According to Wiktionary, one of the possible origins of this phrase dates back to the legend of Medusa, who was the mythological being who could turn any creature or being into stone by just looking them in the eye.
It's referring to Medusa and how her gaze kills you or turns you into stone.
If Looks Could Kill - film - was created in 1990.
The duration of If Looks Could Kill - film - is 1.47 hours.
If Looks Could Kill - Timomatic song - was created in 2011.
If Looks Could Kill - Transvision Vamp song - was created in 1990.
If Looks Could Kill - Rodney Crowell song - was created in 1990-01.
Biography - 1987 Bette Davis If Looks Could Kill was released on: USA: 13 September 1994
CSI Miami - 2002 If Looks Could Kill 5-4 is rated/received certificates of: USA:TV-14
Alfred Hitchcock Presents - 1985 If Looks Could Kill 3-9 was released on: USA: 23 April 1988
If Looks Could Kill - 1996 TV is rated/received certificates of: Iceland:12 Netherlands:6 (TV rating) Netherlands:16 (video premiere)
The phrase angel of death appears in the Bible in the Book of Exodus chapter 12 verse 23. Exo 12:23 When the LORD goes through Egypt to kill the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the beams and the doorposts and will not let the Angel of Death enter your houses and kill you.
This phrase dates from the 1800's. "To kill" refers to the idea of a large degree or a large amount, as in the amount of something it would take to kill you. Dressed FIT TO kill means that you're so well dressed it's going to kill whoever looks at you.