Soviet serial killer Andrei Chikatilo just may be the sickest serial killer I've ever read about. I wrote a paper on him in my Homicide Investigation class and actually had nightmares. It wasn't an easy paper to write, let me tell ya.
Yes. I think he's by far the most prolific of all serial killers. I forget the author's name, but there is a good book about him, called "Hunting the Devil."
Actually, that dubious 'honour' goes to three Colombians; Luis Garavito (138 proven victims, suspected in more than 400) Pedro Lopez (110/350) and Daniel Barbosa (72/150). Even Gary Ridgeway was convicted of 71 murders. Howard Shipman is up there as well. Chikatilo's 56 pales (?) in comparison (I dont think thats quite a tactful way to put it), though they are as brutal as any.
Harold Shipman was a doctor close to the area I lived in the UK, he was suspected of 220 plus murders, I think 218 were positively affirmed to him. Our family knew of family and friends of the victims. He got away with it for many years, I guess because no one suspects a doctor of such crimes.
