The day before Halloween, Price, a redhead, was found dead in the bathtub, and Rogers fled the scene. Howard agreed and in a last . Two teenagers looking to close the holiday weekend in the ideal make-out spot discovered Ellisbody around 9:25 p.m. that evening. Although this killer was never identified and spanned two states, The Phantom Killer earns his spot on the list for the terror he caused in 1946. Between the years of 1987 and 1988, Pennell preyed on the sex workers who worked on Route 40. The murder of Kitty Genovese, killed outside of her apartment while many of her own neighbors watched, shocked the public. With equity for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other underserved victims not prioritized in the true crime communitytogether we can do better. Black children in the neighborhood were being targeted and murdered one-by-one, murdered her four former husbands, her brother-in-law, and ever her own daughter by poisoning. In total, Goudeau was found guilty of killing nine people, most of them women. The 23-year-old had distanced herself from the life of a streetwalker, even purchasing books for nursing school. He told authorities he started his killing spree because his parents did not approve of his girlfriend, according to Wyoming History's website. Why did a 31-year-old married father oftwo embark on a killing spree? What are the most haunted places in Delaware? Crime rates in our small state hover around the national median, and it's not common to ever fear for your life while exploring our beautiful state. The 31-year-old divorcee had a history of prostitution arrests, but its unclear if she was working that night when she accepted a ride from a stranger in a blue van. Most of the time, when you hear about Delaware history, you hear about war heroes, colonial surveys, railroad towns, and of course, the elaborate estates of the Du Ponts. Christine The Babysitter from Hell Falling was just 17 when she was convicted of smothering five children she had been babysitting. Some papers even described her as more of a cartoon character than a serial killer. Delaware: The Chocolate Candy Murders Cordelia Botkin is not only the most notorious killer in Delaware history but the first to commit murder by mail. Robinson was sentenced to death and remains on death row. Charlie Weems, Ozie Powell, Clarence Norris, Andrew Wright, Leroy Wright, Olen Montgomery, Willie Roberson, Haywood Patterson, and Eugene Williams were the nine "Scottsboro Boys." The nine Black teenagers, aged between 13 and 19, were accused of raping two white women. In 1988, Bernard Williams beat state representative William Telek to death with a hammer, stealing $100 in cash and Telek's car. There, he grew to hate his mother and women as a whole. He was personally opposed to the death penalty, yet he still gave a fiery plea for Pennells execution. It was discovered that over four years, the Long Islander killed 17 women most of them sex workers. By the time she stopped her brutal reign over her family in the late '50s, she had murdered four of her husbands, one of her mother-in-laws, her two sisters, her grandson, her nephew, two of her own children, and even her own mother. For a time, people believed it was an interstate trucker.. Michelle Gordon, a 22-year-old New Castle resident, disappeared on Sept. 16, 1988. Before his execution, he even penned an autobiography called "Final Truth: The Autobiography of a Serial Killer." Learn more about Social Responsibility at WHYY. Harvey was convicted of 37 murders and sentenced to multiple life sentences. One night, a group of slave raiders came to the mansion. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! In fact, Gaskins claimed he killed 200 hitchhikers. John Wayne Gacy: The Killer Clown Image: Pixabay A performer who played "Pogo the Clown" at adolescents' gatherings, John Wayne Gacy was one of the most scandalous chronic executioners in America. Route40 was the only connection between the two victims. And speaking of beautiful, weve put together a list of some of the most picturesque destinations in Delaware for you to visit. He was executed by lethal injection, the first person to be executed in Delaware after the death penalty was reinstated in the state in 1975. He was found guilty of murdering two of his victims. Keep a pulse on local food, art, and entertainment content when you join our Delaware Today newsletter. The border town of Delmar was an important railroad town in the late 1800s. Married with four daughters, Capano separated from his wife Kay the following year. Overridden with guilt, Matzke confessed to the murderers and served 20 years. Rudolph would often use nail bombs where the nails would act like shrapnel. The van stopped. This list of unsolved murders includes notable cases where victims have been murdered under unknown circumstances. Mark Goudeau became known as the "Baseline Killer" when he terrorized the Phoenix, Arizona, community in the summer of 2006. Despite killing 11 of her own family members, Nannie Doss never broke a smile and was nicknamed "The Giggly Granny." Capano belonged to a prominent family of Delaware real estate developers and building contractors. Finally, a few examples of unsolved murders in Kent County, Delaware, include the 2015 murder of Douglas Kimball, the 1990 murder of Lena Lorraine Thomas, the 1983 murder of Shirley Weckerly, and the 2009 murder of Robert Watkins, among many others. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! I think that hurt him in front of the jury., Pennell may have come across as unlikable, but the jury still struggled with the three murder charges. Hansen appeared to be the model father, husband, and business owner but he was harboring a terrible secret. Privacy Policy | Terms | Contact | Sitemap True Crime Historian Blog, Celebrated Criminal Cases of America, 1830-1910, The 1935 Delaware Execution of a Mother & Son, That Time Nevada Executed a 17 year-old, 1944, The Most Miraculous Execution in American History (That Nobody Told You About), 1904. In New Hampshire, he was known as "Bob Evans" who killed one woman and three small children. [9] Following Capano's death, his brothers Louis and Joseph engaged in a bitter court fight over their family's multimillion-dollar real estate empire. The case was the first known murder of a state . It became known as the Atlanta Child Murders. Little documentation of her life exists and there are no known portraits, but historians say she was living in Delaware by 1800 . Just as on previous stakeouts, men routinely approached Taschner. At just 19 years old he killed 11 people. Patty Cannon, who lived on the Delaware-Maryland line near Seaford, confessed to killing more than two dozen people - including her husband and one of her children. He was different than any other person who stopped for me,she recalls. Just as fast as the killings started, they suddenly stopped. If you travel the swamp trail alone, you might hear the screams of the young runaway who was raped and killed here in the 1870s she still haunts these woods. His preferred method: having his victim lay down and shooting them in the back of the head. The Delaware State Police have arrested 53-year-old Robert Franks of Bridgeville, Delaware for the murder of his wife, Cynthia Moss-Franks. Before she could stand trial for her crimes, she was shot to death reportedly by a friend of one of the victims. Tags: 1920s, 1930s, Delaware, Execution, Murder, Women, Criminal Cases of America70 Vintage True Crime Stories by Thomas Duke, 1910, All Rights Reserved. WHYY thanks our sponsors become a WHYY sponsor. Keep up with Kendra on Instagram, Twitter and kendrasyrdal.com, The essays in this book are short and sweet, and incredible. During the summer of 1969, The Manson Family carried out several murders. In 1982, Minnesota police received several phone calls from a man who was crying. They were between the ages of 15 and 18. The body count rose across state lines, as his list of aliases grew. Also known as The Route 40 Killer, Pennell was found guilty for the torture and murder of 2 New Castle County women and is believed to have murdered 3 others. There was just too much evidence that he had to explain., Shortly after the verdict, a bouquet of flowers arrived on Jenningsdesk. At each crime scene, he would leave a clue as to who he was. Its how we live. In 1994, Amy Anderson was the only woman to escape the clutches of Robert Leroy Anderson. Cullen only confessed to the 40 murders, but investigators and experts believe his body count might reach the hundreds. For the most part, Delaware is a peaceful state. In a weird twist, she was buried outside and eventually exhumed when the land was undergoing renovation. One of the world's most prolific serial killers might still be out there. While on trial for his murders, he was described as "being a cold, calculating killer determined to kill as many women who worked as sex workers.". There was no reason for Shirley Ellis to be killed,recalls Kathleen Jennings, the state prosecutor who eventually stared the accused down in a tough cross-examination. He was executed in 1985. The couple, with their baby daughter, relocated to the boisterous city of San Francisco, where Dunning began a torrid love affair with Cordelia Botkin, a fetching, carefree woman. Though the holiday had passed three days earlier, Ellis was carrying a Thanksgiving platter for an AIDS patient undergoing treatment at Wilmington Hospital. Each state has a connection to an infamous serial killer. [8], Capano, aged 61, was found dead in his jail cell at 12:34p.m. on September 19, 2011, by an officer performing a routine security check at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center state prison in Smyrna, Delaware. Ocean-going ships that stopped near Cape Henlopen carried news from foreign places; and the ships arriving from Philadelphia dropped newspapers at Lewes that kept residents informed of domestic events. Mrs. C. Thinking it was from one of her friends, Mary opened the box and passed the chocolates around. Since he worked as a clown performer for children's parties, he would often kill his victims while wearing the clown costume that he called Pogo the Clown. He is currently serving his 10 life sentences in prison. (AP Photo/Wilmington Police, File), Kathleen Fahey, sister of murder victim Anne Marie Fahey, talks during a news conference after Thomas Capano was sentenced to life in prison Thursday, March 2. That couldve been devastating.. When Cruz-Ramos was caught trying to find some money Cook stole from him in Cooks apartment, Cook and Matzke tied him up and began to torture him for hours. "I know everyone wants to know why I committed these crimes. It was as fine a piece of testifying as Ive ever seen,Maurer contends. Its so moving and some of the stories bring me to tears not because its sad, but because its relatable and shows that were not alone. Kendra. Police were never able to catch the murderer, only link him to a bludgeoning of another murder in Lakewood. He was looking right through me.. In 1891, Mary Pennington of Dover, daughter of former Delaware Congressman John Pennington, married John P. Dunning, a newspaper reporter. In 2016, police received a 911 call just outside of Columbus, Ohio. When Mary joined them, she had a box of candies that had arrived unexpectedly with a pretty handkerchief and a note, With love to yourself and baby. Despite this, Delawares numerous law enforcement agencies will continue to attempt to investigate and solve every one of Delawares true crimes which remain unsolved. This True Story About One Delaware Hero Is Nearly Unbelievable, Youll Actually Enjoy The History Lessons Found At This Quirky Delaware Pub, Few People Know That A Revolutionary War Battle Took Place In This Delaware Town, Most People Dont Know About These Strange Ruins Hiding In Delaware, This Is The Oldest Place You Can Possibly Go In Delaware And Its History Will Fascinate You, These 12 Photos Of Delaware From The Early 1900s Are Beyond Fascinating, 8 Nostalgic Places Around Delaware That Will Take You Back To Your Childhood, History Left A Definite Mark At This One Fascinating Spot In Delaware, The One Place To Sleep In Delaware Thats Beyond Your Wildest Dreams. He confessed to several other murders just before dying in prison, according to the Star Tribune. He struck again. 1932, he killed and robbed five people, according to the New York Daily News, 22 bodies of men who the innkeeper had allegedly killed, 6 of the most notorious serial killers who were never caught, The most infamous crime committed in every state, FBI data reveals some of the most violent cities in nearly every state, An expert reveals the 12 key traits common in serial killers, and some of them might surprise you. On Oct. 8, 1898, the Lewes newspaper, Delaware Pilot, reported, "Governor (James) Budd, of California, on Wednesday decided that Mrs. Cordelia Botkin must come here (California) to stand trial. After picking up an undercover policewoman, fibres from the back of Pennell's van linked him to the crimes. The state responded by indicting Pennell for the murders of Meyer and Gordon, based on new evidence. On November 8, 1997, Gerry was interviewed by detectives and told them that Capano had borrowed the boat and admitted that he had murdered someone who was attempting to extort him. Gacy killed 33 boys and young men in the '70s, They later found 11 bodies just 50 feet from his home, 1948 and 1980, Cole strangled and killed 13 women across multiple states. Before earning this moniker, he killed his grandparents at 15 and was in jail for two years. Delaware has dealt with its fair share of Delaware killers throughout its history, ranging from mass murderers to even serial killers. Gaskins claimed he killed 200 hitchhikers. Contact me here. Mason ordered Charles Watson to take Susan Atkins, Linda Kasabian, and Patricia Krenwinkel to go to Terry Melchers house and murder anyone who was there. The empty cooler was found on July 4, 1996, by a local fisherman. In 2017, he was beaten to death in prison. Between 1948 and 1980, Cole strangled and killed 13 women across multiple states because he said it felt like he was killing his mother, according to the Sioux City Journal. In his confession, Cullen said he believed he was doing the community a service, helping these sick patients relieve their pain. An arrest warrant was issued, and on Nov. 29, 1988, a year after hed claimed his first victim, Pennell was in handcuffs. A police officer took her skull as a souvenir, and you were once able to visit it at the Dover Public Library. All of us involved want to understand it better. Superior Court Judge Richard Gebelein denied Maurers claims, concluding that the carpet was in plain view once Pennell opened the door to invite Taschner inside the van. 1A's goal is to act as a national mirror-taking time to help America look at itself and to ask what it wants to be. The case remains open. This isolated forest is one of the best places to camp in the entire state. Workers building the Fox Run apartment complex found her body at 6:25 the next morning. In the 1980s, Harvey was a nurse's aid working at hospitals in Kentucky and Ohio, and he killed dozens of patients using cyanide, rat poison, and arsenic, according to WXIX. Do you remember when this story hit the news? The case was also portrayed in the Season 1, Third Episode of the NBC series Boomtown (October 13, 2002). He never permitted the interviews that got us answers, says Jennings. My thoughts and prayers are with her family during this difficult time.. Bardea Food & Drink Launches a New Menu and Outdoor Dining Garden, How Middletown Grew From Farm Country To Mini-Metropolis. This marked the first time in Delaware state history, in which a person was convicted of murder, without a body or murder weapon. I hoped and prayed that, before Pennell died, hed tell us where we could find Kathleen Meyer, or at least give us a place to look,says Hedrick. Since he did not commit just one, but continued in the same depraved manner on the others, this pleasure is evident., Deputy Attorney General Richard E. Fairbanks Jr. represented the state. He scared everyone because he was killing with reckless abandon at random. Delaware case results in first-ever convictions on charges of cyberstalking resulting in death. A public defender and the judge pushed back, and he was set free. A few examples of the unsolved murders in northern Delaware include the 2013 murder of Kaiheem White, the 1993 murder of Linda Ann Moody Armstrong, the 2000 murder of Carmen Rodriguez, the 2013 murder of Lamar Wilmer, and the 2013 murder of Samantha Neuwein, among countless others. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. The killer then wrapped a ligature around her neck and repeatedly struck her over the head with a hammer. 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