Some of the most terrifying histories out there aren’t in a movie; they are on the six o’clock news and on the front page of the morning paper. These criminal cases unfolded in real time, bringing anxiety to quiet neighborhoods across the United States. They gave citizens names and faces for the monsters many only imagine in fiction. For many, these events marked a time when the world felt a little less safe, and the headlines were impossible to ignore. Keep reading, if you dare, and write down in the comments which case you remember the most.
#1: George Metesky (1957)
New York City lived in fear of the “Mad Bomber” for 16 years. George Metesky planted homemade bombs in theaters, bus terminals, and other public spaces, creating a long-running panic. The police were stumped until they hired psychiatrist James Brussel, who created a behavioral profile of the suspect. It was one of the first uses of criminal profiling. Following the profile’s leads about his background, investigators identified Metesky in 1957. They arrested the former Con Edison employee at his home in Connecticut, ending a chapter of terror that felt endless.
