21 Secluded Small Towns That Became Centers of Notorious Criminal Activity

Scratch beneath the surface of America's charming small towns, and sometimes you'll find unsettling truths. Beyond the quaint facades and quiet streets, certain communities harbor dark histories, forever defined not by visiting monsters, but by the shocking crimes of their own residents. Peace shattered from within, these towns bear an infamous legacy etched onto their landscapes. We've deepened our exploration into this shadowy side of small-town America, expanding our list to spotlight 21 such locations where notorious local deeds left an indelible, chilling mark. Join us as we investigate these once-peaceful places now inseparable from their true crime connections, examining the disturbing stories that continue to haunt their reputations and lure the morbidly curious.

1. Amityville, New York, USA

The seemingly idyllic Long Island village of Amityville became synonymous with horror following the brutal 1974 murders of the DeFeo family. While the subsequent haunting claims are largely debated, the chilling reality of the mass killing committed by their own son, Ronald DeFeo Jr., cemented Amityville's place in true crime history. The house at 112 Ocean Avenue, though renovated and with a different address, remains a dark landmark, drawing curiosity seekers fascinated by the tragic events that unfolded within its walls. Books and films have perpetuated the Amityville legend, ensuring its continued infamy as a site of familial violence in a seemingly ordinary town.

2. Plains, Georgia, USA

While primarily known as the peaceful hometown of former President Jimmy Carter, Plains, Georgia, holds a darker footnote in its history. Billy Carter, the President's younger brother, gained notoriety for his controversial dealings, including his relationship with the Libyan government in the late 1970s, often referred to as "Billygate." While not a violent crime, the scandal brought unwanted national attention to the small town, casting a shadow over its image of rural tranquility. The events highlighted how even in the most unassuming places, individuals connected to the community can become figures of national, albeit negative, interest.

3. Skidmore, Missouri, USA

The small town of Skidmore, Missouri, is forever linked to the bizarre and unsettling case of Ken Rex McElroy, a local bully who terrorized the community for years. In 1981, in broad daylight and in front of numerous witnesses, McElroy was shot dead. No one was ever charged in his death, leading to a chilling tale of a community seemingly taking justice into its own hands. Skidmore became a symbol of small-town frustration and the blurred lines of law and order. The McElroy case continues to be a subject of true crime documentaries and books, forever marking Skidmore with an air of uneasy justice.

4. Centralia, Pennsylvania, USA

While not directly infamous for a criminal resident, the story of Centralia, Pennsylvania, has a dark and intriguing element. A coal mine fire that began in 1962 continues to burn beneath the town, forcing its gradual abandonment. This environmental disaster has created a ghost town, and while not a crime in the traditional sense, the circumstances surrounding the fire and the subsequent government response have been subjects of local controversy and even suspicion. The eerie, perpetually smoldering landscape now attracts a different kind of visitor, drawn to the unsettling reality of a town slowly being consumed from within.

5. West Memphis, Arkansas, USA

The small town of West Memphis, Arkansas, gained international notoriety with the 1993 murders of three young boys and the subsequent controversial convictions of the "West Memphis Three." Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley Jr. were convicted despite questionable evidence, leading to decades of debate and advocacy for their release, which eventually occurred in 2011. West Memphis became a focal point for discussions about justice, due process, and the potential for small-town prejudice to influence legal proceedings. The case continues to be a subject of documentaries and legal analysis.

6. Manson, Washington, USA

While the name might evoke images of the infamous cult leader Charles Manson, the small, picturesque town of Manson, Washington, on the shores of Lake Chelan, has no direct connection to him. However, the unfortunate similarity in name has occasionally led to unwanted attention and morbid associations. This highlights how even a coincidental link can impact a town's image, forcing residents to sometimes navigate the shadow of a notorious figure despite their own peaceful reality. It serves as a reminder of how powerful names and associations can be in shaping public perception.

7. Woburn, Massachusetts, USA

The town of Woburn, Massachusetts, became the center of a significant environmental and legal battle in the 1980s due to the discovery of contaminated groundwater linked to childhood leukemia cases. While not a traditional crime committed by a resident, the alleged negligence of local industries and the subsequent legal fight portrayed in the book and movie "A Civil Action" brought unwanted national attention to the town. Woburn became a symbol of corporate responsibility, environmental justice, and the devastating impact of industrial pollution on a close-knit community.

8. Parachute, Colorado, USA

Parachute, Colorado, has recently been in the news due to the ongoing investigation into the illegal dumping of radioactive waste from a nearby Superfund site. While the perpetrators may not be long-term residents in the traditional sense, the impact of this alleged environmental crime on the small community is significant. The incident has raised concerns about public health and the long-term consequences of environmental negligence, bringing unwanted scrutiny to the town and its handling of the crisis. This highlights how even transient actions can cast a long shadow over a small community.

9. Beattyville, Kentucky, USA

Beattyville, Kentucky, has been highlighted in recent news reports concerning the opioid crisis and its devastating impact on rural communities. While not a single, infamous criminal resident, the town has become a focal point in the broader narrative of addiction and its societal consequences. The struggles faced by Beattyville and its residents illustrate the challenges many small towns face when grappling with widespread drug-related issues, often leading to increased crime rates and a tarnished community image.

10. Slab City, California, USA

Slab City, an off-the-grid, squatter community in the California desert, isn't known for one infamous criminal but rather for its unique and often legally ambiguous existence. While many residents are peaceful, the lack of formal governance and the transient nature of the community can sometimes attract individuals with criminal backgrounds or those operating outside the bounds of traditional law. This unconventional "town" often draws attention for its stark contrast to mainstream society and the inherent challenges of maintaining order in an ungoverned space.

11. Moscow, Idaho, USA

The typically serene college town of Moscow, Idaho, was thrust into the national spotlight in late 2022 following the shocking murders of four University of Idaho students. The brutal nature of the crime and the subsequent investigation gripped the nation, shattering the town's peaceful image. While a suspect has been arrested, the legal proceedings and the lingering questions surrounding the motive continue to keep Moscow in the news. The tragedy serves as a stark reminder that even the most idyllic and safe-seeming communities can be touched by horrific violence, leaving a lasting impact on residents and forever associating the town with this tragic event.

12. Villisca, Iowa, USA

In 1912, the tight-knit farming community of Villisca was horrified by the brutal axe murders of the entire Josiah Moore family and two young houseguests in their home. The crime remains officially unsolved to this day, leaving a haunting legacy over the small Iowa town. The Moore house still stands and is purported to be haunted, drawing paranormal investigators and true crime enthusiasts fascinated by one of America's most chilling and enduring small-town mysteries, forever linking Villisca to this gruesome, unanswered crime.

13. Fall River, Massachusetts, USA

While now a city, Fall River's lasting notoriety stems from its 19th-century identity and the infamous 1892 case of Lizzie Borden. Accused (and later acquitted) of murdering her father and stepmother with an axe, Borden became a figure of intense speculation and dark folklore. The trial captivated the nation, and the Borden house remains a tourist attraction and B&B. Fall River is forever tied to this sensational crime, embodying the unsettling possibility of violence lurking behind respectable Victorian facades in a seemingly ordinary community.

14. Holcomb, Kansas, USA

This tiny farming community in western Kansas was thrust into the international spotlight by Truman Capote's groundbreaking "non-fiction novel," In Cold Blood. The book meticulously detailed the senseless 1959 murders of the respected Clutter family in their home by two ex-convicts, Richard Hickock and Perry Smith. Although the killers weren't local, the crime devastated Holcomb, shattering its innocence and making it synonymous with the chilling narrative Capote crafted. The event left an indelible mark, forever associating Holcomb with this pivotal work of true crime literature.

15. Waco, Texas, USA

While a larger city, Waco became globally infamous due to the deadly 1993 siege at the Mount Carmel Center, a compound outside town inhabited by the Branch Davidians, a religious sect led by David Koresh. The 51-day standoff between the group and federal agents culminated in a fiery disaster that killed Koresh and dozens of his followers, including children. The event sparked widespread debate about government overreach and religious extremism, forever linking the name Waco to this tragic and controversial confrontation.

16. Love Canal (Niagara Falls, New York), USA

The Love Canal neighborhood gained notoriety in the late 1970s when it was revealed that the community was built atop a massive toxic waste dump site created by Hooker Chemical. Residents suffered alarming rates of health problems, including birth defects and cancers. The discovery led to a state of emergency, widespread evacuations, and became a landmark case of environmental disaster caused by corporate negligence. Love Canal remains a symbol of the devastating consequences hazardous waste can have on a residential community.

17. Hildale, Utah / Colorado City, Arizona, USA

These twin border towns, often collectively known as Short Creek, are intrinsically linked to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) and its controversial practices, particularly plural marriage. The communities gained intense scrutiny under the leadership of Warren Jeffs, who was later convicted of child sexual assault. The towns represent a unique case where the dominant local culture and leadership itself became the source of national infamy, highlighting struggles over religious freedom, isolation, and law.

18. Bath Township, Michigan, USA

This small, unassuming township near Lansing holds the tragic distinction of being the site of the deadliest school massacre in U.S. history. In 1927, disgruntled local farmer and school board member Andrew Kehoe detonated explosives at the Bath Consolidated School, killing 38 children and 6 adults before killing himself and others in a final explosion. The Bath School disaster deeply traumatized the community and the nation, serving as a chilling, early example of mass violence inflicted upon a school by a local resident. The event left an enduring scar on the township's history.

19. Scottsboro, Alabama, USA

In the 1930s, the small town of Scottsboro became the center of a landmark legal battle exposing deep racial injustice in the American South. Nine Black teenagers, the "Scottsboro Boys," were falsely accused of raping two white women on a train. Despite flimsy evidence and recantations, they faced multiple trials, convictions, and harsh sentences. The case drew national outrage and highlighted systemic racism within the justice system, forever associating Scottsboro with this pivotal fight for civil rights and against wrongful convictions.

20. Jasper, Texas, USA

Jasper, a small East Texas town, became synonymous with horrific racial violence following the 1998 murder of James Byrd Jr. Byrd, an African American man, was brutally chained to a pickup truck and dragged to his death by three white supremacists. The shocking hate crime drew national condemnation and led to new hate crime legislation in Texas. While the community largely condemned the act, the event deeply scarred Jasper, forever marking it as the site of one of the most infamous racially motivated murders in modern American history.

21. La Porte / Kendallville, Indiana, USA

The area around La Porte, Indiana, in the early 1900s was the haunting ground of Belle Gunness, one of America's most prolific (though sometimes forgotten) female serial killers. Originally from Norway, this seemingly ordinary farm owner lured numerous suitors and laborers (often found through lonely hearts ads) to her property, murdered them, dismembered their bodies, and stole their assets. While her exact victim count is unknown (possibly dozens), the gruesome discoveries at her farm horrified the region and cemented her legacy in the annals of dark Midwestern folklore.

The Lingering Shadow of Infamy

These 21 seemingly secluded small towns reveal a compelling truth: infamy can bloom even in the most unexpected and quiet corners of the world. Whether through the shocking acts of a single resident, the lingering consequences of past tragedies, or the disruptive forces of environmental issues and broader societal problems, these locations have been indelibly marked. They serve as stark reminders that the tranquility we often associate with small-town life can be shattered by the darkness that resides within individuals or the external forces that impact communities. As true crime continues to fascinate and as news cycles highlight ongoing issues in these locales, their stories serve as cautionary tales and points of reflection on the complex interplay between community, crime, and the enduring power of infamy.