The top 5 bizarre crimes in history

Have you ever done something reckless “just because?” We've all been there. Whether it's peer pressure, apathy, mental illness, or simply ignorance of the law, sometimes people commit crimes for no real reason. In some cases, people are "just obeying orders" and the results can be devastating. While we don't condone these "leisure crimes," it's interesting to take a look at some of the strangest crimes that have been committed for no reason. Here's my top 5 list of the most bizarre crimes that happened for bizarre reasons.

NUMBER 5 - DECK THE HALLS

In 2011, a 44-year-old man from Dayton, Ohio, Terry Trent, made headlines when he broke into a home and proceeded to decorate it for Christmas - while under the influence of bath salts. Despite his criminal activity, Trent was surprisingly polite; when the family's son discovered him, he was peacefully watching television and playing with toys. He politely informed the family that he would gather his belongings and leave. Despite his courteous behavior, police still had to charge him with burglary due to the fact that he had unlawfully entered someone's home, not to mention his inebriated state.

NUMBER 4 - HE JUST HAD TO DO IT

Jumping way back in history, one disturbing murder account has no reason behind it other than, “I felt like I had to do it.” In March 1868, the body of 13-year-old John Wilkins was found in Somerset, England. Wilkins’s head was beaten to a jelly-like pulp and nearly severed from its body.After officials discovered Wilkins’s body, Alexander Holmes, who was 18 years old, tried to turn himself in for the crime. But the constable wasn’t at the police station. Instead, he told his landlady that he had murdered someone. He also told her that he was surprised that he hadn’t killed more people.The jury ruled Holmes insane and acquitted him of murder charges on that count. After being denied care from relatives, Holmes was moved to the Lunatic Asylum for Criminals.

NUMBER 3 - JACK THE RIPPER

Jack the Ripper is so infamous that he is often considered the most notorious serial killer of all time. His motive for killing and mutilating five women in the autumn of 1888 in London remains a mystery to this day. While there have been numerous theories, the two most popular are revenge and a desire to kill for the sake of killing. It is believed that Jack targeted prostitutes as they were easy victims and could be lured to a private place where he could commit his heinous acts.

The revenge theory, first proposed by Leonard Matters in 1929, suggests that Jack was seeking retribution for the prostitute who had murdered his son. While there is no concrete evidence to support this claim, it does provide an interesting way to "humanize" someone who committed such atrocious acts without any apparent justification.

NUMBER 2 - NO MOTIVE

In 2021, 22-year-old Malek Dominique Pate was charged with four counts of first-degree murder. Pate had only a distant connection to one of his victims, with whom he had attended fifth grade. The victims had no ties to drugs, gangs, or robbery, leaving their families in the dark as to what could have possibly led to the shooting. The seemingly random gunning down of these four individuals left many in shock.

Tacoma police have reported that multiple surveillance cameras captured Pate arriving and later leaving the scene of the shootings, wearing clothing later found in his home. Furthermore, police have yet to identify a motive for the killing of Maria Nunez, 42; her son, Emery Iese, 19; Nunez’s brother, Raymond Williams, 22; and Natasha Brincefield, 22, Williams’s long-term girlfriend.

NUMBER 1 - NO REMORSE

It's one thing to have no motive, but when there's no remorse, it makes the crime all the more sinister. In 2015, two teenage brothers, Robert and Michael Bever, committed the infamous Broken Arrow Massacre, brutally murdering five members of their own family. Miraculously, their 13-year-old sister survived the attack, although she was severely injured, as did their 2-year-old sister. The brothers had planned to extend their killing spree beyond their family, but their plans were thwarted when their dying sibling was able to call 911. Despite the horrific nature of their crime, the Bever brothers showed no remorse and refused to give a reason for their actions. Neighbors described the Bever family as being unusually quiet, which, as we know, is often a sign of something sinister lurking beneath the surface.