Wolfgang Abel was born on March 25, 1959, in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany.

Wolfgang Abel and Marco Furlan committed a series of murders from 1977 to 1984, targeting various victims whom they deemed "deviated." Their first known murder took place on August 25, 1977, when they burned Guerrino Spinelli alive in Verona. This violent act marked the beginning of a string of brutal killings.

On December 17, 1978, they murdered Luciano Stefanato, a homosexual waiter, by stabbing him 30 times in Padua. The following year, on December 12, 1979, they killed Claudio Costa, a 22-year-old drug addict, using knives again in Venice. Their violent spree continued in 1980 when they murdered Alice Maria Baretta, a 52-year-old prostitute, in Vicenza.

Abel and Furlan showed a blatant disregard for human life, evident in the fire they set on May 25, 1981. The blaze targeted an abandoned shelter in Verona where many homeless people took refuge, resulting in the death of 17-year-old Luca Martinotti and severe injuries to another individual.

On July 20, 1982, they attacked two elderly friars, Father Gabriele Pigato and Father Giuseppe Lovato, in Vicenza. Father Gabriele died immediately, while Father Giuseppe succumbed to his injuries shortly after. In February 1983, they killed another priest, Don Armando Bison, in Trento.

One of their most notorious acts occurred on May 14, 1983, when they set fire to the Eros cinema in Milan. This incident claimed the lives of six people, including Dr. Livio Ceresoli, who had entered the building to help others. They also attacked the Liverpool Disco in Munich on January 8, 1984, causing one death and several injuries through another fire.

Their last attack happened on March 4, 1984, at the Melamara Disco in Castiglione delle Stiviere. During a carnival party, they attempted to set the disco on fire with gasoline but failed due to the flame-resistant materials used in the building. After their plan was uncovered, they were caught by the crowd and arrested by the police.

Following their capture, Abel and Furlan faced trial. Despite claiming innocence and undergoing psychiatric evaluations, they were both sentenced to 30 years in prison in February 1987, which was later reduced to 27 years upon appeal. Their actions resulted in 28 confirmed deaths and 39 injuries.