Aileen Wuornos: The history and media legacy of the Florida serial killer

Aileen Wuornos, a notorious American serial killer, continues to be a subject of significant true crime media interest. Between 1989 and 1990, Wuornos killed seven men while working as a sex worker along Florida state highways. Her first victim was Richard Mallory, whom she claimed had raped and assaulted her.

Wuornos was convicted of first-degree murder and received multiple death sentences. She was executed at Florida State Prison on October 9, 2002. Her life and crimes have been widely dramatized in popular culture, including the Oscar-winning film ‘Monster’ and various Netflix productions.

New media projects regarding her case include the Netflix documentary ‘Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers’ and the Investigation Discovery docuseries ‘Unmasking a Monster: Aileen Wuornos’, which aims to provide access to key figures involved in the original investigation.