But the "Illinois Enema Bandit" was real: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_H._Kenyon

(coincidentally, the "Mad Gasser" was also in Illinois).

I only know about this because of Frank Zappa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=352dVmsn7y4

And also the Monkey Man of Delhi (though that urban legend wasn't confined to Delhi):

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey-man_of_Delhi