The Strange Murders of Tillie Klimek

The story of Chicago’s most prolific female serial killer

Tillie on her way to jail, public domain, Chicago Tribune

Ottilie “Tillie” Klimek was born Teofila Gburek on October 22, 1877, in Poland. Her parents were Michalina and Michal Gburek. The Gburek family had seven children, and Tillie was the first-born. When Tillie was four years old, the family immigrated to the United States. They settled in the “Little Poland”…