Each entry name in the World Encyclopedia of 20th Century Murder is bold-faced and listed alphabetically. Biographical entries are alphabetized by the subject’s last name. Everything preceding the comma is treated as a unit when alphabetizing. Hyphens, diacritical marks, periods following initials, and spaces do not influence its alphabetization. Names with prefixes such as de, von, or le are listed under the most common form of the name. Names beginning in Mc or M’ are treated as if spelled Mac. Asian names, in which the family name comes first, are alphabetized by the family name, omitting the comma. Identical names are alphabetized chronologically. When the names of two or more people head an entry, it is usually alphabetized according to the most prominent person’s last name.
Entries appear in boldface and are categorized alphabetically under the name of the offender. Parenthetical remarks immediately following an entry name indicate an alternate spelling, that person’s original or maiden name, or the entry’s alias if preceded by AKA:. These names also appear in boldface.
Following the name are date(s) relevant to that entry. The letter b. preceding the date signifies that only the person’s date of birth is known, while the letter d. signifies that only the person’s date of death is known. The letter c. (circa) signifies that the date which immediately follows is approximate. In some cases prom. (prominent) is used to denote the year(s) in which that entry was noteworthy.
The country designation in each entry heading refers to the country in which the crime was committed or the country in which persons in the field of crime are known professionally. Entries where crimes are committed in more than three countries or committed on the high seas are designated as Int’l. (International).
A number of entries may include more than one person if the criminals or professionals worked together. When the relevant dates of a multiple name entry coincide, one date will follow the last person named in the entry heading.
Cross references immediately following an entry refer the reader to entries containing additional information relevant to the case, person, place, or event being consulted. Direct references are also used frequently throughout to lead the readers from a well known name (alias, victim, event) to the name under which that entry appears (Hooded Man, The, See: McKay, George).
Afg. | = Afghanistan |
Ala. | = Alabama |
Alb. | = Albania |
Alg. | = Algeria |
Arg. | = Argentina |
Ariz. | = Arizona |
Ark. | = Arkansas |
Aus. | = Australia |
Aust. | = Austria |
Bav. | = Bavaria |
Belg. | = Belgium |
Ber. | = Bermuda |
Bol. | = Bolivia |
Braz. | = Brazil |
Brit. | = Britain/England including Wales |
Bul. | = Bulgaria |
Calif. | = California |
Can. | = Canada |
Col. | = Colombia |
Colo. | = Colorado |
Conn. | = Connecticut |
Cos. | = Costa Rica |
Czech. | = Czechoslovakia |
Del. | = Delaware |
Den. | = Denmark |
Dom. | = Dominican Republic |
Ecu. | = Ecuador |
EI Sal. | = EI Salvador |
Eth. | = Ethiopia |
Fin. | = Finland |
Fla. | = Florida |
Fr. | = France |
Ga. | = Georgia |
Ger. | = Germany |
Gr. | = Greece |
Guat. | = Guatemala |
Hond. | = Honduras |
Hung. | = Hungary |
Ice. | = Iceland |
Ill. | = Illinois |
Ind. | = Indiana |
Indo. | = Indonesia |
Int’l. | = International |
Ire. | = Ireland |
Isr. | = Israel |
Jam. | = Jamaica |
Jor. | = Jordan |
Kan. | = Kansas |
Kor. | = Korea |
Ky. | = Kentucky |
La. | = Louisiana |
Leb. | = Lebanon |
Lux. | = Luxembourg |
Mac. | = Macedonia |
Mass. | = Massachusetts |
Md. | = Maryland |
Mex. | = Mexico |
Mich. | = Michigan |
Mid. East | = Middle East |
Minn. | = Minnesota |
Miss. | = Mississippi |
Mo. | = Missouri |
Mont. | = Montana |
Mor. | = Morocco |
N. Zea. | = New Zealand |
N.C. | = North Carolina |
N.D. | = North Dakota |
N.H. | = New Hampshire |
N.J. | = New Jersey |
N.M. | = New Mexico |
N.Y. | = New York |
Neb. | = Nebraska |
Neth. | = Netherlands |
Nev. | = Nevada |
Nic. | = Nicaragua |
Nig. | = Nigeria |
Nor. | = Norway |
Okla. | = Oklahoma |
Ore. | = Oregon |
P.R. | = Puerto Rico |
Pa. | = Pennsylvania |
Pak. | = Pakistan |
Pan. | = Panama |
Para. | = Paraguay |
Per. | = Persia |
Phil. | = Philippines |
Pol. | = Poland |
Port. | = Portugal |
R.I. | = Rhode Island |
Rom. | = Romania |
Roman. | = Roman Empire |
Rus. | = Russia (prior to 1918) |
S. Afri. | = South Africa |
S.C. | = South Carolina |
S.D. | = South Dakota |
Saud. | = Saudi Arabia |
Scot. | = Scotland |
Sen. | = Senegal |
Si. | = Sicily |
Sing. | = Singapore |
Sri. | = Sri Lanka |
Sudan | = Sudan |
Swed. | = Sweden |
Switz. | = Switzerland |
Tai. | = Taiwan |
Tan. | = Tanzania |
Tenn. | = Tennessee |
Thai. | = Thailand |
trans. | = translator |
Tun. | = Tunisia |
Turk. | = Turkey |
U.A.E. | = United Arab Emirates |
U.K. | = United Kingdom |
U.S. | = United States of America |
U.S.S.R. | = Union of Soviet Socialist Republics(after 1918) |
Urug. | = Uruguay |
Va. | = Virginia |
Vcnez. | = Venezuela |
Viet. | = Vietnam |
Vt. | = Vermont |
W.Va. | = West Virginia |
Wash. | = Washington |
Wis. | = Wisconsin |
Wyo. | = Wyoming |
Yug. | = Yugoslavia |