How Aileen Wuornos Became the 'Queen of the Serial Killers'

Key takeaways:

Aileen Wuornos wasn’t actually “America’s first female serial killer.”

Wuornos’ crimes defied typical female killer patterns, sparking public fascination and a trial that cemented her femme fatale image.

Netflix’s new documentary, Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers , e xplores her life and crimes.

Although only a fraction of documented serial killers are women— around 12 to 15 percent , according to George Mason University—infamous figures such as Belle Gunness ; the “Giggling Granny,” Nanny Doss; and Jane Toppan have left deadly legacies rivaling their male counterparts for more than a century.

So why was Aileen Wuornos falsely labeled “America’s first female serial killer” following her 1991 arrest?

A new Netflix documentary explores how Wuornos’ widely-p