Ever since the advent of the camera, people have loved capturing memories through the use of photography. Whether for news or to celebrate an event, someone is bound to show up with a camera and start taking pictures. But it's not all the time that photographs have a happy story to them. Some of these people were unlucky enough to have their final moments caught on film. Viewer discretion is advised, as some of these stories might be disturbing to some. But if you're ready, continue scrolling for some truly disturbing pictures.
That Red Car
This would have been a great photo as well if it weren't for the looming sense of doom we have begun to develop by looking at these photos. The photo of this man and his daughter was taken in Omagh, Ireland in 1998.
For those who don't know, this was the date a paramilitary group called the Real IRA planted a bomb inside a red car killing 29 people. The man and his daughter somehow survived after posing for a picture in front of that very same car.
Before The Tank Man
You might not think much of this photo at first, but it was taken moments before an even more historical photograph was taken. Notice the man holding groceries in the upper right corner, and the tanks in the upper left.
This image was taken shortly before the famous "Tank Man" photo and video that depicted a man's attempt to stop the procession of tanks after the infamous Tiananmen Square protests.
A Sweet Older Woman?
This is an eerie, yet charming photo. Unfortunately, the story behind it isn't quite as charming. The woman pictured is Myra Hindley. She and her lover Ian Brady were the perpetrators behind the Moors Murders.
They would kidnap, sexually abuse, and kill their victims, who were all children, and bury them in the British Moors before snapping a picture of Hindley standing over them.
Day Off
These innocent-looking young adults seem to be having the time of their lives. It's shocking to see just how happy and content they look after you understand who these people really are.
As it turns out, these are Auschwitz staff members who decided to pose for a picture on a day off from work. After sending countless people to their deaths, it's hard to believe they could be so calm and collected.
Children Holding Hands
This one is just as disturbing as the last. At first glance, it doesn't seem like there's anything wrong. But upon closer inspection, especially the setting, it becomes more clear that there's more to this photo.
These are a group of Jewish people, with children and families hand-in-hand, walking unknowingly to their deaths in the gas chambers. It's horrifying to see the moments leading up to the deaths of innocent people.
That Guy On The Dating Show
You might not know it at first, as almost no one recognized this man themselves while watching him on this dating game show. His name is Rodney Alcalca and by the time of his appearance on the show, he had already raped and murdered several women.
He managed to become a contestant on this show and he even ended up winning. However, he didn't end up going on the date with the woman who knew something was off and creepy about him.
This Father And Daughter
This one is actually not a nice picture at all when you first look at it. You can already tell that something is wrong here. That man and girl are Delano Floyd and Susanne Marie Sevakis.
The man was a disturbed individual who kidnapped Susanne as a child and raised her as his daughter, only to subsequently marry her and then murder her in a hit-and-run incident. She was not his only victim.
These Astronauts
This may look like a bunch of astronauts enjoying their opportunity to experience zero-g forces because that's exactly what's going on. But what you may not know is the disaster waiting in store for them.
These were the seven crewmates of the Columbia space shuttle. A piece of polyurethane foam applied to the shuttle broke off and heavily damaged the spacecraft. Upon reentry, the shuttle broke apart, killing all seven crew members on board.
This Sweet Girl
Another beautiful picture that hides a terrible past. Some of you may recognize this picture of Genie. For those who don't know, she was a child kept locked up for her entire life before being rescued from her prison.
She was abused and punished for even the slightest noise, and due to years of neglect missed the critical period needed to learn how to speak and use language to communicate. She eventually managed to learn a few communication skills and was found to be a curious and intelligent person.
Indian Prime Minister
This is Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi during one of his campaigns. He took office after his mother was assassinated. Unfortunately, he would meet a similar fate moments after this photograph was taken.
A woman by the name of Thenmozhi Rajaratnam, a member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, had planned to assassinate him by suicide bombing. In a show of respect, she bent down to touch the Prime Minister's feet but detonated a bomb strapped to her, killing him and at least 14 other people.
John Lennon
You may recognize this man as John Lennon. If you did, you know that this picture can't be anything good. Heck, looking at this list at all has probably already determined that for you.
This is a picture of him signing an autograph for his killer, Mark Chapman, hours before the incident took place. Chapman even had the gun he used to kill him on his person by this point.
Just A Violin?
At first glance, this picture doesn't seem so bad at all. In fact, it doesn't technically have a "moments before or after" story to it. But as you know, this picture can only be hiding what is a dark past.
This is the Hartley violin owned by Wallace Hartley. He was the lead violinist for the Titanic's band and was last seen performing for the passengers to help calm them during the boat's sinking. It was found among the floating debris having been placed back into its case for safekeeping.
The Physicist
A smile is nice but obviously very ominous on this list. This is the physicist Harold Agnew, one of the scientists who worked on the atomic bombs during World War II. It's not going to get better from here.
The machine that he is clutching in his hand is actually the core to the Fat Man bomb dropped on Nagasaki. It would go on to cause the death of tens of thousands of innocent people both as direct deaths and those caused by the aftermath of the radiation.
Cliffside View
This would have been a beautiful shot as it has such a perfect 3rd-person view of the picture the girl is taking. It's shocking to learn, though, that the one who took this photo would immediately shoot the girl in the back of the head and push her off the cliff.
The man, Loren Bunner, was this girl's ex-boyfriend. Jolee Callan, the victim, had eerily said to her friend the day before "If something happens to me, you’ll know who I was with.” He would later brag to his cell-mates about the murder saying if he couldn't have her, no one could.
A Couple Of Kids
You may not think much of this photo considering its quality, but this was of high importance to the case of 2-year-old James Bulger's disappearance. In fact, the police had hope that he would be found considering this image depicts him with other children.
Unfortunately, that would not be the case. The children with Bulger are actually his kidnappers and murderers, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, aged 10 years old at the time. They led Bulger away from his mother and tortured the child and dumped his body 2 days later.
Resort Room Pic
This is a perfectly retro photograph of Juli Sund and Silvina Pelosso at the Yosemite Cedar Lodge motel taken by Juli's mom, Carole. Unfortunately, it would be the last photo ever taken of the girls.
They had been under watch by one of the staff of the lodge, Cary Stayner. The day after this photo was taken, he murdered the three women along with another woman unrelated to the other three.
The Volcanologist
Another picture, another tragedy, though this one was caused by more natural means than the others. That doesn't make it any less sad, however, so be prepared to cry a little.
This is David A Johnston. He was an American volcanologist. You can already see where this one is going. On May 18, 1980, he was taken a picture of near Mount St. Helens. Only 13 hours later, the volcano erupted, killing 57 people including him.
The Last Award
This one is less so a tragedy and more so a sad story. While this happened due to natural causes, we can't say it's any less sad than any other entry to this list.
This is Howard Ashman And Alan Menken who together wrote the lyrics and music for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladin. This is them winning their Oscars for The Little Mermaid. Unfortunately, it would be the last documented photo of these two together, as Ashman was soon to die of AIDS.
Hair Standing On Edge
This would be an awesome picture if it weren't for the obvious reason these guys' hair is standing on end. This is the moment just before these two brothers were struck by lightning.
The boys and their sister had been hiking the Sierra Nevada in 1975 when this happened. A hiker outside the frame was killed and several others were also struck by lightning. The boys and their sister managed to survive, thankfully.
Kids In A Playground
If you looked at this picture, you would think that these kids are having the time of their lives. The thing is, that's exactly what they wanted you to think. This photo was used as evidence against accusations of genocide.
It's unclear if all of the children in this picture survived their time there, but this picture was used to deny any wrongdoings the school might have done. There were genocides against the indigenous people of Canada and the children were being killed at certain residential schools.
A Nice Family Photo
This si John Edward Robinson and his family posing for a family picture. What ou don't know, however, is that the baby he is holding is not his own, but rather the daughter of a woman he murder not long before.
He eventually gave the baby to his brother and sister-on-law her were looking to adopt a baby saying that her mother had committed suicide. It would take fifteen years before anyone found out the truth.
Blinded By The Light
This is the final picture of the Webster sisters and their friend before their untimely deaths. For context, that bright light in the background is actually an oncoming train. It would be the cause of their deaths.
This one is tragic, to be sure, but you should also understand that it was an act of negligence. You should never perform any sort of dangerous stunts to snap a selfie or picture. That's just asking for trouble.
Survivors
These are the survivors of the Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571. A brave group of soldiers, they fought to survive the harsh conditions they were put in after their plane crashed. What's unfortunate is how they survived.
Unfortunately, they ran out of food at a certain point before rescue. They had to resort to cannibalism in order to survive. What makes this picture creepy is the fact that a human spine is visible in the picture.
A Vintage Family Photo
This is not just a normal family photo. This is the Lawson family shortly before being murdered by the father. It is thought that the crime may have been premeditated due to the abnormal occasion of the family photo.
The only member to survive the massacre was the eldest son of the family who had been sent out on some errands beforehand. It is also rumored that the murders took place because of potential suspicion of incestuous acts.
Rosalynn Carter's Encounter
We bet you didn't know that the serial killer, John Wayne Gacy, had met first lady Rosalynn Carter. Well here is a photo of the two signed from Carter "To John Gacy, best wishes, Rosalynn Carter."
Gacy had been active in the political scene for years. He is depicted in this image with an "S" lapel on his jacket indicating secret service security clearance. Little did they know that by this time he had already murdered 20 young men.
Lya Graf And JP Morgan
This is a picture of Lya Graf, who was a performer for The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus, along with JP Morgan. The photo sent her to stardom overnight, but she decided to move back to Germany when she couldn't handle all the attention.
Unfortunately for her, she could not have foreseen that she would be arrested and sent to Auschwitz along with her family for being Jewish and being deemed unfit to live. It is assumed that they did not survive.
The Proposal
This would have been one of the sweetest pictures if not for the fact that the man died shortly after. Steven Weber, Jr. was on vacation in Tanzania when he decided to propose to his girlfriend at their underwater hotel room.
His fatal mistake was attempting this by free diving down to the room. He was not able to reach the surface in time before drowning. Despite CPR attempts bringing back a light pulse, Weber eventually died.
The Wrestler
This could be a nice profile picture or a commemorative photo of his wrestling career. But, unfortunately, it's the last photo of Chris Benoit, taken at the doctor's office. Unbeknownst to anyone, he had already murdered his wife.
Over a three-day period, he would murder both his wife and son and then finally commit suicide. After his death, a medical examiner found that "Benoit's brain was so severely damaged it resembled the brain of an 85-year-old Alzheimer's patient". Things might have been different if he hadn't sustained multiple head injuries leading to dementia.
Trails In The Snow
What appears to be a beautiful scenic photograph can only be wrought with tragedy if it's on this list. If you take a look at the trail in the snow, you'll notice it splits off into a second trail leading off a cliff.
The photographer was Kurt Diemberger who took this photo after his traveling companion, Hermann Buhl, who was known as one of the best mountaineers of all time, veered off the path and fell to his death.
The Luchadora
This is a picture of the former professional wrestler, Juana Barraza, at the height of her career. Her early life was a tragic one: she was sold by her mother for three beers when she was 12 to a man who repeatedly raped her.
She would have four children, one of whom was the son of her abuser. The trauma she suffered during her life would lead her to strangle between 42 and 49 elderly women who had resembled her mother.
Seventeen Fashion Show
Just from looking at this photo, you can tell that the man in the background is up to something sinister. In fact, this was taken at a Las Vegas fashion show where he would meet one of his victims standing in the foreground.
That man is serial killer Christopher Wilder and the girl in the photo is 17-year-old Michelle Korfman. The photo that was taken depicts him stalking her before he kidnapped and murdered her.
The Stalker
This is a photograph from a boy who went missing during a hiking trip on the biggest island of Hawaii. The boy is pictured on the left. The right image is one of the images he sent to his family.
When he never showed up back home, the family noticed the man lurking in the bushes and feared the worst. They assume that this man is the one who might have done something to their son, but has since not been identified.
Just Married
This would probably be the sweetest image on this list if it weren't for its tragic backstory. This is an image from the inside of the bus dubbed "The Magic Bus" that was made famous by the book and movie "Into the Wild".
This bus used to lie deep in the Alaskan wilderness. The married couple who signed their name stayed overnight but found the river had swelled by the next day. The wife, unfortunately, got swept away by the current and drowned, since the husband's attempts at rescue all failed.
Killer Party
This is a picture of Michael Mandell and his friend Tyler Hadley, who had thrown a party that night and can be seen here holding a cup and an expression on his face that already tells half the story.
Before throwing the party, Tyler had murdered his parents. He had previously told a friend that he “wanted to kill his parents and have a big party after” because it hadn't been done nefore. The friend laughed it off as a joke. After admitting it to Michael, he took a few pictures since he wasn't sure if he'd ever see him again.
Already Gone
No overtly tragic events here. No murder, accident, or otherwise unlikely death. Just a death of natural causes, but you wouldn't know that by looking at this photo of a daughter and her parents.
Apparently, it was commonplace in the Victorian age to be photographed with a deceased relative in order to commemorate them after their death. In this photo, the girl in the middle is already dead.
First Fire
This is a photo of the nightclub KISS posted by one of the DJs on the Facebook page. Later that night, a flare would ignite some flammable acoustic foam on the ceiling which subsequently set the room on fire.
Over 240 people were killed and more than 600 others were injured. This was perpetuated by a lack of emergency exits, overcrowding, and security trying to organize the crowd during the panic.
Runaways
This picture of a basketball card depicts two young boys in the background of the image. Unbeknownst to anyone, these two boys had, by the time of this photo, taken the lives of their parents.
The boys are Lyle and Erik Menendez, brothers who were the victims of their father's sexual abuse and whose mother enabled the behavior. Afraid that they would be killed by their parents, they took the shotguns they recently discovered their parents owned and shot them to death.
Point Blank
If you look long enough at this photo, you'll immediately know what's going on here. This unfortunate, yet well-timed photo, depicts the final moments of a Philippine politician.
Reynaldo Dagsa was taking a New Year's photo for his family. Due to the loud fireworks overhead, no one was able to hear the shots of gunfire. He did not survive the shooting.
Just A Quick Break
While this looks like a standard gas station security photo, these two men are no ordinary people. This is Salah Abdeslam and his driver on their way back to Belgium in November 2015.
This photo was taken the day after Abedslam ordered the attack on Paris that left 130 people killed and 683 others injured. He was apparently one of only two people left alive after the attacks.
Real Life Psycho
If this picture wasn't creepy enough, just wait until you hear the story. This is the last photo of Travis Alexander alive after his girlfriend, Jodi Arias, stabbed him countless times.
The worst part is that she also took photos of him after the deed was done. This is the biggest evidence that was used against her. She killed him for breaking up with her, and he probably looks scared in this because she broke into his home.
Fake Graduation
This is a picture of Bart Whitaker and his family at his graduation dinner celebration. What they don't know is that he had set up an assassination attempt on the family for when they returned home.
When they got home, it went mostly according to Bart's plan, but his father survived. He almost got away with it, too, sustaining a gunshot wound to make him seem like a victim as well. Enough evidence was gathered to put him behind bars, however.
Kid's Bed
This might look like a normal kid's bed. You might even think this picture is to put the bed up for sale. However, this photo is part of an investigation into the disappearance of Paulette Gebara Farah.
No one could find her even when police brought search dogs to scout the location. Her mom often conducted interviews sitting on her bed. It wasn't until an awful smell filled the room that they found the girl had suffocated between the mattress and bed frame.
Everest
This is an image captured in 1924 by George Mallory, one of the greatest mountaineers of the 20th century, and his climbing partner Sandy Irvine while they were camping on Mount Everest.
They would eventually go missing during this trip. No one knows if they ever made it to the top. Mallory's mummified remains were eventually found in 1999, however Irvine has still yet to be found.
Second Fire
At first glance, this seems to be a pretty normal picture of an awesome concert. However, as with every other item on this list, that is obviously not the case.
This was one of the last photos taken at the Station Nightclub before some fireworks set the club on fire. The incident left 100 people dead and 230 more people injured.
Honeymoon Tragedy
This might seem like a normal scuba diving photo, but you might be able to tell that something seems a bit off. Do you see the scuba diver swimming off in the distance? He's going to save the other scuba diver back there.
That's Tina Watson who went to Australia with her husband Gabe on their honeymoon. She experienced a gear malfunction on a dive too hard for her experience and drowned. Gabe was later convicted and found guilty of manslaughter.
The NASCAR Driver
This is the last picture of Dale Earnhardt, a NASCAR racer, and was basically the face of the sport during that time. The race was televised live to over 10 million people and was "the last [program] that shows him as a person and not just a car".
Earnhardt would eventually collide head-on into the wall of the racecourse and sustain a fatal skull fracture. Seconds after the collision, his driver, Michael Waltrip, won the race with his son, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. taking second.
The Manilla Envelope
This was Budd Dwyer. He was a politician and in this picture was at a televised press conference that was meant to address a scandal that he was being accused of. This picture was taken when an envelope was delivered to him during the conference.
He reached into the envelope and pulled out a gun. As others tried to take away the gun, he was heard saying something along the lines of "no-no, this will hurt someone". He then proceeded to insert the gun into his mouth before shooting himself on live television.
Last Snack
This twelve-year-old boy seems pretty content eating some snacks. The problem is that he was only given these snacks for the brief and fleeting feeling of comfort. He was immediately executed afterward.
This was the son of a Tamil rebel leader who was captured by the Sri Lanken army. Images that show the crimes of war are always the most shocking, especially when they involve innocent children.
Hiding In Plain Sight
The man in the image is Richard Hill. He was posing for a picture completely unaware of what was hiding in plain sight just behind him. It was the body of Lamduan Seekanya who had gone missing sometime before.
She was only identified 15 years later. She had originally come from Thailand to the UK, but her parents had lost touch with her sometime in 2004, likely when she was murdered.
The Tracks In The Snow
You might think that this is a trail made by some small animal, but if you look closely enough you'll notice that they're tiny little footprints. What's worse is that they lead and end right at the mouth of the pond.
This image was taken after a four-year-old girl went missing. She wandered off and ended up getting too close to the pond and must have slipped in. There's no way she could have survived long in the cold water even if she could swim.