30 Kidnap Victims Who Fell In Love With Their Captor

1. Jaycee Dugard felt like she was married to the man who kidnapped her

Image source/ intouchweeklyJaycee Dugard was just 11 years old when she was captured by an older man and was only found when she was 29. She was raped continuously during this time, and she fell pregnant and ended up having two children. One at just the age of 13 years old. When she was found she claimed that he was great with her kids and felt as though she was married to him.

2. Chloe Ayling, pledged to always sleep with her captor

Image source/ SkyNewsA recent kidnapping incident involved Chloe Ayling who is an Instagram model. She was captured by a gang called 'Black Death'. She was then held captive for 9 days where she was sold for sexual services to whoever bid the highest. But during this time, she admitted to getting close to her captor, sleeping in his bed and promising him that if she was released, they would continue to sleep with one another.

3. Mary McElroy killed herself when her captors were imprisoned

Image source/ nestheprintMary McElroy's case was one of the most well-known cases of Stockholm syndrome. She was the daughter of a wealthy judge, and she was kidnapped for a ransom and held captive for four days. But when they were arrested, she passionately campaigned for their release and when they were imprisoned, she struggled with guilt for years before killing herself.

4. Elizabeth Smart still empathises with her captors

Image source/ PinterestElizabeth Smart was involved in a horrendous situation when she was abducted whilst on a family visit to Salt Lake City. She was taken by a man to live with him, and his wife and she was raped repeatedly on a daily basis. Even when she had the chance for example when a policeman asked her, she kept it a secret. She now reflects and thinks she came to terms with her situation at the time and even to this day she empathises with her captors who abused her.

5. Natascha Kampusch grieved for her captor's death

Image source/ sickchirpseNatascha Kampusch from Austria was abducted at just ten years old by a middle-aged Austrian man. She was kept in awful conditions and made to do horrible things like clean the house half naked or bathe him. But, as time grew on, he would let her out into the yard unsupervised and she made no attempt to escape and when he killed himself, she publicly mourned the news of his death.

6. Patty Hearst partaking in a terror group

Image source/ NewYorkDailyNews19-year-old Patty Heart was unlawfully taken and abducted from college by a radical right wing terror group. She ended up being held captive for 19 months. Yet when she was there, she admitted to willingly partaking in activities such as robberies, radio broadcasts and even sexual relations with those in the group.

7. Yvonne Ridley converted by the Taliban

Image source/ YouTubeYvonne Ridley was a news journalist from Britain, and she wanted to gain entry into Afghanistan to do a journal report. She was denied and tried to sneak in by wearing a Burka. But members associated with the Taliban captured her and forced her to read the Taliban to be released. but by this time, she had totally converted to Islam.

8. The original 'Stockholm syndrome' story

Image source/ Allthat'sinterestingThere was bank robbery in Stockholm, Sweden when a man named Jan-Erik Olsson walked into a bank armed and took several bank employees/ customers captive. But, after some time had gone on the captors trusted their captor more than the police and their fear was actually directed towards to authorities instead.

9. Treated better by her captor

Image source/ youngisthanA woman in Mumbai was captured and kept hostage by a man. She had a husband and actually ended up choosing her captor over her husband. The reality of the sad situation is that her captor abuses her less than her husband did and so she refuses to let the authorities do anything to help her.

10. Tad Cummins and his underage lover, Elizabeth Thomas

Image source/ heavy.comTad Cummins was a schoolteacher who fell in love with his student Elizabeth Thomas who reciprocated the same feelings. They ran away together but because she was so young it was classed as kidnap instead. A huge search was conducted, and she was found in a cabin where it turned out she had willingly gone along with the plan.

11. Aisha Yerima returned to her kidnapper

Image source/ listverseAisha Yerima was captured by one of the most awful terror organisations in the world called Boko Haram. She was forced to be with one of its leaders. But, when she was eventually freed along with other women who had been captured and forced, she ended up returning willingly to him. She had heard he had captured another woman and felt jealous.

12. Frida Farrell was lured into a trap with a fake modelling job

Image source/ intouchweeklyFrida Farrell was offered a modelling job which was a guise for a gang kidnapping her and luring her into their country. Once they captured her, they would drug her until she was unconscious and gang rape her repeatedly. She now realises that she shows some empathy to them by trying to come up with reasons as to why they committed such heinous acts.

13. The Cleveland Kidnappings

Image source/ OrlandosentinelThe Cleveland Kidnappings involved three women being kidnapped by Ariel Castro and held hostage for many years. He would rape all three women frequently and beat them so badly that some of their facial features had to be reconstructed. The women faced pregnancies where he would beat them into having miscarriages. Only some were allowed to be born. But it turns out that they had a phone and never tried to escape, and all forgave him and expressed sadness when he died.

14. Held in a cellar

Image source/ extra.ieKampusch was captured at the age of 10 years old by a man in a white van and held for eight years in a cellar. The two of them had a facade of normality where they would eat together etc. but he frequently raped her and beat her and told her the doors were fitted with explosives so that she wouldn't escape. She eventually got out by answering his phone. Yet, years later she continued to carry a photo of him in her wallet.

15. Kamiyah Mobley and her fake mother Gloria Williams

Image source/ insideeditionKamiyah Mobley was taken from hospital when she was born, by her captor, Gloria Williams. She was given a false name and Gloria Williams went undetected for 18 years before being discovered. But Mobley was distraught at the fact the woman she now loved as a mother was being sent to jail.

16. Bride kidnapping

Image source/ CNNWife kidnapping is actually a scarily common practice in certain countries around the world. Men will capture their intended wife and force them. It is frightening to think that this actually still occurs to this day. The husband sometimes rapes his wife, making her fall pregnant so that she feels forced to marry him.

17. Colleen Stan held in a coffin

Image source/ TheMirrorColleen Stan was hitchhiking intending to travel a friend’s party. A couple stopped and offered a lift with a child in the back, luring her into a false sense of security. He then held a knife to her, took her to a deserted spot and raped her. She was then held captive for several years being held in a coffin for 23 hours a day and being released to be raped.

18. Shawn Hornbeck living alongside his kidnapper

Image source/ TheDailyJournalShawn Hornbeck was taken by a middle-aged man who had driven into him purposefully and then bundled him into the car. He was taken and eventually found when another missing boy was found in the same house. Hornbeck revealed he had never escaped despite having a phone and going shopping (under the eye of his kidnapper).

19. 7-year-old Steven Stayner

Image source/ PinterestSteven Stayner was 7 years old when he was taken by a man whilst walking home from school. They would move continuously, and Steven would go to school sometimes and have somewhat of a routine whilst they settled in each place for a short space of time. But he would be assaulted every night and told his parents abandoned him. Steven admitted later that he was eventually happy with his situation. But when the kidnapper took another boy Stayner finally fled.

20. Mackenzie Phillips and her father

Image source/ HuffPostMackenzie Phillips was 18 when she woke up after being drugged to find her father raping her. Her father continued to ply her with drugs and the two carried on a consensual relationship. Once she was free of this abuse, she realised that she had been affected by Stockholm syndrome, even by her own father.

Here are the 30 most notorious killers from each state... Alabama: Thomas Warren Whisenhant

source: insider

In 1967 Thomas abducted Cheryl Lynn Payton from her workplace at a convenience store. After sexually assaulting her in the front seat of his car, he shot her in the head and left her body in a secluded wooded area. He admitted everything to the police when questioned and was put to death in 2010.

Alaska: Robert Hansen

source: distractify

On the surface, he was the perfect father, husband and business man. But underneath all that, he was actually hunting down women and take them to his cabin in the middle of the woods. He'd release them from his cabin and hunt them down - for some sick form of pleasure. When caught, he'd admitted to murdering 17 people.

Arizona: Mark Goudeau "The Baseline Killer"

source: insider

Goudeau absolutely terrorised the streets of Phoenix, Arizona back in 2006. He would prey on women who were going about their simple day to day lives. Women were found raped and murdered and he eventually admitted to killing nine people. He is currently still in prison.

Arkansas: The Phantom Killer

source: insider

This murderer was never actually found, but he terrorised the streets of Texarkana back in 1946. Like clockwork, every three weeks he would find a couple in a car and shoot them to death. This resulted in the whole town going on lockdown, movie theatres cancelled their shows and no one would venture outside.

California: Ed Kemper

source: insider

His horrific murders earned him the title "The Co-ed Killer". He would drive around picking up young hitchhikers. He ended up killing them all and cutting their heads off. Right before he was caught, he killed his own mother in the most brutal way. He is currently serving his sentence for eight counts of first-degree murder.

Colorado: Scott Lee Kimball

source: boulderdaily

Scott ended up in jail in 2002 for fraud, but somehow managed to convince the FBI to let him be an informant for them by letting him out early. Whilst free, he murdered four people; his uncle, his cellmate's girlfriend and a nineteen year old girl. In total, he was arrested for four charges of second-degree murder.

Connecticut: William Devin Howell

source: hartfordcourant

He would drive around in his van, which he nicknamed the "murder mobile" and ended up kidnapping, assaulting and murdering seven people in total. He buried all the bodies together behind a strip mall. When questioned, he simply couldn't explain any motive behind the killings.

Delaware: Steven Brian Pennell

source: insider

There is only documented serial killer from Delaware: The Route 40 Killer. The electrician would pick up sex workers on Route 40 and began collecting bodies. It was only when an undercover cop was picked up by Pennell that he was found guilty of the murders. Despite acting to be put to death, he never admitted to the crimes.

Florida: Christine Falling

source: podcastaddict

Florida is home to likes of Aileen Wuornos and Ted Bundy. But, Christine Falling tops this list for her sheer brutality. She quickly became known as the 'babysitter from hell' in the early 80s when she began choking and killing the kids she babysat for. Five children were murdered before she was sentenced to life in prison.

Georgia: Atlanta Child Murderer

source: insider

One by one, black children were being targeted and murdered. Wayne Williams is believed to be responsible for the murders, but is currently in jail for two other murders. Therefore, he has never actually been on trial for these murders. If he is found guilty, then he will be responsible for the murder of nearly 30 people.

Hawaii: Honolulu Strangler

source: counteverymystery

This murderer shattered the peaceful islands of Hawaii when five bodies were discovered. Aged from 17 to 36, five women were found with their hands tied up behind their backs and had been sexually assaulted. The case still remains open, but the murders were the act of a serial killer. Above are the images of some of his victims.

Idaho: Lyda Southard or Lady Bluebird

source: serialkillerdatabase

Often recognised as the first female serial killer in America, Lyda Southard went on a killing spree. She killed her four former husbands, then her brother-in-law and eventually killed her own daughter. All these murders were by poisoning and it was believed she committed these murders for insurance purposes.

Illinois: John Wayne Gacy

source: britishgq

Alternatively recognised as the "Serial Killer Clown, John murdered a total of thirty three boys and young men His killing spree started in the 70s and he would kill his victims whilst he was wearing a clown costume - Pogo the Clown. He also buried all the bodies underneath his house.

Indiana: Herbert Baumeister

source: insider

By day he lived a simple life on a farm in Indiana with his wife and three children. However, by night he would scout out gay bars and pick up young men. Just 50 feet from his home, 11 bodies were found after police began investigating. He committed suicide before he could face trial.

Iowa: Carroll Edward Cole

source: 92.9

Despite his crimes not being committed in Iowa, this is where Carroll Cole grew up. Following a difficult childhood of being beat up by his mother, he grew an innate hatred for all women. He took this hatred out across multiple states and he murdered 13 women.

Kansas: Dennish Lynn Rader

source: aenetworks

Alternatively known as the BTK Killer, standing for blind, torture, kill

, Dennis put his victims through hell before ending their lives. He killed 10 people from 1974 and 1991. He used to leave clues at every crime scene before being caught and is now serving 10 life sentences.

Kentucky: Donald Harvey

source: fox19

"The Angel of Death" confessed to a jaw dropping 57 murders in the 1980s. He used his position of authority as a nurse in hospitals around the state to murder his victims using a combination of cyanide, rat poison and arsenic. He was beaten to death in 2017 in prison.

Louisiana: Clementine Barnabet

source: insider

Clementine expressed that she was killing her victims on behalf of the Church of Sacrifice. She would murder entire families as they were asleep, and this string of murders quickly became known as the "voodoo murders" in the 1910s. She used an axe, and this led to another 40 people being murdered on her behalf by other church followers.

Maine: John Joubert

source: kcra

Joubert once admitted he daydreamed about murdering his babysitter and eating parts of her. He went on to make this a reality when he killed three boys and took bites into each of them. He declared he was happy he was caught as he was only going to kill again.

Maryland: Joseph Metheny

source: baltimore

Joseph Metheny would get sex workers to come back to his his trailer so he could stab and strangle them to death. The darker side of the story is that he would combine their meat with animal meat and sell it to customers at his food stand. He earned himself the name "The Cannibal".

Massachusetts: The Boston Strangler

source: historydaily

Between 1962-1964 Boston was terrorised with a serial killer on the loose, with 13 women being killed in their own homes. The "Boston Strangler" never forced entry in any of these homes, which suggests these women let him in voluntarily. Despite confessing to all 13 murders, the story didn't totally add up - to this day, the case is still unsolved, but recent DNA suggests it could have been Albert DeSalvo.

Michigan: Elias Abuelazam

source: murderpedia

Elias quickly became known as "The Serial Stabber" as he went on a rampage and stabbed a total of 18 people across multiple states from 2009 and 2010. 5 of his victims ended up dying, he is currently serving his life sentence in prison.

Minnesota: Paul Michael Stephani

source: wikipedia

Paul Michael Stephani would call the police every time he killed a new person, confessing to the murder whilst crying. Once they found who they were receiving the calls from, he admitted to stabbing three women from 1980 - 1982. Right before he died in prison he also confessed to even more murders.

Mississippi: Glen Rogers

source: dailymail

Glen Rogers met his victim Linda Price at the State Fair where they quickly became involved. It wasn't long before they moved in together. But, the day before halloween Linda was found dead in the bathtub. Rogers was to blame, and he was also connected to two other murders where red headed women were found dead in their bathtubs.

Missouri: Terry Blair

source: murderpedia

The first murder Terry committed was his pregnant girlfriend in 1982. Following this he also raped and murdered seven other women. He isn't the only member of his family to be linked to murder. In fact, five other members of his family have been convicted of murder - including his mother.

Montana: David Meirhofer

source: wikipedia

The mindless monster that is David Meirhofer abducted and strangled a seven year old girl to death. He then went on to cut up her body. During the interrogation, he admitted to another four murders. He never got his sentence as he was found dead in jail mere hours after confessing to the murders.

Nebraska: Charles Starkweather

source: thefamouspeople

At only 19 years old, Charles had murdered a shocking 11 people. There was no pattern to his victims, which made his killing spree more terrifying. Apparently, the reason behind his killing spree was because his parents didn't approve of his girlfriend. In 1959 he was executed for the murders.

Nevada: Gerald and Charlene Gallego

source: allthatsinteresting

The couple worked together to lure in girls to kidnap them. They would keep the girls as sex slaves then when they were done with them, they would end up end their lives. Charlene turned on Gerald for a shorter jail sentence and got out of jail in 2013 following 16 years behind bars.

New Hampshire: Terry Peder Rasmussen

source: concordmonitor

Terry went by so many different names and aliases, which is why the extent of his crimes are hard to pin down. In New Hampshire he was known for killing a woman and three small children - he disposed of the bodies in barrels stored in the woods. However, in another state he was known as Gordon who killed two women who he had children with.

New Jersey: Charles Edmund Cullen

source: infobae

Another nurse who used his position of power to kill his victims. Over his 16 years working as a nurse, he killed upwards of 40 patients. He thought that he was doing them and the community a service by relieving them of pain - but that really isn't the case.

Wyoming: Polly Bartlett

source: Facebook

Polly Bartlett was the innkeeper of an Inn which her family ran. It is said that Bartlett poisoned the guests of the inn by using arsenic, and that she then dumped the bodies locally in a corral. The police found the bodies of 22 men. She was shot by the friend of one of her victims.

Wisconsin: Ed Gein

source: biography

Ed Gein is such a notorious killer that Norman Bates and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre were both based on him. When his house was raided there were dismembered body parts scattered all over. Allegedly some of the furniture was made from body parts of his victims and he even had a mask made from their skin.