Serial Killers by Race
Serial Killers By Race
If you ever wondered what were the percentages of race in the number of serial killers, then you’ve come to the right place.
These numbers below reflect only information about serial killers race from United States. We used as a source: Radford University/FGCU Serial Killer Database
Serial Killers By Race over time, decade by decade
The Racial Composition of Serial Killers in the United States
Historically, about half of all serial killers in the U.S. have been White, with Black offenders accounting for approximately 41%, followed by Hispanic (7%), Asian (1%), and Native American (1%) individuals. However, this composition has shifted in more recent decades. Since 1990, Black serial killers have become the majority at 50.9%, while the percentage of White offenders has declined to 36.3%. Hispanic serial killers represent 10.6% during this period, with Asian and Native American offenders remaining under 2%. Interestingly, removing cases involving organized killings—such as those connected to gangs, cults, or crime syndicates—has minimal effect on the overall racial breakdown.
It is also notable that in every decade, the percentage of Black serial killers exceeds the proportion of Black individuals in the general U.S. population. This trend becomes even more pronounced when looking at changes over time: in the 1920s, only 17% of serial killers were Black, but that number has steadily increased to over 57% by the 2010s. The representation of Hispanic serial killers has also grown in recent decades, but it has largely remained in proportion with the Hispanic population in the U.S.
| White | Black | Hispanic | Asian | Native American |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53.3% | 39.3% | 5.6% | 0.8% | 1.1% |
Serial Killers By Race
Individual or Team (does not include organizational)| Decade | White | Black | Hispanic | Asian | Native American |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 76.9% | 21.2% | 0 | 0 | 1.9% |
| 1910 | 68.4% | 31.6% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1920 | 79.1% | 17.9% | 1.5% | 0 | 1.5% |
| 1930 | 63.5% | 36.5% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1940 | 64.4% | 30.5% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% |
| 1950 | 67.0% | 29.7% | 2.2% | 0 | 1.1% |
| 1960 | 65.3% | 32.6% | 0.8% | 0 | 1.3% |
| 1970 | 62.0% | 32.9% | 3.5% | 0.5% | 1.1% |
| 1980 | 54.0% | 37.0% | 6.5% | 0.7% | 1.8% |
| 1990 | 46.3% | 43.5% | 8.3% | 1.4% | 0.5% |
| 2000 | 36.4% | 54.2% | 7.6% | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| 2010 | 32.5% | 55.2% | 10.3% | 1.5% | 0.5% |
| 2020 | 33.3% | 54.2% | 8.3% | 4.2% | 0 |
Differences in Motives and Methods
Motivations and methods for serial killings vary significantly by race. White serial killers are more likely to kill for personal enjoyment and are more prone to use poison as a method of murder. In contrast, Black serial killers are more frequently motivated by gang affiliations or criminal enterprise and are more likely to use firearms. These distinctions reveal differing patterns of violence that may be shaped by broader social and environmental factors.
Serial Killers Motives By Race
White serial killers are significantly more likely than Black serial killers to engage in extreme or unusual behaviors. These include torturing victims, mutilating bodies post-mortem, and committing acts like necrophilia, cannibalism, or drinking the victim’s blood. Although such behaviors are rare overall, they appear more frequently among White offenders.
Serial Killers Race By Killing Method
| Killing Method | Offender's Race: White | Offender's Race: Black |
|---|---|---|
| Shoot | 26.1% | 49.7% |
| Strangle | 14.3% | 12.4% |
| Stab | 12.1% | 7.6% |
| Poison | 10.9% | 0.4% |
| Bludgeon | 7.9% | 4.5% |
| Stab/Shoot | 6.8% | 9.4% |
| Bludgeon/Stab | 5.3% | 2.6% |
| Strangle/Stab | 5.2% | 3.3% |
| Bludgeon/Shoot | 4.1% | 4.3% |
| Strangle/Bludgeon | 3.9% | 3.5% |
| Strangle/Shoot | 3.1% | 2.4% |
| Bomb | 0.4% | 0.0% |
Victim Selection Patterns
Victim profiles also differ across racial lines. White serial killers overwhelmingly target victims of their own race, with 81.9% killing only White individuals. Black serial killers, on the other hand, are less racially selective, with only 43.4% targeting exclusively Black victims. White offenders are also more likely to kill infants, children, and teens, and their victims are more often family members or intimate partners. In contrast, Black victims are more frequently killed during home invasions or other opportunistic crimes.
In the visualization we see offender/victim race distribution:
Victim Race Distribution By Serial Killer Race
Victim Race Distribution By Serial Killer Race
| Victim's Race | Offenders's Race: White | Offenders's Race: Black |
|---|---|---|
| Only White | 81.9% | 17.8% |
| Only Black | 1.2% | 43.4% |
| Various Races | 16.9% | 38.7% |
Number of Kills per Serial Killer by Race
When analyzing the number of victims per offender, clear patterns emerge across racial lines. Among White serial killers, 29% had exactly two victims, while 22.8% were responsible for three murders. About 14.5% killed four victims, and 9% had five. Notably, 24.7% of White serial killers had six or more victims, showing a relatively even distribution across kill counts.
In contrast, Black serial killers were more concentrated at the lower end of the victim count. A significant 36.7% of Black serial killers had two victims, while 25.8% had three. Only 12.3% killed four people, and 7.3% reached five victims. The proportion with six or more kills was lower compared to their White counterparts, at 17.9%.
These differences suggest that while both White and Black serial killers can reach high victim counts, White offenders are more likely to commit a larger number of murders over time.
Number of Kills by Serial Killer Race
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