Ricardo Caputo

Serial Killer

Ricardo Caputo – The “Lady Killer”

Ricardo Silvio Caputo was an Argentine-born serial killer who murdered women in the United States and Mexico during the 1970s and then spent nearly two decades living under false identities. Known in the press as the “Lady Killer,” Caputo admitted responsibility for four murders committed between 1971 and 1977. His crimes occurred in New York, California and Mexico City and shared a disturbing pattern: the victims were women with whom Caputo had developed close personal or romantic relationships before turning violently against them. Caputo's criminal history was also marked by repeated encounters with psychiatric institutions, escapes from custody, aliases and international flight. After his first murder in 1971, he was found mentally incompetent to stand trial and committed to a psychiatric hospital. After later receiving greater freedom of movement, he killed again and disappeared. He eventually crossed the United States, escaped from federal immigration custody, fled into Mexico and spent years building new lives while concealing his identity.

Early Life and Move to the United States

Ricardo Silvio Caputo was born in 1949 in Mendoza, Argentina. He later described an abusive and troubled childhood, and members of his family said that he experienced serious emotional problems while still young. Caputo underwent psychiatric treatment before leaving Argentina, although later claims concerning the precise nature of his mental illness became an important and controversial part of his criminal cases. In 1970, Caputo immigrated to the United States and settled in the New York area. He found work in relatively low-paying jobs, including restaurant work, and was described by people who encountered him as intelligent, personable and capable of making a strong first impression. Those qualities would repeatedly help him establish relationships and, later, live under assumed identities.

The Murder of Natalie Brown

Caputo's first confirmed victim was 19-year-old Natalie Brown. He met Brown while she was working as a bank teller on Long Island. They began dating and eventually became engaged. Brown came from Flower Hill, an affluent community in Nassau County, New York, and was reportedly planning a career in nursing. On July 31, 1971, Caputo and Brown were alone at her family's home in Flower Hill. Their relationship had deteriorated, and Brown had indicated that she wanted greater freedom to see other people. During the confrontation that followed, Caputo attacked Brown with a knife and fatally stabbed her. Caputo did not immediately disappear. He contacted police that night and directed authorities to the Brown residence. Officers found Natalie dead inside the home, and Caputo was arrested. The case appeared to be headed toward a murder trial, but psychiatric evaluations changed the course of the prosecution. Approximately four months after the killing, Caputo was ruled mentally incompetent to stand trial. Instead of being prosecuted at that time, he was committed to Matteawan State Hospital, a secure psychiatric institution associated with the New York prison system. ...

Confirmed Victims: (4)

Nathalie Brown Age: (19), Date of Death: 1971-03-01

Suspected Victims:

Devon Green Age: (23), Date of Death: 1981

Jacqueline Bernard Age: (64), Date of Death: 1983

Ricardo Caputo - Wikipedia