Romulus Veres
Encyclopedia
Romulus Vereş was a notorious serial killer
, better known as "the man with the hammer".
During the 1970s, he was charged with five murders and several attempted murder
s, but never imprisoned on grounds of insanity: he suffered from schizophrenia
, blaming the Devil
for his actions. Instead, he was institutionalised in the Ştei
psychiatric facility in 1976, following a three year long forensic investigation during which four thousand people were questioned.
Urban myths brought the number of victims up to two hundred women, though the actual number was much smaller. This confusion is probably explained by the lack of attention this case received, despite its magnitude, in the Communist press of the time.
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
, better known as "the man with the hammer".
During the 1970s, he was charged with five murders and several attempted murder
Attempted murder
Attempted murder is a crime in England and Wales and Northern Ireland.-Today:In English criminal law, attempted murder is the crime of more than merely preparing to commit unlawful killing and at the same time having a specific intention to cause the death of human being under the Queen's Peace...
s, but never imprisoned on grounds of insanity: he suffered from schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
, blaming the Devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
for his actions. Instead, he was institutionalised in the Ştei
Stei
Ștei is a town in Bihor County, western Transylvania, Romania. Between 1958 and 1996, it was named Dr. Petru Groza, after the Romanian socialist leader who had died in 1958.-History:...
psychiatric facility in 1976, following a three year long forensic investigation during which four thousand people were questioned.
Urban myths brought the number of victims up to two hundred women, though the actual number was much smaller. This confusion is probably explained by the lack of attention this case received, despite its magnitude, in the Communist press of the time.