The Story Of Montana’s Most Infamous Serial Killer

One of the most popular subjects among movies, TV shows, and podcasts is true crime.

For whatever reason, we seem to be a little obsessed with the obsession of those who claim they can't control their actions. In the last few years we've seen popular serial killers like Jeffery Dahmer, Ted Bundy, and even Montana's own "Unabomber" returned to the spotlight as our interest in serial killers continues to grow.

We want to know their backstory and what happened to make them turn to such a life.  Was it something from childhood? Was it love gone wrong? Or, were they just born that way?

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Montana has had its share of killers, and according to the website Hidden Share, which went through the entire country and named the most infamous serial killer from each state. While some are more well-known than others, we certainly can't overlook the pain and sorrow that each of these killers have caused to their victim's family and friends.

So who is the most infamous serial killer in Montana? Before we reveal the name, let's take a look at some of the most famous homicides in the state's history.

According to Hidden Share, the most infamous serial killer in Montana's history is David Meirhofer. Born in Bozeman back in 1949 and raised in Manhattan, Montana. He was a former Marine and served in Vietnam. Meirhofer would initially confess to the killing of two young girls one who was camping with her family near Missouri Headwaters State Park and the other from Manhattan.

Meirhofer would later confess to the killing of another female as well as a young boy, both from Three Forks in a deal to avoid the death penalty. All of his victims were under the age of 20, with the youngest being only 7 years old. His heinous actions would include dismembering the bodies, burning them, and then scattering the ashes on a Montana ranch.

Shortly after confessing to the murders, Meirhofer would take his own life in his jail cell in the Gallatin County Jail in September of 1974. He was 25 years old.

David Meirhofer is certainly not the most famous serial killer in America's history, however, his crimes would help develop the profiling technique that is used by the FBI. A couple of books have been written about Meirhofer and his crimes as well as how the hunt for him led to the methods currently used.

In 1983 his first victim's mother wrote the book "The Lost Child" and in 2022 the book "ShadowMan: An Elusive Psycho Killer and the Birth of FBI Profiling" was published.