Span of killings 1946–1947 Other names The Deathmaker | Name Rudolf Pleil Victims 10-25 Date apprehended April 1947 | |
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Born July 7, 1924 Germany Died February 18, 1958, West Germany | ||
Similar Stephan Letter, Marianne Nölle, Anna Maria Zwanziger, Carl Großmann, Christine Malèvre, Frank Gust | ||
Rudolf Pleil (July 7, 1924 – February 18, 1958) was a German serial killer known as "The Deathmaker". He was convicted of killing a salesman and nine women. He claimed to have killed 25 people.
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Biography
Pleil was born on July 7, 1924 in Germany.
Pleil worked as a border guard after the war and would encounter women who were trying to flee into West Germany from East Germany. For a while Pleil had two accomplices, Karl Hoffmann and Konrad Schüßler, who would help trap the victims. He had an argument with one accomplice after he insisted on decapitating the victim, which Pleil found disgusting. He used various weapons, including hatchets, knives, hammers or stones. Pleil was arrested after murdering a merchant with an axe but was only sentenced to twelve years in prison as it was seen as an impulsiveness act. While in prison, a woman that Pleil had left for dead came forward and told of her encounter with him, which helped to uncover the other murders.
Pleil was sentenced to life in prison in 1950. Pleil committed suicide by hanging himself in prison on February 18, 1958. His accomplices were also charged with crimes, including being an accessory to murder.