Robert Hansen, the serial killer who went on a murderous spree in the 70s and early 80s, died at Alaska Regional Hospital on Thursday. He was 75.

Alaska Serial Killer Robert Hansen Dies

Hansen, who had a “do not resuscitate” order, had been in failing health for the last year leading up to his death, reported KTUU. He’d served the majority of his 461-years plus life sentence at a state prison in Seward, but was transferred to Anchorage Correctional Center in May of this year to receive medical attention.

Hansen infamously confessed to killing 17 women during a 12-year span. He was ultimately convicted for four of the murders in 1984. Hansen, who had worked as a baker in Anchorage and was known as “The Butcher Baker” during the height of his infamy, also confessed to raping an additional 30 women.

During the time in which Hansen, who was married with children, committed his crimes, Anchorage was host to the 800-mile oil pipeline project. The massive construction undertaking fostered a sub-culture of debauchery where pimps and their prostitutes, drug dealers and conmen flocked. Hansen was able to take advantage of the chaos, luring dancers and prostitutes who were less likely to motivate an investigation into their disappearance.

Hansen and his crimes were depicted in the 2013 feature film The Frozen Ground, which starred John Cusack as the serial killer. Nicolas Cage played an Alaska State Trooper working the case.

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