Aileen Wuornos notoriously killed seven men across central Florida between 1989 and 1990, finding herself the center of a high-profile case before she was found guilty and executed in 2002.
Before Wuornos’ story is depicted in Netflix’s Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers, Life & Style breaks down everything to know about her crimes and the documentary.
What Crimes Did Aileen Wuornos Commit?
Following a difficult upbringing, Wuornos turned to a life of crime and became a prostitute. In addition to killing seven men over the course of one year, Wuornos robbed all of the victims and stole their cars, according to Capital Punishment in Context.
She was arrested in connection with the murders in 1991 after a multi-state investigation. She ultimately admitted to committing the murders. However, she said they were in self-defense and claimed that her victims either raped her or attempted to rape her, according to Deadline.
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All of Wuornos’ victims were motorists, ranging from the ages of 40 and 65 years old.
Wuornos was sentenced to death for six of the murders during a 1992 trial. Ten years later, she was executed in 2002 after she spent a decade on Florida’s death row.
Her story was previously depicted in the 2003 film Monster, in which Charlize Theron portrayed Wuornos from her first murder to her eventual execution. Theron won the Academy Award for best actress for her performance in the movie.
What Is ‘Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers’ About?
The Emily Turner-directed documentary reexamines Wuornos’ life and crimes nearly 40 years after she committed the infamous murders, according to Netflix’s Tudum.
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The documentary features audio interviews with people who personally knew Wuornos, as well as archival footage from former Dateline correspondent Michele Gillen about the case. Additionally, viewers will get to hear from Wuornos through interviews she did while in prison.
Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers is produced by the BBC Studios Documentary Unit in collaboration with NBC News Studios.
When Does ‘Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers’ Premiere?
Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers premieres on Netflix on Thursday, October 30.
