Aileen Wuornos, one of America’s most notorious female serial killers, was executed in 2002 after being convicted of murdering seven men between 1989 and 1990. A former sex worker, Wuornos claimed she acted in self-defense, saying the men had assaulted or attempted to assault her while she was working.

Her story gained widespread attention through the 2003 documentary Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer, where she made chilling claims that police allowed her to continue killing to “clean the streets” before eventually arresting her. “I was a hitchhiking hooker, running into trouble,” she said. “I shoot the guy if I ran into trouble… the cops knew it.”

Wuornos was found guilty of killing Richard Mallory, David Spears, Charles Carskaddon, Troy Burress, Charles “Dick” Humphreys, and Peter Siems. She was executed at the age of 46.

Documentary filmmaker Nick Broomfield, who interviewed Wuornos extensively, believed she truly thought she was acting in self-defense. He suggested her traumatic past, including a violent childhood and abuse, may have shaped her perception of danger and led to her violent outbursts.

“She had a lot of awful encounters,” he said. “I think the rage just exploded.” Yet, Broomfield also remembered moments of warmth in her, glimpses of humanity that made her story even more tragic.

Wuornos’ life and crimes continue to spark debate about mental illness, trauma, and justice.