"Number One, I'm Guilty": Aileen Wuornos's Videotaped Confession, 1991

Name: "Number One, I'm Guilty": Aileen Wuornos's Videotaped Confession, 1991
Uploaded: 2019-02-17T00:00:00Z
Duration: 1 h 21 min 15 s
Description: A week after her arrest, Aileen Wuornos told investigators at the Volusia County Branch Jail that she was guilty, that her girlfriend knew nothing, and that she had shot the men in self-defense.

A week after her arrest, Aileen Wuornos told investigators at the Volusia County Branch Jail that she was guilty, that her girlfriend knew nothing, and that she had shot the men in self-defense.

Subject: Aileen Wuornos
Recorded: about January 16, 1991
Runtime: 1:21:15

Content warning: Wuornos describes shooting men and gives her account of being threatened and sexually assaulted (her claims); news reports describe the murders and the search for a missing man's body.

The Interview

On the morning of January 16, 1991, a week after her arrest, Aileen Wuornos sat with two investigators in a room at the Volusia County Branch Jail and told them she wanted to confess. "The only reason I'm doing this," she said, "is because, number one, I'm guilty. Number two, my girlfriend is not." The investigators were Larry Horzepa of the Volusia County Sheriff's Office and Bruce Munster of the Marion County Sheriff's Office. The session was recorded on videotape and audiotape, "so that there can't be any misunderstandings", one investigator told her.

Historical Context

Between November 1989 and November 1990, seven middle-aged men were shot dead or went missing along the highways of central and northern Florida. Richard Mallory, of Clearwater, was the first; his body was found in woods in Volusia County in December 1989. Witnesses reported two women abandoning the car of a missing man, Peter Siems, in Marion County in July 1990, and composite drawings were broadcast. On January 9, 1991, Wuornos, who had worked as a highway prostitute, was arrested at The Last Resort bar in Volusia County on an outstanding warrant in the name "Lori Grody". Her partner, Tyria Moore, was found in Pennsylvania the next day and, in return for immunity, took part in recorded telephone calls with Wuornos in jail from January 14, urging her to clear Moore's name. Wuornos then asked to speak to investigators.

Circumstances of the Interview

Early in the recording the investigator tells Wuornos that Horzepa is on the phone to the public defender's office, because she had asked for an attorney. When she begins to describe the killings, he stops her: "You've exercised your right to have an attorney here, and maybe you shouldn't be talking about these things." He explains that by law the investigators can no longer question her about the cases unless she chooses to come to them. Wuornos keeps talking. She is given coffee and cigarettes, and asks how they knew who she was; the investigator says it was the radar detector and camera she pawned. Near the end of this section, a lawyer from the public defender's office, announced earlier as Michael O'Neill, arrives and asks to speak to her privately, and the investigators give him their names.

What the Interview Covers

Wuornos says repeatedly that Moore knew nothing, was at work when the men were killed, and did not know the car they crashed in had belonged to a murdered man until Wuornos told her afterwards. She says she had been with hundreds of thousands of men without hurting anyone, that the men she shot were going to beat or rape her, and that she shot them in self-defense (her claim). She speaks of wanting to "get right with God", of wanting to become a police officer in her twenties, and of raising herself from the age of 14. She addresses the victims' families directly: no matter how much they loved the men, she says, the men "were bad" (her claim). A later excerpt, from further into the session, gives what appears to be part of her account of the killing of Richard Mallory, including throwing his belongings into the woods and keeping his radar detector to pawn.

What Makes the Recording Significant

This was Wuornos's first recorded confession to police. It was the foundation of the case against her, and excerpts were played to the jury at her 1992 trial for Mallory's murder. Her account of acting in self-defense, and her insistence that she was confessing to protect Moore, framed both the prosecution and the long public argument about her case. The Florida Supreme Court later noted that her confessions "differed in substantial ways".

Archival Importance

The recording preserves the investigator's reminder of her right to counsel and her decision to keep talking before her lawyer arrived. It also preserves her own words about Moore before Moore testified against her. The rest of the upload assembles news coverage of the 1990 search, the 1992 trial and sentencing, her decision to drop her appeals, and the morning of her execution on October 9, 2002.

Important Caveats

Wuornos's statements that the men attacked or threatened to rape her are her claims. She was convicted of the murder of Richard Mallory in January 1992, pleaded guilty or no contest to five more murders, and received six death sentences; she was executed at Florida State Prison on October 9, 2002. The upload's title calls it "uncut", but it is a compilation: about 52 minutes of the confession tape (the session went on after the point where the main section ends), followed by news reports, courtroom footage and a television interview with the actress Charlize Theron about the film "Monster". The original audio is of poor quality, and much of the transcript of the opening section is marked unclear.

[music]: [A song plays over the opening, about five minutes. Lyrics not transcribed.]

Aileen Wuornos: [The tape begins mid-statement.] [unclear: "I made a comment about the issues I was over, and they said the records would help you to be found"] And she would be telling [unclear: "practical stories"] and things, and she was very innocent of this stuff. And I [unclear: "watched it in trouble for her"], and she didn't even do anything. And I told [unclear: "you" / "her"] stuff when I was drunk and everything else. But you don't know [unclear: "do you believe me or not" / "if you believed me enough"]. And she said, "I remember you taking a car and [unclear: "you were smoothing her stuff my side over" / "you're just leaving herself"]." And I told [unclear: "you I was bomb"]. And she said, "No, I don't remember that." And I said, "But..." Oh boy. All I can say is I know that she didn't. She's innocent, is what I'm saying. She did not partake, she did not partake in anything. And [unclear: "if you only say that" / "it's the only thing that"] she would partake in, anything, it would be [unclear: "nothing" / "knowing"], and it would be her [unclear: "lips"] saying to her something, and she didn't know if she could believe [unclear: "it or not" / "in your life"].

Aileen Wuornos: And I said, that's what I'm saying to you, she's [unclear: "cold, she's very cold" / "clean, she's very clean"]. She didn't even know anything. There was a car that wrecked, and it wasn't [unclear: "for the two girls"]. It was me and her that wrecked. Now, she was driving. She was driving. She did not know that this car belonged to a murderer. I told her I was [unclear: "wrong" / "drunk"]. And then we wrecked. After we wrecked, I told her, I said, "Man, we gotta get out of here." She said, "Why?" And I was like, [unclear: "I don't know if it's because of the car or not"]. She said, "Why?" [unclear: "And that's why we called back."] She was scared shitless, and I don't blame her. She didn't know something. She was a sweet and kind person. And then she was scared shitless, and then she started [unclear: "hating my bills"] and wanting to leave and everything.

Aileen Wuornos: But then again, she didn't know if she could believe it or not, what she heard on the news, and she still [unclear: "wondered" / "learned"] what to do. But [unclear: "she hated my mother" / "she said she was my mother"]. And she loved me and I loved her, and she loved me a lot. And [unclear: "she was taking my house apart a little bit. I'm a interesting man."] The only reason [unclear: "I've got nothing to do"] is because I love her so much. [unclear: "I don't want to get out of jail because she's not my wife."] I don't know.

Aileen Wuornos: But I don't think that at the time she believed anything I said. [unclear: "If you do be a person straight"] I'm a good person. She knows I'm a very kind person. When I get drunk, I do stupid things. And if you're a hooker and [unclear: "you get something to start sex with, then you get pissed off. You want to start because I will drink nine times a month."] And I was [unclear: "about to let somebody give out of my money"] that I'm working [unclear: "for" / "hard"]. That thing is very kind of clean, because I used rubbers all the time. And I was [unclear: "about to let somebody raise me"]. So [unclear: "I may get really happy with me" / "when they get really healthy with me"], which I have gone to over 250,000 men. [unclear: "And I know it's because they were guys. It was because they just brought me and I sent it to myself."]

Aileen Wuornos: And I said, I was just going to come in. I want to [unclear: "get involved"], I want to clear it, and I want to clear my girlfriend, because she's not involved. She's not a witness. She [unclear: "doesn't see anything yet"]. All I did was talk to her. She's going to tell you what she knows, what I said to her when I was drunk as shit most times. [unclear: "She must not tell the story."] So I was going to come in. [unclear: "And I need 24 hours to stay out of the story. And I should be approached."] I sleep [unclear: "in the home"]. [unclear: "She hasn't drank any more."]

Aileen Wuornos: I just, I have to say that [unclear: "I don't think that they got violent, I think, and I decided to be them"]. I wasn't going to let them [unclear: "leave this shit out here"] and kill me. [unclear: "And I'm sure it's because I had a rough habit, which was very easy to find, because I always had it in my humor. I grew up with it. I asked the question, found it, and shot me. Sorry, shot me."]

Aileen Wuornos: I really can't believe I'm here. But I'm glad, because I feel very guilty. Um, I, I don't think I should [unclear: "do it" / "do this"]. I think I should die [unclear: "in the midst of that when I get right with the Lord. And I live a long life until I do die, or I die more myself."] But I don't think I should [unclear: "do it"]. I think I should die. Well, I [unclear: "kind of think it would like selfishness to myself" / "think it was my self-defense myself"], and [unclear: "it can judge that for God" / "I can judge that forgotten"]. [unclear: "So do the terrible things, because I have a little bit of sleep." / "Just don't do a terrible baby."]

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: machine text "So, if you want to get out of here, try to breathe in the air. So, that's how the producer, he was going to try to inhale, sort of, you know, into the air."] So I [unclear: "started playing music, and I got some of that English"], and I kind of shot him first, [unclear: "and I used that way"]. [unclear: "And I thought, better than that for myself, I'll help you, you know, try to help them guide us. I didn't always do something."] Well, [unclear: "if I help the guy"], and he said he's going to kill me, [unclear: "and I'm going to get from town to murder all his jets"], then I thought, well, the best thing I could do is [unclear: "to teach you"]. [unclear: "Then I get to the point where I thought, well, my child needs to do a bachelor's to kill me, but I didn't. I got a bird."]

Aileen Wuornos: In other words, I shot him. And then I said to myself, you know, if I didn't shoot him, he would have shot me, because he would [unclear: "beat the shit out of me"]. [unclear: "Maybe I wasn't very kind of sure."] He would have found my gun [unclear: "going to myself"] and shot me, because he probably [unclear: "wouldn't want to get it for a type of race"]. And I shot him, and then I thought to myself, [unclear: "I don't know when that was just too far to shoot him, because I've got to tell the guy, if he's going to, if he's going to go and tell somebody to do it"], then I thought to myself, [unclear: "is this journey best to be those dying ones trying to do it?" / "this journey back to research"]. [unclear: "So those three things, my timeline for every guy that I shot."]

Aileen Wuornos: One guy, I [unclear: "kind of believe" / "not believe"] that I shot. Um, I couldn't believe that he started to shit with me. When I shot, when I tried [unclear: "to find him, I wasn't afraid of him" / "the time I wasn't right"]. [unclear: "And then I'm going to go and fly him over the top." / "I couldn't believe all five."] I said, "This guy is a [unclear: "Medicare"] or what?" I don't know if he was a [unclear: "Medicare"] guy, but he was. And I feel sorry for [unclear: "him"], because why would he want to do something like that to me, [unclear: "if he was so much better" / "there's so much"]? [unclear: "And that's why I feel very grateful. And I'm happy to say something. And I just almost fell in the air. I went all out. I wanted to do that."]

Aileen Wuornos: I know [unclear: "when my girlfriend"] [unclear: "Charles"], she doesn't deserve to go to prison or anything, because she doesn't know. She knows nothing [unclear: "what I said the girlfriend used"], because she was not there. She did nothing, nothing. She did not, you know, she didn't, she couldn't believe me. I mean, if she [unclear: "wanted to believe me" / "wanted lately"], I'm sure she couldn't hardly believe me, is what I'm saying. And she [unclear: "loves you so much"]. And she was like, [unclear: "I can't believe you didn't talk like that"]. So I just wanted her to be very, very good. I'm doing this because I love her very much, and she's so sweet and so kind and so [unclear: "anytime"]. She's just a real sweet girl. So I don't want her to get in trouble, because she didn't do anything. She [unclear: "doesn't do that work" / "was at work"].

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "So I don't know about those books. I didn't do the credit edition."] And I was picking up, and I asked them if they were interested, [unclear: "to help me out. They're trying to make rent."] And then now they say, "How much?" They say [unclear: "$35, $35, $40 for half, half a hundred dollars" / "30 minutes, 35 straight, 40 percent, half under an hour"]. And they say, "Well, you know, I'll take this." And now that I'm telling you, I've dealt with a hundred thousand guys. But these guys are the only guys that gave me a problem, and they started giving me a problem just this year. [unclear: "So they'll hear that one more time."]

Aileen Wuornos: So at the time, I was just staying with some guys. [unclear: "And I noticed we had some guys. My rooftop was 26, 90, shot of steel."] And I carried that around [unclear: "when I stumbled around"]. Which, I couldn't believe the cops [unclear: "were going to search me"]. [unclear: "I got a good message from them. Did they try to search me? Searching. They were never searching."] And anyway, so when I [unclear: "did an app post"], the person gave me my money. I thought, [unclear: "what do you have to do?"] The person gave me my money, and then started [unclear: "asking me"]. That's when I started to [unclear: "take every challenge"]. But she was at work. [unclear: "Why not be an on-caller, or almost fast-over, or shoot. Sometimes four hours at a meet, or sometimes a couple days, big cat patrol."] And I was like, that's a lot of money.

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "She was acting a lot of money."] She knew I was tricking. But she thought I was doing it decently, honestly. [unclear: "And I've had any one of my best friends on the phone. She didn't know I sold something. She didn't understand."] And then when she found out that I did, she left me. She took off, she went back home. I told her to go home. The best thing to do is just go and [unclear: "leave" / "make it up"], because I don't want you involved. She didn't do anything. And she started hating me. I don't blame her. She said, [unclear: "these are the things you need to know" / "meet you"]. And I lost somebody very dear in my life, but I care about [unclear: "you"], because I loved [unclear: "you" / "her"] with all my heart.

Aileen Wuornos: I never wanted to [unclear: "double shit"]. I wish I never got that gun. I wish I never would have done what I did. I still have to say to myself, I still say that was self-defense, because most of them either were going to start [unclear: "speaking out" / "to see him"], or they were going to screw me [unclear: "in" / "down"]. [unclear: "You don't want to pay when you don't ask. So I quietly opened my head and waved them."] And then I, as I get away from them, I run to the [unclear: "start of the car"] and jump over the seat or whatever, grab my gun and just [unclear: "don't shoot" / "start shooting"], because they would be out of the car, most of them would be. [unclear: "They didn't do anything. They just couldn't. And they didn't do anything. I didn't think I'd run it back in the car or anything."] I would start shooting out from out of the car.

Aileen Wuornos: Did they find any prints on that car, the wrecked one?

Investigator: Yes.

Aileen Wuornos: Did they find the [unclear: "tires" / "towel"]?

Investigator: Yes.

Aileen Wuornos: That's why I couldn't tell you, because she didn't know it was a car that [unclear: "belonged to a victim"]. She just thought [unclear: "I had somebody on the victim"]. And we just went around driving around all the time, and drinking and driving. And then I told her I was too drunk, and I asked her if she wanted to drive, and she said okay. So we're driving down the road, and she was going a little too fast. I told her [unclear: "so now that she couldn't control the curb"], and that's when we [unclear: "wrecked"]. [unclear: "Then I went to his house. I had an attack in the car."] I was wrecked, [unclear: "but he was at the truck, down the road"]. I was still smashed to hell. I had blood all over my shoulder and shit. And then I told her, I said, "Listen, I'm going to [unclear: "tell you something" / "play something"]." She said, "What?" I said, [unclear: "the camera's the couch" / "the camera the couch know anything right now"]. This is [unclear: "just the cost of the curb" / "the car"]. I told her [unclear: "it was gonna come"]. She said, "What?" I said, "I killed them."

Investigator: [unclear: "How was that kiss? Did you get anything?"] Do you want a cup of coffee or a cigarette?

Aileen Wuornos: No. I just need to [unclear: "come to the test"], because I'm [unclear: "happy"] and I'm shaking. I'm just starting to pee in my pants.

Investigator: Wait just a minute. You want a cigarette? Help yourself. Here.

Aileen Wuornos: Thank you. Okay.

Investigator: Did you say you want some coffee?

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "I don't want to do this. I can't do this, but I need to go to the vet."]

Investigator: [unclear: "We're going to drink coffee."] Oh, okay. Well, all right. You want the cigarette [unclear: "ice"]? [unclear: "Let me let it through."]

Aileen Wuornos: Yeah, I can.

Investigator: [unclear: "You can't go to the vet."] All right. We're going to try to get you [unclear: "to charge up"]. I understand that there's one here. Larry went out to check on that. He said that there's [unclear: "news" / "folks"] here. We're calling [unclear: "in first" / "the head person"].

Aileen Wuornos: I have a question. How in the world did you guys know I was [unclear: "Lori Grody" / "a glory girl here" / "laurier, here's my sister's name"]? How did you know who I was in that bar?

Investigator: [unclear: "I know, but I mean, really."]

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "Somebody made my beer can."]

Investigator: [unclear: "I was checking a few more questions."] There's all kinds of ways that's done. And the biggest thing, to answer your question, is that when you pawn some stuff, [unclear: "what's your favorite bit on that"], and the other stuff that you pawned back in December of last year, December of '89, [unclear: "18, 1989"], radar detector and camera.

Aileen Wuornos: Oh, yeah. [unclear: "Don't forget it. Oh, I'll be better."] Oh, well. I mean, but I don't care. I'm glad [unclear: "I get it"]. So, see, I really, I just, I want to get right with God. [unclear: "And it's like they sent me a bunch of cheer, but let me hide a normal death. And, you know, just all the work that happened, then I got on."] And I really am [unclear: "excited"], right? [unclear: "And excited as a good person."] But when I get drunk, like I said, I'd be drinking with these guys. And when they [unclear: "start back on me"], I would never hurt nobody. But if they [unclear: "left me" / "went at me"], then I would. And I have to say, I would. [unclear: "I get to the spot and they would get on me and try to get them."]

Investigator: All right, you ready to go back?

Aileen Wuornos: Yeah.

Investigator: All right. Let me turn [unclear: "off" / "on"] this tape now. And I have 10:42 in the morning, this January 16th, 1991. [unclear: "This is Investigator ... Sheriff's Office" / "Yes, investigator was watching me. I'm Sheriff's Office"], and you are Aileen...

Aileen Wuornos: I'm Aileen [unclear: "Wuornos"; machine text "Warren"].

Investigator: [unclear: "Carol Wuornos"; machine text "Cheryl Warren"]?

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "I'm Aileen Wuornos"].

Investigator: 2/29/56?

Aileen Wuornos: Yes.

Investigator: Born in Rochester or Troy, Michigan?

Aileen Wuornos: Well, I was born in [unclear: "Trenton Fallsville, Detroit" / not in captions], Michigan, because they're on the roster there in Troy at the time.

Investigator: Yeah. Okay. Let me turn it off. [unclear: "I'll get you back. We got an accident."]

Aileen Wuornos: Thank you.

Investigator: Yeah, well, we'll do this. Let me turn this back on, okay? Okay, I'm turning the tape back on now, and it's about 14 minutes to 11. Larry Horzepa, the other guy that was sitting over here, he's on the phone right now. He's contacting the public defender's office, trying to get an attorney over here for you, so that he can represent you and do whatever you want him to do, or whatever, okay? Now, the reason that we record everything, videotape and audiotape, is so that there can't be any misunderstandings between you and I or anybody else involved in this case, that everything is up front and level, because I won't lie to you, and hopefully you won't lie to me. So we can sit here, [unclear: "we can sit here and wish you your training notes"], and we don't need to talk about the case or anything [unclear: "and tell you to ask about the case"].

Aileen Wuornos: I mean, I [unclear: "like to understand that I don't lie on top"]. [unclear: "I want this all to help."] I'm telling you [unclear: "to follow my heart"]. I'm telling you the truth about everything. [unclear: "I mean, I can't be any truth about it."] I'm telling you, [unclear: "I was with God by my side"]. I'm telling you the truth. So don't worry. I'm telling you the truth. [unclear: "I just can't."] I mean, this isn't a joke. [unclear: "I'm being a kid over there."] I'm, I'm being very honest. That's all I can say. The only reason I'm doing this is because, number one, I'm guilty. Number two, my girlfriend is not. She doesn't, didn't know anything. She never was around the time that I hurt these people. She was at work. She'd work, eat, sleep, come home, and that was it. She's a very good person. She doesn't do drugs. She might drink a little beer [unclear: "now and then" / "down there"], so that's it. She's a real sweet person, and she doesn't deserve to be harmed in this, because she didn't do anything.

Aileen Wuornos: And that's another reason I'm confessing. And they were looking for two women, and I want to straighten out that she was with me in the car, but she didn't know the car belonged to somebody that was murdered until after the wreck. And I told her, I said, "Man, Ty, I've got to tell you something." [unclear: "You know, never mind. So I had to tie, you know, I said, get permission, man, you know, because I need some magic. I need to measure them."] [unclear: "In fact, she got pushed"], and she said, "What the fuck is the deal?" I said, "I've got to tell you something." I said, "I killed somebody." She said, "What?" I said, "I killed somebody, man. This car is somebody I killed." "You idiot! What, are you crazy? Why did you do that?" All this stuff.

Aileen Wuornos: So I told her, "Hey, we've got to get out of here, but I [unclear: "don't"] want you to get in trouble." I told [unclear: "her"], you know, that she didn't do anything, and [unclear: "she told me, yeah, yeah, for sure"], you know, and all this stuff. So I told her [unclear: "I had to push those in front of the guys"], and I said, [unclear: "why don't we start off together"], and then [unclear: "those paramedics, which I didn't know, came down on me from a farm truck"]. And then we told them that we were hitchhiking. [unclear: "She got us,"] I lied. I did all the talking. I said [unclear: "she got us kicked and stuff, and we got harassed"], and they, you know what I mean? I said, "You guys picked us up, and they dropped us off." And [unclear: "why don't they tell us"]. They told us, "This is where, you know, [unclear: "we get to tell them" / "we'd get to stay tuned"]." But it was the wrong road and all that stuff. And um, and then I [unclear: "told them, you've got to get going"].

Investigator: Let me stop you just a second. You know, you've exercised your right to have an attorney here, and maybe you shouldn't be talking about these things. It's up to you, [unclear: "for your decision. So let's take it."]

Investigator: [unclear: "Okay, I was trying to take over, and it is 10:50."] Okay, what I'm saying to you is, yeah, that, um, that, you know, you've exercised your right to [unclear: "the attorney"], and I enjoy talking to you, and we're trying to get one here, and maybe you [unclear: "shouldn't"] be saying these things to me.

Aileen Wuornos: I need to understand. Aren't you people [unclear: "ashamed, too"], or...?

Investigator: No, ma'am. We're not.

Aileen Wuornos: Okay.

Investigator: [unclear: "I think the badge on my shirt."]

Aileen Wuornos: Oh, yeah. Okay. You guys are, like, cops, right?

Investigator: That's correct.

Aileen Wuornos: Oh, I see. Why can't I tell you the truth about everything? [unclear: "Why can't I tell you who you are?"]

Investigator: [unclear: "Thank you."] You have exercised your right [unclear: "if you want to go ahead and talk to an attorney"]. Once you have done that, okay, by law, our rules are, once you said, "I want an attorney," we can no longer talk to you about any of the cases, okay? The only time that we can begin to talk to you again about the cases is if you wish to voluntarily come to us and say, "Look, I no longer want an attorney. I want to go ahead and talk about these things." But since you have invoked your right to the attorney...

Aileen Wuornos: Yes. [unclear: "Maybe the attorney can help you."] I know...

Investigator: [unclear: "We can talk to you about it." / "We can't talk to you."]

Aileen Wuornos: Yeah, I know that. It wasn't... In my heart, I know I [unclear: "felt defending myself so we didn't"]...

Investigator: [unclear: "Did you talk to him over there?"]

Unidentified Speaker: [unclear: "Yes."]

Investigator: [unclear: "Want to come in?"]

Unidentified Speaker: [unclear: "Yes."]

Aileen Wuornos: You know, I know that I [unclear: "have to"] defend myself. [unclear: "But it's a secret. I would have heard me. He'll see you later. And I'm not serious."] I had gone to at least 250,000 guys [unclear: "each time"], [unclear: "at least I've never hurt any of them"]. As a matter of fact, I became very good friends with them, you know, [unclear: "when we made their elections"]. [unclear: "And I always wanted to be managed, but I would be a long-time member, because I didn't really want to have a call, or I didn't even have a phone."] I mean, I'm trying to say [unclear: "it"], but I wouldn't hurt anybody [unclear: "more than I have to"].

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "I mean, I need the attorneys."] So yeah. [unclear: "See, I helped over eight years" / "Yeah, for eight years"]. [unclear: "It felt like it was successful. I had a question made in business, but my partner went to the office and had to discuss it."]

Investigator: Would you like some coffee or something along the way? Do you want it black or white, or how do you like that?

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "I've got black or white. I'm thinking of creating a tissue. A tissue that's very not-fond."] Thank you.

Investigator: No problem.

Aileen Wuornos: Yeah, really.

Investigator: Larry, there's someone from the public defender's office that wants to talk to you on the telephone. So I'll stay in here and [unclear: "pour her coffee" / "pull off the coffee"] while you talk to them.

Investigator: He went out. He contacted the public defender's office, just like you requested.

Aileen Wuornos: Okay. Gee, if you guys [unclear: "were here" / "have an eye on that radio"], if you guys [unclear: "are careful, why don't you come look at me and tell me"]. You didn't know where I'm at? How in the world did you know I was [unclear: "laughing first"]? When they came and checked my [unclear: "ID" / "knee"] that night before, right?

Investigator: Oh, okay.

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "I ripped off this girl. I'm going to need to clean my head up. I'm going to turn her into my knee."] So I'm not a goody-goody girl, as I might think I am, but I know in my heart [unclear]. I knew that I had problems [unclear: "in those tears and everything. So, I guess I have that in view for me."]

Investigator: That was Larry. The public defender's office advising that a gentleman by the name of Michael O'Neill will be coming to see you.

Aileen Wuornos: Oh, okay. Did you get me down there?

Investigator: Yes.

Aileen Wuornos: Okay.

Investigator: Okay, well, wait. I'll get that coffee.

Aileen Wuornos: Okay. Thank you.

Investigator: Did you say you [unclear: "want some cereal" / "wanted, Larry"]?

Aileen Wuornos: No, thank you. I'm fine.

Investigator: Okay.

Aileen Wuornos: Yeah, I'm so glad I'm getting this out, because I don't want my girlfriend in trouble. She didn't do anything. I mean, [unclear: "she didn't take out one. I don't have one liquor with anything."] No, nothing. I mean, if you check [unclear: "at the Del Mar" / "after the alarm"], check the records [unclear: "for work"], I'm sure that [unclear: "these guys got hurt"] [unclear: "she didn't have work at the time" / "she was at work at the time"]. And then again, too, she didn't have days off, but she wasn't around, because where they got hurt was out of Daytona, [unclear: "so she didn't have days off at home" / "and shooting in daytime at home"]. [unclear: "She had worked in these things, and I believe that's how she did it."]

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "You've heard of her?"] I mean, if you really knew her, she's a real sweet, sweet, sweet girl. You know, [unclear: "every time she comes back to me"], because I don't want her to be involved in something she didn't do. [unclear: "And how she did, I decided to get her right now, but she didn't, and I don't want her to be shot. I wasn't gonna say no."] I feel very sorry [unclear: "when I'm done"]. [unclear: "I wish I got in and worked out very well. I didn't have time. We should go out there and we're gonna have dinner."]

Unidentified Speaker: [unclear: "Hey, guys." / "Hello."]

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "Take for a trial or something. You're hooked to your..."]

Investigator: It normally takes quite a bit. You know, by the time you get [unclear: "that talk"] and everybody involved, it takes quite a bit of time.

Aileen Wuornos: I just want to get it [unclear: "done"]. But I really, honestly, I mean, [unclear: "as long as I can be active as a person, I have to tell them that there's so many men"]. I mean, [unclear: "I gave Dad a little surprise"]. He gave me [unclear: "$400" / "a hundred dollars"] for that, for less than ten minutes. [unclear: "Give me a hundred dollars and three hundred more for two."] That's how much he liked my attitude. I mean, and see, I wouldn't have hurt nobody. And I, [unclear: "you know, the reason I do this is because I didn't"]. And yes, we were drinking, and yes, I was drunk, but there were times these guys weren't even drunk or nothing. They were straight. But [unclear: "I was drunk" / "I was strong"], so they were going to take it [unclear: "back to me" / "out on me"], because I was [unclear: "willing to live" / "able to live"].

Aileen Wuornos: So that's one reason I did it, because I knew I had to do something. Because if I didn't, they would [unclear: "beat"] the shit out of me and probably [unclear: "taken my gun and"] shot me, or beat the shit out of me and took off, or [unclear: "reached out"] and raped me and took off. You know, I don't know. [unclear: "Those days are going to carry on."]

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "And I think that's where the American just came."] It's cold in here, too.

Investigator: [unclear: "That seems to be a control, and you're going to be able to regulate this room."]

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "But it's all black, so that holds my hold, too." / "Plus it's all black, it's on that old bowl too."] What is this, [unclear: "a conference"] that we're in?

Investigator: I don't know. This isn't my regular office. This is, this is still part of the Branch Jail in here.

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "I hope they won't make it to here. Where are you guys waiting for me?"] Did you think I would...?

Investigator: [unclear: "Can't say."]

Aileen Wuornos: Well, I really had thoughts in my mind to go ahead and do something about it a long time ago, because I figured to myself, well, I wish I would have done it a long time ago, but maybe [unclear: "nobody else would get hurt" / "I would have gotten hurt"]. I was just out here [unclear: "hooking around"]. I thought about it, and I thought about it a lot, because I really do believe in God. And I really, really am [unclear: "really delicious"] that I just, I don't know.

Investigator: Okay, there we go. [unclear: "Larger cream in here, we got." / "Laura gets to breathe in here."] All right.

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: machine text repeats "It feels good. It feels great." Captions: "and feels good, do it, sure, but it feels great, dude"]. [unclear: "Do it again."] That's fine sexually, but don't go around killing somebody unless you have to.

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "I really am. I heard, I've never heard anybody say that. I mean, I don't count that. And you give it the lead what I want it to be. I want to be a paramedic who wants to."] And would you believe I went to [unclear: "CBCC" / "CVCC"] to learn to be a [unclear: "cop" / "college student"]? In 1976, I was 20 years old, or 1977. I went to [unclear: "CVCC"] and I asked them, you know, how I can become a [unclear: "cop"]. Then they [unclear: "said three thousand dollars"]. I told them I don't have the money, and [unclear: "a diploma"], which I didn't have. I had to take my GED test, and then I'd have to get a grant from the government. It'd be like three [unclear: "thousand dollars"] or something, and they'd ship me [unclear: "to an academy"] or something. And I couldn't do it. Now you can become a cop and [unclear: "fill out an application at the academy"], and then you pay installments back.

Investigator: [unclear: "Well, you're just going to have something."] True.

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "So I can't believe I switched it out of this. I have a happy parent."] I raised myself since I was 14. [unclear: "I was one of my owners when I was 14."] If I had a family, I'm sure I would [unclear: "manage to predict it"]. And that's for sure. [unclear: "I would have been a immigrant baby."]

Aileen Wuornos: That was a good [unclear: "coffee" / "copy"].

Investigator: Yeah, it's not bad.

Unidentified Speaker: See? She looks pretty good.

Unidentified Speaker: Well, that looks a little bit like you, but [unclear: "you're saying it's not" / "the same kind of"] jaw. Look at the jawline.

Unidentified Speaker: I understand. Oh, yes, you do. Blue eyes.

Aileen Wuornos: I'm very, very [unclear: "happy"] that I'm here, and I'm scared about all of this, and I am very scared. I wouldn't confess if it wasn't for the fact that I don't want my girlfriend involved. I mean, I don't know, because I've thought about it many times, but I don't want her involved, [unclear: "but"] she's not involved. I mean, you can ask her questions and stuff, but she doesn't know anything. And I'm telling you, I love her very much. That's what I'm trying to say. I love her deep down inside very much. [unclear: "In the crib, most times Christian"]. She goes, she's going to church, and she has worked [unclear: "eight and a half"], and watched videos at home or watched TV, [unclear: "real force, celebrity" / "real quick, Jeopardy"]. She never did anything else. [unclear: "I have a problem over a few years of stay-at-home. I don't like her anymore."]

Aileen Wuornos: She's not guilty, and I'm willing to take the punishment. I'd rather confess that I did it, so she won't have to. I know she doesn't deserve [unclear: "any punishment"]. She didn't. [unclear: "She's not expressing herself."] I don't want you to think I'm doing it because I love her and trying to protect her. I'm not. I'm doing it because I love her, and she's not guilty, because she didn't do anything. And then, I'm not trying to protect her from anything. I'm being very open.

Aileen Wuornos: It's very frightening. [unclear: "But until we're on the phone, I've done it."] [unclear: "She's going to be detecting us" / "detectives"] were at the house. My family, she was crying right now. My family's getting all messed up. I didn't do anything. [unclear: "You got me involved in this job" / "We got the involved in us, jazz"], because that car that got wrecked. [unclear: "If you want to get a car that got wrecked,"] you need to go and tell them that you did it and get me straightened out on this. [unclear: "And I can get a tie on the other side." / "And I suggest, Ty..."]

Aileen Wuornos: I'm sorry. Because I know when you hurt family, you're hurting them. [unclear: "I don't want to miss you. I want to be a real big person. I want to be a sweet guy." / "She's a real person."] [Whisper repeats this passage at 42:35; not reproduced.]

Aileen Wuornos: You know, [unclear: "there is a good couple called me" / "that is a big cup of coffee"]. You know what I did? They didn't have cream and sugar over there, so I took and I put in [unclear: "they made it"]... They didn't have the cream and sugar.

Investigator: Well, no, but I...

Aileen Wuornos: Well, what I did was I put in some Sweet'N Low, and then she came back and she brought me some cream and some sugar. So then I put in another sugar and then the cream, and then I stirred it up. Maybe that's what [unclear: "it tastes like" / "the hit sugar does"]. You could never duplicate it again.

Investigator: [unclear: "It's a reasonable argument."]

Aileen Wuornos: Yes, I bet. Oh, you guys really [unclear: "do"]. You [unclear: "put me on your hypnosis" / "just put me on a set of notices"], you take a lie test or test, do whatever you have to make me show you that [unclear: "Ty does not" / "this hot note did not"], did not do anything. Honestly, by being so honest, I can't [unclear: "be as honest as you can"]. [unclear: "She's just a good girl thing. And that's a great place to be. I've never had the sugar yet in a long time."] Three years of good friendship and being just loving each other. [unclear: "I screwed up"] the last year.

Aileen Wuornos: I asked her, [unclear: "if I have done this, would she be able to finish it up?"] [unclear: "I don't understand."] I said, [unclear: "I just hate you now, so you're not very good"]. [unclear: "I do love you a little bit. I guess I do. I'm a little bit worried."] You know, I guess after three years you can still have a little love. I said, but yeah, I just go ahead and hate [unclear: "you"]. It's gonna be easy for me to deal with you and you to deal with me. But I don't have anybody, with family or nothing. She was my only friend. [unclear: "I didn't even pull up. That's all I want you to do."]

Aileen Wuornos: But I looked at her and asked her, and she never told me. She was working at [unclear: "a lot of restaurants"], and [unclear: "she met at 125 hours in the quarters, back in the washers"]. She could have kept the money. No, she didn't even [unclear: "need to deal with that"]. [unclear: "So we were a part of the restaurant. We needed a restaurant real fast."] So I went out and made some money real quick. [unclear: "Then, we should have worked as a manager in this large event. And now, we see 57. And there's quarters in the military. Now, it wouldn't be 57 if we were going to get started. But we lived three blocks from San Jose"] to go home and get some money. [unclear: "I'm not going to use any of this money" / "I'm not going to let you say this thing"].

Aileen Wuornos: Would you believe that they fired her, saying that she had taken [unclear: "600" / "Victor and some"] dollars? [unclear: "That there was another guy that was working there. Did he get it?"] And then there's another girl, that was some kind of [unclear: "biker chick" / "wiper chick"] [unclear: "from Canada" / "Candice"], that would take over a little, you know, for an hour or two. And I think she's the one that stole the money. She got fired for that. She did not take it, because, I mean, I mean, [unclear: "they didn't hurt my child"], I'd be with her all the time. And we needed rent money. I had to go out and [unclear: "help her"]. There's no way she'd [unclear: "have to do that" / "check it"]. She's a very honest person.

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "I think she was a very common person. I think it's because we were better at the middle, you know."] She got [unclear: "harder than the capitol marksman" / "hardest castle marketing"] a lot, [unclear: "because we were better. I know that's the reason, is he's from Ireland. He didn't like that idea that he could get to ask them, or he could get trying to get a seat pass from all over the store."] Yeah, he was [unclear: "lost"], you know. So he said, [unclear: "why didn't you come to Ireland?"] She wouldn't get a chance. She's real sweet. [unclear: "But she's the most of me."] I was saying, we didn't even have sex, [unclear: "Michael"]. We had sex, I'd say, the first year, maybe three times, and the next two years we didn't even have sex together. We're just trying to be [unclear: "a friend"]. I mean, he has no reason to say that. I say, well...

Aileen Wuornos: So that's what I'm saying, that's what I'm saying, because she, [unclear: "shit, she would deserve anything that she could do"]. I don't want [unclear: "her"] to have trouble. [unclear: "There's something that I have to do."] I know right now it's easy for me to confess. I know right now it's easy for me to say everything. [unclear: "I understand."] When I get back to the cell, I'll [unclear: "start with my eyes out" / "start crying my eyes out"]. I'm going through a lot of [unclear: "health"] and court and everything else. [unclear: "I'll take away control of it."]

Investigator: I understand.

Aileen Wuornos: So I know it's very frightening for me, but... because I don't want to [unclear: "lose it"]. Whew. [unclear: "It's impossible to live in a tent. It's impossible to live in a tent. I think there's enough. I don't know why I'm living in it, but I know what's the fun thing."]

Aileen Wuornos: I just want to get right with God again, and [unclear: "I can't just offer my justice" / "get this off my chest"] with the Lord and with the people [unclear: "here"], so everybody knows. I [unclear: "actually was sorry" / "ask this part of the family, too"]. I mean, I realize I don't have family, so I don't understand. But when I, after I'm seeing Ty's family and everything, I have never met the family, but [unclear: "noticing how Ty was on the phone, so I realized now, no matter that"]... And the reason, now, these, these men were older men. Another thing, after they were dead, [unclear: "it didn't happen to me, because I thought, well, if I were older, I'd probably not have anybody like me. I didn't know what it was supposed to be."] But I didn't tell them [unclear: "what I was going to do. I told them that I was going to try to do something."]

Aileen Wuornos: But I did think that [unclear: "while they're older, while their mother's trying to see" / "mother's, father's saying"]. I don't know. It was a [unclear: "creepy thought in my head"]. [unclear: "I'm trying to tell you what I was going to do."] [unclear: "Now that I'm feeling sorry for myself for what I'm going to say,"] I'm saying I wish I never had to [unclear: "run"]. I wish I never would have [unclear: "let you die"]. [unclear: "I'm going to have to do what I did, right? Because I'm ugly, and we've got a community department here that I have in terms of, for what I'm saying."] Because if I wasn't [unclear: "hooking"], I [unclear: "wasn't hooking around"]... When I was [unclear: "hooking"] around, I would have never had a physical problem, and I would have never had to hurt anybody.

Aileen Wuornos: And I do have to say one thing, though. Their families must realize that no matter how much they love the people that died, no matter how much they love them, they were bad, because they were going to [unclear: "hurt"]... So they have to realize the fact that this person, no matter how much they love [unclear: "them"], how good they thought they were, this person was either gonna physically beat me up, rape me, [unclear: "or she'll be down, or they'll turn"]. And I just turned around and [unclear: "did my fair play"] before I would get hurt. So I would love to say that to them. I mean, [unclear: "they kind of used to say, you stupid bitch, you and my husband, or whatever, you know,"] or my brother or something. And I just had to say, listen, what they were going to do to me, I would be probably turning around, [unclear: "my head"], [unclear: "if I hadn't survived it" / "survived it"], and saying, "You [unclear: "stupid" / "sick"] bastards, you almost killed me, almost raped me, and you almost beat the shit out of me." [unclear: "So I didn't know that kind of high."]

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "I can't believe I didn't do that."]

Unidentified Speaker: [unclear: "Sweet. What's that for?"] The attorney is out here.

Investigator: The attorney's out here?

Unidentified Speaker: [unclear: "This here."]

Aileen Wuornos: Oh, okay. [unclear: "Did she come in?"]

Unidentified Speaker: [unclear: "She's out here."]

Aileen Wuornos: Good. How did you know that?

Investigator: [unclear: "I mean, he just walked out one day. It's in the door."]

Aileen Wuornos: I was going to say, [unclear: "what, to last a few or something?"]

Investigator: No, I didn't hear the door open up, [unclear: "and I opened up a little bit, so I'm going to start the thing right away" / "stuck their finger in the camera"].

Aileen Wuornos: Now, I [unclear: "know" / "noticed"] these guys, one guy had a weapon. And I said, one guy had a weapon with him. He had a .45. And it was dark, and I didn't know where [unclear: "to put it" / "he could"]. [unclear: "It wasn't an actual."] I don't know where he put it, but I didn't know he had a weapon, see. I had no idea he had one. But when he started [unclear: "shit with me" / "shooting me"], that's when I grabbed my gun and I started shooting. And when I was done shooting him, and I went through the car, there was a .45 sitting on the top [unclear: "of the room"]. I think he was going to [unclear: "take that one"]. Thank God.

Aileen Wuornos: Well, that's another thing. And that's why I honestly have to say, if you're [unclear: "hooking"], [unclear: "you don't do it"]. I mean, I can help people out [unclear: "a little bit"], because I think I had six times, I had six times [unclear: "I almost got killed" / "how much I killed"]. [unclear: "And I don't know the person."] You know, [unclear: "being very honest"].

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "Now, to recognize all this stuff, I was having a strong moment. And after I got here, I told him he was drunk. So, wow. I don't even know that he had a gun."]

Attorney: I'm [unclear: "Mike O'Neill" / "Dr. Ives"]. I'm [unclear: "very pleased to have you here" / "with the Public Defender's office"]. [unclear: "Who's the sheriff's office to meet you?"] Ms. Aileen Wuornos?

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "Okay."] Wuornos.

Attorney: Wuornos. Okay, sorry. And I believe that I should talk to her. [unclear: "Try to please her, right?" / "Privately, please, right?"]

Investigator: That's fine. Okay. We will leave you to talk [unclear: "to the police"].

Attorney: Okay. What did you say your names were?

Bruce Munster: [unclear: "First officer"] Bruce Munster, Marion County, [unclear: "Sheriff's Office"].

Investigator: Larry Horzepa.

Bruce Munster: [unclear: "It's full of meat."] You remember my name, it was on TV. Do you remember the Munsters on TV?

Attorney: Yeah.

Bruce Munster: The Munsters and the Addams Family. So when I run a business card, they say, "My name's Munster. What's on TV?" And everybody remembers Herman Munster. [unclear: "Where's"] Marion County.

Attorney: Okay. Oh! [unclear: "I remember her."] Okay. And you're from this county?

Investigator: Yes, I'm from this county.

Attorney: Oh, okay.

Investigator: You don't remember me from...?

Attorney: [unclear: "I remember you from..."] Okay. Thank you.

News Reporter: Six months ago, a passerby found 46-year-old Douglas [unclear: "Giddens" / "Gibbons"] face down, shot to death along this rural Ocala road. Giddens was a tourist on his way back to Georgia. Investigators believe he was robbed. His car was found abandoned nearby. Two months later, victim number two, 43-year-old David Spears from Orlando, was found shot to death, his truck found here along I-75 in Marion County. Last month, Troy Burress disappeared while working for a sausage delivery company. He was found shot, his wallet missing. Just last week, Dick Humphreys, an HRS employee, was also found shot to death and dumped along a dirt road outside of town. Marion County investigators say there could be a link, but say they don't have anything solid, and they don't want residents to panic.

Marion County Official: In view of the recent situation in the Gainesville area, I mean, yes, we do have some unsolved homicides here, but, and we always look to see if they're related to other ones in the area, but we don't see a common thread at this point.

News Reporter: The fifth possible victim is Peter Siems, an evangelist from Jupiter. Witnesses say they saw these two women driving Siems's car. They ditched the car, started hitchhiking. When investigators recovered the car, they found blood in the front seat. Siems has never been found, and investigators say if there is a link, it's not obvious.

News Reporter: Authorities searched from Sky Eye 2 this afternoon for any signs that might lead them to the missing man from Palm Beach County.

Search Official: Hopefully we'll find some new evidence, possibly the body. We just extended our search about another square mile that we're trying to look into.

News Reporter: 47-year-old Peter Siems of Jupiter vanished last June on his way to Arkansas. In July, officers found his stolen car in Orange Springs. There was blood inside. Then yesterday, investigators discovered another crime scene in the same area linked to the car. These two women have allegedly been tied to Siems's stolen car by a witness who saw the suspects in Marion County last July.

Searcher: Remember the gopher hole over here?

News Reporter: 30 investigators and volunteers stomped through the woods in Orange Springs looking for any signs of a body. Investigators out searching say they found bones at several sites, but they all belong to wild animals. The search has covered several remote roads over dozens of acres, but authorities admit if Siems is dead, his body could be anywhere, even in another state. Still, the search has made nearby residents jumpy. This store clerk says one of her customers may have seen the suspects today.

Store Clerk: He said one was kind of short and really heavyset, and the other one was kind of taller, with blonde, a little shoulder-length blonde hair, and they took off from the other side of the church in the woods.

News Reporter: 47-year-old Peter Siems is a missionary from Palm Beach County. Siems left his home six months ago in his car, headed for Arkansas. He never made it. Siems vanished. The question is, was he a victim of women hitchhikers?

Investigator At The Scene: I want to go on the other side here, because they walked down the road, so I want to get inside here and just walk that.

News Reporter: Today, investigators discovered evidence in North Marion County that allegedly ties these two women to Siems's stolen car. Siems's car was discovered on the 4th of July, just south of Orange Springs. Witnesses saw the composite drawings of the women on a recent news broadcast and called authorities with the tip this morning.

Investigator: We're looking at similarities, again, of these two girls possibly having something to do with it. We know now that the composites match the description of the females that were driving this car.

News Reporter: The last time the two women suspects were spotted, witnesses say they saw them walking away from the missing missionary's car, headed south on this road. Investigators searched a nearby field and wooded area this afternoon, where officers say the two women emptied out Siems's car. The suspects apparently crashed through this gate on a rural dirt road, a road not far from where Beatrice Underwood manages a convenience store.

Beatrice Underwood: One of them I think I saw. The other one, I'm not sure.

News Reporter: Underwood's 60-year-old husband fits the profile of the victims and says he doesn't stop for hitchhikers anymore.

Mr. Underwood: It's just scary in a way, because knowing somebody [unclear: "to"] run around, do something like that.

News Reporter: 50-year-old Curtis "Corky" Reed vanished in September. His Titusville neighbors saw him leave for a doctor's appointment. He never showed. Reed's sister says the family is clinging to the hope that he's still alive, but police believe Reed may have fallen victim to what could be women serial killers.

Reed'S Sister: Just pull together and love each other harder and wait, really, for it to be over. You know, you have a lot of questions that you want answers for, but you, you look out for each other and get a little stronger.

News Reporter: Reed's family has sent out flyers with the [unclear: "Titusville man's"] picture and description, but 13 weeks have passed with no word on where Reed might be.

News Reporter: Police are looking for women that match these two composite drawings of suspects in the case. Witnesses have allegedly spotted the pair with another missing victim's stolen and bloodstained car. The car belonged to 65-year-old Peter Siems of Palm Beach County. Somehow, the car ended up in North Marion County with the women. Johnny Ray Spears says he helped the suspects fix the car last July.

Johnny Ray Spears: [unclear: "He acted like" / "Do you act like"] I mean that she ain't the type you want to fool with too much, the one that was driving, the stocky one, the one who wore the cap. I'm glad that, uh, that I didn't take them nowhere. You know, like if I didn't get the car fixed, they might have took me down a road and done me in or something, you know. Who knows?

Juan Vasquez: The life story of accused serial killer Aileen Wuornos began unfolding in a Florida courtroom today, a sordid tale of sexual abuse, petty crime and prostitution that police say led to a string of murders.

Prosecutor: She killed him out of greed. She was no longer satisfied with $10 or $20 or $40.

Juan Vasquez: Her first victim, police say, was electronics repairman Richard Mallory, who picked Wuornos up on the highway. They allegedly argued over payment for sex before she killed him. Her attorney says Wuornos was defending herself after being sexually humiliated.

Defense Attorney: You will hear evidence of bondage, rape, sodomy and degradation.

Juan Vasquez: Investigators say Wuornos stalked her victims along the highways of central Florida. This was one of them, posing as a hitchhiker. She is on trial for the murder of one man, but is believed to have killed six more. Police realized they had a serial killer on their hands, and eventually the evidence and a lesbian lover, Tyria Moore, led them to Wuornos, described as the first female serial killer to stand trial in this country.

Unidentified Speaker: It's almost as though she was looking for a particular individual out there to take her rage out on.

Juan Vasquez: The most damning evidence is a long, rambling confession in which Wuornos admits to six of the seven murders. The defendant has been legally adopted by a self-described born-again Christian who says Wuornos is innocent. But the prosecutors say Aileen Wuornos is a calculating, predatory killer who deserves the death penalty. Juan Vasquez, CBS News, DeLand, Florida.

Aileen Wuornos: [The excerpt begins mid-sentence.] ...[unclear: "the driver's seat, tucked inside the seat"], his [unclear: "other mirror"]. I put all that stuff in a tote bag, and his, his little canister deal and all that, I put that in my tote bag. And I said, "I'm gonna have to lay low. I don't know what I'm gonna do, man. I can't get out. I'm gonna have to drop this car off, whatever." When I saw the radar detector, I said, "I'll keep it to pawn it off for food or whatever, because I'm not gonna be able to get out on the road now. I'm scared they're gonna find his body. I've got to go and hurry up and dump this car."

Investigator: What time, what time is it by this time?

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "This is"] I, I remember when I was throwing stuff out. I was throwing a bunch of stuff out in the woods, just kept on throwing, [unclear: "right now in Quail Run" / "but now he fell on"]. I drove to another area, I stopped again, and I threw a bunch of stuff out in the woods, and I noticed his watch, and I checked it. It was 6:30.

Aileen Wuornos: [The tape appears to jump here.] So then he told me to turn toward him, lay down and spread my legs. He has all his clothes on. I guess he's just gonna [unclear: "unzip himself"], I don't know.

Investigator: Were you saying anything to him?

Aileen Wuornos: I didn't say nothing. I was scared.

Investigator: Okay. So then what happened?

Aileen Wuornos: I may have said something sardonic to him, like, "Why you still got your clothes on? Why don't you take your clothes off like you did before?" [unclear: "Something. I don't know."] [unclear: "Don't grab this" / "I'm don't reclaim"]. [unclear: "You grabbed it"], came right out of his hand. I flung it in the back seat.

Investigator: Did you say, [unclear: "you're not going to grab this, or you're going to do it"]?

Aileen Wuornos: No, [unclear: "my mind"].

Investigator: Okay.

Aileen Wuornos: I said, "Grab that, grab it now. You know, do something, you've got to fight." I thought to myself, "I've got to fight. I'm going to die. This guy is going to play with me and play with me and then he's going to kill me. He's already said he's going to kill me. He's already said he killed other girls. I've got to fight. I just got to fight for [unclear: "nothing" / "my mom"]." Plus, now I was close to the area where my bag was, where my gun was.

Investigator: Where was your bag?

Aileen Wuornos: My bag was near the hump, because I had first had it on the right side, but I had to move it, because it was in the way for me to get my jeans off. And so I kind of moved it almost on the hump. Actually, it was almost on the hump. I pushed it all the way over so I could get it.

Prosecutor: [unclear: "This time of the year death, arriving without possibility for all of our 25 years."] [unclear: "The aggravating factors"] to justify a recommendation that Ms. Wuornos receive the sentence of death are as follows. One, that she has previously been convicted of [unclear: "a capital felony" / "begin to position the death sentence"]. [unclear]... or whether there are such mitigating factors presented, if they are presented, which would outweigh the aggravating factors. And there's the aggravating factor of cold, calculated, premeditated...

Defense Counsel: [unclear: "It's a little bit of respect, Mr. Tanner."] Objection, Your Honor, [unclear: "height and premeditation"].

Prosecutor: Don't be led astray as you listen to the evidence. We need not prove every possible aggravating factor recognizable under the law. There are many recognizable under the law, such as that the murderer was under arrest [recording cuts].

Court Clerk: In the Circuit Court, [unclear: "Seventh Judicial Circuit, in and for Volusia County"], case number 91-257, State of Florida versus Aileen Carol Wuornos, also known as Susan Lynn Blahovec, also known as Lori Christine Grody, also known as Cammie Marsh Greene. As to count one, the majority of the jury, by a vote of 12 to nothing, advise and recommend to the court that it impose the death penalty upon Aileen Carol Wuornos, also known as Susan Lynn Blahovec, also known as Lori Christine Grody, also known as Cammie Marsh Greene. Dated at DeLand, Volusia County, Florida, this 30th day of January, 1992. Pamela J. Mills, foreperson.

Judge: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, we're going to ask each of you individually concerning the advisory sentence. It is not necessary that you state how you voted, or how any other person voted, but only if the advisory sentence was correctly stated. [unclear: "Madam, I'm sorry, if you could please vote."] Do you, Mrs. [unclear: "Clayton" / "Satan"], agree and confirm [unclear]?

Judge: [The poll of the other jurors is not in the upload.] Thank you very much for your time and consideration of this case. I also wish to advise you of some very special privileges that are enjoyed by jurors. No juror can ever be required to talk about the discussions that occur in the jury room, except by court order. For many centuries, our society has relied upon juries for consideration of difficult cases. We have recognized for hundreds of years that a jury's deliberations, discussions and votes [unclear: "should"] remain their private affairs, so long as they wish. Therefore, the law gives you a unique privilege not to speak about the jury's work. Although you are at liberty to speak with anyone about your deliberations, you are also at liberty to refuse to speak with anyone. A request may come from those who are simply curious, or [unclear: "may seek to"]... [recording cuts]

News Reporter: [unclear: "For that section, though," / "who had sex with"] over 250,000 men. With that shocking statement, prosecutors took the first step in their effort to send Aileen Wuornos to the electric chair. Wuornos, called the nation's first true female serial killer, murdered, prosecutors claim, for one simple reason.

Prosecutor: She killed him out of greed. She was no longer satisfied with $10 or $20 or $40. She wanted it all, and she had to take it. And she did. And she used a gun to take it. And she shot him to keep it.

News Reporter: Wuornos, who quietly cried at the accusations, admits she made her living as a prostitute, soliciting men along the highway. And defense attorneys called it a horrible way of life.

Defense Attorney: Time after time after time, she was raped. Time after time after time, she was beaten up and she wasn't paid. Finally, she armed herself.

News Reporter: And when she was picked up by Richard Mallory, he brutalized her again, the defense claimed.

Defense Attorney: You will hear evidence of bondage, rape, sodomy and degradation. And Lee was a victim to that.

News Reporter: A victim who shot Mallory to escape, Jenkins added. But Wuornos is a thieving murderer, the prosecution argued, who shot Mallory as he sat in his car.

Prosecutor: And when he tried to escape, with a bullet in his body, he crawled out. And then she ran around to the front of the car. It's difficult to imagine, but she shot him again.

News Reporter: There is network television and tabloid TV here, print journalists and authors looking for a best seller. Also in the crowd, those who are just curious, who want to know more about a woman alleged to have gone on a year-long killing spree. Many have already heard Wuornos recount the grisly details.

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "Shot him"], and he started running, [unclear: "my shot in the back"]. And then when I ran up to him, [unclear: "that's just a boom, shot"].

News Reporter: Wuornos's attorneys say the media barrage will make it impossible for them to find an impartial jury locally. But the judge is determined to try, and today begins the tedious process of questioning a jury pool.

Judge: Let me know those of you who have had some exposure to this case.

News Reporter: This case centers on the murder of Clearwater businessman Richard Mallory. Lawmen allege he was Wuornos's first victim, found dead in Volusia County in late '89. Police say Wuornos, posing as a prostitute, had six other deadly encounters. The state will ask for the death penalty. An interesting aspect of this case: Wuornos says she's been treated harshly while in the Volusia County Branch Jail.

Aileen Wuornos: I'm scared of my life in the Volusia County Jail. I'm tired of them trying to kill me there.

News Reporter: This latest twist in the Wuornos case came when Marion County investigator John [unclear: "Tilley" / "Tilly"] took the stand in her sentencing hearing here in Ocala. [unclear: "Tilley"] testified that Wuornos told him late last month that she dumped the body of Peter Siems in South Carolina, not Georgia, as originally believed. Investigator Tilley is now on his way to Jasper County, South Carolina, just across the border from Georgia, to look for evidence that Siems might have been dumped along I-95. According to local authorities, Jasper County officials confirm several unidentified bodies have been found there in the last two years.

Official: They have found several John Doe bodies up there, and you have to do the investigation to see if the dental information matches. So he's got quite a bit of work to do up there.

News Reporter: In fact, officers don't expect any answers until the end of the week. Wuornos, meanwhile, is staying on death row in Broward County. She refused to sit through the hearing where a jury will decide whether to sentence her to death or to life in prison for the murders of two men in Marion County and one in Citrus County.

Aileen Wuornos: [unclear: "political prestige from this"]. I'm sick and tired of this. I'll probably get three more [unclear: "down from you" / not legible].

Judge: [The sentence begins mid-sentence.] ...[unclear: "the Sheriff of"] Volusia County, Florida, with a copy of this sentence, [unclear: "to be delivered"] to the proper officers of the Department of Corrections of the State of Florida, and by him safely kept until, by warrant of the Governor of the State of Florida, you, Aileen Carol Wuornos, be electrocuted until you are dead. And may God have mercy upon your soul. The judgments and sentences will be entered in open court this 31st day of January, 1992, and my signature [unclear: "affixed"]. The court does now advise you that you have the right to appeal the judgment and sentence imposed upon you, upon showing to the court of your desire to appeal the judgment and sentence. And should you be an indigent person, counsel will be appointed to represent you for the appeal purposes. Would you please step over to the bailiff for fingerprinting, ma'am.

News Reporter: It began with the disappearance of three central Florida men within six months, all white and middle-aged, all found dead, victims of a serial killer. And then the terror moved north, with the disappearance of an Ocala salesman on July 31st, 1990.

Unidentified Resident: People just watch over the shoulder now, and check the car, and lock the door.

News Reporter: Paranoia on the rise. 50-year-old Troy Burress, found murdered in the Ocala National Forest. A retired Air Force major was next. Then Walter Antonio, his body found in November, nearly a year after the first man disappeared. Two months later, authorities arrested Aileen Wuornos, a woman who called herself an exit-to-exit highway hooker. Wuornos pleaded no contest to six murders and admitted to killing a seventh man whose body was never found.

Unidentified Speaker: She interrupted me and said that she wanted to come clean, and in terms of coming clean, that the police in this matter had done a good job and got their man.

News Reporter: Three days later, a judge sentenced Wuornos to die, a fate she accepted, dropping all her appeals and firing her attorneys three months after sentencing.

Aileen Wuornos: No sense keeping me alive, because I just would absolutely kill again. I've got too much anger, too much hatred in me over this world and everything.

News Reporter: Attorneys and activists claim Wuornos is mentally ill, too unstable to face the death penalty. But family members of her victims say enough is enough.

Victim'S Relative: Let's listen to her, to what she has to say. I'm ready to get it over with. You know, this has gone on and on and on.

Governor: Once appeals have been completed, it is a denial of justice to delay justice. And that's why I signed [unclear: "death warrants"] once, when appeals have been exhausted, in these two cases. Uh, we also were respectful of the request of the Florida Supreme Court not to, um, to do this during the recess, which was in July and August. And so, continuing a policy that I think is upholding the law, and I don't, well, I respect Mr. McBride's opinion on this. I don't believe we need, and I don't believe, particularly for the family members of these victims, to have delayed for some reason that wasn't relevant to whether the Supreme Court is looking at [unclear: "trace first"].

News Anchor: Female serial killer Aileen Wuornos is to be executed this morning. The former prostitute was convicted ten years ago of murdering six men in Florida. For years, Wuornos claimed it was self-defense. She later confessed and stopped all appeals. Congress continues to debate today on Iraq.

Tv Interviewer: Thanks, Darren. Good morning.

Charlize Theron: Good morning.

Tv Interviewer: Wow. Again, the physical transformation is one thing, but the performance is so powerful. Why did you, why did you want to play this role, the role of the first female serial killer [unclear: "or so"]?

Charlize Theron: Well, when I read the script, I, um, I didn't know that it was based, um, on a real person. I was working at the time, and the script just kind of ended up in my trailer, and I read it, and I, I was blown away by the writing, and I was also blown away by this very conflicted, troubled woman. And I find that the guys tend to get those parts.

Tv Interviewer: It's the story of Aileen Wuornos. Um, was it difficult to get into the head of someone who was so dark and troubled? Was that difficult, as an actor, to do that?

Charlize Theron: You know, I think your job as an actress is, the journey is pretty private, and it's a personal journey a lot of times. I had a real thirst to want to know what really happened in her life. And so, with Patty Jenkins, who wrote the script and directed this film, we really went on a journey to try and find the greater truth of her story, which we both felt was just always kind of misrepresented. And saying that, we never tried to justify why she did very horrendous things. We wanted to stay true to that, but also just maybe lift the rug a little bit and show her actual situation.

Tv Interviewer: Because she had such a hard life.

Charlize Theron: Because when she meets Selby, she's on the verge of suicide, practically. She's totally at the end of her rope. And then she meets Selby, and she just grasps on with all she has. Yeah, I mean, this is a woman who, and when I say she had never experienced love in her life, I really mean that. And finally, in her late twenties, she met this woman and fell madly in love. And she spent 12 years on death row and never once said one bad thing about this woman, even after she was betrayed by her and turned in by her.

Tv Interviewer: You had access to letters that Aileen Wuornos wrote to a friend over the 12 years that she was on death row. Did that help you in delving into who she was?

Charlize Theron: Very much. I mean, everybody also just always wants to know if I met her, and I didn't. And I think that in a way, if I had met her, she would not have opened up to me the way she did through these letters that she wrote to this friend. Sometimes the tiniest little thing that she would say in a letter just meant so much to me about who she was.

Tv Interviewer: What everyone is talking about, though, is what's most obvious on the screen, is the incredible physical transformation. I said almost unrecognizable, but I think totally unrecognizable. You gained between 25 and 30 pounds. You shaved your eyebrows. You even had prosthetic teeth in order to look more like her. When you look at yourself on screen, do you ever think, "I can't believe that's me"?

Charlize Theron: I, I was so concerned early on in the process, um, with the physical aspect of it, because in diving into the emotional aspect of it so much, I realized that what she looked like physically was really the map of her emotional life. I mean, she had lived a homeless life from the time that she was 13 on, and had a child when she was 13. And I, I think I was so concerned about wanting to stay so true to Aileen, and every decision that we made, we never forgot Aileen, that when I saw it, and when I see it today, I'm, I'm just really proud of what Tony G, our makeup artist, did.

Tv Interviewer: You are getting so much critical acclaim and so much buzz with this role. Uh, Roger Ebert said about your performance [recording ends; the captions add "jumping off the sun" at 1:20:57, not legible]. ---