Romulus Vereș (23 January 1929 in Cluj – 13 December 1993 in Ștei) was a notorious serial killer from Romania, better known as "The Man with the Hammer".

Romulus Vereș
Born
Romulus Vereș

23 January 1929
Cluj, Romania
Died13 December 1993(1993-12-13) (aged 64)
Ștei, Romania
Other namesThe Man with the Hammer
Conviction(s)Murder
Criminal penaltyNot guilty by reason of insanity
Details
Victims5
Span of crimes
11 September 1972 – 14 February 1974
CountryRomania
Date apprehended
14 February 1974

During the 1970s, he was charged with five murders and several attempted murders, but never imprisoned on grounds of insanity; he had schizophrenia, blaming the Devil for his actions. Instead, he was institutionalised in the Ștei psychiatric facility in 1976, following a three-year-long forensic investigation during which four thousand people were questioned.

Urban myths brought the number of victims up to 200 women, but the actual number was much smaller. This confusion probably is explained by the lack of attention this case received, despite its magnitude, in the Communist press of the time.[1]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ "Citește povestea celui mai temut criminal al Clujului: "Omul cu ciocanul"" (in Romanian). Clujeanul. 17 February 2008. Retrieved 12 March 2008.