The deadliest Libra serial killers of all time
Libras, born between 23rd September and 22nd October, are often described as the mediators of the zodiac. Known for their charm, sociability and desire for balance, they’re the ones who thrive in relationships and hate conflict. So, you might think it would be impossible for such a sign to be a serial killer.
You’d be wrong. The truth is that Libra’s diplomatic exterior can sometimes mask something far darker. When their natural ability to connect with others turns manipulative – when charisma becomes a weapon rather than a gift – it can be devastating. From Victorian France to late-20th-century America, Libra has left its mark on the darkest corners of criminal history.
In the following article, Crime+Investigation takes a look at some of the most infamous Libra serial killers from history, and the disturbing stories that challenge the sign’s reputation for harmony. Do you share a birthday with any of them?
Patrick Kearney – born 24th September 1939
Patrick Kearney, also known as the 'Trash Bag Killer', preyed on young men across Southern California. Born in 1939, he began killing in the early 1960s and continued until his arrest in 1977. Known for dismembering his victims and disposing of their remains in trash bags along highways, Kearney admitted to murdering more than 20 men – though investigators believe the toll could be higher.
Kearney’s polite, unassuming persona helped him avoid suspicion for years. He was the sort of neighbour no one would look twice at – soft-spoken, private, seemingly harmless. Yet this very mask of normality allowed him to operate undetected, his Libra charm acting as the perfect camouflage.
Carlton Gary – born 24th September 1950
Known as the 'Stocking Strangler', Carlton Gary terrorised the elderly community of Columbus, Georgia in the 1970s. Between 1977 and 1978, he murdered at least four women – though investigators suspected him of more. His victims were strangled with stockings, their age and vulnerability making the crimes all the more chilling.
Gary’s Libra charm and persuasive abilities served him in evading law enforcement for years. Even after being convicted of burglary and robbery, he managed to escape prison, later resurfacing to continue his spree. He was eventually executed in 2018, closing the chapter on one of Georgia’s most notorious killers.
Fred West – born 29th September 1941
Fred West, one half of the infamous Wests, was born in rural Herefordshire in 1941. Together with his wife, Rose, he carried out at least 12 murders between 1967 and 1987, targeting young women and even members of his own family. Their home at 25 Cromwell Street in Gloucester became known as the 'House of Horrors', a symbol of the unimaginable abuse and violence that took place within its walls.
West was gregarious and outwardly approachable, often using his easy manner to lure victims. But his charm hid a sadistic streak. For decades, he and Rose evaded suspicion, maintaining a façade of normal married life while their crimes went unchecked.
Beverly Allitt – born 4th October 1968
Nicknamed the 'Angel of Death', Beverly Allitt abused her position as a nurse in a children’s ward in Lincolnshire, England. In 1991, she murdered four infants and attempted to kill several more by injecting them with insulin or air.
Allitt’s crimes were particularly shocking because they violated the trust placed in medical professionals. Her Libra qualities of appearing nurturing and trustworthy masked her deadly intent. Convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, she remains one of the UK’s most infamous female killers.
Peter Bryan – born 4th October 1969
Peter Bryan, a British serial killer with schizophrenia, murdered three people between 1993 and 2004. His crimes escalated in brutality – after killing a shop assistant in 1993, he later murdered a fellow patient while detained in Broadmoor Hospital, attempting to consume the victim’s flesh.
Bryan’s case raises questions about mental health, treatment, and the failures of the system in managing dangerous individuals. While his crimes were not driven by manipulation or charm in the Libra sense, his inclusion demonstrates the sign’s unsettling presence in varied and disturbing forms of criminality.
Angelo Buono – born 5th October 1934
Charming, confident and outwardly respectable, Angelo Buono epitomised the charismatic Libra stereotype – but beneath the surface, he was one of Los Angeles’ most sadistic predators. Alongside his cousin Kenneth Bianchi, Buono became known as one of the 'Hillside Stranglers'. Between 1977 and 1978, the pair kidnapped, raped and murdered 10 young women and girls.
Operating under the guise of authority, they lured victims by posing as undercover police officers. Buono’s ability to project control and confidence made him all the more dangerous, enabling him to gain his victims’ trust before revealing his brutality. His case remains one of California’s most notorious examples of a seemingly ordinary man whose outward charm disguised monstrous cruelty.
Jeanne Weber – born 7th October 1874
Long before the modern true crime boom, France was horrified by Jeanne Weber, a woman who strangled at least 10 children – including her own – between 1905 and 1908. Declared insane, Weber was confined to an asylum before eventually taking her own life in 1918.
Weber’s crimes defied societal expectations of women and mothers, shocking a nation. Her Libra duality manifested in the most tragic way: outwardly a caregiver, inwardly a murderer of children.
Pedro López – born 8th October 1948
Few serial killers in history rival the scale of Pedro López, the 'Monster of the Andes'. Born in Colombia in 1948, López confessed to the murders of more than 300 girls across Colombia, Peru and Ecuador during the 1970s and 1980s. Convicted of 110 murders, he remains one of the most prolific killers on record.
What is particularly chilling is López’s calmness in recounting his crimes. Like many Libras, he came across as composed and articulate – yet his words revealed an almost unfathomable detachment from the horror he inflicted. His whereabouts remain unknown since his release from prison in 1999, adding to his sinister legacy.
Dioguinho – born 9th October 1863
One of Brazil’s most infamous outlaws, Dioguinho was active in São Paulo at the end of the 19th century. Responsible for more than 50 murders between 1894 and 1897, his name became synonymous with fear. Unlike some Libras who hid behind charm, Dioguinho openly embraced violence, his notoriety spreading until his death in a shootout with police in 1897.
Charlene Gallego – born 10th October 1956
Not all serial killers act alone. Charlene Gallego, born in 1956, worked with her husband Gerald in what became known as the 'Gallego sex slave murders'. Between 1978 and 1980, the pair abducted and murdered at least 11 victims, mostly young women. Charlene’s role was to help lure the victims, often using her disarming presence as a woman to reduce suspicion.
Her Libra qualities of partnership and loyalty were twisted into something horrific, binding her to Gerald in a toxic union that left a trail of death. Charlene was later convicted and served 16 years in prison before being released in 1997.
Bobby Joe Long – born 14th October 1953
During an eight-month spree in 1984, Bobby Joe Long murdered at least 10 women in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. A serial rapist as well as a killer, he claimed to have sexually assaulted dozens more. His crimes came to light during a period when fear of predatory violence was already high, making him one of the most feared criminals of the 1980s.
Long’s Libra duality showed in his ability to maintain relationships and appear normal to those around him, even as he lived a double life. Eventually captured, he was sentenced to death and executed by lethal injection in 2019.
Guy Georges – born 15th October 1962
Dubbed the 'Beast of the Bastille', French serial killer Guy Georges operated in Paris during the 1990s. Between 1991 and 1997, he raped and murdered seven women, spreading fear across the French capital. Known for his violent assaults, Georges was eventually caught through the pioneering use of DNA evidence in France.
Outwardly, Georges appeared socially adept and even charming, blending into Parisian nightlife. But behind this façade lurked a man driven by violent urges. His case highlighted both the dangers of misplaced trust and the growing role of forensic science in bringing killers to justice.
Andrei Chikatilo – born 16th October 1936
Nicknamed the 'Butcher of Rostov', Soviet serial killer Andrei Chikatilo’s crimes horrified the world. Born into famine-stricken Ukraine, Chikatilo endured a traumatic childhood that would shape his sadistic tendencies. Between 1978 and 1990, he raped, mutilated and murdered at least 52 women and children.
Despite his grotesque crimes, Chikatilo maintained the appearance of a mild-mannered schoolteacher and family man – a duality that echoes Libra’s symbolic scales. His crimes went undetected for years, partly due to Soviet secrecy and botched investigations. When finally caught, his trial became a media spectacle, cementing him as one of history’s most chilling killers.
Can’t get enough of serial killer content? Subscribe to the Crime+Investigation newsletter. Get exclusive access to all our latest crime content, from videos to articles and more.
