Most Notorious Crimes

Policarpio Espinoza and his nephew, Adan Canela, both immigrants from Mexico, killed a 9-year-old brother and sister and their 10-year-old cousin at the family's Fallstaff apartment, beheading one child and nearly decapitating the other two. Neither police nor prosecutors identified a clear motive.

Five women were slain in a Northwest Baltimore house in December 1999 by a drug dealer who wanted to send a message to his rivals by killing female relatives. The mayor at the time called the slayings a "mass murder."

Nicholas W. Browning, 16, shot and killed his parents and two brothers as they slept in their Cockeysville home in 2008. He cited years of physical abuse and insults he said he had suffered at the hands of his father.

Each Friday until 2010, Baltimore Sun bloggers will present their top 10 lists in print and online. baltimoresun.com/10spot

What you said

Tough job here. Crime in Baltimore has a lot of dimensions so where do you begin? Definitely agree that Thanos and the Dawson tragedy are contenders. Not so much for Bromwell and Levitt though, yes, they are criminals, too.

ruth

It was around Christmas time In Catonsville. When a grandmother who was shopping with her grandchildren was killed on the back lot of Westview Mall. That, I will never forget, and I think of it every Christmas when I am out and about.

Tara Hannah

To share your choices for most notorious crime, and to vote on ours, go to baltimoresun.com/ crime