A true vampire, a real killer clown, and…the candy man? Halloween is a time where even the most fearful can earn sweet treats: Just wear a scary mask and collect the candy graciously given by your neighbors. But what if I told you the dark side behind that red and white makeup you have on? That infamous red nose. Sit back and let me regale you on the unknown horrific tales behind popular Halloween costumes. 

Dracula is the most known vampire in the entire world. But he’s purely fictional, a pair of clip-on fangs and a bag of fake blood. What if there was a vampire who had no need for silly gimmicks? Introducing serial killer, rapist, cannibal, and necrophile Richard Chase. In a month, he killed six people in 1977. He was named the “Vampire of Sacramento” because he drank his victims blood and cannibalized their remains. On January 27th 1978, Chase entered the home of 38-year old Evelyn Miroth. He shot Evelyn, her friend, Danny Meredith, her six year-old son Jason, and her 22-month-old nephew, David. He then proceeded to mutilate and engage in necrophilia and cannibalism with Miroth’s corpse. He was caught after a visitor who noticed the crime told a neighbor who then called the police. He was sentenced to death by gas chamber but was later found dead in his cell due to an overdose of prescribed medication. A dark, terrifying story truly fitting for a vampire.

Everyone knows of the lackluster killer clown trend in 2016. The “bone-chilling” sightings of clowns in forests or near schools. A hoax some called it, but what if I told you that there was a true killer clown? Not in 2016, but as far back as the 1970’s. I present to you, John Wayne Gacy. The American serial killer and sex offender who assaulted and murdered at least 33 young boys and men. The reason he is known as a killer clown is because he performed at children’s hospitals and charitable events as “Pogo the Clown” or “Patches the Clown.” After 6 years of murders, police found 26 buried bodies underneath the crawl space and 3 more outside his home. John later confessed to four more bodies in the waterways south of Chicago. When finally convicted, he was sentenced to lethal injection. John was the type of clown that you just…couldn’t laugh at.

I’m sure when I say Candy Man you probably think of your friendly neighbor with an orange bucket passing out candy for all the kind trick or treaters. Or maybe you think of the movie that recently came out about a supernatural being that comes once you say his name. Sadly, this horrifying human is neither supernatural nor cares if you say his name. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the notorious Dean Corll. A serial killer who abducted, raped, tortured, and murdered at least 28 teenage boys between 1970 and 1973. Corll had two teenage accomplices in his murder spree named David Brooks and Elmer Henley. His victims were usually ensnared by being convinced to go to one of Corll’s “parties” or get a lift to one of the various addresses that he resided. He was known as the Candy Man because his family had previously owned and operated a candy factory in Texas Houston. The crimes finally came to light when Henley fatally shot Corll and then confessed alongside David. They were both sentenced to life imprisonment at their trials. Corll will forever be known as the one man that no one should ever come and get candy from.

I hope that I didn’t scare you too much with the gruesome tales of Halloween’s past. Is what I would say, but that’s what spirit is after all. Make sure you stay safe during the celebration. And maybe tell your friends and family about the tragic backstories of Halloween night. 

— Wikipedia was a source for background information for this story.