Aileen Wuornos

**Aileen Carol Wuornos** (29 Februar 1956 – 9 October 2002) wis an American serial killer that killt seiven men in Florida atween 1989 an 1990. Wuornos claimed that her victims haed aither raped or attemptit tae viciously violate, tie her up,  beat her up, then rape her or rape her an tak her money or harmfully rape her whiles she wis warkin as a prostitute, that wis her reason why the killins war committit in self defense. She wis accused an prosecutit, sentenced tae daith fur sax o the murders an haed her sentence carried tae state bi wey o lethal injection on 9 October 2002. Wuornos also claimed her ain Mother neglectit her tae the pynt she wis raised bi her 2 Grandparents that war physically an verbally abusin her. Her Grandfaither kicked her oot o the hame, at age 12 efter gettin raped an pregnant. She wis forced to gie up her son fur adoption. It is later noted she niver met or knew whit becam o her anely bairn.

## Early life
### Childhuid

Wuornos wis born as **Aileen Carol Pittman** in Rochester, Michigan, on 29 Februar 1956. Her mither, Diane Wuornos, wis 15 yeir auld whan she married Aileen's faither, Leo Dale Pittman, on 3 June 1954. Less nor twa yeirs later, an twa month afore Aileen wis born, Diane filed fur divorce. Aileen haed an aulder brither cried Keith, that wis born in February 1955.

Wuornos niver met her faither, Leo Pittman. He wis in jyle fur the rape an attemptit murder o a seventeen-yeir-auld lass whan she wis born.  He wis considert tae be a schizophrenic, wis convictit o sex creemes agin childer, wis in a jyle, an hung himsel in jyle in 1969. In Januar 1960, whan Aileen wis awmaist fower yeir auld, Diane abandoned her childer, leavin thaim wi thair maternal grandparents, Lauri an Britta Wuornos, that legally adoptit Keith an Aileen on 18 Mairch 1960.

At age 11, Wuornos engaged in sexual activities in schuil in exchange fur cigarettes, drugs, an fuid. She haed engaged in sexual activities wi her ain brither. Wuornos claimed  that she wis sexually assaultit an beaten as a bairn bi her grandfaither, an alcoholic. Accordin tae her accusations, afore beatin her, he haed forced her tae strip aff aw her claes. In 1970, at age 12, she becam pregnant, havin been raped bi a friend o her grandfaither. Wuornos gied birth at a hame fur unwed mithers, an the bairn wis placed fur adoption. A few month efter her baby wis born, Wuornos drapped oot o schuil at aboot the time that her grandmither died o liver failur; Wuornos an her brither subsequently becam wards o the court. Whan she wis 15, her grandfaither threw her oot of the house, an she begoud supportin hersel as a prostitute whiles biding in the woods, near her auld hame.

### Early creeminal career

On 27 Mey 1974, Wuornos wis arrestit in Jefferson Coonty, Colorado, fur drivin unner the influence (DUI), disorderly conduct, an firin a .22-caliber pistol frae a muivin vehicle. She wis later chairgit wi failur tae appear (FTA).

In 1976, Wuornos hitchhikit tae Florida, whaur she met 69-year-auld yacht club preses Lewis Gratz Fell. Thay marriet that same yeir, an the annooncement o thair nuptials wis printit in the society pages o the local newspaper. Houiver, Wuornos continually involvit hersel in confrontations at thair local bar an eventually went tae jyle for assault. She hit Fell wi his ain cane an aw, leadin him tae get a restrainin order agin her. She returned tae Michigan whaur, on 14 Julie 1976, she wis arrestit in Antrim Coonty, Michigan, an chairged wi assault an disturbing the peace fur throwin a cue baw at a bartender's heid. On Julie 17, her brither Keith dee'd o esophageal cancer an Wuornos receivit $10,000 frae his life insurance. Wuornos an Fell annulled thair marriage on Julie 21 efter anely nine week.

On 20 Mey 1981, Wuornos wis arrestit in Edgewater, Florida, for the airmit robbery o a convenience store, whaur she stole $35 an twa packs o cigarettes. She wis sentenced tae jyle on 4 Mey 1982, an released on 30 Juin 1983. On 1 May 1984, Wuornos wis arrestit fur attemptin tae pass forged checks at a bank in Key West. On 30 November 1985, she wis cried as a suspect in the theft o a revolver an ammunition in Pasco Coonty.

On 4 Januar 1986, Wuornos wis arrestit in Miami an chairgit wi grand theft auto, resisting arrest, an obstruction o juistice for providin identification wi her aunt's name. Miami polis officers foond a .38-caliber revolver an a box o ammunition in the stolen caur. On 2 Juin 1986, Volusia Coonty, Florida, deputy sheriffs detained Wuornos fur questionin efter a male companion accused her o pullin a gun, in his caur, an demandin $200. Wuornos wis foond tae be carryin spare ammunition, an a .22 pistol wis discovered unner the passenger seat she haed occupeed.

Aroond this time, Wuornos met Tyria Moore, a hotel maid, at a Daytona gay bar. Thay flittit in thegither, an Wuornos supportit thaim wi her prostitution earnins. On 4 Julie 1987, Daytona Beach polis detained Wuornos an Moore at a bar fur questionin regardin an incident in whilk thay wur accused o assault an battery wi a beer bottle. On 12 Mairch 1988, Wuornos accused a Daytona Beach bus driver o assault. She claimed that he pushed her aff the bus follaein a confrontation. Moore wis leetit as a witness tae the incident.

## Murthers

* Richard Mallory, age 51, 30 November 1989—Electronics store owner in Clearwater, Florida. Wuornos' first victim wis a convictit rapist wha she claimit tae hae killt in sel-defense. Twa day later, a Volusia Coonty, Florida, Deputy Sheriff foond Mallory's abandoned vehicle. On 13 December, Mallory's body wis foond seevral mile awa in a firthit area. He haed been shot several times, but twa bullets tae the left lung wur foond tae hae been the cause o daith. It wis on this murder that Wuornos wad eventually be condemned.
* David Spears, age 43—Construction wirker in Winter Garden, Florida. On 1 Juin 1990, his nude body wis foond alang Highway 19 in Citrus Coonty, Florida. He haed been shot sax times.
* Charles Carskaddon, age 40, 31 Mey 1990—Pairt-time rodeo warker. On 6 Juin 1990, his body wis foond in Pasco Coonty, Florida. He haed been shot nine times wi a small-caliber weapon.
* Peter Siems, age 65—In June 1990, Siems left Jupiter, Florida, fur New Jersey. On 4 July 1990, his caur wis foond in Orange Springs, Florida. Moore an Wuornos wur seen abandonin the caur, an Wuornos' palm print wis foond on the interior door haundle. His body wis niver foond.
* Troy Burress, age 50—Sausage salesman frae Ocala, Florida. On 31 Julie 1990, he wis reportit missin. On 4 August 1990, his body wis foond in a firthit area alang State Road 19 in Marion Coonty, Florida. He haed been shot twice.
* Charles "Dick" Humphreys, age 56, 11 September 1990—Retired U.S. Air Force Major, umwhile State Child Abuis Investigator, an umwhile Chief o Polis. On 12 September 1990, his body wis foond in Marion Coonty, Florida. He wis fully clothed an haed been shot sax times in the heid an torso. His caur wis foond in Suwannee Coonty, Florida.
* Walter Jeno Antonio, age 62—Police Reservist. On 19 November 1990, Antonio's nearly nude body wis foond near a remote loggin road in Dixie Coonty, Florida. He haed been shot fower times. Five day later, his caur wis foond in Brevard Coonty, Florida.

## Juistice seestem
### Apprehension an sentencin
On 4 Julie 1990, Wuornos an Moore abandoned Peter Siems's caur efter thay wur involvit in an accident. Witnesses that haed seen the wummin drivin the victims' caurs providit polis wi thair names an descriptions, resultin in a media campaign tae locate thaim. Police foond some o the victims' belongins in pawnshops an retrievit fingerprints matchin thae foond in the victims' caurs. Wuornos haed a creeminal juistice record in Florida, an her fingerprints wur on file.

On 9 Januar 1991, Wuornos wis arrestit on an ootstaundin warrant at The Last Resort, a biker bar in Volusia Coonty. Polis locatit Moore the next day in Scranton, Pennsylvania. She agreed tae elicit a confession frae Wuornos in excyange for prosecutorial immunity. Moore returned wi polis tae Florida, whaur she wis put up in a motel. Unner polis guidance, Moore makkit mony telephone caws tae Wuornos, pleadin fur help in clearin her name. Three day later, on 16 Januar 1991, Wuornos confessed tae the murthers. She claimed the men haed tried tae rape her an she killt thaim in sel-defense.

On 14 Januar 1992, Wuornos went tae trial for the murder of Richard Mallory. Prior bad acts are normally inadmissible in creeminal trials, but unner Florida's Williams Rule, the prosecution wis allouit tae introduce evidence relatit tae her ither creemes tae shaw a pattern o illegal activity. On 27 Januar 1992, Wuornos wis convictit o Richard Mallory's murther wi help frae Moore's testimony. At her sentencin, psychiatrists fur the defense testified that Wuornos wis mentally unstable an haed been diagnosed wi borderline personality disorder an antisocial personality disorder. Fower day later, she wis sentenced tae daith.

On 31 Mairch 1992, Wuornos pleadit nae contest tae the murthers o Dick Humphreys, Troy Burress, an David Spears, sayin she wantit tae "get right with God". In her statement tae the court, she statit, "I wanted to confess to you that Richard Mallory did violently rape me as I've told you; but these others did not. [They] only began to start to." On 15 Mey 1992, Wuornos wis gien three mair daith sentences.

In Juin 1992, Wuornos pleadit guilty tae the murther o Charles Carskaddon; in November 1992, she receivit her fift daith sentence. The defense makkiy efforts durin the trial tae introduce evidence that Mallory haed been tried fur intent tae commit rape in Maryland an that he haed been committit tae a maximum security correctional facility in Maryland that providit remediation tae sexual affenders. Records obtained frae that institution reflectit that, frae 1958 tae 1962, Mallory wis committit for treatment an observation resultin frae a creeminal chairge o assault wi intent tae rape an receivit an ower-aw aicht years o treatment frae the facility. In 1961, "it was observed of Mr. Mallory that he possessed strang sociopathic trends". The judge refused to allou this tae be admittit in court as evidence an denied Wuornos' request fur a retrial.

In Februar 1993, Wuornos pleadit guilty tae the murther o Walter Jeno Antonio an wis sentenced tae daith again. Nae chairges wur brocht agin her fur the murther o Peter Siems, as his body wis niver foond. In aw, she receivit sax daith sentences.

Wuornos tauld seevral inconsistent stories aboot the killins. She claimed initially that aw seiven men haed rapit her whiles she wis warkin as a prostitute but later recantit the claim o sel-defense. Durin an interview wi filmmaker Nick Broomfield, whan she thocht the cameras wur aff, she tauld him that it wis, in fact, sel-defense, but she coudnae staund bein on daith row&mdash;whaur she haed been for 12 years at that pynt&mdash;an wantit tae dee.

### Execution
Wuornos' appeal tae the U.S. Supreme Court wis denied in 1996. In 2001, she annoonced that she widnae issue ony faur appeals agin her daith sentence. She petitioned the Florida Supreme Court for the richt tae fire her legal coonsel an stap aw appeals, sayin, "I killed those men, robbed them as cold as ice. And I'd do it again, too. There's no chance in keeping me alive or anything, because I'd kill again. I have hate crawling through my system...I am so sick of hearing this 'she's crazy' stuff. I've been evaluated so many times. I'm competent, sane, and I'm trying to tell the truth. I'm one who seriously hates human life and would kill again." A defense attorney argued that she wisnae in a state fur thaim tae honour sic a request.

Florida Gorernor Jeb Bush instructit three psychiatrists tae gie Wuornos a 15-minute interview. The test for competency requires the psychiatrist(s) tae be convinced that the condemned person unnerstaunds that she will dee an fur whilk creeme(s) she is bein executit. Aw three judgit her mentally fit tae be executit.

Wuornos later stairtit accusin the preeson matrons o abuisin her. She accused thaim o taintin her fuid, spittin on it, servin her potatoes ceukit in dirt, an her fuid arrivin wi urine. She claimit overhearin conversations aboot "trying to get me so pushed over the brink by them I'd wind up committing suicide before the [execution]" an "wishing to rape me before execution". She complained o strip searches an aw, bein handcuffed sae tichtly that her wrists bruisit ony time she left her cell, door kickin, frequent windae checks bi matrons, law watter pressur, mildew on her mattress an "cat calling ... in distaste and a pure hatred towards me". Wuornos threatened tae boycott shouers an fuid trays when specific officers wur on duty. "In the meantime, my stomach's growling away and I'm taking showers through the sink of my cell."

Her attorney statit that "Ms. Wuornos really just wants to have proper treatment, humane treatment until the day she's executed", an "If the allegations don't have any truth to them, she's clearly delusional. She believes what she's written".

Durin the feenal stages o the appeal process she gied a series o interviews tae Broomfield. In her final interview shortly afore her execution she claimit that her mynd wis bein controlled bi "sonic pressure" te mak her appear crazy an describit her impendin daith as bein taken awa bi angels on a space ship. Wuornos said tae Broomfield, "You sabotaged my ass, society, and the cops, and the system. A raped woman got executed, and was used for books and movies and shit." Her feenal wirds in the on-camera interview wur "Thanks a lot, society, for railroading my ass." Broomfield later met Dawn Botkins, a childhuid friend o Wuornos', that telt him, "She's sorry, Nick. She didn't give you the finger. She gave the media the finger, and then the attorneys the finger. And she knew if she said much more, it could make a difference on her execution tomorrow, so she just decided not to."

Wuornos wis brocht intae the daith chamber on October 9, 2002. She haed Kentucky Fried Chicken an french fries as her last meal an wis gien a $20 budget. Her last wirds afore the execution wur "Yes, I would just like to say I'm sailing with the rock, and I'll be back, like *Independence Day* with Jesus. June 6, like the movie. Big mother ship and all, I'll be back, I'll be back."  At 9:47 a.m. EDT, Aileen Wuornos dee'd.
She wis the tent wummin in the Unitit States tae be executit sin the Supreme Court liftit the ban on caipital punishment in 1976, an the seicont wummin iver executit in Florida.

## Legacy
### Beuks
FBI profiler Robert K. Ressler mentioned Wuornos anely briefly in his autobiographical history o his 20 yeir wi the FBI. Scrievin in 1992, he sayed he aften disnae discuss female serial killers acause thay tend tae kill in sprees insteid o in a sequential fashion. He notit Wuornos as the sole exception. Ressler, that coined the phrase serial killer tae describe murtherers seekin personal gratification, disnae apply it tae wummin killin in postpartum psychosis or tae ony murtherer actin solely fur financial gain, sic as wummin that hae killt a series o boarders or spouses. In 2002, journalist Sue Russell scrieved a beuk aboot Wuornos cried *Lethal Intent*.

### Documentaries
Filmmaker Nick Broomfield directit twa documentaries aboot Wuornos:

* *[[Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer]]* (1994)
* ** (2003)

Wuornos wis the subject o episode "Death Row Prostitute: Aileen Wuornos" o the documentary TV series American Juistice.

Wuornos wis the subject o an episode o the documentary TV series *[[Biography (TV series)|Biography]]*.

Wuornos wis featurt in the *[[Deadly Women]]* episode "Predators".

### Film
The theatrical film *[[Monster (2003 film)|Monster]]* (2003) starred Charlize Theron an Christina Ricci. It tells Wuornos' story frae childhuid till her first murther conviction. The film earnt Theron the 2003 Academy Award for Best Actress fur her performance as Aileen Wuornos.

The TV movie *Overkill: The Aileen Wuornos Story* (1992) starred Jean Smart.

### Ither media
An operatic adaptation o Wuornos' life events premiered at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on 22 Juin 2001. Entitled *Wuornos*, the opera wis scrieved bi componer/librettist Carla Lucero, conductit bi Mary Chun, an producit bi the Jon Sims Center for the Performing Arts.

The sangster Jewel scrieved a sang aboot Aileen cried "Nicotine Love," the New York-based Metalcore baund, It Dies Today, scrieved a sang "Sixth of June" referrin tae Aileen an the poet Doron Braunshtein dedicatit a poem tae her, cried "Aileen Wuornos" that appears in his 2011 spoken wird CD "The Obsessive Poet".

The poem "Sugar Zero" bi Rima Banerji is dedicatit to Wuornos an appears in the 2005 Arsenal Pulp Press publication, "Red Light: Superheroes, Saints, and Sluts".

## References