From Murderous Mom to Husband-Slaying 'Giggling Granny': America's Most Notorious Female Criminals

America's Dangerous Women

Throughout America's history, there have been numerous women who have tormented the country with their heinous acts. From Aileen Wuornos to Belle Gunness, the streets of the country have witnessed immeasurable violence at the hands of women, Police 1 reported. While the heinous act of murder is often associated with males, the actions of these four women killers will send a chill up anyone's spine. These women terrorized their victims for various reasons ranging from trauma to financial profit.

1. Aileen Wuornos

Aileen Wuornos from Michigan went on a killing spree from 1989 to 1990 and murdered seven middle-aged white men, Capital Punishment in Context reported. She had robbed all the victims, shot them to death, and stole their cars. One of her victims was Richard Mallory, for whose death, evidence was found against her. In 1986, Wuornos started a romantic relationship with Tyria Moore. Both Wuornos and her girlfriend sold robbed items at Florida pawnshops. Volusia County police connected Mallory's stolen goods to Wuornos through one of the local pawnshops. Wuornos was soon arrested by the authorities who used Moore to extract the confession. Wuornos was charged with the first-degree murder of Richard Mallory. During the trial, Wuornos stated that Mallory raped her and was about to kill her. The case went to trial and the jury found her guilty on all counts. Wuornos was given the death penalty, and after multiple appeals, all of which were rejected, she was executed by lethal injection at Florida State Prison on October 9, 2002.

2. Nannie Doss

Nannie Doss married five times and all four of her husbands died under mysterious circumstances, ATI reported. Also, her grandkids and other relatives under her care died mysteriously. Her first marriage ended with Charley Braggs in 1928. She got married to Frank Harrelson whom he met through Lonely Hearts column. After 16 years of marriage, Mannie Doss killed Harrelson in 1945 by mixing something in his hidden jar of moonshine. Her next victims were Arlie Lanning and Richard Morton. Morton's mother and sister also died under mysterious circumstances. Doss' fifth and final husband was Samuel Doss of Tulsa. She gave him poison-laced coffee and finished him off. The doctor who treated Samuel Doss suspected foul play and got permission to do an autopsy. The autopsy revealed arsenic in Samuel Doss' body and Nannie Doss was arrested in 1952. She confessed to killing her husbands but maintained her innocence when it came to family members. The media gave her the name "Giggling Granny" because she always laughed when she narrated how she killed her husbands. Nannie Doss died in 1964 while serving a life sentence.

3. Andrea Yates

In 2001, Andrea Yates killed five of her children by drowning them in a bathtub. Her husband, Rusty Yates shared that Andrea Yates suffered from mental health issues, and after the birth of her fourth child succumbed to severe depression. According to neighbor Sylvia Cole, Andrea Yates was not an active participant in the decision to have five kids, People reported. In her opinion, Rusty Yates was the one who took the call. "She was really meek and easygoing, so I'm not sure if it was a joint decision." Rusty Yates was out for work when the drowning occurred, People reported. Andrea Yates one by one took the lives of Luke, Paul, John, and daughter Mary, who was just six months old. The eldest, Noah, tried to run but was dragged back and killed by his mother. She called 911 to inform authorities of the killings. In 2002, Andrea Yates was found guilty of capital murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment. Four years later, the decision was overturned and Andrea Yates was found not guilty by reason of insanity. In 2007, she was admitted to Kerrville State Hospital, a mental facility in Kerrville, Texas to get treatment.

4.  Gwendolyn Graham & Catherine May Wood

Gwendolyn Graham and Catherine May Wood were nurse aides and co-workers at the Alpine Manor nursing home in Walker, Michigan. The couple shared an intense bond and murdered five patients in 1987, just so, they would have something to bind them together. In 1988, Catherine Wood's ex-husband informed the Walker Police Department that she had confessed to him about being involved in a series of homicides with her coworker. Officials checked with the nursing home and found nothing. Wood went for an interview and denied the claims. But later shared that Graham had suffocated multiple patients at the nursing home. Graham was interviewed and she denied the allegations. Both took a polygraph test, and Wood was not able to pass. She revealed that the couple committed five murders. They chose patients based on their first letters. Their objective was to create the word "MURDER." Bodies of victims were exhumed and prosecutors had enough evidence to arrest and charge Graham. Wood was charged with two counts of open murder, and Graham was charged with five counts of murder. Graham was sentenced to life in prison and Wood was sentenced to 20 to 40 years in prison. Wood was released in 2020 due to good behavior.