CLEVELAND — Everyone seems to be binging on documentaries about real-life horror stories these days. But you don't have to go far to discover grisly crimes that seem too awful to be true. Northeast Ohio has been home to a number of serial killers.
For background, the FBI defines serial murder as "the unlawful killing of two or more victims by the same offender in separate events."
Torso Murders
The Torso Murders wreaked havoc across Cleveland in the 1930s.
The first victim is believed to have been found in September 1934, with the last being found in August 1938.
The killer's signature was removing the head from the body.
According to author James Badal, there were 12 murders committed — six men and six women.
Of the official 12 victims, only two were positively identified: Edward Andrassy and Florence Polillo.
"The only reason they were identified was because they had police records," Badal said.
Badal believes that victim No. 11 wasn't an actual victim.
"She was a body that had already been embalmed. I suspect the murderer had access to it and spread the pieces around just to fool the police," Badal said.
No arrests were ever made.
If you're interested in learning more about this case, the Cleveland Police Museum has an extensive exhibit.
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Samuel Little
According to the FBI, Samuel Little has confessed to 93 murders, including a few in Northeast Ohio. Authorities said he has been matched to 50 cases with 43 cases still pending confirmation.
Little told investigators that he strangled Roberta Tandarich in September of 1991 and dumped her in a wooded area of Firestone Metro Park. She was found a few weeks later by a man walking in the woods.
The body of the 34-year-old mother was badly decomposed, and a cause of death wasn't determined. Based on the information provided by Little, Akron detectives plan to meet with the Summit County Medical Examiner to re-examine the case.
RELATED: Notorious serial killer, Samuel Little, confesses to strangling Akron woman in 1991
Edward Edwards
Edward Edwards grew up in Akron in the 1930s before moving to Doylestown from 1974-1978.
Police said Edwards killed William ''Billy'' Lavaco, 21, of Doylestown and his girlfriend Judith Straub, 18, of Sterling, in August 1977, according to News 5's media partners at the Akron Beacon Journal.
He was also found guilty of killing two people in Wisconsin and admitted to killing his stepson Daniel Edwards in Geauga County in 1996.
Jeffrey Dahmer
One of America's most well-known serial killers, Jeffrey Dahmer might be associated with killing 16 in Milwaukee, but did you know that he grew up in Northeast Ohio?
Dahmer lived in the Akron area and attended Revere High School.
The bones of his first murder victim, Steven Hicks, were found scattered at Dahmer's childhood home in Akron. Dahmer admitted to Hicks' death after he was arrested for killing 16 men and boys in Milwaukee in the 1970s.
Robert Berdella
Most people know Robert Berdella as the Kansas City Butcher, but he's originally from Cuyahoga Falls.
Berdella moved to the Kanas City area when he was an adult.
In Kansas City, Berdella killed at least six people from 1984 to 1987.
He was sentenced to life in prison.
Anthony Sowell
Cleveland police were investigating a rape case in October 2009 when they searched Anthony Sowell's house and discovered two bodies. They eventually uncovered the remains of 11 women.
Sowell was convicted in 2011 and sentenced to death. He was also convicted of raping two other women and attempting to rape another.
RELATED: Anthony Sowell, Ohio man who killed 11 women, dies in prison
Michael Madison
Michael Madison killed three women in 2013.
The bodies of Shetisha Sheeley, Angela Deskins and Shirellda Terry were found in trash bags near the apartment building in East Cleveland where he lived in July 2013.
He told police during an interrogation that he strangled two of the women during fits of rage.
RELATED: Court: Michael Madison found guilty of 3 murders
Shawn Grate
Shawn Grate has confessed to killing five women in Richland, Ashland and Marion counties from 2006 until 2016.
He was tried and found guilty of killing Liz Griffith and Stacy Hicks and a jury recommended that he be sentenced to death.
Grate was able to identify a third victim, Dana Nicole Lowrey.
RELATED: Judge accepts jury's recommendation to sentence Shawn Grate to death
