Earle Nelson, born Earle Leonard Ferral on May 12, 1897, in San Francisco, California, was the son of Frances Nelson and James Carlos Ferral. Both parents died of syphilis before he turned two, leading him to be raised by his Pentecostal grandmother, Jennie Nelson, alongside her younger children. Nelson's early life was marked by self-loathing and erratic behavior, including being expelled from school and suffering a serious bicycle accident. His peculiar behaviors escalated over time, influenced by his strict religious upbringing and later involvement in brothels and bars during his teenage years.

Earle Nelson's criminal activities began at a young age, resulting in a two-year sentence at San Quentin State Prison in 1915 for breaking into a cabin. He was paroled in 1916 but continued committing petty crimes, leading to more arrests. In 1918, Nelson was committed to Napa State Mental Hospital after erratic behavior during a Navy stint. Diagnosed with paranoid delusions and hallucinations, he escaped several times, earning the nickname "Houdini." Post-release, he married Mary Martin, who left him due to his violent behavior.

In 1921, Nelson attempted to molest a girl, leading to another stint at Napa State. By 1926, he began a killing spree, targeting landladies in California and Oregon. His first known victim was Clara Newman in San Francisco, followed by several others, including Lillian St. Mary and Ollie Russell. Nelson's modus operandi involved posing as a tenant, then strangling and raping his victims post-mortem.

By late 1926, Nelson had moved to Portland, where he murdered multiple women, causing a public frenzy. His victims included Beata Withers and Virginia Grant, among others. He returned briefly to San Francisco, continuing his spree. By the end of 1926, Nelson traveled eastward, murdering women in various states, including Almira Berard in Iowa and Bonnie Pace in Missouri.

In early 1927, Nelson's crimes extended to Philadelphia, where he killed Mary McConnell, and to Buffalo, New York, where he murdered Jennie Randolph. His final crimes occurred in Detroit and Chicago before moving to Winnipeg, Canada, in June 1927. There, he killed Emily Patterson and was arrested after police found Lola Cowan's mutilated body under his bed. Nelson was convicted of Patterson's murder and executed by hanging in 1928.