The Most Famous Killer in Ohio, Ranked

Voting rules: Choose the killer you think is the most famous!

Updated on May 1, 2024 07:09

In Ohio, understanding the past criminal cases that have shaped public policy, law enforcement practices, and community awareness is crucial. By ranking the most notorious killers, readers can gain insights into the complexities of each case and the impacts they have left on society. This dynamic ranking evolves with your votes, reflecting collective opinions and fostering a deeper engagement with historical criminal cases. Your participation helps to highlight which cases continue to resonate with people today, providing a clearer picture of criminal history's relevance in contemporary culture.

Who Is the Most Famous Killer in Ohio?

1

84
votes
Revere Senior High School · Public domain

Jeffrey Dahmer

Jeffrey Dahmer

Although Dahmer is most commonly associated with his murders in Wisconsin, he was actually born and raised in Ohio. He committed his first murder in the state, and his parents' home in Bath Township is also infamous for being the location where he dismembered one of his victims.
Jeffrey Dahmer, also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal or the Milwaukee Monster, was an American serial killer and sex offender. He primarily targeted young men and boys, whom he would lure to his apartment with the promise of money or alcohol before sexually assaulting, killing, and dismembering them. Dahmer operated between 1978 and 1991, during which he committed 17 known murders. His infamous crimes included acts of necrophilia, cannibalism, and preservation of body parts as trophies.

Nationality: American

Alias: Milwaukee Cannibal, Milwaukee Monster

Operating Period: 1978-1991

Number of Known Victims: 17

Preferred Targets: Young men and boys
Jeffrey Dahmer in other rankings
- Position 1 of 10 in Most famous cannibal
- Position 1 of 10 in Most famous killer in Michigan
- Position 2 of 10 in Most intriguing serial killer
- Position 2 of 10 in Most famous serial killer in Wisconsin
- Position 2 of 10 in Most popular serial killer in America
- Position 8 of 10 in Most famous criminal of all time
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19
votes

FBI · Public domain

Ariel Castro

Castro gained national attention in 2013 when he was arrested for abducting and imprisoning three young women in his Cleveland home for over a decade. He eventually pled guilty to 937 charges, including rape and kidnapping, and committed suicide in prison in 2013.
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26
votes

Anthony Sowell

Sowell, also known as the Cleveland Strangler, was convicted of murdering 11 women between 2007 and 2009. His crimes were particularly gruesome, with many of his victims being raped, strangled, and left to decompose in his home.
4

17
votes

New Zealand Government, Office of the Governor-General · CC BY 4.0

Richard Beasley

Beasley was convicted of luring victims to rural Ohio with promises of work on a farm, only to rob and murder them. He was particularly notorious for his use of Craigslist to find his victims.
5

14
votes

Bobby Cutts Jr.

Cutts was a former Canton police officer who was convicted of murdering his pregnant girlfriend, Jessie Davis, in 2007. The case garnered national attention due to the fact that Davis was pregnant with Cutts' child at the time of her murder.
6

6
votes

T.J. Lane

Lane was a student at Chardon High School who opened fire on his classmates in 2012, killing three students and injuring three more. He was eventually sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
7

8
votes

Nathaniel Cook

Cook and his brother Anthony were responsible for a string of murders in Toledo in the 1980s, with Nathaniel later confessing to killing at least 17 people. The brothers' crimes were particularly gruesome, with many of their victims being raped and mutilated.
8

3
votes

James Ruppert

Ruppert was responsible for the murder of his entire family in 1968, including his parents, siblings, and grandparents. The case gained national attention due to its brutality, and Ruppert was eventually sentenced to life in prison.
9

8
votes

Michael Madison

Madison was convicted of murdering three women in East Cleveland in 2013. His crimes were particularly gruesome, with the bodies of his victims being found in garbage bags around the city.
10

2
votes

LAPD · Public domain

Samuel Little

Little, although not originally from Ohio, was convicted of murdering two women in Cincinnati in the 1980s. He later confessed to more than 90 murders across the country, making him one of the most prolific serial killers in American history.

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Ranking factors for famous killer

The number of victims

The more victims a killer had, the more infamous they tend to be.
Publicity

How widely known the killer's crimes were, factors like sensational media coverage, and public interest and outcry can all help make a killer more famous.
Infamy

To what extent the killer's crimes were particularly heinous, violent or shocking.
Historical significance

The date of the crime and social factors of the time period can add to the killer's infamy.
Criminal case impact

How the killer's case influenced criminal justice policy and procedures or how it help shape public opinion on issues such as mental health.

About this ranking

This is a community-based ranking of the most famous killer in Ohio. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or killer is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!

Statistics

1797 views
184 votes
10 ranked items

Voting Rules

A participant may cast an up or down vote for each killer once every 24 hours. The rank of each killer is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.

More information on most famous killer in ohio

Ohio is no stranger to notorious criminals, with its fair share of serial killers and other violent offenders. One of the most infamous is Jeffrey Dahmer, who was born in West Allis, Wisconsin but committed some of his most heinous crimes in Ohio. Between 1978 and 1991, Dahmer killed a total of 17 men and boys, many of whom he dismembered and cannibalized. His crimes shocked the world and he remains one of the most infamous killers in history. Other infamous Ohio killers include Anthony Sowell, known as the Cleveland Strangler, and Ariel Castro, who famously held three women captive in his Cleveland home for over a decade. Despite the horrific acts of these and other killers, Ohio remains a vibrant and resilient state, with a rich history and culture that continues to thrive today.