Abdelaâli Hadi

Abdelaâli Hadi (, , 1962 – May 6, 2022), known as The Butcher of Taroudant, was a Moroccan serial killer responsible for killing nine children, aged 11–16, between 2000 and 2004. He was later sentenced to death for his crimes.

Early life Abdelaâli ben Brahim ben M'Barek Hadi was born in 1962 to a modest family in Taroudant. Hadi was the victim of gang-rape by a group of street thugs at age 14. He moved back to Taroudant at age 16. An autopsy report commissioned by the Agadir Court of Appeals, conducted by Saïd Louahlia, determined that the victims were adolescents between the ages of 13 and 16 and had died at least six months prior to the discovery. The report also stated that the bodies had been exhumed and then subsequently placed in the Taroudant Valley. Upon investigating, the authorities found that the bodies were transported to the valley on the night of August 19th.

Capture Investigators discovered a piece of paper next to a collection of skulls that contained a poem with the date "12 October, Week 41, Adidas 55, Hadi 2303, Adidas 5" . When asked if he was the child murderer, he admitted that he was and was taken into custody.

Trial and death On December 11, 2005, the Agadir Court of Appeals convicted Hadi of the murders and issued him a death sentence and a fine of 195,000 dirhams, after a year-long trial. During the trial, Hadi admitted to having a ninth victim and told the court that he derived pleasure from the murder of children, and reportedly even had an orgasm while choking his victims. Despite this, Hadi appeared to express remorse. He also explained that the poem written on the paper was a message to the police to look for a Hadi who wore Adidas shoes and that "55" represented handcuffs on both hands as "5" is a slang for handcuffs in Morocco. The victims' families expressed indignation at the fact that Hadi had not been executed.