Luis Alfredo Garavito: The Beast of Colombia – History’s Most Prolific Serial Killer

In this historically grounded episode of Among Monsters, host Damien Vale chronicles the life, crimes, and consequences of Luis Alfredo Garavito, also known as La Bestia — The Beast — who stands as the most prolific serial killer in recorded history. Set against the backdrop of 1990s Colombia, a nation in crisis due to guerrilla warfare, drug cartels, and institutional breakdown, Garavito found fertile ground to carry out his unimaginable spree of violence. Disguising himself as a priest, a charity worker, or a friendly passerby, Garavito used Colombia’s social instability and overburdened justice system to target street children, orphans, and the impoverished. His crimes, which spanned seven years and at least 190 confirmed murders, sent shockwaves across Latin America and redefined the conversation around criminal justice reform in the region. Damien Vale delivers a haunting yet historically rich narrative that explores how Colombia’s fractured institutions, mass displacement, and societal neglect of vulnerable children allowed a sadistic killer to operate with near impunity. From his abusive childhood through his confession and sentencing, this episode doesn’t just recount the murders — it confronts the systemic failures that made them possible.

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