Top 10 Scariest People of All Time

These are people whose gruesome deeds and chilling exploits have haunted the nightmares of countless generations. The names on this list represent chapters of human history where normality was overshadowed by the macabre, where the unspeakable became reality. Some may be notorious killers, their names synonymous with the sheer terror they've instilled in the hearts of many. Others might be dictators, their lust for power and control manifesting in horrendous acts of violence and oppression against entire populations.
The Top Ten
1 Jeffrey Dahmer Jeffrey Dahmer, also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal or the Milwaukee Monster, was an American serial killer and sex offender who killed and dismembered seventeen males between 1978 and 1991.

He was very open about his fantasies and espoused his twisted thoughts without reservation. When interviewed, he made it seem that he, in a way, was as much a victim of mental illness as his victims were. What he was, however, was a self-centered serial killer. Evil. Nothing more.

If he killed and ate a few more people, he'd be almost as bad as Bieber.

I had a dream I met this guy. He lived in my house!

2 Jack the Ripper Jack the Ripper was an unidentified serial killer active in and around the impoverished Whitechapel district of London, England, in 1888. The case has been described as the most famous unsolved murder case in American history.

A mysterious killer whose identity is unknown!

I'm quite interested, actually.

3 Albert Fish Albert Fish, also known as the Gray Man, the Werewolf of Wysteria, the Brooklyn Vampire, the Moon Maniac, and The Boogey Man, was an American murderer, suspected serial killer and body snatcher. He committed at least three child murders from July 1924 to June 1928.

Someone should make the list: Top Ten People Who Murder Children. And put this guy at No. 1.

A child rapist, murderer, and eater! You heard me correctly. He ATE poor children!

Oh geez I've heard of this guy. He would rape children, and then kill them, and then cannibalize them, and then wrote letters to the children's parents describing what their child tasted like. You gotta be real screwed up if that isn't the most disturbing thing you've ever heard...

4 Ted Bundy Ted Bundy was an American serial killer who kidnapped, raped and murdered dozens of young women and girls during the 1970s and possibly earlier. After more than a decade of denials, he confessed to 30 murders committed in seven states between 1974 and 1978.

When you think you trust a guy... But then that guy is actually a rapist and serial killer.

5 John Wayne Gacy John Wayne Gacy, also known as the Killer Clown, was an American serial killer and sex offender. Gacy's crimes, committed around his hometown of Plainfield, Wisconsin, gathered widespread notoriety in 1957 after authorities discovered that he had exhumed corpses from local graveyards and fashioned keepsakes from their bones and skin.

Named after John Wayne, a legendary actor.

An actual killer clown... That's creepy!

6 Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler was a German politician and leader of the Nazi Party who rose to power as Chancellor of Germany in 1933 and later Führer in 1934. He ruled Germany during World War II until his death in 1945.

If you are a Jew or one of those who were the "sub-humans" at the time, he is the scariest guy that you can think of, besides the Devil.

Nasty, evil bastard. Germany is different now, thank God.

Much more terrifying than people like Jack the Ripper.

7 The Zodiac Killer The Zodiac Killer is the pseudonym of an unidentified serial killer who operated in Northern California in the late 1960s. The case has been described as the most famous unsolved murder case in American history.

An unknown murderer who played tricks with the police with Zodiac codes!

8 Ed Gein Edward Theodore Gein, also known as the Butcher of Plainfield or the Plainfield Ghoul, was an American murderer and body snatcher. Gein's crimes were committed around his hometown of Plainfield, Wisconsin.

He cut off people's skin and wore it because he wanted a woman suit. John Wayne Gacy looked scary as hell, and Jeffrey Dahmer committed disgusting acts, but Ed Gein was uniquely horrible.

The man who used body parts for costumes.

The inspiration for Norman Bates, Buffalo Bill, and Leatherface.

9 Osama Bin Laden Osama bin Laden was a terrorist and founder of al Qaeda who killed thousands of innocent men, women, and children before his death in 2011. He was responsible for many deadly acts of terrorism including the September 11 attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center.
10 Vlad the Impaler Vlad III, or Vlad the Impaler as he is widely known, was a prince of Wallachia (now in Romania) whose cruel methods of punishing his enemies gained notoriety in 15th-century Europe. Some believe that Bram Stoker’s Dracula character was based on Vlad.
The Contenders
11 Leonard Lake Leonard Lake was an American serial killer who used a secluded cabin in Wilseyville, California to commit his crimes with accomplice Charles Ng. They are believed to have murdered between eleven to twenty-five people during their crime spree from June 1983 until their arrest in June 1985.
12 Charles Manson Charles Manson was an American criminal and cult leader who formed what became known as the Manson Family. His followers committed a series of nine murders at four locations in July and August 1969. Manson himself spent over four decades in prison before his death in 2017.
13 Per "Dead" Ohlin Per "Dead" Ohlin was a Swedish metal musician, best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. He was a popular figure in the Norwegian black metal scene, and his legacy continues to influence the genre. Tragically, Ohlin died by suicide in April 1991 at the age of 22.
14 Donald Trump Donald Trump is an American businessman and television personality who served as the 45th president of the United States from January 2017 to January 2021. Before his presidency, he was known for his real estate empire and his role on NBC's reality show "The Apprentice".

The only cause for terror is if he gets elected.

15 Joachim Kroll Joachim Kroll was a German serial killer and cannibal who murdered at least fourteen people between 1955 to 1976. Known as "The Ruhr Cannibal" (Ruhrkannibale) and "The Duisburg Man-Eater" (Duisburger Menschenfresser), he was arrested in July 1976 when police discovered body parts blocking the pipes of his apartment building.

Killed his victims, molested their bodies, then ate them. Pretty messed up stuff!

16 Joseph Stalin Joseph Stalin served as the secretary-general of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1953. He implemented policies that transformed the USSR into a global superpower, but his regime was also marked by repression and millions of lives lost. Stalin's influence on world history remains significant.

If you think about it, his iron-fisted rule extended over the largest country ever in history (excluding certain empires) for nearly 30 years, and he ordered the deaths of 20 million Soviets during purges like the aptly named Red Terror. He even has a terrifying mustache to go with it. Personally, I would say this man is in the top 5 for most terrifying humans to ever live.

We never learned about this freak in school...he's like Russian Hitler.

17 Richard Chase Richard Chase, also known as “The Vampire Killer of Sacramento,” was an American serial killer, cannibal, and necrophile who killed six people in 1977 and 1978. He was known for his brutal crimes, which included drinking his victims' blood and cannibalizing their remains. Chase's horrific acts continue to shock and disturb to this day.

Yes, Richard Chase drank people's blood. His nickname was "The Vampire of Sacramento."

The man who drank his victims' blood!?

18 Genghis Khan Genghis Khan was a Mongol ruler who united various Mongol tribes and founded the Mongol Empire, which later became the largest contiguous land empire in history. Known for his military prowess and strategic genius, Khan's conquests extended across Europe, China, and Asia. His impact on history is profound, with his legacy still evident in modern Mongolia and beyond.

You are right. He is a bloodthirsty villain. He always conquers.

Genghis, you are a bloodthirsty villain. And I am Asian-European.

19 Josef Mengele Josef Mengele was a Nazi doctor at Auschwitz extermination camp during World War II. He selected prisoners for execution in the gas chambers and conducted medical experiments on inmates in pseudoscientific racial studies. After the war, he escaped internment and went underground, ultimately settling in South America. Mengele's actions during the Holocaust remain a chilling reminder of human cruelty.

He did come up with the Holocaust and got Hitler to abide by it.

Also the focus of "Angel of Death" by Slayer.

Did unimaginable things to Jewish children.

20 Idi Amin Idi Amin was a military officer and president of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. His regime was noted for its brutality, earning him the nickname 'The Butcher of Uganda'. Amin came to power following a coup and was eventually forced out of office. His rule left a lasting scar on Uganda's history.

He's scary. He was 6'5 feet tall and he was a cannibal who ate people after he had them killed and kept their body parts in his fridge. Idi Amin, you scary!

21 Kim Jong-Un Kim Jong-Un is a North Korean political official who succeeded his father, Kim Jong Il, as leader of North Korea in 2011. His regime has been marked by ruthless consolidation of power and a sharp acceleration of North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Despite international criticism and sanctions, Kim Jong-Un remains a powerful figure on the global stage.

His country still practices public executions. Nothing can be scarier than that.

If you read Camp 14 and Every Falling Star, you'll know how brutal this dictator is.

He's the scariest person around today. I can't believe he wasn't on here.

22 Michael Jackson Michael Jackson, also known as the "King of Pop," was an American singer, songwriter, and dancer who became one of the most popular entertainers in the world in the early and mid-1980s. Despite his immense talent and success, Jackson's life was marred by controversy and legal troubles. His influence on music and pop culture continues to be felt today.

I like still like him. In the 1980s he was fine but now in the 2000s now he scares me.

23 Jerry Sandusky Jerry Sandusky is an American convicted serial child molester and retired college football coach. He served as an assistant coach at Pennsylvania State University under Joe Paterno from 1969 to 1999. In 2012, Sandusky was found guilty on 45 counts of child sexual abuse over a period from 1994 to 2009. He met his victims through The Second Mile charity organization he founded.
24 Josef Fritzl Josef Fritzl is an Austrian man who imprisoned his daughter, Elisabeth Fritzl, in a concealed basement dungeon beneath his family home in Amstetten, Austria, for 24 years. During this time, Fritzl repeatedly raped and sexually abused his daughter, resulting in the birth of seven children. He was arrested in 2008 and sentenced to life imprisonment.
25 Lee Harvey Oswald Lee Harvey Oswald is known as the man who assassinated John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, on November 22, 1963. Oswald denied responsibility for Kennedy's assassination claiming that he was a "patsy". Two days later Oswald himself was fatally shot by Jack Ruby on live television in Dallas Police Headquarters. The circumstances surrounding Kennedy's assassination continue to be a subject of debate and conspiracy theories.
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