Bloody Benders Serial Killer Family

The Bloody Benders, considered America’s first known serial killer family, operated a small inn and store near Cherryvale, Kansas, in the 1870s. The family lured travelers into their establishment, seated them behind a curtain, and then struck them with a hammer and slit their throats before burying the bodies on the property. Investigators later discovered that the group had murdered at least 11 victims using this method. Before authorities uncovered the crimes, the family fled Kansas, disappearing without a confirmed capture.

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