of crimes: 1969
  • One family filed against the “Manson Family” and won
  • Died from a heart attack while in prison

John Wayne Gacy (1942-1994):

• • 33 victims
  • Years of crime: 1972-1978
  • No legal cases filed but families burned some of his art
  • Received capital punishment (lethal injection)

Ted Bundy (1946-1989):

• • 30 victims
  • Years of crime: 1974-1978
  • No legal cases filed
  • Received capital punishment (electric chair)

Richard Ramirez — The Night Stalker (1960-2013):

• • 14 victims
  • Years of crime: 1984-1985
  • No legal cases filed
  • Died from liver failure while in prison

Jeffrey Dahmer (1960-1994): (1978-1991)

• • 17 victims
  • Years of crime: 1978-1991
  • 11 families pressed charges against Dahmer and won
  • Dahmer was killed by other prisoners while in prison

Aileen Wuornos (1956-2002):

• • 7 victims
  • Years of crime: 1989-90
  • No legal cases filed
  • Received capital punishment

Jack Unterweger (1950-1994):

• • 12 confirmed victims
  • Years of crime: 1974-1992
  • No legal cases filed
  • Unterweger committed suicide while in prison

Gary Ridgeway — Green River Killer (1949-):

• • 71 victims
  • Years of crime: 1982-1998
  • One family filed against his wife but lost
  • Ridgeway remains alive in prison to this day

The Wrongful Death Serial Series will continue, and while discussing the acts of these cruel individuals adds further notoriety to their names, we hope to shine light on pressing charges against messed up individuals like these. For more information about wrongful death, contact us today.