Who Is Luis Garavito? Age, Biography and Wiki
Luis Garavito was born on January 25, 1957, in Genova, Quindío, Colombia. Known for his heinous crimes, Garavito is one of the most infamous serial killers in Colombian history. He is convicted of the murder of over 140 young boys during the 1990s. His criminal activities raised significant media attention and sparked discussions surrounding mental health, societal issues, and crime prevention. Garavito was sentenced to 1,853 years in prison and has been a subject of various documentaries and analyses regarding his psychological profile.
Occupation | Serial Killers |
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Date of Birth | January 25, 1957 |
Age | 66 Years |
Birth Place | Génova, Quindío, Colombia |
Horoscope | Aquarius |
Country | Colombia |
Date of death | 12 October, 2023 |
Died Place | Valledupar, Colombia |
Popularity
Luis Garavito's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
As of 2025, Luis Garavito's physical attributes are documented as follows:
- Height: Approximately 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm)
- Weight: Around 150 pounds (68 kg)
- Measurements: Specific body measurements are not readily available due to his time in incarceration and the nature of his crimes.
Following his crimes, he would write his victims' names in a blue notebook and pray for them while ritually-pacing his room nude and beating his chest. Garavito also read the Bible every night, attempting to find an explanation in the Book of Psalms for his deviance.
Despite this interest in Christianity and Catholicism, Garavito also developed an avid interest in esoteric study, such as astrology and tarot readings, as well as the study of Satanism, after receiving an esoteric book from a friend.
He would visit palm readers and other fortune-tellers, before concluding they, too, knew little regarding the occult. Afflicted with bouts of depression and guilt from his crimes, Garavito alleged that he suffered nightmares about his victims and would wake up crying over the children, before laughing at them.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Luis Garavito's family background is marked by tragedy and complexities. He was reportedly raised in a dysfunctional family environment. However, details about his relationships or dating status are scarce, especially following his incarceration. As of 2025, it is believed that he does not have a spouse or a committed relationship, primarily due to his imprisonment and the stigma surrounding his notoriety.
Garavito and his siblings were neglected; he described his father as a "womanizer" and his parents fought frequently. He claimed he "had the misfortune of being in a family that spent its time arguing, fighting, and throwing words of great calibre", and that his father physically abused his family. Consequently, Garavito and his siblings hid from their father.
Net Worth and Salary
While not much is publicly known about Luis Garavito's financial situation during his incarceration, it's estimated that his net worth is minimal or non-existent. Any earnings associated with his exploits or aftereffects of his criminal actions are likely to have been seized or rendered inaccessible by the legal system. He does not receive a conventional salary due to his lifestyle and societal stance post-crimes.
Career, Business and Investments
Luis Garavito's "career," if it can be classified as such, was rooted in criminal activities rather than conventional employment. His horrific acts of violence overshadow any regular job he may have held prior. Since his arrest, Garavito has not engaged in any legitimate business ventures or investments, remaining a convict serving a lengthy sentence.
After being seen by his friends, Jairo Toro and Ancizar Valencia, drunk and in the company of young boys at local motels, Garavito's social circle subsequently became aware of his pederasty. Despite this, he was not confronted about it, and his friends were largely unaware of the depravity of his actual crimes.
Starting in 1988, he began documenting his assaults, keeping trophies from victims in black, cloth suitcases at several females' residences.
Social Network
Due to the nature of his crimes, Luis Garavito has no active presence on social networks. The public sentiment surrounding him is overwhelmingly negative, leading to ongoing discussions about the ethics of engaging with criminals on social media platforms. As such, Garavito's voice and influence remain limited to more traditional media outlets that cover criminal justice and psychological studies.
While operating a ouija board, Garavito alleged that he entered a state of psychosis in which the devil had asked whether he would like to serve him.
Answering that he would, the devil responded, saying, "Kill, that with killing many things may come." Attempting to commit his first murder on 1 October 1992 Garavito sought a young boy who had been selling sweets and cigars to passersby.
In a "state of drunkenness," he lured the youth—who he planned on bringing to a wooded lot—to the Melia hotel sector in Bolivar, Colombia before being interrupted and beaten by local police, one of whom hit him over the head with a revolver.
As Garavito bled, they then stole 1,000 pesos, a watch, and a ring from him before letting him go from a police station.
Education
Details about Luis Garavito's education are not well-documented, largely overshadowed by his criminal actions. It is believed that he had a rudimentary level of education; however, nothing substantial can be confirmed due to the obscurity surrounding his early life.
In conclusion, Luis Garavito remains a figure of horror and intrigue within the realm of true crime. His life story raises important questions about morality, mental health, and the criminal justice system. As we move into 2025, his legacy continues to serve as a cautionary tale about the depths of human depravity.
On 10 October 1992, Garavito ventured to Trujillo to see his sister Esther. Drinking brandy to subdue his impulses, he began breaking containers in a state of rage after seeing a child pass by, murdering 12-year-old Jhon Alexander Peñaranda on the way to his sister's residence while in Tuluá.
He further pursued and murdered youths, collecting their amputated toes. In 1993, Garavito started cutting into his victims' bellies, luring eight youths aged 9 to 11 from a local school to a nearby wooded lot in the La Victoria district.
For fear of being traced by bloodhounds, Garavito then discarded their amputated toes before murdering Henry Giovanni García, Marco Aurelio Castaño, Juan David Cárdenas, Jaime Orlando Popayán, and three more unidentified children in southeast Bogotá.
He then murdered two additional children in the Meissen neighborhood, before departing for Tuluá, to Pereira, to Quimbaya, then to Tuluá again where he murdered more children, ending his spree in 1993 with the death of 13-year-old Mauricio Monedero Mejía.