The silent witnesses. Crime scene photos are silent witnesses to the violence and chaos of crime. They can tell a story that words cannot, helping investigators to solve cases and bring closure to victims’ families.
The next time you see a crime scene photo, take a moment to think about the work that went into taking it. These photos are not just for shock value. They are a vital part of the justice system.
WARNING!
This article contains graphic images of crime scenes.
If you are sensitive to graphic content, please do not read this article. The photos in this article may be disturbing to some viewers.
Thank you for your understanding.
We’ve put together some of the most shocking crime scene photos from history, but be warned: they are not for the faint of heart. These images are so gruesome that we had to take breaks while looking at them. They show the horrifying reality of what some people are capable of. Proceed with caution.
20 Fearful Crime Scene Photos From History
1. The murder of Joe Masseria, 1931
Joe Masseria was the boss of a crime family in New York City. He was at war with another crime boss, Salvatore Maranzano. Lucky Luciano was one of his men, but he wanted to take over the family. He had the support of three other gangsters: Vito Genovese, Albert Anastasia, and Benjamin Siegel.
On April 15, 1931, Luciano and his men killed Masseria at a restaurant in Coney Island. They shot him several times while he was having lunch. This ended the war between Masseria and Maranzano. Luciano became the new boss of the family and changed its name to the Luciano crime family.
The murder of Masseria was a turning point in organized crime in New York City. It ended the old style of Sicilian gangsters and started the new style of Americanized gangsters like Luciano.
Aftermath
Joe Masseria’s murder changed organized crime in New York City. It ended the Sicilian gangsters and started the Americanized gangsters like Lucky Luciano.
Luciano became the boss of the Masseria family and changed its name. He also created the Commission, a group of Mafia leaders that settled disputes.
Joe Masseria’s murder affected the American Mafia. It showed that the Mafia was not unbeatable and that anyone could be killed. It also caused instability in the Mafia as families fought for power.
Joe Masseria’s murder is still debated and guessed. Some think that Luciano planned the murder, while others think that he was just a tool in a bigger scheme. Joe Masseria’s murder was a key event in organized crime in New York City.
2. The bodies of Robert Green and Jacob Jagendorf after a failed robbery attempt, 1915
Two men robbed a bank in Brooklyn in 1915. They were Robert Green and Jacob Jagendorf. Police shot and killed them during the robbery. Their bodies were taken to the morgue and photographed.
Newspapers across the country published the photographs of Green and Jagendorf’s bodies. The photographs showed the dangers of crime. They also helped to identify the men and arrest their partners.
The robbery and the deaths of Green and Jagendorf were big news in New York City. The event made people worry about the crime rate in the city. It also made people want stricter gun laws.
3. The murder of Hymie Weiss, 1927
Hymie Weiss was the leader of a gang in Chicago. He fought with another gang, led by Al Capone. They wanted to control the city’s illegal businesses.
Weiss was killed in a shooting outside of a church. He was shot 14 times, and his body had many bullets. Two of his friends, William O’Brien and Samuel Pellar, were also hurt in the attack.
Hymie Weiss’s murder changed the Chicago gang war. It showed that Capone would kill his enemies, even in public. It also made the war more violent and bloody.
The North Side Gang lost their leader and their power. They were beaten by the South Side Gang, and Capone became the boss of Chicago’s underworld.
4. The murder of Dutch Schultz, 1935
Dutch Schultz was a gangster in New York City. He ran illegal businesses like bootlegging and gambling during Prohibition. He also did drugs, extortion, and murder.
Schultz was born in Brooklyn to Jewish immigrants. He started his crime career as a teen, working for a bootlegger. In the 1920s, he became a big gangster in New York City.
In 1933, Prohibition ended, but Schultz kept doing illegal things. He took money from people and businesses, and he sold drugs. This made him many enemies, like other gangsters and cops.
On October 23, 1935, Schultz was killed in a restaurant in Newark. The killers were from the Luciano family, who worked for Schultz’s enemy, Lucky Luciano.
5. The murder of Homer Van Meter, 1934
Homer Van Meter was a bank robber and gangster. He was in the Barker-Karpis gang, and he was violent and reckless. On January 29, 1934, police officers shot and killed him in St. Paul.
Van Meter’s murder started on January 28, when he and two other gangsters robbed a bank in Sioux Falls. They got away with over $30,000.
The next day, Van Meter and his friends were driving in St. Paul when police saw them. They chased them, and Van Meter was trapped by the police. He shot at the officers, and they shot back. Van Meter died from many bullets.
Van Meter’s death hurt the Barker-Karpis gang. He was one of their best members, and they missed him. The gang kept doing crimes for a few more years.
6. The Black Dahlia murder, 1947
Elizabeth Short was a young woman who was killed in Los Angeles in 1947. Her body was found in two pieces and had no blood. Her death was very shocking and is still not solved.
Short was born in Boston in 1924. She moved to California in 1943 and worked as a waitress and a hostess. She was very beautiful and had short, black hair. People called her “Black Dahlia.”
On January 14, 1947, Short was at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. She left the hotel with a man who was never found. Her body was found the next day in an empty lot. She had many cuts and her body was cut in half. Her mouth was cut wide and her eyes were taken out.
The police talked to many people about the murder, but no one was ever arrested. The case is still unsolved.
There are many ideas about who killed the Black Dahlia. Some think that it was a killer who did it many times, while others think that it was someone who loved her. Some also think that the murder had to do with the army, as Short dated some soldiers.
The Black Dahlia murder has been in many books, movies, and shows. It is one of the most interesting and scary unsolved mysteries in American history.
7. The murder of Andrew Borden, 1892
Andrew and Abby Borden were rich people who lived with their daughter, Lizzie Borden, in a big house.
On August 4, Lizzie Borden found her father dead in the sitting room. She called a neighbor, John Morse, to the house. Morse and another neighbor, Alice Russell, saw Andrew Borden’s body. He had many hatchet wounds on his head.
Later, Lizzie Borden found her stepmother dead in the guest room. She called Morse and Russell again. Abby Borden had also many hatchet wounds on her head.
Lizzie Borden was the only one in the house when the murders happened. She was a suspect, but she was never arrested. The case is still not solved.
There are many ideas about who killed Andrew and Abby Borden. Some think that Lizzie Borden did it, while others think that it was someone else, like a killer or a family member. There is no proof for any of these ideas.
The Borden murders have been in many books, movies, and shows. The case is one of the most famous unsolved mysteries in American history.
In 2011, scientists did new tests on the evidence from the Borden murders. The tests did not give any new clues, but they showed that Andrew and Abby Borden were killed by hatchet hits to the head.
8. The Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping, 1932
Charles Lindbergh Jr., the 20-month-old son of aviator Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, was kidnapped and killed on March 1, 1932, from their home in Hopewell, New Jersey.
The crime shocked the nation. A note demanded $50,000 for the baby’s return. The Lindberghs paid, but the baby was never returned. His body was found five weeks later in the woods near their home.
The case remains unsolved. Several people were convicted, including Bruno Hauptmann, who was executed in 1936. Some doubt his guilt, but he is the only person convicted of the crime.
The crime changed American society. It caused fear of kidnapping and more home security.
9. Edmund Kemper
Edmund Kemper killed his grandparents, Edmund Emil Kemper Sr. and Maude Matilda Kemper, at their ranch in North Fork, California on August 27, 1964. He shot his grandmother three times in the head, then stabbed her in the chest. He shot his grandfather once in the head. He cut off their heads and limbs and threw them in the mountains near the ranch.
Kemper’s mother, Clarnell Strandberg, found their bodies in the basement when she visited the ranch. She called the police. Kemper was arrested a few days later.
The crime scene was bloody and horrific. The bodies were cut into pieces. The police found Kemper’s rifle and knife there.
Kemper killed six more women after his grandparents. They included two college students and a hitchhiker. He was caught and sentenced to life in prison.
10. Cleveland Torso Murderer
The Cleveland Torso Murderer killed up 13 people in Cleveland, Ohio, in the 1930s. The victims were mostly poor and homeless. They were found in Kingsbury Run, a slum area.
The first victim was a woman without a head. Her head was never found. The killer did the same to 12 more victims over four years. The killer often cut off the victims’ heads, hands, feet, and genitals. The bodies were dumped in hidden or public places.
The police had no clues. The killer was never caught, and the case is still unsolved. There are many theories about who the killer was, but none are proven. Some of the suspects are:
Dr. Francis Sweeney, a violent former medical student.
Frank Dolezal, a bricklayer who killed two women.
Eliot Ness, the famous agent who tried to solve the case.
The Cleveland Torso Murders were a major media sensation in the 1930s. They were in newspapers and magazines all over the country. They inspired books and movies. The murders are still very interesting today, and they are one of the most famous unsolved serial killer cases in American history.
11. The Zodiac Killer
The Zodiac Killer killed and wrote letters in Northern California from 1968 to 1969. The killer’s name is unknown, even after many investigations and a big reward.
The Zodiac Killer killed at least five people, but maybe up to 37. The killer attacked victims, often shot them many times and left strange messages at the crime scenes.
The Zodiac Killer’s first victim was David Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen, who were shot in a car in Benicia, California, on December 20, 1968. The second victim was Michael Mageau and Darlene Ferrin, who were shot in Vallejo, California, on July 4, 1969. Mageau lived, but Ferrin died.
The Zodiac Killer’s third victim was Paul Stine, who was a cab driver killed in San Francisco on October 11, 1969. The killer called the police to mock them and said he killed Faraday, Jensen, Mageau, and Ferrin.
The Zodiac Killer sent letters to newspapers in San Francisco and Vallejo. The letters had codes, which the killer asked the newspapers to solve.
The codes were solved, but they did not help find the killer. The Zodiac Killer stopped writing in 1974, but the case is still open.
12. Clown Killer: John Wayne Gacy
John Wayne Gacy killed and raped 33 young men and boys in Chicago, Illinois, from 1972 to 1978. He was called the “Killer Clown” because he dressed as a clown for events.
Gacy was born in Chicago, Illinois, to John Stanley Gacy and Marion Elaine Robinson. He had two sisters, Joanne and Karen. Gacy’s father was a drunk and hit him and his mother. Gacy was also abused by a neighbor when he was 11.
Gacy had problems as a child, and he did not have friends. He wet the bed, and he was bullied. Gacy left school in 10th grade and worked different jobs. He was arrested for small crimes, like fake checks.
In 1964, Gacy married Marlynn Myers. They had two children, a son and a daughter. The marriage was bad, and Gacy hit his wife. They divorced in 1969.
In 1972, Gacy started a business called PDM Contractors. He did well in business, and he was popular in his community. He joined groups, and he was a clown for charity and kids.
Gacy’s first victim was a 15-year-old boy named Timothy McCoy. McCoy disappeared in 1972, and his body was never found. Gacy killed 32 more young men and boys until 1978. He tricked his victims to his home by offering them work or a ride. Then he handcuffed them and choked them to death. He buried their bodies under his house or in the river.
Gacy’s crimes were discovered in 1978, when a 15-year-old boy named Robert Piest went missing after going to Gacy’s house for work. Police searched Gacy’s house and found the bodies of 29 young men and boys. Gacy was caught and admitted to the murders. He was given the death penalty.
Gacy died by lethal injection on May 10, 1994. He was 52 years old.
Gacy’s crimes were terrible, and he is one of the worst serial killers in American history. His story shows the harm of child abuse and the need for mental health help.
13. Robert Hansen
Robert Christian Boes Hansen killed and rap*d 17 women in Anchorage, Alaska, from 1971 to 1983. He was called the Butcher Baker because he was a baker and he hunted his victims with a gun and a knife. He was caught in 1983 and sentenced to 461 years in prison. He died in 2014 at age 75.
Hansen was born in Estherville, Iowa, and grew up in Pocahontas, Iowa. He had a bad childhood and was abused by his parents. He was also bullied in school. In 1960, Hansen burned down a school bus garage. He went to prison for three years but got out after twenty months.
After prison, Hansen moved to Anchorage, Alaska. He worked as a baker and a taxi driver. He also started to kidnap and kill women. Hansen tricked them into his car, then drove them to a far place where he raped and killed them. He left their bodies in the wild.
In 1983, Hansen was caught after one of his victims, Cindy Paulson, ran away from him and told the police. Hansen admitted to 17 murders and got 461 years in prison without parole. He died in prison in 2014 at age 75.
14. Albert Fish: Brooklyn Vampire
Edmund Kemper killed his grandparents, Edmund Emil Kemper Sr. and Maude Matilda Kemper, at their ranch in North Fork, California on August 27, 1964. He shot his grandmother three times in the head, then stabbed her in the chest. He shot his grandfather once in the head. He cut off their heads and limbs and threw them in the mountains near the ranch.
Kemper’s mother, Clarnell Strandberg, found their bodies in the basement when she visited the ranch. She called the police. Kemper was arrested a few days later.
The crime scene was bloody and horrific. The bodies were cut into pieces. The police found Kemper’s rifle and knife there.
Kemper killed six more women after his grandparents. They included two college students and a hitchhiker. He was caught and sentenced to life in prison.
The crime scene of Edmund Kemper shows the cruelty of serial killers. It also shows the strength of the human spirit, as Kemper’s mother survived the shock of finding her parents’ bodies and lived a normal life.
15. Jack The Ripper
Jack the Ripper killed up women in Whitechapel, London, in 1888. The killer was also called the Whitechapel Murderer and Leather Apron.
The murders happened in Whitechapel, a poor and crowded area in East London. The killer was never found, and no one knows who Jack the Ripper was.
The police had trouble finding the killer. The murders also scared the people of Whitechapel, who did not know who the killer was.
16. Madame Debeinche Murder, 1903
Madame Debeinche, a wealthy widow, was found murdered in her Paris apartment in 1903. Her throat was slit, and nothing was stolen. The police had no clues or suspects. The case became a media sensation, but it was never solved.
Madame Debeinche was 60 years old and lived a lavish lifestyle. She was generous to charity. On February 25, 1903, someone killed her in her bed. There was no sign of forced entry.
The police questioned all of her friends and acquaintances, but they had no motive for the crime. They also looked for witnesses who saw or heard anything strange that night, but they found none.
The case went cold, and the killer escaped justice. Madame Debeinche’s murder is one of the most famous unsolved crimes in France.
Some theories suggest that she was killed by a burglar, an employee, a business associate, or a lover. However, none of these theories has evidence, and the killer’s identity is still unknown. The case shows that even in Paris, there are secrets that can never be uncovered.
17. Lizzy Borden Axe Murders, 1892
Andrew and Abby Borden were killed with an axe in their Massachusetts home in 1892. The case is unsolved, but Lizzie Borden, their daughter, was tried and cleared of the crime.
Lizzie Borden was 32 and lived with her father, stepmother, and sister, Emma, in a big house in Fall River. On August 4, 1892, she found her father’s body in the sitting room, his head smashed. She called a neighbor, John Morse, who called the police. They found Abby Borden’s body in the guest room, also with her head smashed.
Lizzie Borden was the main suspect, but she said she was upstairs, taking a bath, when the murders happened. The prosecution said Lizzie had time to kill them before Morse came to the house.
The trial of Lizzie Borden was a huge media event, and she was freed by a jury. The case is still unsolved, and Lizzie Borden is a famous figure in American culture.
Many theories exist about who killed Andrew and Abby Borden. Some think Lizzie Borden did it, while others think it was someone else, like an assassin or a friend. There is no solid evidence for any theory, and the case is a mystery.
18. Ted Bundy
Theodore Robert Bundy was an American serial killer who killed many young women and girls in the 1970s. He admitted to 30 murders in seven states from 1974 to 1978, but he may have killed more.
Bundy was born in Vermont in 1946. His mother gave him up for adoption, and he grew up with his grandparents. He was smart and charming, but he also had violent tendencies.
Bundy studied psychology at the University of Washington and became a student leader. He started killing in 1974. He kidnapped a woman from a sorority house in Seattle and killed her. He did the same thing in other states.
Bundy was caught in 1975 for kidnapping a student in Utah. He escaped from jail twice, but he was finally caught and convicted of murder. He was executed in 1989.
19. Gary Ridgway
Gary Leon Ridgway, the Green River Killer, killed 49 women in Washington from 1982 to 1998. He is the worst serial killer in U.S. history. He targeted young women and girls, many of whom were sex workers or runaways.
Ridgway was born in Utah in 1949 and grew up in Washington. He was a quiet and weird kid who was bullied by others. He also wet his bed and hurt animals.
He joined the Navy and served in Vietnam. He came back to Washington and worked as a truck painter.
Ridgway started killing women in 1982. He would strangle them in his truck and dump their bodies in remote places, often near the Green River.
The Green River Killer case was a big serial killer investigation. The police arrested and let go of several suspects, but they could not solve the case for a long time.
In 2001, DNA evidence connected Ridgway to the murders. He was caught and admitted to killing 48 women. He got life in prison with no chance of parole.
Ridgway is a scary and complicated person. He is a mass killer who hunted down vulnerable women. But he is also a result of his environment and his childhood. His early experiences may have made him violent.
20. Albert Fish (Brooklyn Vampire)
Albert Fish was an American serial killer, rapist, child molester, and cannibal who killed at least three children from 1924 to 1928. He was also a suspect in many other murders and stabbings.
Fish was born in Washington, D.C., in 1870. His father was 75 years old and died when he was five. His mother could not take care of him, so he went to an orphanage. He was abused and neglected there, and this affected him deeply.
Fish worked as a painter and a salesman. He was also a religious fanatic who thought he was possessed by the devil. He had weird sexual habits, such as whipping himself, eating feces, and drinking urine.
In 1924, Fish kidnapped and killed 10-year-old Grace Budd. He pretended to be a rich farmer who wanted a babysitter. He took her to his apartment, where he hurt and killed her. He then cut up her body and ate some of it.
Fish was caught and admitted to killing Grace Budd. He was guilty and sentenced to death. He died by electric chair in 1936.
What is crime scene photography?
Crime scene photography is the process of documenting a crime scene using photographs. The goal of crime scene photography is to create a visual record of the scene that can be used by investigators to reconstruct the crime and identify evidence.
When a crime happens, photographers take pictures of everything. They show how the crime scene looks from different angles and distances. They also zoom in on important clues and changes. They use special tools, like stands and lights, to make their pictures clear and true.
Being a crime scene photographer is hard but rewarding. They work long and hard in tough situations, and they don’t let their feelings get in the way. They help the police solve crimes and catch bad guys. They make the world a better place.
Some FAQs about Crime Scene Photos
How are crime scene photos used in court?
Crime scene photos can be used as evidence in court to help jurors visualize the crime scene and to understand the testimony of witnesses. The photos can also be used to identify evidence and to show how the evidence was collected.
What are the different types of crime scene photos?
There are many different types of crime scene photos, but some of the most common include:
Overall photos: These photos show the entire crime scene from a distance.
Mid-range photos: These photos show specific areas of the crime scene in more detail.
Close-up photos: These photos show small details of the crime scene, such as fingerprints, bloodstains, or other evidence.
Diagrams and sketches: These photos may be used to illustrate the relationships between different pieces of evidence.
Evidence photos: These photos show individual pieces of evidence, such as weapons, drugs, or clothing.What are the limitations of crime scene photography?
The quality of the photos may be affected by the lighting conditions or the photographer’s skill level. The photos may not be able to capture all of the evidence at the scene. The photos may be misinterpreted by investigators or jurors.
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Summary
How do you feel when you see these crime scene photos from the past? They are some of the most shocking and horrifying images ever captured. We have tried to list some of them for you, but there are many more out there. These photos make us wonder why killers commit such terrible crimes and how they can be so cruel. It is so fearful that we can’t even imagine it.
References: Wikipedia | Biography
