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Aileen Wuornos

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Aileen Wuornos
Aileen Wuornos mug shot
BornAileen Carol Pittman
29 Februar 1956(1956-02-29)[1]
Rochester, Michigan
Dee'd9 October 2002(2002-10-09) (aged 46)
Florida State Prison, Bradford Coonty,
Florida, Unitit States
Cause o daith
Lethal injection
Ither names[1] Sandra Kretsch
Susan Lynn Blahovec
Lee Blahovec
Cammie Marsh Greene
Lori Kristine Grody
Criminal penalty
Daith
Hauf-marrae(s)Lewis Gratz Bell (divorcit)
Conviction(s)6 coonts o 1st degree murther
Killins
Victims7
Span o killins
30 November 1989–19 November 1990
State(s)Florida
Date apprehendit
9 Januar 1991

Aileen Carol Wuornos (29 Februar 1956 – 9 October 2002) wis an American serial killer who killed seiven men in Florida in 1989 an 1990. Wuornos claimed that her victims haed aither raped or attempted to viciously violate, tie her up, beat her up, then rape her or rape her and tak her money, and/or harmfully rape her while she wis wirkin as a prostitute, that wis her reason why the killings war committed in self defense. She wis accused and prosecuted, sentenced sentence to death for sax o the murders and haed her sentence carried to state bi wey oflethal injection on 9 October 2002. Wuornos also claimed he ain Mother neglected her tae the pynt she wis raised bi her 2 Grandparents who war physically and verbally abusing her, He Grandfaither kicked her oot o the home, at age 12 efter getting raped and pregnant. She wis forced to gie up her son for adoption. It is later noted she never met or knew what became of her anly bairn.

Early life

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Childhuid

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Wuornos wis born as Aileen Carol Pittman in Rochester, Michigan, on 29 Februar 1956.[2] Her mither, Diane Wuornos, was 15 year auld when she married Aileen's faither, Leo Dale Pittman, on 3 June 1954. Less nor two years later, an two months before Aileen was born, Diane filed for divorce. Aileen had an older brither named Keith, who was born in February 1955.

Wuornos never met her faither, Leo Pittman. He wis in prison for the rape an attempted murder of a seventeen-year-auld girl[2] when she wis born. He wis considered tae be a schizophrenic, wis convicted o sex creemes against childer,[3] wis in a prison, an hanged himsel in prison in 1969.[1][4] In Januar 1960, when Aileen wis awmaist fower year auld, Diane abandoned her childer, leaving them wi thair maternal grandparents, Lauri an Britta Wuornos, who legally adoptEd Keith an Aileen on 18 Mairch 1960.[4]

At age 11, Wuornos engaged in sexual activities in schuil in exchange for cigarettes, drugs, an fuid. She haed engaged in sexual activities wi her ain brither.[3] Wuornos claimed that she wis sexually assaultit an beaten as a bairn bi her grandfaither, an alcoholic. Accordin to her accusations, afore beatin her, he haed force her to strip off aw her claes.[3] In 1970, at age 12, she became pregnant,[5] having been raped by a friend of her grandfaither.[3] Wuornos gave birth at a home for unwed mithers, an the child was placed for adoption.[4] A few months after her baby was born, Wuornos dropped out of schuil[3] at aboot the time that her grandmither died fo liver failur; Wuornos and her brither subsequently became wards of the court. When she was 15, her grandfaither threw her out of the house, an she began supporting hersel as a prostitute while living in the woods, near her old home.[4]

Early creeminal career

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On 27 Mey 1974, Wuornos wis arrestit in Jefferson Coonty, Colorado, for 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).[6]

In 1976, Wuornos hitchhikit tae Florida, whaur she met 69-year-auld yacht club preses Lewis Gratz Fell. Thay marriet that same year, an the annooncement o thair nuptials wis printit in the society pages o the local newspaper. Houiver, Wuornos continually involved hersel in confrontations at thair local bar an eventually went tae jyle for assault. She hit Fell wi his awn cane an aw, leadin him tae get a restrainin order against her. She returned tae Michigan[7][8] whaur, on 14 Julie 1976, she wis arrestit in Antrim Coonty, Michigan, an charged wi assault an disturbing the peace for throwin a cue baw at a bartender's heid.[9] 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 anerlie nine weeks.[10]

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 sentencit tae preeson on 4 Mey 1982, an released on 30 Juin 1983.[11] On 1 May 1984, Wuornos wis arrestit for attemptin tae pass forged checks at a bank in Key West. On 30 November 1985, she wis namit as a suspect in the theft o a revolver an ammunition in Pasco Coonty.[11]

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.[12] On 2 Juin 1986, Volusia Coonty, Florida, deputy sheriffs detained Wuornos for 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.[13]

Aroond this time, Wuornos met Tyria Moore, a hotel maid, at a Daytona gay bar. Thay muivit in thegither, an Wuornos supportit them wi her prostitution earnins.[14] On 4 Julie 1987, Daytona Beach polis detained Wuornos an Moore at a bar for questionin regardin an incident in which thay wur accused o assault an battery wi a beer bottle.[15] 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.[15]

Murthers

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  • Richard Mallory,[1] age 51, 30 November 1989—Electronics store owner in Clearwater, Florida. Wuornos' first victim wis a convictit rapist whom she claimit tae hae killed in sel-defense. Twa days later, a Volusia Coonty, Florida, Deputy Sheriff foond Mallory's abandoned vehicle. On 13 December, Mallory's body wis foond several miles awa in a firthit aurie. 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,[1] 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,[1] age 40, 31 Mey 1990—Pairt-time rodeo wirker. 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,[1] age 65—In June 1990, Siems left Jupiter, Florida, for 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,[1] 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 aurie alang State Road 19 in Marion Coonty, Florida. He haed been shot twice.
  • Charles "Dick" Humphreys,[1] 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,[1] age 62—Police Reservist.[16][page needit] On 19 November 1990,[16][page needit] Antonio's nearly nude body was foond near a remote loggin road in Dixie Coonty, Florida. He haed been shot fower times. Five days later, his caur wis foond in Brevard Coonty, Florida.

Juistice seestem

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Apprehension an sentencin

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On 4 Julie 1990, Wuornos an Moore abandoned Peter Siems's caur efter thay wur involvit in an accident. Witnesses who haed seen the weemen drivin the victims' caurs providit polis wi thair names an descriptions, resultin in a media campaign tae locate them. 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.[4]

On 9 Januar 1991, Wuornos wis arrestit on an ootstaundin warrant at The Last Resort, a biker bar in Volusia Coonty.[17] Polis locatit Moore the next day in Scranton, Pennsylvania. She agreed tae elicit a confession frae Wuornos in excyange for prosecutorial immunity.[18] Moore returned wi polis tae Florida, whaur she wis put up in a motel. Unner polis guidance, Moore made numerous telephone caws tae Wuornos, pleadin for help in clearin her name. Three days later, on 16 Januar 1991, Wuornos confessed tae the murthers. She claimed the men haed tree'd tae rape her an she killed them in sel-defense.[19][20]

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 show a pattern o illegal activity.[1] On 27 Januar 1992, Wuornos wis convictit o Richard Mallory's murther wi help frae Moore's testimony. At her sentencin, psychiatrists for the defense testifeed that Wuornos wis mentally unstable an haed been diagnosed wi borderline personality disorder an antisocial personality disorder.[21] Fower days later, she wis sentencit tae daith.[20][22]

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".[1] 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."[1] On 15 Mey 1992, Wuornos wis gien three mair daith sentences.[1]

In Juin 1992, Wuornos pleadit guilty tae the murther o Charles Carskaddon; in November 1992, she receivit her fift daith sentence.[1] The defense made efforts durin the trial tae introduce evidence that Mallory haed been tree'd for 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.[23] 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".[23] The judge refused to allou this tae be admitted in court as evidence and denied Wuornos' request for a retrial.[20][23][24]

In Februar 1993, Wuornos pleadit guilty tae the murther o Walter Jeno Antonio an wis sentencit tae daith again. Nae chairges wur brocht against her for the murther o Peter Siems, as his body wis niver foond. In aw, she receivit sax daith sentences.[1]

Wuornos tauld several inconsistent stories aboot the killins. She claimed initially that aw seiven men haed rapit her while she wis wirkin as a prostitute but later recantit the claim o sel-defense. Durin an interview wi filmmaker Nick Broomfield, when she thocht the cameras wur aff, she tauld him that it wis, in fact, sel-defense, but she coud no staund bein on daith row—whaur she haed been for 12 years at that pynt—an wantit tae dee.[25]

Execution

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Wuornos' appeal tae the U.S. Supreme Court wis denee'd in 1996. In 2001, she annooncit that she wad no issue ony faur appeals against 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."[26] A defense attorney argued that she wis in nae state for them tae honour sic a request.[27]

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 for which 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 them o taintin her fuid, spittin on it, servin her potatoes ceukit in dirt, an her fuid arrivin wi urine. She claimit overhearin conversations an aw 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".[28]

Durin the feenal stages o the appeal process she gae 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.[29] 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."[30] Her feenal wirds in the on-camera interview wur "Thanks a lot, society, for railroading my ass."[31] Broomfield later met Dawn Botkins, a childhuid friend o Wuornos', who told 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."[32]

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." [1] At 9:47 a.m. EDT, Aileen Wuornos dee'd. She wis the tent wumman in the Unitit States tae be executit syne the Supreme Court liftit the ban on caipital punishment in 1976,[33] an the seicont wumman ever executit in Florida.

Legacy

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Beuks

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FBI profiler Robert K. Ressler mentioned Wuornos anerlie briefly in his autobiographical history o his 20 years wi the FBI. Writin in 1992, he said he aften daes no discuss female serial killers acause thay tend tae kill in sprees insteid o in a sequential fashion.[34] He notit Wuornos as the sole exception.[34] Ressler, who coined the phrase serial killer[35] tae describe murtherers seekin personal gratification, does no apply it tae weemen killin in postpartum psychosis or tae ony murtherer actin solely for financial gain, such as weemen who hae killed a series o boarders or spouses. In 2002, journalist Sue Russell wrote a beuk aboot Wuornos cried Lethal Intent.

Documentaries

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Filmmaker Nick Broomfield directit twa documentaries aboot Wuornos:

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.[37]

Wuornos wis featurt in the Deadly Women episode "Predators".

Film

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The theatrical film Monster (2003) starred Charlize Theron an Christina Ricci. It tells Wuornos' story frae childhuid till her first murther conviction. The film earned Theron the 2003 Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance as Aileen Wuornos.[38]

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

Ither media

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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 written bi componer/librettist Carla Lucero, conductit bi Mary Chun, an producit bi the Jon Sims Center for the Performing Arts.[39]

The sangster Jewel wrote a sang aboot Aileen cried "Nicotine Love," the New York-based Metalcore baund, It Dies Today, wrote 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

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  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Aileen Carol Wuornos". The Clark County Prosecuting Attorney. Archived frae the original on 27 September 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2008.
  2. ↑ a b http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/women/wuornos/2.html
  3. ↑ a b c d e Silvio, H., McCloskey, K., & Ramos-Grenier, J. (2006). Theoretical consideration of female sexual predator serial killers in the United States. Jurnal of Criminal Juistice, 34(3), 251-259.
  4. ↑ a b c d e Howard, Amanda (2004). River of Blood: Serial Killers and Their Victims. Universal-Publishers. p. 332. ISBN 978-1-58112-518-4. Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  5. ↑ http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/women/wuornos/2.html?print=yes
  6. ↑ Reynolds 2003, p. 116.
  7. ↑ Russell, Sue (2002). Lethal Intent. Pinnacle Books. p. 97. ISBN 0-7860-1518-7.
  8. ↑ Griffin, Ayanna M. "The Phenomenon of Serial Murders and Women". McNair Dispatch: An Online Research Journal. University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Archived frae the original on 21 October 2008. Retrieved 27 October 2008. Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)Archived 2008-10-21 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ↑ Reynolds 2003, pp. 116–117.
  10. ↑ "Notorious Crime Profiles Aileen Wuornos". Biography.com. Retrieved 27 October 2008.
  11. ↑ a b Reynolds 2003, p. 117.
  12. ↑ Reynolds 2003, pp. 117–118.
  13. ↑ Reynolds 2003, p. 118.
  14. ↑ Ventura, Varla (2008). The Book of the Bizarre: Freaky Facts and Strange Stories. Weiser. pp. 132. ISBN 978-1-57863-437-8.
  15. ↑ a b Reynolds 2003, p. 119.
  16. ↑ a b Hickey 2010.
  17. ↑ Kennedy, Dolores (1994). On a Killing Day: The Bizarre Story of Convicted Murderer Aileen Lee Wournos [sic]. S.P.I. Books. p. 48. ISBN 1-56171-293-0. Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  18. ↑ The legal term is transactional immunity, meanin complete immunity for creeme or creemes committit. This is in contrast tae wha is kent as uise immunity, which prevents prosecutors frae uisin sel-increeminatin testimony afore a Grand Jury.
  19. ↑ Dwyer, Kevin (6 November 2007). True Stories of Law & Order: SVU. Penguin Group/Berkley. pp. 53–54. ISBN 978-0-425-21735-1. Archived frae the original on 22 Februar 2012. Retrieved 6 Juin 2012. Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  20. ↑ a b c "Timeline Of Aileen Wuornos' Crimes". Local 6 News. Archived frae the original on 3 October 2008. Retrieved 3 October 2008. Archived 2007-11-04 at the Wayback Machine
  21. ↑ Profile
  22. ↑ Dwyer, Kevin (6 November 2007). True Stories of Law & Order: SVU. Penguin Group/Berkley. pp. 54–55. ISBN 978-0-425-21735-1. Archived frae the original on 22 Februar 2012. Retrieved 6 Juin 2012. Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  23. ↑ a b c "AILEEN C. WUORNOS v. STATE OF FLORIDA". Florida Supreme Court. 19 November 2004. Archived frae the original on 2 October 2008. Retrieved 2 October 2008.
  24. ↑ Dwyer, Kevin (6 November 2007). True Stories of Law & Order: SVU. Penguin Group/Berkley. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-425-21735-1. Archived frae the original on 22 Februar 2012. Retrieved 6 Juin 2012. Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  25. ↑ a b "Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer". Archived frae the original on 27 September 2008. Retrieved 27 September 2008. Archived 2009-01-08 at the Wayback Machine
  26. ↑ Zarrella, John (15 October 2002). "Wuornos' last words: 'I'll be back'". CNN. Archived frae the original on 2 October 2008. Retrieved 2 October 2008.
  27. ↑ "WebCite query result". www.webcitation.org. Archived frae the original on 16 Juin 2009. Retrieved 31 Mey 2010.
  28. ↑ Wilson, Catherine (13 Julie 2002). "Aileen Wuornos says prison guards abusing her". News Chief. Archived frae the original on 23 October 2007. Retrieved 13 November 2007.Archived 2007-12-02 at the Wayback Machine
  29. ↑ Broomfield, Nick. "Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (Film Summary)". Archived frae the original on 27 September 2008. Retrieved 24 September 2008.
  30. ↑ Stewart, Helen. "Monstrous end to tragic story". The Scotsman. 9 May 2004
  31. ↑ Cheshire, Godfrey. "Charlize Theron's career-making performance anchors a harrowing tale" Archived 2014-10-19 at the Wayback Machine. Independent Weekly. 14 Jan 2004
  32. ↑ Fuchs, Cynthia (12 Februar 2004). "A Lot of Illegalness Going On". PopMatters. Archived frae the original on 2 October 2008. Retrieved 24 September 2008.Archived 2015-07-11 at the Wayback Machine
  33. ↑ Hall, K, ed. The Oxford Guide tae the Supreme Court o the United States. pages 323–4. Oxford Varsity Press.
  34. ↑ a b Ressler, Robert K. and Tom Schachtman. Whoever Fights Monsters: My Twenty Years Hunting Serial Killers for the FBI. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992, at p. 83. ISBN 0-312-07883-8.
  35. ↑ The Serial Killer Files by Harold Schecter ISBN 978-0-345-46566-5
  36. ↑ "Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer". NickBroomfield.com. Archived frae the original on 3 October 2008. Retrieved 3 October 2008.Archived 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
  37. ↑ "A&E Biography: Episode Guide". A&E. Archived frae the original on 9 November 2007. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
  38. ↑ "Monster (2003)". IMDB. Retrieved 3 October 2008.
  39. ↑ "Welcome to the operatic world of Wuornos!". Archived frae the original on 2 October 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2008. Archived 2008-09-22 at the Wayback Machine
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