People are often fascinated with the final words of serial killers, maybe because they are interested in discovering what the last word revealed an insight into the person’s life. Was it an apology or utter anger?

While some have offered apologies for their heinous offenses, many serial killers’ last words are filled with anger and arrogance. Some confess while some think of a pun. Here are the famous last words of serial killers.

Famous last words of serial killers

James French

“Hey, fellas! How about this for a headline for tomorrow’s paper? ‘French Fries.” (August 10, 1966)

James French was an American criminal who was the last person executed under Oklahoma’s death penalty laws, also he was the only prisoner to be executed that year.

James French
James French

James was serving a life sentence for killing a motorist who had picked him up from hitchhiking in 1958. James had actually requested for a death sentence for that charge, but the jury handed down a life sentence to him anyway. But French kept writing to the governor asking for a new trial, one in which he can hopefully get a death sentence, but they went unanswered.

Later French killed his inmate, Eddie Lee Shelton, and finally, he received a death sentence, he wished to die in the electric chair.



Peter Kürten

“Tell me. After my head has been chopped off, will I still be able to hear, at least for a moment, the sound of my own blood gushing from the stump of my neck? That would be a pleasure to end all pleasures.” (July 2, 1931)

Peter Kurten was a German serial killer known as “The Vampire of Düsseldorf” and the “Düsseldorf Monster”. He committed a series of murders and sexual assaults between February and November 1929 in the city of Düsseldorf.

Carl Panzram

Carl Panzram

“Hurry up, you Hoosier bastard. I could kill 10 men while you’re fooling around.” (September 5, 1930)

Carl Panzram was an American serial killer, rapist, arsonist, robber, and burglar. In his prison confessions and his autobiography, he claimed to have committed 22 murders, most of which could not be corroborated, and over 1000 acts of sodomy of boys and men. After a series of imprisonments and escapes, he was executed in 1930 for the murder of a prison employee.

John Wayne Gacy

“Kiss my *ss.” (May 10, 1994)

John Wayne Gacy
John Wayne Gacy

John Wayne Gacy was an American Serial Killer and sex offender known as the Killer Clown, who assaulted and murdered at least 33 young men and boys. Gacy regularly performed at children’s hospitals and charitable events as “Pogo the Clown” or “Patches the Clown”, personas he had devised.

Gacy was convicted of the sodomy of a teenager boy in Iowa in 1968 and was sentenced to 10 years in imprisonment, but served only 18 months. All the time the convictions of 33 murders was the largest number charged to one individual in United States history. Gacy was sentenced to death on March 13, 1980.

Jeffrey Dahmer

“I don’t care if I live or die. Go ahead and kill me.” (November 28, 1994)

Jeffrey Dahmer
Jeffrey Dahmer

Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer known as the Milwaukee Cannibal or the Milwaukee Monster was an American serial killer and sex offender who committed the murder and dismemberment of 17 men and boys from 1978 to 1991. On November 28, 1994, Dahmer was beaten to death by his fellow inmate, Christopher Scarver.

H.H. Holmes

“Take your time. Don’t bungle it.” (May 7, 1896)

H.H. Holmes
H.H. Holmes

Henry Howard Holmes or H. H. Holmes, was an American serial killer. While he confessed to 27 murders, only nine could be plausibly confirmed and several of the people he claimed to have murdered were still alive at the time of his confession. A 1940s pulp magazine claimed he killed as many as 200.

Albert Fish

“I don’t even know why I’m here.” (January 16, 1936)

Albert Fish

Hamilton Howard Albert” Fish was an American serial killer, child rapist, and cannibal. He was also known as the Gray Man, the Werewolf of Wysteria, the Brooklyn Vampire, the Moon Maniac, and The Boogey Man.

Fish once boasted that he “had children in every state”, and at one time stated his number of victims was about 100. However, it is not known whether he was referring to rapes or cannibalization, nor is it known if the statement was truthful.

Ted Bundy

“I’d like you to give my love to my family and friends.” (January 24, 1989)

Ted Bundy
Ted Bundy during his trial

Theodore Robert Bundy was an American serial killer who kidnapped, raped, and murdered numerous young women and girls during the 1970s and possibly earlier.

Marcel Petiot

“Gentleman, I have one last piece of advice: Look away. This will not be pretty to see.” (May 25, 1946)

Marcel Petiot

Marcel Petiot was convicted of multiple murders after the Discover of the remains of 23 people in the basement of his home in Paris during World War II. Petoit is suspected of the murder of around 60 victims during his lifetime, although the true number remains unknown.

Steven Timothy Judy

“I don’t hold any grudges. This is my doing. Sorry, it happened.” (March 9, 1981)

Steven Timothy Judy
Steven Timothy Judy

Steven Timothy Judy was convicted of murdering Terry Lee Chasteen and her three children, Misty Ann, Steve and Mark, on April 28, 1979. Judy was found guilty and executed on March 9, 1981, aged 24, in Michigan City, Indiana in the electric chair. Judy became the first person to be executed in Indiana since Richard Kiefer was executed on June 15, 1961.

William Bonin

“I would suggest that when a person has a thought of doing anything serious against the law, that before they did that they should go to a quiet place and think about it seriously.” (February 23, 1996)

William Bonin
William Bonin

William Bonin, also known as the Freeway killer was an American serial killer and twice paroled sex offender, who committed rape, torture, and murder of a minimum of 21 boys and young men in a series of killing in 1979 and 1980.

He spent 14 years on death row before he was executed by lethal injection at San Quentin State Prison in 1996.

Ángel Maturino Reséndiz

“I want to ask if it is in your heart to forgive me. You don’t have to. I know I allowed the Devil to rule my life. I just ask you to forgive me and ask the Lord to forgive me for allowing the devil to deceive me. I thank God for having patience in me. I don’t deserve to cause you pain. You do not deserve this. I deserve what I am getting.” (June 27, 2006)

William Bonin
William Bonin

Also knows as the Railroad killer, The Railway Killer pr The Rail Car Killer, Resendiz was an itinerant serial killer suspected in as many as 23 murders across the United States and Mexico during the 1900s.

He was convicted of murders and was executed by legal injection.

Fritz Haarmann

“I repent, but I do not fear death.” (April 15, 1925)

A German serial killer, known as the Butcher of Hanover, the Vampire of Hanover and the Wolf-Man, who committed the sexual assault, murder, mutilation, and dismemberment of at least 24 boys and young men between 1918 and 1924 in Hanover, Germany. He was executed in 1925.



Ned Kelly

“Such is life”, “Ah, well, I suppose It has come to this.” (November 11, 1880)

Ned Kelly

Ned was an Australian bushranger, outlaw, gang leader, and convicted police murderer. One of the last bushrangers, and by far the most famous, he is best known for wearing a suit of bulletproof armor during his final shootout with the police.

Donald Henry Gaskins, Pee Wee Gaskins

“I’ll let my lawyers talk for me. I’m ready to go.” (September 6, 1991)

Pee Wee Gaskins

Donald was known as the meanest man in America for slaying at least 100 people, most of them hitchhikers, from the 1950s to the 1980s. While awaiting the death sentence in prison, Gaskins killed a fellow inmate on death row with a small explosive. He was put on death on September 6, 1991.



Israel Keyes

“Okay, talk is over, words are placid and weak. Back it with action or it all comes off cheap. Watch close while I work now, feel the electric shock of my touch, open your trembling flower or your petals I’ll crush.” (December 2, 2012) 

Israel took his own life, his final words are from his final note
Israel Keyes

 Israel Keyes was an American serial killer, rapist, arsonist, burglar, and bank robber. Keyes admitted to violent crimes as early as 1996, with the violent sexual assault of a teenage girl in Oregon. He committed a long series of rapes and murders until his capture in 2012. He took his own life while in custody, awaiting trial for the murder of Samantha Koening.

Aileen Wuornos

“I’d just like to say I’m sailing with the rock, and I’ll be back like Independence Day, with Jesus, June 6th. Like the movie, big mother ship and all. I’ll be back.” (October 9, 2002)

Aileen Wuornos
aileen wuornos quotes

Aileen Wuornos was an American serial killer who murdered seven men in Florida by shooting them at point-blank range. Aileen was sentenced to death for six of the murders and was executed by lethal injection on October 9, 2002.



Earle Nelson

“I am innocent. I stand innocent before God and man. I forgive those who have wronged me and ask forgiveness of those I have injured. God have mercy!” (January 13, 1928)

Earle Neslon

Earle Nelson was also known as in the media as the “Gorilla Man,” The Gorilla Killer and the Dark Strangler. Nelson was an American Serial killer, rapist, and necrophile. Nelson was the first known American serial sex murderer of the 20th century.

James Allen Red Dog

“I’m going home, babe” (October 9, 2002)

James Allen Red Dog was a mixed Sioux and Assiniboine from Fort Peck Indian Reservation who was executed at his own request for murdering Hugh Pennington and who had previously been convicted twice of armed robbery. As a result of his crimes, Joe Biden introduced legislation that required states to be notified by federal officials when dangerous criminals were placed in their jurisdictions.



Tom Ketchum

“Good-bye. Please dig my grave very deep. All right; hurry up.
“I’ll be in Hell before you start breakfast, boys. Let her rip.” (April 26, 1901)

Tom Ketchum known as blackjack was a cowboy who later turned to a life of crime. He was executed in 1901 for attempted train robbery.

Amelia Dyer

“I have nothing to say.” (June 10, 1896)

Amelia Dyer

Amelia Dyer was one of the most prolific serial killers in history, murdering infants in her care over a 30-year period in Victorian Britain. Dyer was arrested on 4 April 1896, she was tried for the murder of infant Doris Marmon and hanged on 10 June 1896. But there is a little doubt that she was responsible for more than 400 deaths.



Francis Crowley

“You sons of b*tches. Give love to Mother.” (January 21, 1932)

Francis Crowley was an American murderer. His crime spree lasted nearly three months, ending in a two-hour shootout with the New York City Police Department on May 7, 1931, that was witnessed by 15,000 bystanders and received national attention. He became the archetype of the Irish gangster. In 1932, he was executed in New York’s electric chair.



Thomas J. Grasso

“I did not get my Spaghetti O’s. I got spaghetti. I want the press to know this.” (March 20, 1995)

Thomas J Grasso

Thomas strangled Hilda Johnson, an 87-year-old woman, using her Christmas tree lights on December 24, 1990, in her Tulsa home. Six months later he murdered an 81 year-old man, stealing his social security check.

Hours before his execution time, he issued the third statement in the form of a light-hearted poem commemorating his forthcoming dispatch. The poem was titled “A visit with mystery.”

Ready, willing, and waiting am I,
Asked for death but could not die.
Each sunrise is one day less,
I’ll endure this horrible mess.
When the last sun does sink,
Mr. E will serve a goodbye drink.
On the day our paths do cross it won’t take much to see it through,
Just a little toxic brew.
The warden will read my last creed,
And the deadly brew will flow.
As the poison drips into my veins,
And from my body life does drain,
I’ll know then once and for all
What “last call” means when serving Toxahol?