Famous Serial Killers Who Are Sagittariuses

Sagittariuses are known for being compassionate, adventurous, and intellectual — all positive traits that can be deadly in the wrong hands. Indeed, some of the most prominent and infamous serial killers in history were Sagittariuses, and traits typically associated with their Zodiac sign helped some of them be successful in their grisly crimes.

Not many are capable of the violence and disregard for human lives necessary to be a serial killer, and even fewer have the restraint and intellect to be a successful one. While many are shaped by abusive childhoods, it requires a morbid mix of personality traits to become a hunter of humans, and these Sagittariuses mirrored their Zodiac sign when committing their medley of murders through their compassion, intellect, exploitation of empathy, and other classic traits of this sign. Infamous serial killers such as Ed Kemper and Dennis Nilsen were Sagittariuses, along with perhaps the most famous killer in modern history.

According to Biography, Edmund Kemper, the man who would go on to earn the nickname "Co-Ed Killer," was born on December 18, 1948. Kemper's life and eventual killings were largely influenced by his mother, who was an abusive alcoholic that made him live in the basement over fears he would harm his sisters. Those fears weren't completely unfounded, and Kemper was sent to live with his grandparents, whom he later shot and killed. The incident was a prime example of Kemper's twisted compassion: The first thing he did was call his mom, and he later recounted that he killed his grandpa in the driveway so he wouldn't have to discover his dead wife.

Kemper would spend some time in a maximum security facility within a hospital before being released at the age of 21. Examinations found that he was highly intelligent, like many Sagittariuses, and suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. He attempted to become a state trooper but was rejected, not because of his violent past or schizophrenia, but his size: "Big Ed" stood a towering 6 feet 9 inches tall. Kemper began a killing spree after he was wounded in a car crash and unable to work, picking up hitchhiking girls, murdering them, and often violating their bodies. His final two murders were his own mother and her friend, but after driving a few states over, Kemper turned himself in — a final act of darkly disturbing compassion.

Another Sagittarius stalker who used compassion for evil was Scottish killer Dennis Nilsen, who earned the nickname "The Kindly Killer" (via The Scotsman). Nilsen was once the most prolific killer in British history, having killed at least 15 men throughout the '70s and '80s. Nilsen's modus operandi was feigned generosity and kindness, befriending homeless or otherwise down-on-their-luck gay men in bars and clubs and offering them food and shelter back at their apartment. Some of his victims' families did not even suspect their loved ones had been murdered for years, as they were the type to go missing for large stretches of time.

In fact, Nilsen would wait until he heard that the men he was drinking with had nowhere else to go before inviting them back to his place, knowing they would be more likely to accept and harder to find once they went missing. It was a cruel and reprehensible method, yet intellectually and logically sound: the intellect of a Sagittarius used for vile purposes.

Few serial killers have drawn as much attention from true crime podcasts, books, documentaries, films, and television shows as Sagittarius Ted Bundy. According to Biography, Bundy was born to a young unwed mother and had a dark childhood before falling in love in college. His compassion turned into obsession, particularly after she broke up with him, and many of Bundy's victims resembled his lost love.

Bundy was known for his charms and good looks, which helped him lure victims into a sense of security. He also earned their empathy by feigning injury and asking for help. He had a college degree and was even accepted into law school, all while using his compassion and intellect to rape and murder at least 36 women throughout the 1970s (possibly over 100 in total). The notorious killer also gained national notoriety after escaping prison twice, his latter attempt seeing him break into a sorority house for one final killing spree. His highly publicized trial and execution cemented his dark legacy as one of the most infamous serial killers — and Sagittariuses — of the 20th century.