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HUNTING HUMANS
An Encyclopedia
of Modern Serial Killers
Michael Newton
Loompanics Unlimited
Port Townsend, Washington
DEDICATION
To Barbara Howell. More grist for the mill ...
EPIGRAM
“Society’s had their chance. ’m going hunting. Hunting humans.”
James Oliver Huberty, 1984
HUNTING HUMANS
© 1990 by Michael Newton
All Rights Reserved
Printed in USA
Published by:
Loompanics Unlimited
PO Box 1197
Port Townsend, WA 98368
ISBN 1-55950-026-3
Library of Congress
Catalog Card Number 89-63826
Acknowledgements 1
ACKNOWLEGEMENTS
I am indebted to the following individuals and institutions for their kind assistance in the preparation of this work.
Geographically, they include:
ALABAMA: John Fay, Associate Executive Editor, FLORIDA: Vernon Bradford, Florida Dept. of
Mobile Press-Register; Sgt. Wilbur Williams, Corrections; Hernando County Library; J.E.
Mobile Police Dept. McMillen, Jacksonville Sheriff's Dept.; Heath
ALASKA: Brenda Files, Anchorage Daily News; Meriwether, Editor, Miami Herald; Lt. Mark
Schlein, Broward County Sheriffs Dept.; Arnold
Investigator Mark Stewart, Alaska State Troopers,
Criminal Investigation Bureau Summers, General Manager, Park Newspapers of
Florida
ARIZONA: Tucson Citizen
GEORGIA: K. Wayne Ford, Staff Writer, Athens
ARKANSAS: Lt. R.L. Jenkins, Little Rock Police
Banner-Herald; Starr Holland, Librarian, Albany
Dept.; Lt. Doug Stephens, Arkansas State Police;
Herald; Diane Hunter, Librarian, Atlanta Journal;
Chief James Vandiver, Little Rock Police Dept.
E.P. Peters, Director, Georgia Bureau of In-
CALIFORNIA: Robert Andrew, Librarian, Long vestigation
Beach Press-Telegram; Lt. Ray Biondi, Sacramento
HAWAII: Charles Memminger, Staff Writer, Honolulu
County Sheriffs Dept.; David Cappoli, Librarian,
Star-Bulletin
Los Angeles Herald Examiner; Sgt. Garry Davis,
Kern County Sheriffs Dept.; D.A. Dicaro, Librar- IDAHO: Jon Jensen, Staff Writer, Idaho Falls Post-
ian, Beale Memorial Library (Bakersfield); Joan Register
Douglas, Librarian, Riverside Press-Enterprise;
IOWA: Thomas R. Ruxlow, Director, lowa Division of
Capt. Robert Grimm, Los Angeles County Sheriffs
Criminal Investigation; Eugene Thomas, Editor,
Dept.; John Irby, the Bakersfield Californian;
Nevada Journal
Rhonda Kruse, Senior Lirarian, San Diego Public
Library; Sgt. A. Thurston, Kern County Sheriffs -ILLINOIS: Bill Behrens, Investigator, Cook County
Dept.; Union-Tribune Publishing Co., San Diego Sheriff's Dept.; David L. Morse, Illinois State
Library
CANADA: Alberta — Patricia Garneau, Librarian,
Edmonton Journal; British Columbia —Pacific INDIANA: Cecil Smith, Editor, Salem Leader
Press Limited; the Vancouver Sun; Ontario —
KANSAS: Jack H. Ford, Assistant Director, Kansas
Deborah Jessop, Librarian, the Windsor Star;
Bureau of Investigation; Ethel J. Hunt; Davis
Quebec — the Montreal Gazette; Saskatchewan —
Merritt, Jr., Executive Director, Wichita Eagle-
Eric Jenkins, head librarian, Regina Leader Post
Beacon; Capt. Ken Pierce, Shawnee County She-
COLORADO: Eleanor Geheres, Manager, Denver riffs Dept.; Lt. Tom Sargent, Shawnee County
Public Library; James Jordan, Senior Agent, Sheriff's Dept.
Colorado Dept. of Public Safety
KENTUCKY: Morgan T. Elkins, Commissioner,
CONNECTICUT: Hartford Courant; Barbara White, Kentucky State Police
Editor, Meriden Record-Journal
LOUISANA: Helen C. Hudson and Susan Parmer,
DELAWARE: Col. Daniel Simpson, Director, Dela- Shreve Memorial Library; New Orleans Public
ware State Police Library; Gwen Pearce, Reference Librarian, Bossier
ENGLAND: Kevin Wilson Parish Library
ii HUNTING HUMANS
MARYLAND: Susan E. Stetina, Deputy Clerk, Circuit TENNESSEE: Ellen Henry, Librarian, Jackson Sun;
Court of Cecil County; Sgt. Paul D. Waclawski, Nashville Banner; Steve O. Watson, Director,
Baltimore County Police Dept. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
MASSACHUSETTS: Worcester Telegram & Gazette TEXAS: Sheriff Larry R. Busby, Live Oak County;
Opal Miller, Librarian, County of Live Oak; Robert
MICHIGAN: The Detroit News; P.W. Dukes, Librar-
Sadler, Associate Editor, Waco Tribune-Herald;
ian, Detroit Free Press; Vonda Jamrog, Dept. of
Dennis Spies, Managing Editor, Amarillo Globe-
Corrections; Kalamazoo Gazette; Jim Shanahan,
News; Patricia Starr, Austin American-Statesman;
Managing Editor, St. Joseph Herald Palladium;
Larry Todd, Public Information Officer, Dept. of
Maj. Lewis G. Smith, Michigan State Police; Lt.
Public Safety; Richard Veit, Librarian, Texas
Paul H. Wood, Michigan State Police
Collection, Baylor University
MINNESOTA: Meredith R. Cook, Blue Earth Com-
UTAH: Chief Swen C. Nielsen, Provo Police Dept.
munity Library
VIRGINIA: Lucy Proctor, Senior Staff Writer, Chris-
MISSISSIPPI: Cleveland Bolivar Commercial; Beverly
tianburg News Messenger; Julian Pugh, Dept. of
Canerdy, Jackson Clarion-Ledger; Maj. Walter
Corrections
Tucker, Dept. of Public Safety
WASHINGTON: Jeanne Engerman, Librarian,
NEBRASKA: Capt. J.E. Burnett, Nebraska State
Washington State Library; Tacoma Public Library;
Patrol; Sheriff David R. Schleve, Scotts Bluff
Harold D. Wilson, Librarian, Seattle Public Library
County
WISCONSIN: La Crosse Tribune; Kate Lorenz,
NEVADA: Carroll Edward Cole; Las Vegas Review-
Jefferson Public Library; Milwaukee Journal;
Journal; Jenny Scarantino, Librarian, Las Vegas
Newspapers, Inc., Milwaukee; the Wisconsin State
Sun
Journal
NEW JERSEY: Eloise Lehnert, Blairstown Press;
WYOMING: Christopher A. Crofts, Director, Wyom-
Mary Ann McDade, Morristown Library; Howard
A. McGinn, Prosecutor, Warren County ing Division of Criminal Investigation; Bess Sheller,
Director, Carbon County Library
NEW YORK: Detective Al Sheppard, NYPD Intelli-
gence Division
With special thanks to my wife, Judy, for her assistance
NORTH CAROLINA: Fayetteville Observer; Ken
in the final preparation of the manuscript. @
Reading, Public Library of Johnston County
NORTH DAKOTA: Dick Hickman, Special Agent,
Bureau of Criminal Investigation
OHIO: J. Richard Abell, Cincinnati Public Library;
James Bates, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Lucas
County; Det. Donald Bradley, Cleveland Police
Dept.; Lee McLaird, Reference Archivist, Bowling
Green State University; Margarent Marten, Cleve-
land Plain Dealer; Medina County Gazette; J.
Bradford Tillson, Editor, Dayton Daily News
OKLAHOMA: Ted Limke, Director, Oklahoma State
Bureau of Investigation
OREGON: Capt. Robert J. Brickeen, Oregon State
Police
PENNSYLVANIA: Marcia Morelli, New Castle
Public Library; Scranton Times; Carol Thomas,
Librarian, Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader
SOUTH CAROLINA: M.S. Crockett, Librarian,
Charlotte Evening Post
Preface 1
PREFACE
The face of modern homicide is changing. We are Several interesting cases were prosecuted under the
caught up in the midst of what one expert calls an Inquisition, cloaked in the theological trappings of
“epidemic of homicidal mania,” victimized by a new witchcraft, vampirism, and lycanthropy. Elizabeth
breed of “recreational killers” who slaughter their Bathory was convicted, in 1611, of personally killing
victims at random, for the sheer sport of killing. In the some 650 young women, for the purpose of bathing
years since World War II, our annual solution rate for herself in their blood. Joseph Phillipe slaughtered
homicides has dropped from 90% to 76%, indicating that Parisian prostitutes in the 1860s, and Jack the Ripper
one in every four domestic murders goes unsolved. In carried the game to London twenty years later, inspiring
human terms, that means 5,000 victims — 13 each and a host of imitators over the next decade. In short, the
every day — will be dispatched by murderers who walk problem seems to be as old as human history.
away, scot free. According to the FBI’s best estimate, at The work in hand confines itself, for practical reasons,
least 3,500 of those will be slain by “serial killers,” a to a survey of 2Oth-century serial killers. Despite an
special breed of predator who kill repeatedly, without effort to be comprehensive, certain cases have undoubt-
remorse, sometimes for years on end. edly been overlooked, and others will make headlines
Initially, we run afoul of definitions. Self-proclaimed by the time this volume goes to press. As it is, we shall
examine 544 cases of serial murders, involving roughly
“authorities” butt heads in endless arguments about the
750 individual killers and an estimated 5,336 to 6,368
mandatory body count and length of intervals between
victims. (Four other cases were deliberately omitted,
specific crimes that are presumed to qualify a “genuine”
due to a shortage of reliable information.)
serial killer. Most such guidelines have been arbitrary
and entirely artificial, stacking the odds in favor of this Geographically, serial killers are found on every
or that pet theory. In an effort to restore common sense continent except Antarctica, with North America
to the subject, I have adopted the definition published claiming 76% of the total and Europe running a distant
in a 1988 report from the National Institute of Justice. second with 19%. Easily leading the field, the United
The NIJ report defines serial murder as “a series of two States boasts 74% of the world total — and 97% of the
or more murders, committed as separate events, usually, North American gross — in serial murders. Europe’s
but not always, by one offender acting alone. The crimes leaders are England (with 36%), Germany (with 29%),
may occur over a period of time ranging from hours to and France (trailing with 11%). Communist nations
years. Quite often the motive is psychological, and the contribute a mere 1.8% of the total, with ten cases
offender’s behavior and the physical evidence observed recorded since 1917, a fact explained in equal parts by
at the crime scenes will reflect sadistic, sexual cultural differences and the tendency of state-owned
media to “lose” bad news.
overtones.”
Who are the murderers among us? In America, 85%
Serial murder is the crime of the 1990s, but is it really
are male and 8% female; sex remains undetermined in
new? The term is certainly of recent vintage, coined
another 7% of cases, where the killers are still at large.
around 1980 to differentiate between “mass murderers”
Ethnically, 82% of American serial killers are white,
— who slaughter several victims in a single, frantic
15% are black, and 2.5% are Hispanic. (Native Amer-
outburst — and the more insidious, methodical killers
icans and Orientals figure in one case each, with the
who spin out their crimes over time. New terminology,
Oriental killer serving as accomplice to a white man.)
however, does not signify a new phenomenon. Crimi-
Few of them are legally insane, and all are cunning,
nologist Melvin Rheinhardt discussed the subject of
indicated by the fact that some 18% of cases in this
“chain killers” as early as 1962, and the problem was
century remain unsolved.
already ancient. Gilles de Rais, the richest man in
France and confidante to Joan of Arc, was executed in In operational terms, 87% of American serial killers
the 15th century for slaying upwards of 100 children. are loners, while only 10% hunt in pairs or packs. Of
2 HUNTING HUMANS
the “social” killers, 59% represent all-male groupings The work in hand suggests no ultimate solutions to
(ranging from two-man teams to gangs of a dozen or our “murder epidemic.” The FBI’s Violent Criminal
Apprehension Program (VICAP) is a long step in the
more), while 23 percent are male-female couples, and
right direction, coupled with early diagnosis of potential
18% include mixed groups of varying sizes.
killers and referral of their cases for competent treat-
Generalizations are dangerous, but serial killers may
ment. We have known for years that many future
be loosely classified in terms of their hunting techniques. murderers display a tell-tale “triad” of symptoms —
Territorial killers stake out a defined area — a city or bedwetting, arson, and cruelty to animals — in their
county, sometimes a particular street or municipal park childhood years, but parents, teachers, and physicians
— and rarely deviate from their selected game preserve. must be trained to spot the warning signs. More recent
An estimated 58% of American serial killers fall into this evidence establishes that child abuse and early trauma
category, including 65% of all blacks and 44% of all to the brain may help to launch a killer on his way. At
female killers. Nomadic slayers travel widely in their least four of the male killers considered here were
search for prey, confounding authorities as they drift subjected to identical childhood abuse, forced to dress
aimlessly from one jurisdiction to another. The nomad in girl’s clothing by sadistic relatives who sought to
ranks include 34% of America’s “recreational” killers, “teach them a lesson.” (At this writing, a California
with 30% of black killers and 28% of lethal ladies falling woman, Mary Bergamasco, faces trial on child abuse
into this category. Stationary killers crouch like spiders charges after dressing her seven-year-old son as a pig
in a web, committing murders mainly in their homes or and staking him out in the front yard, to teach him that
places of employment — clinics, nursing homes, and “lying and stealing makes you ugly like Pinocchio.”)
hospitals included. Only 8% of America’s serial killers
Prevention is essential, then... but is it practical?
belong in this category, including a bare 3% of black Psychologists inform us that the human character is
killers and a substantial 28% of female practitioners. rather firmly set between years two and five — that is,
before a child leaves home for public school. Carroll
As defined above, the motives for serial murder are
“quite often” psychological, with strong sado-sexual Edward Cole murdered his first victim at age nine, and
a significant number of serial slayers are hard at work
overtones and evidence of compulsive behavior. Coolly
in their teens. Once having killed, they are apparently
professional killers-for-hire are excluded from the
immune to psychiatric therapy. Confined, they are a
definition, but that does not preclude a profit motive in
constant danger to their keepers, fellow prisoners, and
serial crimes. Approximately 6% of cases here described
to society at large, inevitably claiming further victims if
are exercises in greed run amok, incorporating what
they manage to escape or win parole. Such cases, sadly,
psychologist Stanton Samenow has called a “double
are not rare, and the deliberate release of psychopathic
voltage” — that is, the amplified thrill of killing for
killers to the street provides a telling argument for
profit and pleasure. (Significantly, 31% of female serial
proponents of capital punishment.
killers have murdered for gain, compared to 3% of their
male counterparts.) Since 1969, a disturbing 8% of If nothing else, our survey of the predators among us
American serial cases have involved practitioners of may assist potential victims in an effort to protect
Satanism or black magic, while another 5% involve themselves, their families, and loved ones from the
random killers who select their prey as “targets of
members of the medical profession — doctors, dentists,
opportunity.” Depriving the sadistic hunters of their
nurses, nursing aides.
chosen game, while running them to earth with new
Ancient or otherwise, serial murder is clearly escal-
technology, appears to be the last, best hope of wiping
ating in modern society. In the first half of this century, out the lethal epidemic in our midst.
American police recorded an average of 1.2 serial cases
per year. Since 1960, the figure has leaped to 12 cases
per year, and by the 1980s new cases were capturing
headlines at an average rate of two per month. While
new police investigative methods and wider journalistic
coverage clearly account for some of the phenomenal
increase, it remains obvious that serial crimes are
multiplying dramatically.
