
Monday Apr 20, 2026
S11 E21 - Aileen Wuornos - Victim, Killer, or Both?
Michigan-born serial killer Aileen Wuornos is often remembered as one of the most infamous female killers in American history—but her story is far more complex than headlines suggest.
In this episode of Malice in the Mitten, we take a deep, unflinching look at Wuornos’ life—from a childhood marked by abandonment, abuse, and survival… to the Florida highway murders that shocked the nation.
Was Aileen Wuornos a calculated predator… or a woman shaped by trauma who killed in self defense?
We examine the victims, the investigation, the controversial role of Tyria Moore, and the psychological patterns that continue to divide experts today.
This is not a story of excuses. This is a story of understanding.
#MaliceInTheMitten #AileenWuornos #TrueCrime #SerialKiller #FemaleSerialKiller
This episode was co-written by Tracy Preston and Rebecca Hiers.
Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan
Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Sources:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/135451830/leo_arthur-pittman
https://www.grunge.com/342800/the-true-story-of-serial-killer-aileen-wuornos/
https://archive.org/details/onkillingday00kenn/page/24/mode/2up?q=keith
https://www.aetv.com/articles/aileen-wuornos
https://people.com/who-is-aileen-wuornos-adoptive-mom-11842322
https://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/crime-files/aileen-wuornos
Douglas, John, and Mark Olshaker. Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit. Scribner, 1995.
Russell, Sue. Lethal Intent: The Shocking True Story of One of America’s Most Notorious Female Serial Killers. Pinnacle Books, 2001.
Berry-Dee, Christopher. Talking with Serial Killers: The Most Evil People in the World Tell Their Own Stories. John Blake Publishing, 2007.
Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers. Netflix, 2021.
Federal Bureau of Investigation. “Serial Murder.” FBI.gov.
Biography. “Aileen Wuornos Biography.”
Court TV. “The Trials of Aileen Wuornos.”
The New York Times. Coverage of the Aileen Wuornos case (1991–2002).
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