A while back, we noticed a few regional newspapers attempted to identify the most infamous person in their local counties. It's an intriguing concept, a thought experiment we thought we'd try out for the Bay Area: Who are really the most notorious people to ever live in the region?

First, a few parameters. Notoriety can connote many things. Not every person on this list is a violent criminal — although being a serial killer certainly increases your notoriety in a way few other deeds can. For the purposes of this list, we're defining the Bay Area's "most notorious" people as individuals who attained a negative form of fame that transcended the region.