On June 20, 1893, the trial of Lizzie Andrew Borden concluded in New Bedford, Massachusetts, capturing intense public and media attention. Borden faced charges of murdering her father, Andrew Borden, and stepmother, Abby Borden, with a hatchet. The prosecution alleged that she had committed the killings out of hatred and attempted to destroy evidence by burning her clothing. After a brief deliberation of just one hour, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty. Despite this acquittal, Borden’s story has remained a persistent subject of fascination for over a century, inspiring numerous retellings in popular culture, most recently a dramatized portrayal on Netflix.
The enduring interest in Borden’s case reflects a broader societal fixation on female killers, which remains notable given the statistical rarity of women committing homicide. Globally, violent crime is overwhelmingly male-dominated; in England and Wales, women accounted for only 7% of convicted homicide suspects between 2019 and 2022. This scarcity contributes to the sensationalism surrounding female perpetrators, who are often framed through familiar archetypes such as the femme fatale, the wrongfully accused, the passive victim, or the monstrous offender.
Historical cases illustrate how women accused or convicted of violent crimes have consistently provoked public debate extending beyond the crimes themselves. For instance, the execution of Marie Manning in 1849 for murder alongside her husband drew large crowds and inspired discussions about the morality of public executions, eventually influencing their abolition in Britain less than two decades later. Similarly, the conviction of Christiana Edmunds, known as the “chocolate poisoner,” challenged Victorian assumptions by revealing that a middle-class woman could engage in deliberate harm. Her eventual commutation to institutionalization at Broadmoor reflected the era’s inclination to attribute female violence to insanity.
The tension between acknowledgment of female agency and societal attempts to explain or excuse it continues to shape public perceptions. Between 1832 and 1901, women accused of serious crimes in England were twice as likely as men to be acquitted on grounds of insanity, even when facing similar charges. Women such as Beatrice Pace and Ruth Ellis, both involved in cases of intimate partner violence, elicited contrasting responses from the public and the legal system, raising ongoing questions about gender, justice, and punishment.
In the 20th century, the case of Myra Hindley—convicted of child murders alongside Ian Brady—highlighted gender dynamics in media coverage and the penal system. Hindley’s notoriety surpassed that of her co-perpetrator, and her parole attempts reignited debates over the definition of life imprisonment. More recently, the conviction of nurse Lucy Letby has engaged public discourse on whistleblowing, medical ethics, and expert testimony.
The latest dramatization of the Borden case on Netflix draws thematic parallels with other female offenders, such as Aileen Wuornos, exploring notions of “female rage” and the motivations behind women who commit murder. While the question of Borden’s guilt remains unresolved, the brutal reality of the 1892 murders—where Andrew and Abby Borden were found brutally hacked to death in their home—underscores a violent episode whose enduring mysteries continue to invite reflection on crime, gender, and society.