Pretty privilege is real, and we all know it can help people get ahead in life.
But it turns out that one can commit multiple murders, and some people will still make excuses for them just because they’re physically attractive!
The history of public reactions to attractive serial killers is a case study in lacking self-awareness.
You must have heard of those fangirls who wrote love letters and even married convicted murderers!
Here are 6 monsters people tried to excuse because they’re hot.
1. Ted Bundy
Ted Bundy is the OG serial killer people made excuses for because they found him attractive.
He confessed to the murders of thirty women in the 1970s, although it is believed that the real number was even higher.
Bundy knew very well how he came across to people, often using his charm to approach potential victims.
He was also educated and articulate, and it often seemed like these positive traits always became a part of the conversations about him when they didn’t need to be.
Hordes of young women expressed their adoration for this killer who specifically targeted women. Courthouse observers even noted that his trial looked like a fan event.
In the middle of the trial, one woman even married him!
Even after his execution in 1989, the fascination and the excuses didn’t stop.
Bundy’s victims, women who left mourning parents, husbands, and children behind, got a lot less screen time.
2. Richard Ramirez
In 1984 and 1985, Richard Ramirez terrorized California.
He frequently broke into homes, murdered at least thirteen people, and abused grown-ups and children.
Unlike most serial killers, it didn’t seem like Ramirez had a Modus operandi. His crimes were completely random and brutal.
But upon his arrest, many women paid more attention to things like his height and hair, and made excuses for his monstrous actions.
Yes, Richard Ramirez had a terrible childhood, but does that excuse thirteen murders?
In prison, he received more fan mail than many celebrities and was frequently approached by women who wanted to meet him.
In 1996, he married a woman named Doreen Lioy, who described their wedding as the happiest day of her life.
When he died of cancer in 2013, some people online genuinely grieved.
3. Charles Sobhraj
Charles Sobhraj managed to evade justice for years while he kept killing, all thanks to his appearance and charm.
In the 1970s, all across Thailand, Nepal, and India, Charles preyed on tourists, killing at least a dozen of them. He would poison and rob them.
He was handsome and sofisticato, and spoke multiple languages. This led many people to try to befriend him instead of being wary of a stranger.
He escaped from prison in India in 1986 and was eventually rearrested in Nepal in 2003.
A Netflix series called The Serpent dramatized his crimes in 2021.
A tragic number of people came out of the woodwork to make excuses and show sympathy for his character.
Tahar Rahim, who played Charles, is very good-looking, which seemingly made some viewers lose the plot.
4. Kim So-Young
Kim So-Young is a South Korean woman whom the internet dubbed the “motel serial killer.”
She frequented bars and used dating apps to meet new men, often initiating dates herself. So-Young’s profile features beautiful pictures that made her irresistible to many men.
She would go on dates, eat huge portions of food on the men’s dime, then insist they go to her motel room to hang out.
She’s responsible for at least two murders, which she committed by dissolving random anti-depressants and sleeping pills into a drink that she would offer the men.
All of this went down in 2025 and 2026.
Her case got a lot of attention because, you guessed it, people found her pretty.
Kim So-Young’s childhood also wasn’t easy, so her fanboys rushed to make excuses.
All of this insanity went on until her mugshots came out, and they realized she’s not as pretty as her edited pictures show.
So, So-Young lost her fans, not because she’s a cold-hearted killer, but because she’s not as hot as they thought!
5. Wade Wilson
Wade Wilson murdered two women in Florida in October 2019, and was sentenced to death in 2024.
Most people know him from the Netflix documentary called Worst Ex Ever, where the women who survived a relationship with Wade tell their stories.
Wade used his charm, height, and emotional manipulation to get women to trust him and move into their homes.
His surviving victims describe a gradual shift in his character, where he slowly stopped pretending to be a nice guy and eventually turned into an unhinged assailant.
Once Wade committed the two murders, he got high on the feelings and created himself an identity around it. He even called his dad to brag! Can anyone excuse that?
Apparently, yes.
Numerous women recorded TikToks where they thirsted for Wade, and even the phrase “the Teds are winning” started trending online.
6. Mikhail Popkov
Mikhail Popkov is one of Russia’s most prolific serial killers. He was convicted of murdering at least eighty-three women in the 90s and 2000s!
The Russian media nicknamed him “The Werewolf,” and sadly, they weren’t overstating it.
Mikhail was a policeman, which he used to make his victims feel safe before attacking them. He often offered women rides at night, and they trusted him because of his badge.
Though no one could excuse any of his deeds, the media still paid too much attention to his aspetto, claiming that he was presentable and elegant.
Because of this coverage, he’s often compared to Bundy and Richard Ramirez.
A little Aquarius, devoted to writing and embroidery. Through my writing, I hope to empower readers to align with their true selves and navigate life’s mysteries with confidence.