--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In any discussion of serial killers, a…" description: "\"“In any discussion of serial killers, a few notorious names—those of the most prolific killers—always get mentioned. Ted Bundy admitted to killing thir..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ef/ann-mcelhinney-31894_quotes-about-murders_in-any-discussion-of-serial-killers-a-fe_2641958.jpg" --- # In any discussion of serial killers, a few notorious… ![“In any discussion of serial killers, a few notorious names—those of the most prolific killers—always get mentioned. Ted Bundy admitted to killing thirty women, but it could well have been more. Gary Ridgeway, also known as the Green River Killer, was convicted of murdering forty-eight, but later…” quote by Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ef/ann-mcelhinney-31894_quotes-about-murders_in-any-discussion-of-serial-killers-a-fe_2641958.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ef/ann-mcelhinney-31894_quotes-about-murders_in-any-discussion-of-serial-killers-a-fe_2641958.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ef/ann-mcelhinney-31894_quotes-about-murders_in-any-discussion-of-serial-killers-a-fe_2641958.jpg) > ““In any discussion of serial killers, a few notorious names—those of the most prolific killers—always get mentioned. Ted Bundy admitted to killing thirty women, but it could well have been more. Gary Ridgeway, also known as the Green River Killer, was convicted of murdering forty-eight, but later confessed to others. John Wayne Gacy was convicted of killing thirty-three people. Jeffrey Dahmer was convicted of murdering and partially ingesting fifteen people. David Berkowitz, New York City’s “Son of Sam,” shot and killed six people. Less well known but significant are Dennis Rader, who killed ten people in Wichita, Kansas, and Aileen Wuornos, portrayed by Charlize Theron in the film Monster, who killed six men. Wayne Williams was convicted of killing only two men, but he is believed to have killed anywhere from twenty-three to twenty-nine children in Atlanta. Robert Hansen confessed to four murders but is suspected of more than seventeen. Juan Corona was convicted of murdering twenty-five people. Their crimes are all horrific, and the number of victims is heartbreaking. But all these most notorious serial killers stand in the shadow of Dr. Kermit Gosnell. Strangely, Gosnell appears in no list we have found of known U.S. serial killers, though he is the biggest of them all. In reality, Kermit Gosnell deserves the top spot on any list of serial murderers. He’s earned it.”” [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote lists notorious serial killers to argue that Dr. Kermit Gosnell should be considered the most prolific murderer, despite being omitted from typical lists. **In simple terms:** It claims Gosnell is a serial murderer more infamous than famous killers. Key Takeaway Consider the criteria used to label someone a serial killer. Themes crime justice media public perception ethics Mood critical provocative Type analytical controversial When to use this quote - legal analysis - media critique - ethical debate - crime statistics - public policy Key Concepts serial murder media omission public awareness Questions to Reflect On - What defines a serial killer? - How do media narratives shape our perception of criminality? A Different Perspective The definition of serial murder may vary, making comparisons controversial. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aileen Wuornos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aileen-wuornos-216954/) [Jeffrey Dahmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jeffrey-dahmer/) [John Wayne Gacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/john-wayne-gacy-226721/) [Killers Mentioned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killers-mentioned-2276474/) [Killers Notorious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killers-notorious-2276473/) [Prolific Killers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prolific-killers-2224061/) [Quotes-about-murders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quotes-about-murders-152817/) [Quotes-about-serial-killer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quotes-about-serial-killer-152847/) [Serial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serial/) [Serial killers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serial-killers/) [Serial Murderers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serial-murderers-2276472/) [Well known](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/well-known/) [X men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/x-men/) ## Related quotes > [“Like the clichéd serial killer, Gosnell kept souvenirs of his crimes. All of those little baby feet in formaldehyde-filled glass jars were trophies. Kareema…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/like-the-clich-d-serial-killer-gosnell-kept-souvenirs-of-his-crimes/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) > [“Gosnell is African American, and there is a persistent myth that serial killers are all white men. But that’s not true. There are serial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/gosnell-is-african-american-and-there-is-a-persistent-myth-that/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) > [“Gosnell also may have been motivated by his anger. Many people who knew him told us about his ferocious temper, which could flare up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/gosnell-also-may-have-been-motivated-by-his-anger-many-people-who/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) > [“All serial murders are not sexually-based. There are many other motivations for serial murders including anger, thrill, financial gain, and attention seeking.” It became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/all-serial-murders-are-not-sexually-based-there-are-many-other/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) > [Many of the less prolific killers' stories go unheard because they simply don't make good books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-brown/many-of-the-less-prolific-killers-stories-go-unheard-because-they/) [Pat Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-brown/) > [I recently spoke at a university where a student told me it was such a shame that Nigerian men were physical abusers like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/i-recently-spoke-at-a-university-where-a-student-told-me-it-was-such/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [“the U.S. holds the distinction of having produced the most serial murderers of any country. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-parmiter/the-u-s-holds-the-distinction-of-having-produced-the-most-serial/) [Cindy Parmiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-parmiter/) > [Besides, who wants to read about success, anyway? Successful serial murderers, maybe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/besides-who-wants-to-read-about-success-anyway-successful-serial/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) ## More by Ann McElhinney > [“It seemed the medical establishment cared more about the principle of unfettered access to abortion than the safety of real-life women”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/it-seemed-the-medical-establishment-cared-more-about-the-principle-of/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) > [“Like the clichéd serial killer, Gosnell kept souvenirs of his crimes. All of those little baby feet in formaldehyde-filled glass jars were trophies. Kareema…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/like-the-clich-d-serial-killer-gosnell-kept-souvenirs-of-his-crimes/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) > [“When once a certain class of people has been placed by the temporal and spiritual authorities outside the ranks of those whose life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/when-once-a-certain-class-of-people-has-been-placed-by-the-temporal-2/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) > [“But Pescatore wasn’t leading a seminar on the morality of abortion. She wanted the jury to focus on the legal requirements for abortion providers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/but-pescatore-wasn-t-leading-a-seminar-on-the-morality-of-abortion/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) > [“The prosecutors squarely confronted the grisly results of abortion. And they discovered that nobody really wanted to talk about it. In fact, they learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/the-prosecutors-squarely-confronted-the-grisly-results-of-abortion/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) > [“...for Taggart, learning the reality of abortion for the first time was shocking. “Even if it’s done right, it’s barbaric,” he told us. “I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/for-taggart-learning-the-reality-of-abortion-for-the-first-time-was/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) > [“Gosnell is African American, and there is a persistent myth that serial killers are all white men. But that’s not true. There are serial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/gosnell-is-african-american-and-there-is-a-persistent-myth-that/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) > [“So the incompetents in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania’s state capital, knew or should have known that, even by their own lax rules, Gosnell should not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/so-the-incompetents-in-harrisburg-pennsylvania-s-state-capital-knew/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) > [“What courage basically comes down to as human beings is to protect the lives of others, to go out of your way to save…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/what-courage-basically-comes-down-to-as-human-beings-is-to-protect/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) > [“Gosnell turned almost no one away from the Women’s Medical Society clinic. This is not meant as a compliment. Repentant Gosnell employee Adrienne Moton…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/gosnell-turned-almost-no-one-away-from-the-women-s-medical-society/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) > [“We had, like I said before. . .we had to prevent life. We had to kill. It’s as simple as that.” —STEVE MASSOF”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/we-had-like-i-said-before-we-had-to-prevent-life-we-had-to-kill-it-s/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) > [“Gosnell also may have been motivated by his anger. Many people who knew him told us about his ferocious temper, which could flare up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/gosnell-also-may-have-been-motivated-by-his-anger-many-people-who/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) > [“All serial murders are not sexually-based. There are many other motivations for serial murders including anger, thrill, financial gain, and attention seeking.” It became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/all-serial-murders-are-not-sexually-based-there-are-many-other/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) > [“With a few notable exceptions, state and local government officials had completely failed to do their jobs. Official incompetence, bureaucratic inertia, neglect, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/with-a-few-notable-exceptions-state-and-local-government-officials/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) > [“Pennsylvania gave Gosnell carte blanche for the next seventeen years. With every license extension and slipshod inspection, state health regulators sent a message: do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/pennsylvania-gave-gosnell-carte-blanche-for-the-next-seventeen-years/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) [Explore all 16 Ann McElhinney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) ## More Quotes-about-murders quotes > [“Gosnell is African American, and there is a persistent myth that serial killers are all white men. But that’s not true. There are serial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/gosnell-is-african-american-and-there-is-a-persistent-myth-that/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) > [“Gosnell also may have been motivated by his anger. Many people who knew him told us about his ferocious temper, which could flare up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/gosnell-also-may-have-been-motivated-by-his-anger-many-people-who/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) > [“All serial murders are not sexually-based. There are many other motivations for serial murders including anger, thrill, financial gain, and attention seeking.” It became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mcelhinney/all-serial-murders-are-not-sexually-based-there-are-many-other/) [Ann McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mcelhinney/) [Browse all 4 Quotes-about-murders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quotes-about-murders-152817/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In any discussion of serial killers, a few notorious names—those of the most prolific killers—always get mentioned. Ted Bundy admitted to killing thirty women, but it could well have been more. Gary Ridgeway, also known as the Green River Killer, was convicted of murdering forty-eight, but later confessed to others. John Wayne Gacy was convicted of killing thirty-three people. Jeffrey Dahmer was convicted of murdering and partially ingesting fifteen people. David Berkowitz, New York City’s “Son of Sam,” shot and killed six people. Less well known but significant are Dennis Rader, who killed ten people in Wichita, Kansas, and Aileen Wuornos, portrayed by Charlize Theron in the film Monster, who killed six men. Wayne Williams was convicted of killing only two men, but he is believed to have killed anywhere from twenty-three to twenty-nine children in Atlanta. Robert Hansen confessed to four murders but is suspected of more than seventeen. Juan Corona was convicted of murdering twenty-five people. Their crimes are all horrific, and the number of victims is heartbreaking. 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