Contents
The Early Life of Keith Wuornos
Keith Wuornos was born on March 14, 1955, in Rochester, Oakland County, Michigan, USA. His parents were Diane Kathleen Wuornos Pittman and Leo Dale Pittman. Keith’s parents were young when they got married. At the time they married, his mother Diane Wuornos was just 14 years old while his father Leo Pittman was 18 years old. Their wedding ceremony happened on June 3, 1954. Keith Wuornos is his parents’ oldest child. Keith has a biological younger sister, Aileen Carol Pittman. Aileen was born on February 29, 1956, in Rochester, Michigan, U.S. Keith’s mother filed for a divorce from his father after less than two years of marriage. His father Leo Pittman committed suicide by hanging himself in prison where he was doing life for kidnapping and raping a 7-year-old girl. Leo Pittman had schizophrenia. He died on January 30, 1969, in Lansing, Leavenworth County, Kansas, USA. Keith Wuornos’ mother Diane Wuornos abandoned Keith and his little sister Aileen Wuornos. She left her children with their maternal grandparents, Lauri Wuornos, and Britta Wuornos. Lauri and Britta Wuornos were both alcoholics. They legally adopted Keith and Aileen on March 18, 1960. Keith’s sister Aileen said that as a child, she was beaten up and sexually assaulted by their grandfather. It is suspected that Keith also had a hard time living with his abusive and alcoholic grandfather and alcoholic grandmother. His sister Aileen started to exchange sex for cigarettes, drugs, and food, by age 11. Keith and his younger sister Aileen reportedly had an incestuous relationship.
The Tragic End: Keith Wuornos Cause of Death
Keith Wuornos passed away on July 17, 1976, at the age of 21. The cause of death was esophageal cancer. He died in Columbus, St. Clair County, Michigan, USA. Several relatives except his sister Aileen decided to abandon him while he battled cancer and was admitted to the hospital. Aileen often visited her brother. There were no signs of foul play, let alone evidence of a shooting, meaning that Aileen could not have killed him. Though, she did receive a payout of $10,000 from his life insurance policy, which she allegedly blew through within a short time.
The Aftermath
The death of Keith Wuornos left a significant impact on his sister Aileen Wuornos. She went on to become a notorious figure, known as “America’s first female serial killer.” In 1989–1990, while engaging in street prostitution along highways in Florida, she shot dead and robbed seven of her male clients. She was found guilty of six of the murders and sentenced to death. The complex relationship between Keith and Aileen Wuornos and the tragic circumstances surrounding Keith’s death continue to intrigue and mystify people to this day.
All information in this article is based on various sources.
