Is murder really written in the stars? If you read your daily horoscope, you’re probably hoping for guidance on your relationship (or lack thereof), career or that elusive lottery win but I bet nobody looks at their star sign and thinks “I’m a potential serial killer”.
Fans of astrology believe the stars can predict wealth and fortune but research has also suggested your zodiac sign could be an indication of something far more sinister. Using the birth data of 120 of the world’s most notorious serial killers, UpCounsel.com commissioned research to determine if there could be a correlation between star signs and a murderous disposition.
So which signs puts the horror into horoscope and who is the most murderous according to star gazers? I’m looking at you Sagittarius. Apparently from the 120 chosen killers, 11 centaurs are the most dangerous.
French serial killer Yvann Keller, nicknamed the Pillow Killer (he smothered his victims in their sleep), is a Sagi with an estimated 150 victims. Keller operated between 1989 and 2006 in France, Switzerland and Germany.
It’s said that some of the characteristics of this fire sign are tactlessness, unreliability and coldness, so it’s not surprising to note Ted Bundy, Dennis Nilsen and Richard Cottingham (The Torso Killer) were also born under this sign. In joint second are Pisces and Capricorn, each with 10 serial killers to their name.
John Wayne Gacy and Richard Ramirez are both Pisces and Dorothea Puente, one of the only female serial killers on the list, is a Capricorn. Aquarius and Libra are billed as the most dangerous according to astrologers, who say they’re the signs most likely to murder higher numbers of people.
It’s often said you can tell a lot about a person by knowing their birth sign and astrologers would have us believe that everything there is to know about us is in the stars. I have one friend who will only date men if their star sign is compatible with hers and another who consults charts before deciding on her lottery numbers.
I guess if we were all alike, the world would be a very boring place heh? But pre-determining the “worst of society? Can the stars really predict psychopathy before birth?
I decided to have a little look at the most notorious Scottish serial killers and their star signs to see what it told me. Peter Tobin is a Virgo (No2 on the most dangerous), World’s End killer Angus Sinclair is a Gemini, which is the third most dangerous star sign, Peter Manuel is a Pisces (5th), Robert Black is a Taurus (7th) and Ian Brady (9th) is Capricorn.
Surprise, surprise, not one of them share the same star sign and while it’s said each sign has different personality traits, we can all agree these killers all have one very distinct common characteristic – wickedness. All of these men committed heinous, despicable crimes and left a trail of devastation in their wake.
None of their crimes were predicted by the stars. Astrology isn’t any more scientific than murder is.
I don’t think being a Virgo makes you a vicious predator, or being born under Capricorn means you will grow up to be a blood-thirsty psychotic killer. We often want to look for explanations behind abhorrent human behaviour to try to comfort ourselves with the fact that there must be a reason why we have the ability to inflict such horrors upon our fellow beings – but looking to Pluto for answers?
Even a stopped clock is occasionally right.
I'll get my kicks elsewhere
Last year, I planned to do a road trip along the famous Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles but Covid had other ideas and the holiday was canned. This week, a press release dropped that caused me to do a little double take.
Being a crime hack, I see danger everywhere and had casually remarked to my husband when we were planning the holiday that the route seemed like “serial killer territory”. This press release was titled “The US road trips with the most disappearances”.
Turns out the most dangerous road trip to take in the states is the Pacific Coast Paradise – Seattle to Santa Barbara, California. A whopping 142 people have disappeared undertaking that route – 93 males and 49 females.
Deemed as one of the most beautiful routes in the US, taking in California, Washington and Oregon, and a firm favourite among TV and music lovers, the Pop Culture Crusin’ road trip has the second highest missing person cases, with a total of 105.
Coming in at number five on the top 10 most dangerous was my planned route with 73 missing persons. Now, perhaps not all of them are suspicious but 703 people vanishing on popular holiday routes is 703 too many for me.
It’s enough to put you off. Route 66 may just have to wait a bit longer.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - sign up to our daily newsletter here.
