Aileen Wuornos, one of the most notorious serial killers in American history, confessed to killing seven men in Florida between 1989 and 1990 while working as a prostitute. Wuornos’s tumultuous life was closely intertwined with her girlfriend Tyria Moore, who played a pivotal role in both her personal life and subsequent conviction.
Wuornos and Moore began their relationship in the late 1980s after meeting at a gay bar in South Daytona, Florida. At the time, Wuornos was struggling, having moved from Michigan after an annulled marriage; she found companionship and love with Moore. Despite their emotional connection, the couple faced considerable financial struggles, leading Wuornos to work in prostitution to support them. Wuornos later expressed her dedication to Moore, stating that her efforts were driven by the desire to provide a better life for her partner.
However, the relationship took a dark turn as Wuornos became embroiled in a series of violent crimes. Moore became suspicious of Wuornos’s erratic behavior and eventually distanced herself after Wuornos committed her first known murder in late 1989. As investigations progressed, police sought Moore’s help to persuade Wuornos to confess. In a gripping phone call recorded from jail, Wuornos revealed to Moore that she had killed seven men. She said, “If I have to confess everything just to keep you from getting in trouble, I will.”
Moore’s testimony was critical during Wuornos’s trial in 1992. Although Wuornos claimed she killed in self-defense, Moore testified that Wuornos never mentioned facing any sexual assault, contradicting her lover’s defense. Following her testimony, Wuornos was convicted of multiple counts of murder and sentenced to death.
Following the trial, Moore largely withdrew from the public eye, granting few interviews and maintaining a low profile even as Wuornos was executed by lethal injection on October 9, 2002. The complex dynamics of their relationship and the severity of Wuornos’s crimes have since been explored in various media pieces, including the recent Netflix documentary “Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers,” set to release in October 2025.
Tyria Moore’s life after the trial remains largely undocumented publicly, and she has not participated in subsequent portrayals of her story, despite offers from various media outlets. This decision reflects perhaps a desire to distance herself from the traumatic legacy of her past with Wuornos while seeking to find peace in her life away from the shadow of one of America’s most infamous serial killers.