Lavinia Fisher (c. 1793 – February 18, 1820) was an American criminal who, according to urban legends, was the first female serial killer in the United States of America.
Lavinia Fisher would invite lone travelers into the Six Mile Wayfarer House to dinner and ask them questions about their occupations, trying to determine if they had money.
[2] Much of what actually occurred in the alleged murders at the hands of John and Lavinia Fisher has become wildly exaggerated through time, so factual details are hard to find.
However, contemporary news accounts in the Charleston Post and Courier claimed that a vigilante gang went to the Fishers' neighborhood in February 1819 to stop the purported 'gang activities' that were occurring there.
Satisfied that they had accomplished their task, the group returned to Charleston, but left a young man by the name of David Ross to stand watch in the area.
[3] Immediately following this incident, another traveler named John Peeples asked if there were any vacancies; Lavinia replied that there was unfortunately no room, but he was welcome to come inside and rest and have some tea.
At their arraignment, the Fishers pleaded not guilty but were ordered to be held in jail until their trial, which would take place in May, while their co-conspirators were released on bail.
Things did not go as planned, as the rope they had made from prison linens broke, leaving Lavinia trapped in the cell and John set free.
[5] Awaiting execution, John accepted the counsel of the Reverend Richard Furman, a local minister, but Lavinia became even more vitriolic.
Furman read aloud a letter John had composed, which stated that since he had become a Christian he could not be executed with a lie held to his account.