‘Monster’: The Real History Behind Serial Killer Aileen Wuornos

Serial killer Aileen Wuornos, born in 1956, endured a tumultuous childhood marked by hardship and tragedy. Her father was imprisoned for rape nine years after her birth, and she was subsequently sent to live with her grandparents after being abandoned by her mother. It was there that Wuornos alleged she was physically and sexually abused by her grandfather.

After running away from home at 15, she embarked on a series of tumultuous experiences, including hitchhiking, working as a sex worker, and even marrying an older man at the age of 20. In 1978, Wuornos attempted suicide by shooting herself in the stomach. A year later, she began a relationship with a Florida maid named Tyria Moore, with whom she supported themselves through sex work.

Wuornos claimed self-defense for the murders she committed, stating that the men had assaulted her. She was arrested in January 1991, and Moore was granted immunity in exchange for helping investigators obtain her confession. Wuornos pleaded guilty to five additional murders and was executed by lethal injection in 2002. Although there is no evidence of any connection between Wuornos and Lizzie Borden, the Netflix series "Monster" portrays Wuornos as a fan of the infamous case and even claims she spent a night in the Borden House, experiencing visions of the victims and conversing with Lizzie about her difficult life.

However, Wuornos was arrested in 1991, and the Borden House was not converted into a bed and breakfast until 1996, casting doubt on the authenticity of these portrayed interactions.