Let’s take a look at 3 of those killer families from history, their horrific crimes, and how justice was served (or evaded). Whilst some of the cases may be little more than folklore, all are suitably horrifying & interesting enough to dive into…
1. The Bender Family – The Bloody Benders (Perhaps America’s First Serial Killer Family)
In the early 1870s, a seemingly ordinary family running an inn along the Osage Trail in Kansas turned out to be one of America’s most terrifying killer families. The Bender family—likely consisting of John Bender Sr., his wife Elvira, son John Jr., and daughter Kate—lured travelers into their home, murdered them in cold blood, and disposed of their bodies in a grisly fashion. Their crimes shocked the nation and left behind a legacy of mystery and horror.
Estimates of their victims range from 11 to over 20, though the exact number remains unknown.
The Benders settled in Labette County, Kansas, in 1871, where they built a small cabin that doubled as an inn and general store. Located along a well-traveled road, the inn was a convenient stop for settlers, drifters, and salesmen passing through the frontier.
At first, the family appeared to be simple, if somewhat eccentric, settlers. Kate Bender, the daughter, claimed to be a spiritualist and healer, offering séances and medical treatments. But beneath this facade lay something far more sinister.
The Bender families killing technique was simple but brutal:
- Kate, who claimed psychic powers, lured guests to eat a meal at their inn
- While the victim ate, one of the Benders would strike them from behind with a hammer.
- The body was then dragged to the cellar, where their throats were slit to ensure death. The Benders would steal their money, horses, and belongings.
- The corpses were buried in the orchard or thrown into a nearby creek.
The end of the Bender families reign of terror?
The Benders’ reign of terror might have continued if not for the disappearance of Dr. William York in 1873. York, a well-respected physician, vanished while traveling near the Bender property. His brother, Colonel York, launched a search party that eventually led them to the Bender Inn.
By then, the family had already fled, but suspicious neighbors and law enforcement began digging around the property. What they found was horrifying:
- Multiple shallow graves containing mutilated bodies.
- Bloodstains on the floor and walls of the cabin.
- Personal belongings of missing travelers hidden in the house.
Punishment:
- Never caught. They fled before arrest—vanishing without a trace – Rumors placed them everywhere from Mexico to Europe.
2. The Sawney Bean Clan (Scotland’s Cannibal Killer Family)
Deep in the shadowy cliffs of Bennane Head, near the village of Ballantrae, Scotland, lies a cave that has chilled spines for centuries. According to legend, this was the lair of Sawney Bean, the patriarch of a cannibal family so depraved that their crimes defy belief.
For over 25 years in the late 1500s to early 1600s, the Bean clan allegedly ambushed, murdered, and ate over 1,000 travelers.
Born in East Lothian, Alexander “Sawney” Bean was said to be a failed farmer turned outlaw. After being banished for theft, he fled to the remote Bennane Cave with his wife, Agnes Douglas.
Cut off from society, the Beans allegedly turned to:
- Ambushing travelers under cover of darkness.
- Dismembering victims with axes and knives.
- Feasting on human flesh to survive.
Over time, their incestuous killer family grew to include 8 sons, 6 daughters, and 32 grandchildren — all raised in cannibalism.
The Bean families hunting methods were brutally efficient:
- Nighttime ambushes – They targeted lone wanderers or slow-moving groups.
- No witnesses – Entire families were slaughtered to avoid survivors.
- Pickled leftovers – Excess flesh was reportedly preserved in barrels.
For decades, travelers vanished along the coastal roads. Authorities suspected highwaymen (robbers), wild animals, and even supernatural forces. But no one imagined an entire cave-dwelling cannibal family.
The Beans’ downfall
The Beans’ downfall came when they ambushed a married couple returning from a fair. The husband fought back, allowing his wife to escape. She alerted the local magistrate, who called for a royal investigation.
King James VI (later James I of England) sent soldiers and tracking dogs to scour the coast. When they reached Bennane Cave, they found piles of human bones, jewelry and clothing from missing victims and mutilated body parts stored like food. The entire killer family was dragged to Edinburgh in chains and publicly tortured into confessions.
Punishment:
The Entire killer family, men, women, and children—were executed—dismembered alive or burned at the stake.
Fact or fiction, the legend of the Sawney Bean Clan has inspired:
- Movies: The Hills Have Eyes (1977), Sawney: Flesh of Man (2012)
- Books: Off Season (Jack Ketchum), The Family (Jeff Rovin)
- Tourism: Bennane Cave draws dark history enthusiasts.
3. The Harpe Brothers – Among America’s earliest serial killers
In late 18th Century, The Harpe brothers, Micajah “Big” Harpe and Wiley “Little” Harpe were among America’s earliest serial killers. Traveling through the frontier – Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, and Mississippi – they murdered travelers, often slitting their throats or crushing their skulls.
Estimates of their death toll range from 20 to over 40, though some historians believe they may have killed up to 100 people.
Born in the late 1700s in North Carolina, the Harpe brothers were raised in a turbulent time. Some accounts suggest they fought as British loyalists during the American Revolution, turning to banditry when the war ended. Others claim they were simply outlaws from the start.
What is certain is that by the 1790s, they had abandoned any semblance of lawful life. Traveling through Tennessee, Kentucky, and the Mississippi Territory, they began a killing spree unlike anything the frontier had seen.
Unlike typical bandits who robbed for survival, the Harpes apparently also killed for pleasure. They targeted travelers, farmers, Native Americans, women, and even children.
Their methods were savage:
- Bludgeoning victims with rocks or tomahawks
- Slitting throats or stabbing repeatedly
- Dismembering bodies and leaving them grotesquely displayed
Punishment:
- Big Harpe: Was captured and beheaded in 1799.
- Little Harpe: Was captured and hanged in 1804.
