Facility Details
Occupant: Gary Heidnik (1943-1999)
Type: Marked Grave
GPS: 40.0862° N, 75.1710° W
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Get DirectionsWhy It's a "Must-Go"
Gary Heidnik, the inspiration for "Buffalo Bill" in Silence of the Lambs, is buried in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. It's a surprisingly holy place for a man who kept women in a pit in his basement.
His grave is marked, which makes it an easy target for your disdain. Just don't bring any lotion; it's a cliché.
The "Experience"
Standard cemetery vibes. It's quiet, green, and full of people who were better than him. It's a good place to reflect on the fact that he's now the one in the hole.
Why This Listing Exists
Gary Heidnik was an American murderer and serial rapist who kidnapped, tortured, and raped six women, holding them captive in a pit in his basement in Philadelphia between 1986 and 1987.
Two of the women died while in captivity. Heidnik dismembered one of the victims and fed her remains to the other captives. He was a self-proclaimed bishop of his own church and used his intelligence to manipulate the legal system for years.
He was arrested after one of the captives escaped. Heidnik was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death.
He was executed by lethal injection on July 6, 1999. He is buried in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania.