Ion Rimaru Romanian serial killer Date of Birth: 12.10.1946 Country: Romania

1. Biography of Ion Rimaru
2. The Reign of Terror
3. The Trial and Sentencing
4. The Execution

Biography of Ion Rimaru

Ion Rimaru, also known as "The Vampire of Bucharest," was a notorious Romanian serial killer. He was born in Caracal, Olt County, Romania, and grew up with two brothers, being the oldest among them. Rimaru's childhood was tumultuous, as his father would physically abuse his mother in front of the children. Eventually, his parents separated, and his father moved to Bucharest, where he worked as a tram driver.

Rimaru's adolescence was marked by troubled behavior. In high school, he was involved in a scandalous situation of seducing his teacher's underage daughter and later convicted of theft with aggravating circumstances. Despite entering the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine with a low score, Rimaru showed little interest in acquiring knowledge and often failed to progress to the next year. His professors described him as lacking initiative, illiterate, inarticulate, and intellectually limited. Fellow students and dormitory neighbors avoided him due to his strange behavior and noticeable instability. Later, his mental health was recognized as unstable, and it became evident that Rimaru had difficulty controlling his libido, showing an excessive interest in the sexual activities of other students.

The Reign of Terror

In the second half of 1970 and the first half of 1971, Bucharest was shaken by a series of horrific crimes. The unknown maniac targeted women who were returning home late at night. His weapons of choice ranged from hammers to steel rods and knives, as was the case with a late-shift waitress who became his victim. Rimaru would go on his hunting spree after midnight, particularly in inclement weather conditions. He showed a preference for working in rain, fog, or storms. Soon, the women of Bucharest stopped venturing out alone after 9 PM. However, the police initially disregarded the rumors about the maniac, dismissing them as exaggerations. It took a brutal murder, that of Gheorgita Popa, to finally prompt the authorities to acknowledge the existence of the dangerous maniac. Popa was not only robbed, raped, and killed but also subjected to vile sexual abuse, evident from the 48 knife wounds found on her body. The panic that ensued led to the deployment of patrols on the city streets, consisting of 6,000 people, 100 cars, and 40 motorcycles. Night workers from all establishments, such as bartenders and hotel security personnel, were mobilized. A significant number of people were arrested on suspicion, and even more were interrogated. Rimaru was apprehended immediately after committing another crime when he returned to his dormitory carrying a bag containing an axe and a knife. The police officers waiting for him noticed bloodstains and signs of a struggle, including bite marks and scratches.

The Trial and Sentencing

Rimaru was charged with 16 serious crimes but remained silent during interrogations. He neither confessed nor defended himself and seemed detached from reality, displaying complete indifference. The breakthrough came when a police officer, disguised as a fellow inmate, managed to extract incriminating statements from him. Rimaru eventually confessed to 23 incidents. Although he was officially charged with only three particularly heinous murders, it is worth noting that he changed his testimony throughout the investigation. Upon learning that he had been declared mentally insane, he fell silent again and stopped incriminating himself. Interestingly, it was later discovered that Rimaru's murderous tendencies were hereditary. His father, after three decades, was found guilty of four murders committed in Bucharest during the 1940s. The circumstances of those murders bore striking resemblances to Rimaru's crimes. His father died at the age of 53, having fallen from a train, and was posthumously convicted based on fingerprint evidence a year after his son's execution. Ion Rimaru was sentenced to death. Although he attempted to appeal the sentence, he was denied. The courtroom erupted in applause when the verdict was read to the Bucharest Maniac.

The Execution

On October 23, 1971, Ion Rimaru was taken to Jilava Prison to carry out his sentence. He behaved erratically, refusing to go willingly and putting up a fight, requiring him to be forcibly transported. Despite his furious protests, Rimaru was executed by firing squad in the prison courtyard.