Some couples are just made for each other. These couples have a one of a kind chemistry, they look at each other in a way that could only mean they are truly in love, and they are better together than they are apart. But sometimes, the seemingly perfect chemistry that a couple shares can go horribly wrong. In these cases, the couples complete each other in a way that leads to murder, rape and torture. These couples leave a trail of disaster in their wake, leaving everyone wondering why. Would these sinister individuals be so destructive on their own? Or is it their perfect chemistry that leads them to kill? Whatever the reason, these ten serial killer couples caused death and destruction, wherever they went. So here is a list of some of the most viscous serial killer couples to date. They provide proof that sometimes, when two individuals meet, it can provide the perfect recipe for murder.
On the anniversary of serial-killer duo Alton Coleman and Debra Brown's arrest, here are some of the most disturbing killer couples in history. Next Gallery PHOTOS.
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Start Now10 Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka
Paul and Karla are responsible for at least three murders. The couple met in 1987 and married in 1991. They are considered to be the ken and barbie of murder and mayhem. The first violent act that they committed together was against Karla's younger sister, Tammy. Apparently, Paul was not too happy that Karla hadn't been a virgin on her wedding day so to make up for it, Karla drugged up her sister and offered her virginity to Paul. The couple even videotaped the rape. During the night, Tammy ended up choking to death on her own vomit, as a result of the drugs that the killer couple had given her. Unfortunately, the death was not ruled a homicide, which left Paul and Karla to go about their business.
The couple continued to rape and kill two more girls, 14 year-old Leslie Mahaffy and 15 year-old Kristen French. Eventually Paul was arrested, after his DNA was found on several rape victims. Both Karla and Paul were interviewed in connection with the rape and murders, but Karla managed to garner a plea bargain for giving accounts of the murders. Paul was sentenced to life in prison while Karla got off with just 12 years. She was released from prison on July 4, 2005.
9 Gerald and Charlene Gallego
Gerald and Charlene are responsible for at least ten murders. They were a killer husband and wife team whose spree spanned from 1978 till 1980. The couple’s relationship was unhealthy from the start. Gerald dominated Charlene, he told her what to wear and how she should act. He even talked about fantasies involving sex slaves with his wife Charlene. Unfortunately for their victims, these fantasies became a reality. Their first victims were 17-year old Rhonda Scheffler and 16-year old Kippi Vaught. The two girls were lured into Gerald and Charlene’s van with the promise of pot. Once they got to the van, they were raped and killed later that day. This routine occurred with at least nine women. Their last victims were Craig Miller and Mary Elizabeth. Craig was shot by the couple in 1980, as his girlfriend was being abducted. What made this time different was that some friends of the victims managed to get down the license plate number of the van before Gerald and Charlene drove off. In 1984, Charlene testified against Gerald and received just 16 years in prison, while Gerald was sentenced to death. Charlene was released in 1997 and Gerald died in prison of rectal cancer in 2002.
8 Ricky Davis and Dena Riley
Ricky and Dena are responsible for the murders of two women and the kidnapping and sexual assault of Davis’ 5-year old niece. Davis had always been troubled. He spent most of his teen years in reform school or juvenile detention. In 1987, Davis was convicted of raping a woman. He claimed that the sex was consensual, but the fact that he held a knife to the woman’s throat made the jury think otherwise and he was sentenced to 25 years in prison. After 17 years and 11 months, he was released from prison. Apparently, he did everything that was required for a good parolee until he met Dena Riley. Davis had always had a sick fantasy of starring in his own snuff film, and Riley made his dreams possible. Dena was able to lure back women to Ricky, with the promise of drugs or money. Then, Davis would act out his deepest fantasies by killing the women on camera. The pair were charged with first-degree murder, assault, kidnapping and forcible rape.
7 Michelle Michaud and James Daveggio
Michelle Michaud and James Daveggio were a couple who enjoyed raping, kidnapping and torturing. The couple even turned their dodge van into a one of a kind torture chamber. It was rigged with ropes and hooks to fulfill the deranged couple’s fantasies. The two were charged with the torturing, raping and strangling, of a 22-year old college student. Apparently, the killer pair were trying to model their crimes after two of their heroes, Gerald and Charlene Gallego. The pair were sentenced to death for their crime in 1997.
Serial Killers In America
6 Faye and Ray Copeland
Faye and Ray Copeland are responsible for at least five murders. The pair made headlines when they became the oldest couple ever to be sentenced to die. Ray was 76 at the time of his sentence and Faye was 69. Throughout their killing spree, the pair murdered five drifters. Their preferred method of killing was a single bullet to the back of the head. They were eventually caught when a drifter told police that he saw human remains on their property. Faye swore that she had nothing to do with the murders and even claimed that she had no idea that her husband was committing them. However, after the police found a list of their murder victims with X’s written by each name, they chose not to believe her lies. The two were eventually sentenced to death.
5 Alton Coleman and Debra Brown
Alton Coleman and his girlfriend, Debra Brown are responsible for eight murders, seven rapes, three kidnappings and fourteen armed robberies. The pair began their two-month killing spree in 1984, when they committed their crimes throughout six different states. Coleman and Brown got together in 1984 and their relationship had been described as a master and slave relationship, with Coleman being a sadistic murderer and rapist. The couple targeted African-Americans. The couple would befriend strangers, then assault and sometimes murder and rape them. Eventually, the pair was caught and tried in Ohio, where both of them were sentenced to death. Coleman was put to death on April 26, 2002, while Brown’s sentence was reduced to life in prison.
4 Delfina and Maria Gonzales
Delfina and Maria Gonzales are responsible for at least 91 murders. The sisters’ killing spree occurred between the 50’s and the 60’s. The pair weren't even on the police’s radar when a young woman, who was brought in for questioning on kidnapping charges, told the police everything she knew about the sisters. The police searched the sister’s property and found the remains of 11 men, 80 women, and several fetuses. Apparently, Maria and Delfina were in the business of recruiting prostitutes. They did this under the disguise of recruiting maids. Once the sisters had their victims, they forced them to use cocaine and heroin. Once the victims lost their looks or became damaged, the sisters killed them. The pair were eventually sentenced to 40 years in prison. Delfina died in prison, while Maria managed to finish out her sentence.
Serial Killer Tampa
3 Henry Lucas and Ottis Toole
Henry Lucas and Ottis Toole are responsible for anywhere between, 5 and 600 murders. The deadly pair met in 1973 in a soup kitchen and became lovers. In 1983, Ottis was arrested for arson, followed by Lucas who was arrested on a weapons charge, that’s when the pair began confessing to all their horrific crimes. During their stay in prison, the pair confessed to hundreds of murders. A lot of their confessions have been recanted but the pair knew things about the cases that only the killer would know. All in all, the two helped recover 246 missing people and confessed to 430 murders. They didn't seem to have any preference when it came to killing the innocent. They targeted just about anyone and didn't prefer any method. Eventually, Ottis was convicted of 5 murders and Lucas was convicted of 11. The two were originally given the death penalty but it was reduced to life in prison. Ottis died in prison in 1996, while Lucas died in 2001.
Famous Serial Killer
2 Fred and Rosemary West
Fred and Rosemary West are responsible for eleven murders. In 1972, Rosemary began to prostitute herself out with the permission of her husband. Rosemary even slept with her own father on some occasions. Rosemary killed Fred’s daughter from a previous marriage, while Fred was in prison for theft and when Fred’s ex-wife showed up to get her daughter, she disappeared. In 1972, Fred raped his 8-year old daughter for the first time. In 1979, she became pregnant, had an abortion and managed to escape her abusive home. The Wests had a nasty habit of abusing their daughters and filming it. Between 1973-1979, they killed nine women. These women included hitchhikers, children in their neighborhood and their own daughter, Heather West. In 1994, the police received a tip that “Heather was buried under the patio.” During their search, they found the remains of 10 women. In 1995, Fred hanged himself while awaiting his trial. Rosemary ended up being convicted of ten murders and was sentenced to life in prison.
1 Wolfgang Abel and Marco Furlan
This killer couple is responsible for 10-27 murders. They committed their horrible crimes in an effort to purge the world of anyone that they believed to be sub-human. Their victims were prostitutes, homosexuals and drug addicts. Their first murder occurred in 1977, where they burned a gypsy drug addict alive. They continued their horrific spree by chopping up a prostitute with an axe, crushing the skulls of priests, burning a hitchhiker alive and driving a nail through the head of a homosexual priest. At each of their crime scenes, they left a leaflet that was decorated with a Nazi eagle and a swastika. They also left a message to explain their reasoning behind their brutal murders. The two were eventually caught when they tried to set fire to a crowded venue. Three years later, they were convicted of ten murders and released on bail when Furlan fled the country. He was eventually recaptured years later. Furlan was released from prison in 2009, while Abel continued to serve his 27-year sentence.