5 Notorious Serial Killers Still Alive: Their Shocking 2025 Prison Status And Latest Updates
The morbid fascination with serial killers remains a cornerstone of the true crime genre, but the reality of these figures—many of whom are still alive—is one of cold, hard incarceration. As of late December 2025, the legal and physical status of some of the most infamous living murderers continues to evolve, offering a fresh, chilling perspective on their final chapters behind bars.
This article provides the most up-to-date information on notorious serial killers currently serving sentences, focusing on recent legal filings, parole decisions, and their current existence within the prison system. The narrative shifts from their terrifying crimes to the mundane, yet compelling, details of their lives as convicted felons.
Biography Profile: Dennis Rader (The BTK Killer)
Dennis Lynn Rader, known by his self-coined moniker "BTK" (Bind, Torture, Kill), is one of the most chilling examples of a killer who lived a double life for decades. He was a devoted husband, father, church president, and a compliance officer, all while committing a string of murders that terrorized Wichita, Kansas.
- Full Name: Dennis Lynn Rader
- Born: March 9, 1945 (currently 80 years old)
- Known Victims: 10 confirmed murders
- Active Period: 1974–1991 (with correspondence continuing until his 2005 arrest)
- Modus Operandi: Stalking, binding, torturing, and killing his victims, often taunting police and media with cryptic letters.
- Current Status: Incarcerated at El Dorado Correctional Facility in Kansas.
- Sentence: 10 consecutive life sentences (a minimum of 175 years).
- Notable Entities: Kerri Rawson (his daughter), Otero family, Wichita Police Department, floppy disk metadata.
The Current Status of America's Most Notorious Incarcerated Killers
The lives of serial killers serving life sentences are rarely static. Recent years have brought new media scrutiny, legal challenges, and, for some, the slow march toward old age and death. The following updates reflect the most current information available on their status in late 2025.
1. Gary Ridgway (The Green River Killer): End-of-Life Care
Gary Ridgway, one of the most prolific convicted serial killers in United States history, is reportedly receiving end-of-life care in prison.
Ridgway, who confessed to murdering 49 women in Washington state, primarily sex workers in the 1980s and 90s, is currently 76 years old and serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
The news of his declining health marks a quiet, anticlimactic end for a figure whose reign of terror left a devastating impact on the Pacific Northwest. While he remains behind bars, the investigation into his cold cases continues, as three of his victims remain missing to this day.
2. Edmund Kemper (The Co-Ed Killer): Parole Denied for Seven More Years
Edmund Kemper III, known as the "Co-Ed Killer," is a classic subject for the Behavioral Science Unit of the FBI due to his high intelligence and psychopathy. He is currently 77 and remains incarcerated at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville.
In a major update, Kemper was denied parole in July 2024, marking his 12th denial. He was not present for his parole suitability hearing, a common practice in recent years.
The decision means the killer, who murdered his grandparents, mother, and several female hitchhikers in the 1960s and 70s, will not be eligible for release for another seven years, ensuring he will remain in the prison system until at least 2031.
3. Dennis Rader (The BTK Killer): Continued Media Scrutiny
Rader is serving his 10 consecutive life sentences at a maximum-security prison in Kansas. Unlike some other high-profile killers, Rader remains a subject of intense media and documentary interest, often explored through the lens of his family.
The current conversation around Rader often revolves around his daughter, Kerri Rawson, who has spoken publicly about her father’s double life and the psychological trauma of being connected to the BTK Killer.
Despite being locked away since 2005, Rader occasionally attempts to communicate with the outside world, and authorities have continued to investigate his potential connection to cold cases in other states, further solidifying his status as a key entity in true crime history.
4. Joseph DeAngelo (The Golden State Killer): Life in the California Prison System
Joseph James DeAngelo Jr., the former police officer known as the Golden State Killer, is currently 80 years old and serving multiple life sentences without parole. He was convicted in 2020 for 13 murders and numerous rape-related charges that spanned the 1970s and 80s, crimes solved through the groundbreaking use of investigative genetic genealogy.
DeAngelo is incarcerated in California, where his life in prison is one of isolation and medical care due to his advanced age. His conviction provided closure for dozens of victims and their families, representing a major triumph for cold case investigators and the application of DNA evidence.
The Newest Name: Rex Heuermann and the Gilgo Beach Murders
The most significant and current update in the world of serial killers still alive is the case of Rex Heuermann, the man accused of being the Long Island Serial Killer (LISK) or the Gilgo Beach Killer. This case is a critical entity for any discussion of modern serial killers.
5. Rex Heuermann (Alleged Long Island Serial Killer): The Path to Trial
Rex Heuermann, a married architect from Massapequa Park, New York, was arrested in 2023 and subsequently charged in connection with the infamous Gilgo Beach murders. His arrest was a massive breakthrough in a case that had gone unsolved for over a decade.
As of late 2025, the legal proceedings are moving forward with a major court ruling confirming he will face a single trial for all seven alleged killings, rather than separate proceedings. This decision streamlines the judicial process for the alleged serial killer.
His trial is currently slated for 2026, meaning Heuermann is a high-profile, living serial killer whose ultimate fate is yet to be decided by a jury. The evidence, including DNA found on a discarded pizza crust and forensic testing linking him to the crime scenes, continues to be a central focus of the prosecution.
The Psychology of Incarcerated Murderers
The study of serial killers serving life sentences offers criminologists and psychologists a unique window into the minds of incarcerated murderers. Entities like the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit have long studied the essential role of fantasy in the development of a serial killer, a psychological process that begins long before the first murder.
For those behind bars, the loss of control and the inability to act out their violent fantasies is a core part of their punishment. While the public often assumes serial killers must find a way to satisfy their urges, for many, the reality of maximum-security prison life is one of forced compliance and isolation.
The true crime community continues to analyze these figures, from the psychopathy exhibited by Randy Kraft to the calculated planning of Dennis Rader, viewing their continued existence as a stark reminder of the long-term consequences of their actions on victims, families, and the justice system itself.
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