Who Is The Most Prolific Serial Killer In US History? FBI Calls One Murderer's 93 Murders 'Credible'

New confessions from convicted killer Samuel Little makes him the “most prolific serial killer” in American history.

The announcement was made in a press release Sunday from the FBI. The statement notes that Little confessed to committing 93 murders across the U.S. from 1970 to 2005. The FBI’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP) said Little is a match for 50 murders, while another 43 cases still require confirmation.

He reportedly provided detailed confessions of strangling 93 people but couldn’t provide information that could help identify them.

Little, 79, was arrested in 2012 on drug charges in Kentucky. He was extradited to California after the LAPD discovered DNA evidence connecting Little to three unsolved murders from the 1980s. The LAPD then notified the FBI about the connection, who subsequently discovered a pattern connecting Little to possibly more murders.

Little, who was born in Reynolds, Georgia, was convicted and sentenced to three consecutive life sentences in 2014. He would later provide more information to the FBI and Texas Rangers in 2018 connecting him to possibly more murders.

Most of Little's victims were black women. Many of the deaths took place in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Miami. There were also deaths in Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and other areas.

“The FBI is grateful for the Texas Rangers and state and local law enforcement partners who have worked diligently to confirm these cases,” FBI Critical Incident Response Group assistant director John Selleck said in the press release. “Strong cooperation and information sharing between the FBI and its partners resulted in successful connections to Little’s crimes, ultimately bringing him to justice and helping victims’ families through the closure process.”

Little also was known as Samuel McDowell. In an interview with writer Jillian Lauren, he said he had a long-time girlfriend who supported them through shoplifting.

The FBI is encouraging anyone with information on Little to come forward and get in contact with investigators.

Other U.S. serial killers with proven victims include Gary Leon Ridgway, who was convicted of 49 murders from 1982 to 1998, and Donald Harvey, who had 37 confirmed victims from 1970 to 1987.