Albert Fish “The Gray Man”, Location: New York  (Active: 1924–1934)

Fish was a sadistic killer who preyed on young children, often torturing and murdering them in brutal ways. He claimed to have Killed on and cannibalized multiple victims. His letters describing his crimes were horrifying. He was known as "The Gray Man," "The Werewolf of Wysteria," & "The Brooklyn Vampire,". Though he claimed to have Killed on many more than the three murders officially attributed to him.

Fish was finally arrested in 1934 after detectives linked him to the letter sent to Grace Budd’s mother. He was convicted of Grace’s murder and sentenced to death. In 1936, he was executed in the electric chair at Sing Sing Prison in New York. Fish remains one of the most disturbing serial killers in history due to the horrific nature of his crimes and his own disturbing confessions.

Known and Alleged Victims

1. Grace Budd – 10 years old Killed in 1928. She was lured from her home under the pretense of attending a party. Fish kidnapped, tortured, and ultimately killed her. He later admitted to cannibalizing her remains. His detailed confession, sent in a letter to the Budd family, helped lead to his capture.

2. Francis McDonnell – 8 years old. Killed in 1929. McDonnell was playing near his home on Staten Island. - Witnesses saw Fish leading him into the woods. His body was found later that night, showing signs of strangulation and severe beating. Fish later confessed to this murder while in custody.

3. Billy Gaffney – 4 years old. killed in 1927. Gaffney disappeared while playing in Brooklyn. Another child, who was playing with him, described "an old man with a gray mustache" taking him. Fish later admitted to torturing and killing the boy, describing gruesome details of the murder.

Estimates and Speculation

Fish claimed to have molested and harmed over 100 children, though many of these claims remain unverified. He wrote letters to police and victims’ families, describing acts of torture, murder, and cannibalism. However, given the lack of forensic evidence from the time, it is difficult to determine how many victims he truly had.