Between March 1988 and December 1989, Shawcross killed at least 11 women (he was not charged with a twelfth, believed to also have been his work). June Stott, the only victim who wasn’t a sex worker, was a local resident and the first victim who Shawcross sexually mutilated after strangling her. He also cut her chest and stomach open, according to Crime+Investigation.

Shawcross’ other 11 victims were all believed to have been sex workers and often homeless. Since he frequented sex workers himself, Shawcross found it easy to choose a target. He strangled, mutilated, and partly cannibalized most of his victims. During an interview after being sentenced, he confessed to a reporter he would sometimes bite or eat parts of his victims’ genitals before dumping their bodies in the Genesee River (per Biography).

When police found the body of his last victim floating in a half-frozen river, they decided to leave it there, hoping the killer would return to the scene of the crime. The police found his car soon after, parked on a bridge overlooking the body. Shawcross was masturbating when he was arrested.

He was sentenced to 250 years in prison for his crimes and died of cardiac arrest in 2008. During his time in prison, Shawcross took up painting, focusing on colorful images of butterflies, smiling children, and flowers. According to The New York Post, some of his art was even auctioned off on eBay to great criticism.