Joachim Kroll

Joachim Kroll, a.k.a "Ruhr Cannibal", was a German pedophilic serial killer, rapist and cannibal. He was convicted of eight murders but confessed to a total of 14 which he committed in and around the Ruhr metropolitan region.

Killings, capture and death
Kroll began killing in 1955 (after his mother died). His first victim was 19-year-old Irmgard Strehl. She was raped and stabbed to death. Her disemboweled body was found in a barn in Lüdinghausen.

Kroll kept long cooling period and he was very particular about where he killed, only killing in the same place on a few occasions years apart. Kroll avoided capture over 20 years until he killed 4-year-old Marion Ketter in his neighborhood. Kroll dismembered her body and when police arrived, they found Ketter's body parts in the process of simmering.

Kroll was arrested in July 3 (same day when he killed Ketter) and confessed fourteen murders, giving specific details about killings. However, he was convicted of eight first-degree murders and after a 151-day trial, he was convicted on all counts and was given a life sentence.

Kroll died of a heart attack in 1991 in the prison of Rheinbach.

Known Victims

 * February 8, 1955, Lüdinghausen: Irmgard Strehl, 19
 * Unspecified date in 1956, Kirchhellen: Erika Schuletter, 12
 * 1959:
 * June 16, Rhine: Klara Frieda Tesmer, 24
 * July 26, City Park of Essen: Manuela Knodt, 16
 * 1962:
 * April 23, Dinslaken-Bruckhausen: Petra Giese, 13
 * June 4, Walsum: Monika Tafel, 12
 * August 22, 1965, Duisburg-Großenbaum:
 * Hermann Schmitz, 25
 * Marion Veen
 * 1966:
 * September 13, Foersterbusch Park: Ursula Rohling, 20
 * December 22, Wuppertal: Ilona Harke, 5
 * July 12, 1969, Hückeswagen: Maria Hettgen, 61
 * May 21, 1970: Jutta Rahn, 13
 * 1976:
 * May 8, Voerde: Karin Toepfer, 10
 * July 3: Marion Ketter, 4