Jane Toppan
Jane Toppan | |
|---|---|
| Born | Honora Kelley March 31, 1857 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Status | Deceased |
| Died | August 17, 1938 (aged 81) Taunton, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Other names | Jolly Jane |
| Motive | Unclear, possibly sexual fetishism and/or sadism |
| Criminal charge | Murder (12 counts) |
| Verdict | Not guilty by reason of insanity |
| Penalty | Involuntary commitment to a mental hospital for life |
| Details | |
| Victims | 12 confirmed, 31 confessed, more than 100 suspected |
Span of crimes | 1895–1901 |
| Country | US |
| State | Massachusetts |
Date apprehended | October 29, 1901 |
Jane Toppan (born Honora Kelley; March 31, 1854 – August 17, 1938), nicknamed Jolly Jane, was an American serial killer who is believed to have murdered over 100 people in Massachusetts between 1895 and 1901. She confessed to 31 murders. The killings were carried out in Toppan's capacity as a nurse, targeting patients and their family members. Toppan, who admitted to have committed the murders to satisfy a sexual fetish, was quoted as saying that her ambition was "to have killed more people—helpless people—than any other man or woman who ever lived".