JOHANN 'JACK' UNTERWEGER T-SHIRT

A notorious serial killer t-shirt available in black cotton.

The Johann "Jack" Unterweger T-Shirt is inspired by the infamous Austrian serial killer who committed murder in several countries – West Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, and the United States.

Initially sentenced to a life term in 1976 for the murder of 18 year old Margaret Schäfer two years earlier, Unterweger was a model prisoner and found a certain degree of fame for his writing including short stories, poems, plays, and an autobiography,

“He wrote his way out of prison — and killed his way back in.”— FBI profiler Roy Hazelwood

Released after serving the minimum 15 years, Unterweger was seen by many as the perfect example of a criminal rehabilitated. His writings were widely read and Unterweger himself became a celebrity, appearing regularly on television. 

Little did everyone know, however, as Unterweger claimed another eight victims in the first year of release, and at least a further three more before being finally caught.

💬 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

Q1: Who was Jack Unterweger?
A1: Jack Unterweger was an Austrian journalist, poet, and convicted serial killer. Initially imprisoned for murder in 1976, he gained fame for his writing behind bars and was controversially released in 1990—only to resume killing shortly thereafter.

Q2: Why is he such a notorious figure in true crime history?
A2: Unterweger manipulated the media, literary circles, and the justice system by portraying himself as a model of rehabilitation. He was embraced by Austrian intellectuals and the press before being exposed as a calculating killer who murdered multiple women across Europe and the U.S.

Q3: How was he finally caught?
A3: Suspicion mounted when sex workers began disappearing in cities where Unterweger had visited for journalism assignments. An international investigation tied him to at least 11 murders, and he was convicted in 1994. He died by suicide in prison that same year, just hours after his sentencing.