"AMERICA'S FIRST FEMALE SERIAL KILLER: AILEEN WUORNOS' CHILDHOOD FROM HELL & SEVEN DEAD MEN - PART 1"

0:03 Calarogus Shark Media. Good morning, I'm Red Carter. Saturday, November eighth, twenty twenty five. January ninth, nineteen ninety one, Port Orange, Florida, the last resort biker bar. Two thirty in the afternoon. A blond woman in her mid thirties leans over the pool table, denim jacket, cigarette dangling from her lips, shooting pool with bikers who know her as Lee. She's there every day, drinks beer, plays pool. Nobody asks questions. Two men approach, plain clothes but clearly cops. Everyone in the bar can tell Laurie Grody. The blonde woman looks up, freezes for half a second, then bolts for the door.

0:51 She doesn't make it. Officers tackle her in the parking lot, face down on the pavement, cuffs clicking shut. I'm not Laura Grody, she says. My name is Aileen Warnos, and I know what this is about. You think I killed those men. The officers look at each other. They weren't sure until that moment, but now they know they've got her. Aileen Carol Warnos, thirty four years old, highway prostitute and, according to Florida law enforcement, the most prolific female serial killer in American history. Seven men dead in thirteen months, all middle aged, all white, All picked her up along Interstate seventy five thinking they were hiring a prostitute. All shot multiple times with a point two two caliber pistol, All robbed, bodies dumped in the woods like garbage. But here's what makes this case different from every serial killer we've covered on this show. Aileen Warnos claimed the first killing was self defense, that Richard Mallory raped her, beat her, threatened to kill kill her, that she shot him to save her own life. And here's the uncomfortable truth. Richard Mallory had served ten years in prison for attempted rape.

2:09 So maybe she was telling the truth. Maybe the first killing was justified. But then she kept killing six more men execution style, for their money, for their cars, for whatever they had in their wallets. So what is Aileen Warnos victim who became predator, serial killer who weaponized the self defense narrative or both. Netflix just dropped a new documentary, Aileen Queen of the serial Killers. America's obsessed with her again. The damaged woman who killed men for a living, The highway hooker who became a killer, the first woman to hunt like male serial killers hunt. But nobody's telling you the real story. How a child was raped at seven years old, pregnant at fourteen, homeless at fifteen, living in the Michigan woods and subsers row temperatures, and not a single person, not child protective services, not teachers, not police, not anybody helped her. So she grew up, started selling the only thing she had, her body on highways across America.

3:13 And when John started getting violent, and they always get violent with prostitutes, she started shooting back. I'm Reed Carter today. The making of America's first female serial killer. How the system failed Aileen Warnos at every level, How she fell in love with the only person who ever made her feel human, and how between November nineteen eighty nine and November nineteen ninety seven men picked up the wrong hitchhiker on Interstate seventy five, Part one of two. This is Celebrity Trials. February twenty ninth, nineteen fifty six. Leap Year, Rochester, Michigan.

3:58 Aileen Carol Pittman was born born to Diane Warnos, who was fifteen years old fifteen a child, having a child. The father Leo Dale Pittman never met his daughter, couldn't. He was in prison, diagnosed schizophrenic, convicted child molest her. When Aileen was thirteen years old, Leo hanged himself in prison. That's her biological father, a child molesting schizophrenic who killed himself before she ever knew him. When Aileen was four years old, Diane abandoned her, just left, walked away from her two kids, Aileen and her older brother, Keith, and never came back. Your tax dollars at work. A fifteen year old girl has babies, can't handle them, and the system does nothing until she abandons them. Aileen's maternal grandparents, Laurie and Britta Warnos, adopted the children, raised them in Troy, Michigan, gave them the Warnos surname. But that's where any kindness ended.

4:58 Laurie Warnos was a violent alcohol beat The children regularly used a belt, fists, whatever was handy. Aileen later said he was meaner than hell, called her stupid, worthless, told her she'd never amount to anything. Britta Warnos was also an alcoholic, died of liver failure when Aileen was fourteen. Just gave up, drank herself to death while her granddaughter was being raped in the woods behind their house. Because that's what was happening. Starting at age seven, Aileen Warnos was being sexually abused. She claimed it was her grandfather, Later she said it was neighborhood boys. Doesn't matter who. What matters is that a seven year old child was being raped repeatedly and nobody stopped it. By age eleven, Aileen was trading sexual favors for cigarettes, drugs, and food.

5:48 Eleven years old. Let me say that again, eleven years old, trading sex to survive, to get what she needed because the adults in her life weren't providing for her. Make it make sense. A child is being raped, trading her body for basic necessities? And where are child protective services? Where are teachers? Where are neighbors who must have seen something? Where is anybody? Age fourteen Spring nineteen seventy, Aileen was raped again. This time she got pregnant. Fourteen years old and pregnant from rape. Her grandfather found out threw her out of the house. She was homeless, four months pregnant, fourteen years old, living in the woods behind her family's home.

6:33 Picture this Troy, Michigan winter temperatures dropping below zero. A fourteen year old pregnant girl sleeping in abandoned cars in the woods, in any shelter she could find, prostituting herself to survive, because that's the only skill anyone ever taught her. March twenty third, nineteen seventy one, Aileen gave birth in a Detroit maternity home. Baby boy immediately given up for adoption. She never had held him, never saw him. Nine months of pregnancy at fourteen years old, and the baby was just taken. She went back to the streets. Two weeks after giving birth, her grandmother, Brita, died liver failure from alcoholism.

7:14 Aileen wasn't allowed at the funeral. Her grandfather still refused to let her come home, so she kept living in the woods, kept prostituting, kept surviving the only way she knew how. Age fifteen, her grandfather relented let her move back home, but it didn't last. He was still violent, still abusive, still told her she was worthless. Within months, he threw her out again, this time permanently. Your tax dollars at work. A fifteen year old rape victim forced into prostitution, abandoned by every adult who should have protected her, and the system did absolutely nothing. Aileen warn Us was failed at every level by her parents, by her grandparents, by child protective services, by schools, by police, by everyone.

8:02 She started hitchhiking Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, wherever the road took her, sleeping in cars, motels when she could afford them, truck stops, rest areas, trading sex for money, food, shelter rides to the next town. Age eighteen, nineteen seventy four, her brother Keith died throat cancer, twenty one years old. He was the only family member who ever showed her kindness. Life insurance paid out ten thousand dollars. Aileen inherited it. Finally had money, finally had a chance to start over. She blew through it in two months, bought a car, clothes, drugs, alcohol, partied, gave money away. Had no concept of saving or planning because nobody ever taught her, nobody ever showed her how to function as an adult. By the end of nineteen seventy four, she was broke again, back on the streets, back to a prostitution. May nineteen seventy six, Aileen, twenty years old, married sixty nine year old Lewis Fell. He was president of a yacht club, had money. She thought, maybe this was her ticket out. Maybe this rich old man would take care of her. It lasted nine weeks.

9:17 Aileen beat him with his own cane during an argument. Fell filed for an nullment, said she was violent, unpredictable, impossible to live with. The marriage was dissolved. She was back on the streets by August. The pattern was set. Aileen Warnos drifted across America, arrests for drunk driving, disorderly conduct, assault, firing a pistol from a moving vehicle. Nothing stuck, nothing stopped her. She just kept moving. By the mid nineteen eighties, she'd settled in Florida, Daytona Beach area. Worked the highways as a prostitute. Interstate four, Interstate seventy five, Highway one. Stood on the side of the road with her thumb out, got into cars with stra men, did whatever they paid for, then moved on to the next one. Some johns were decent, some were violent. Some beat her, some robbed her, some raped her. That's the reality of sex work. You're the most vulnerable person in every transaction. No legal protection, no recourse.

10:19 If a john decides to hurt you, You're on your own. And for years Aileen survived it, got beaten up, got robbed, got raped, got arrested, got released, just kept going because what else was there. Then in June nineteen eighty six, everything changed. She met someone who made her feel human, someone who made her feel loved, someone who would ultimately betray her completely. But for four years, Tyria Moore was the only good thing in Aileen Warnos's life. June nineteen eighty six, Zodiac Bar in South daytona beach gay bar. Aileen, thirty years old, was drinking alone, celebrating she'd just gotten five thousand dollars in an insurance settlement from a car accident, finally had money again, was buying drinks for everyone. Tiria Moore walked in, twenty four years old, hotel made originally from Ohio, came to Florida looking for something different, something better.

11:29 They locked eyes across the bar, both lesbians, both outcasts, both broke well. Tyria was broke, Aileen had money for the first time in months. They talked for hours, drank together, played pool. By the end of the night, they went home together. By the end of the week, they'd moved in together. Aileen called Tyria Tie. Tyria called Aileen Lee. They were inseparable. Aileen said Tyria was the first person who ever made her feel truly loved, the first person who looked at her and saw something worth caring about. Tyria was soft spoken, passive, let Aileen make all the decisions, didn't work much, was content to stay home, watch TV, take care of their apartment while Aileen worked, and work meant prostitution. Tyria knew what Aileen did. Knew she was out on Interstate seventy five every day, knew she was getting into cars with strange men. Knew exactly how rent was being paid, how food was being bought, how their life was being funded. But Tyria never worked, never contributed, just stayed home and waited for Aileen to come back with money. The relationship was toxic from the start. Aileen was possessive, jealous, violent when she drank, which was constantly.

12:46 They fought through things, screamed at each other, broke up and got back together a dozen times. But Aileen was devoted, completely obsessively devoted. Tyria was the only person in her entire thirty year life who had ever made her feel wanted, made her feel like she mattered, made her feel like she wasn't just trash to be used and thrown away. So Aileen kept working the highways, kept getting into cars with strangers, kept taking whatever abuse came with the job, because it kept Tiia happy, kept them fed, kept them together. The johns got more violent. Florida highways in the late nineteen eighties were dangerous for prostitutes, serial killers targeting sex workers.

13:29 Green River Killer in Washington, Gary Ridgway, murdered forty nine women, most of them prostitutes, and nobody cared because society doesn't care when prostitutes die. Aileen knew the risks. Every prostitute knew. You get in a car, you're gambling with your life. Most johns are fine, some are rough, some are violent, and some want to kill you. Aileen carried a gun, a twenty two caliber pistol, small, easy to conceal. She told herself it was for protection. If a john got violent, she could defend herself, make him stop, get away. For years, she never used it, just kept it in her bag, a comfort, a backup plan, a way to feel like she had some control. Then November thirtieth, nineteen eighty nine, she picked up Richard Mallory and everything changed. Interstate seventy five, near Daytona Beach. Aileen Warnos, thirty three years old, standing on the side of the highway with her thumb out a white nineteen seventy seven Cadillac pulled over driver Richard Mallory, fifty one years old, owned an electronics repair shop in clear Water, heavy drinker, criminal record, But Aileen didn't know that.

14:41 Just saw a middle aged white guy in a nice car, another John. She got in. They negotiated fifty dollars. He'd drive to a secluded area, they'd have sex, then he'd drive her back standard transaction. Mallory drove to a remote dirt road in Vlusha County, isolated woods on both sides, nobody around. What happened next depends on who you believe Aileen's version. Mallory became violent, raped her, beat her, tied her to the steering wheel with her own belt, sodomized her, said he was going to kill her. When he was done, she managed to get her gun from her bag, shot him self defense life or death, him or her. The physical evidence Richard Mallory was shot three times with a point two two caliber pistol, once in the left shoulder, once in the chest, once in the neck. At least one shot was fired while he was moving away from her, possibly trying to flee the crime scene. Malory's body was found two weeks later, December thirteenth, in the woods off I seventy five, partially decomposed, covered with a piece of carpet.

15:51 His Cadillac was gone, his wallet was gone. His belongings were pawned at shops in Daytona Beach. Here's what the jury never heard at trial didn't find out until years later. Richard Mallory served ten years in prison for attempted rape nineteen fifty seven conviction in Maryland. He violently assaulted a woman, threatened to kill her, tried to rape her, spent a decade in prison. So when Aileen Warnos said he raped her, when she said he became violent when she said she thought he was going to kill her, maybe she was telling the truth. Maybe this was legitimate self defense. A convicted rapist picked up a prostitute and tried to rape her again. But here's the problem. After killing Richard Mallory, Aileen Warnos didn't stop, didn't turn herself in, didn't go to police, didn't claim self defense. Immediately, she took his car, sold his belongings, went home to Tyria with money and a wild story about killing a john. And then she kept killing. May nineteenth, nineteen ninety, six months after Mallory, Aileen picked up David Spears on Interstate seventy five, forty three years old construction worker from Sarasota. Body found June first in Citrus County, shot six times with a twenty two pistol, naked, covered with a piece of carpet, same mo as Mallory. His pickup truck was missing, found later abandoned.

17:16 Aileen had driven it around for a week before dumping it. David Spears should be seventy eight years old today, should have retired from construction, should have grandchildren. Instead, he's buried in Sarasota because he picked up the wrong hitchhiker. June first, nineteen ninety one, day after Spears's body was found, Aileen killed again. Charles Carscadden, forty years old, part time rodeo worker from Boonville, Missouri, passing through Florida, saw a blonde woman with her thumb out, stopped to help body found June sixth in Pascoe County. Shot nine times. Nine bullets matched the Mallory in Spears killings, Same gun, same killer.

17:59 Charles Carscadden sh should be seventy five years old today, should be watching rodeos, should be telling stories about his traveling days. Instead, he died on the side of I seventy five because he tried to help a woman who seemed like she needed a ride. June seventh, nineteen ninety, the day after Carskadden's body was found, Peter Seems left his home in Jupiter, Florida. Sixty five years old, retired merchant seaman did missionary work Christian man, driving to visit his daughter in Arkansas. Never arrived. His car, a nineteen eighty eight Pontiac Sunbird, was spotted July fourth, crashed and abandoned near Orange Springs. Two women were seen fleeing the scene.

18:42 Both matched descriptions of Aileen and Tyria. One witness said the blonde woman had a bloody arm was acting erratic. Peter Seems's body was never found, never recovered. His family had no closure, no grave, just gone. Police suspect Aileen shot him dumped his body somewhere. It would never be discovered. Kept driving his car until the crash, then fled. Peter Seems should be ninety nine years old today, would have celebrated his hundredth birthday next year. Would have lived to see his great grandchildren. Instead, he's somewhere in Florida, buried in an unmarked grave because he stopped to pick up a hitchhiker. July fourth, nineteen ninety Independence Day. Troy Burris, fifty years old, sausage salesman from Okalla making deliveries, saw a woman hitchhiking, stopped, body found July thirty first in Marion County, shot twice. His delivery truck found abandoned, sausage products left in the summer heat, spoiled, ruined. Troy Burris should be eighty five years old today, should have retired, should be grilling those sausages at family barbecue. Use Instead, his family spent Independence Day this year remembering the holiday.

20:05 Their father died September eleventh, nineteen ninety. Dick Humphreys fifty six years old, retired Air Force major, former Suwannee County Police chief, Alabama native, married, driving on I seventy five near Okayla, picked up Aileen body found the next day, shot seven times. His badge was stolen, his handcuffs taken, his police identification gone. Aileen pawned them. Dick Humphreys served his country, served his community, spent his career protecting people, and he died because he picked up a woman on the highway and she executed him for his badge and whatever cash he had in his wallet. Dick Humphreys should be ninety one years old today. Should have watched his grandchildren graduate college. Should be telling war stories. Rest in peace, Dick.

20:57 November nineteenth, nineteen ninety, exactly one year after the Mallory killing. Walter Jeno Antonio, sixty years old, reserved police officer for Brevard County, married, drove a truck for cash transactions. Found his body November twenty fourth, five days later in a remote area northwest of Cross City, shot four times. His truck was missing, his police uniform stolen. It was his wife's birthday November nineteenth. Walter Antonio spent his wife's birthday getting murdered by Aileen Warnos. Walter Antonio should be ninety five years old today. Should have celebrated fifty plus more birthdays with his wife. Should have retired peacefully rest in peace.

21:40 Walter Seven men, Richard Mallory, David Spears, Charles Carskadden, Peter Siems, Troy Burris, Dick Humphreys, Walter Antonio thirteen months November nineteen eighty nine to November nineteen ninety, all middle aged white men, all picked up Aileen Warnos hitchhiking on Florida highways. All shot multiple times with the same twenty two caliber pistol, All robbed, all stripped of belongings, all dumped in the woods like garbage. The pattern was obvious. By mid nineteen ninety. Florida law enforcement knew they had a serial killer, but they didn't know who. Didn't have a name, just knew someone was killing John's long eye seventy five. Then Aileen made the mistake every criminal makes. She was smart enough to kill seven men, too stupid to realize you can't pawn stolen property using your real ID. December nineteen ninety, Marion County Sheriff's Office formed a task force seven murders.

22:40 Clear pattern had to be connected. They reviewed pawnshop records. Florida law requires identification for pawning anything, name, address, thumbprint, and there it was multiple items from multiple victims, all pawned by the same two women, Lori Grody and Susan blahovech fake names, but the addresses led back to Tyria Moore and Aileen Warnos. Police pulled surveillance footage from pawnshops, got clear images composite sketches, released them to media, asked for tips. Someone recognized them, said they hung out at the Last Resort bar in Port Orange. Meanwhile, Tyria realized the walls were closing. In December nineteen ninety she fled to Pennsylvania, stayed with her sister, called Aileen. The copsnow, Lee, they know about the murders. I can't do this any more.

23:32 I'm scared. Aileen stayed in Florida, nowhere else to go, kept going to the last resort, kept drinking, kept playing pool, waiting for the inevitable. January ninth, nineteen ninety one, two undercover officers walked into the last resort, spotted Aileen approached, used the fake name from the pawn records, Laurie Grodie. She ran, They caught her and Aleen Warnos's killing spree was over, but the nightmare for Tyria Moore had just begun because police were about to offer her a deal, and Tyria Moore was about to betray the only person who ever loved her. That's part one of our Aleen Warnos Special. Seven men dead, thirteen months of murder, a woman who claimed the first killing was self defense, then couldn't stop killing, or wouldn't stop, or maybe by that point it didn't matter anymore. She'd crossed a line she couldn't uncross. Were all seven victims innocent? No, Richard Mallory was a convicted rapist. The others were John's men, soliciting illegal prostitution. Some may have been violent with other prostitutes, some may have had criminal records. But they were also fathers, husbands, sons, veterans, workers, people with families who loved them. People who got into their cars one day to drive somewhere and never came

25:02 home because they stopped to pick up Aileen Warnos. Richard Mallory fifty one, David Spears forty three, Charles Carscadden forty, Peter Siems sixty five, Troy Burris fifty, Dick Humphreys fifty six, Walter Antonio sixty Rest in peace, and Aileen Warnos thirty four, arrested at a biker bar facing seven counts of first degree murder, Florida seeking death penalty on all counts. Tomorrow Part two, The confession, the betrayal by Tiria Moore, the trial, the self defense argument that failed, death row, and October ninth, two thousand and two, the day Florida executed a woman who was raped as a child, abandoned by everyone, and driven insane by trauma. Was Aileen Warnos a victim? Yes?

25:53 Was she a serial killer? Also? Yes? Both things can be true, And tomorrow will talk about what happens when the criminal justice system decides which truth matters more. Someone has to say their names, all of them, the seven men who died and the woman who killed them. I'm Red Carter. This is celebrity trials.