MASHHAD — 2001 · Serial Murder
Mashhad's 'Spider Killer'
Between the summer of 2000 and the summer of 2001, at least 16 women were found dead in the Iranian holy city of Mashhad. Most victims were sex workers or women struggling with drug use; the killer lured them to his home and left their bodies on the city's outskirts. Dubbed the 'Spider Killer' by the press, he was a construction worker and war veteran arrested in July 2001. He claimed to be carrying out 'moral cleansing', a defence that drew support in some conservative circles and sparked national debate. The court rejected it and he was executed in April 2002. The case later inspired documentaries and the 2022 film 'Holy Spider'.
- Date
- 2001
- Place
- Razavi Khorasan, Iran, Mashhad, IR
- Category
- Serial Murder
- Case Status
- Solved
- Coordinates
- 36.2972, 59.6067 ↗
Timeline of Events
- August 2000Women's bodies began to be found in Mashhad.
- July 2001The killer was caught after a failed final attack.
- 2001At trial he claimed 'moral cleansing'; the court rejected it.
- April 2002He was executed in Mashhad.
- 2022The case returned to the spotlight with the film 'Holy Spider'.
Sources
- NPR — A man killed women he deemed 'immoral' npr.org ↗
- IranWire — Iran's 'Spider Killer' re-dramatised iranwire.com ↗
- Wikipedia — Saeed Hanaei en.wikipedia.org ↗
- NPR
- IranWire
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.