6 – Juana Barraza (1957 – )
The ‘Old Lady Killer’ is the only living member of this list. The former professional wrestler murdered at least 11 women between the ages of 64 and 79, although some estimates go as high as 48 killings. Barraza was born in Epazoyucan, Mexico in 1957 and had a horrific upbringing. Her alcoholic mother apparently exchanged her for three beers, and the ‘buyer’ repeatedly raped her. She became pregnant after one of these sexual assaults and had four children in total.
As an adult, Barraza forged a career as a professional wrestler and had the name ‘The Silent Lady’ (La Dama del Silencio). She committed her first murder in the late 1990s (probably 1998) and embarked on her deadly spree until her arrest in January 2006. Barraza used to travel around public places and seek lonely elderly women. She gained their trust by either requesting a cleaning job or volunteering to help them with their shopping. For other murders, she pretended to be a nurse offering a free check up or a social worker looking to discuss elderly benefits.
Upon gaining access to their homes, Barraza proceeded to strangle her victims with tights, phone cables or a stethoscope she brought with her. After committing dozens of murders, she was finally apprehended on January 25, 2006. Barraza was seen leaving the home of Ana Maria de Los Reyes after strangling the woman with a stethoscope. Her trial took place in 2008, and she was found guilty on 16 charges including 11 separate murders.
Barraza was sentenced to 759 years in prison, but as sentences are served concurrently in Mexico, the maximum term is 60 years. Since Barraza was 50 years old at the time of sentencing, she will spend the rest of her life in prison. The exact number of murders committed by Barraza is unknown although she is linked to at least 32 deaths since 2003. Despite the evidence against her, Barraza has only admitted committing one murder; that of Reyes.