The Grisly DetailsSure, serial killers ~killed~ people, but what did they actually do? Lists about who they murdered, how they did it, and other horrifying facts that will keep you wide awake tonight, shaking your head at humanity.
There are plenty of brutal serial killers in the world, but do you know about Yang Xinhai, the perpetrator of some of the most disturbing crimes and horrible murders of the 21st Century? Probably not, because his three-year killing spree that claimed more than 60 murder victims and 20 rape victims was essentially erased by the Chinese government after he was put to death. Xinhai would sneak into his victim's home at night and murder those inside, sometimes raping the women before killing them.
Everything that’s known about Xinhai comes from the same collection of articles about his arrest and very short trial. Because of the gruesome nature of his crimes his family is understandably reluctant to discuss his childhood, and it seems like everyone connected to the case would rather have everyone forget the horrors he committed.
When he start killing he couldn’t stop. If your obsession with serial killers hasn’t already made you think about putting an extra lock on your front door, the story of Yang Xinhai definitely will.
Easily the worst thing about Yang Xinhai would be that he had no remorse for killing everyone he came across when he broke into a house. It didn't matter if he entered a house with a family of five or a couple sleeping in their bedroom apartment - they were all going to die. If he didn't manage to kill everyone he came across he still beat them within an inch of their lives. Yang Xinhai was bad news.
He Had Been Arrested For Rape Before His Killing Spree
Believe it or not, Xinhai had been arrested for rape before he went on his murderous spree. After dropping out of school, he was sent to labor camps for stealing. Then, in 1996 he was sentenced to five years in prison for rape. Upon his release he immediately started killing.
Yang Xinhai's crime style can be compared to that of Richard Ramirez. He picked a house, popped in, and inflicted pure evil on whomever he found inside. But while Ramirez seemed to be driven by a simple compulsion to randomly kill, it seems Xinhai would plan out his crimes at least a few hours before hand. The main reason it took the police so long to capture Xinhai was because he wore different sizes and brands of shoes every time he committed a murder, and he would get rid of them (along with the rest of his clothes) after every kill. If he was truly a compulsive serial killer he would think that far ahead when it came to his crimes.
Although some news sites erroneously reported that Xinhai went on a killing spree after his girlfriend broke up with him, it's more likely there wasn't actually a catalyst to his crimes, and that he had been working toward his spree for his entire life. In his confession he said: “When I killed people I had a desire [to kill more]. This inspired me to kill more. I don’t care whether they deserve to live or not. It is none of my concern… I have no desire to be part of society. Society is not my concern.” His killing sprees were fuel that kept him going, and the more he killed the harder it was for him to stop.
Xinhai had no rhyme or reason the houses he terrorized - they were completely random. He would bike around Henan, Hebei, Anhui and Shandong, China, choose a random house, and lay waste to anyone who was inside. The only thing that could be expected by Xinhai was that whomever he came into contact with probably wouldn't see the next day.
Rather than stick to one murder weapon, like Gacy with his garrote wire, or the Son of Sam with his .44 caliber pistol, Xinhai tended to use whatever tool was around to murder and assault his victims. More often than not he would use a hammer, which he would then dispose of after the crime, but he was also known to use shovels and axes. His insistence on switching things up is another reason why the police had such a hard time tracking him down.
