Births

Joe “Pegleg” Morgan

1929 – Joe “Pegleg” Morgan – was a notorious American gangster and the first non-Hispanic member of the Mexican Mafia, a powerful criminal organization that operates in California prisons. Born in 1929 to Croatian immigrants in Los Angeles, he grew up in a neighborhood with a mix of Mexican and Croatian culture. He joined the Ford MaraVilla street gang at a young age, became fluent in Spanish, and developed a prosthetic leg after being shot during a bank robbery. Morgan spent most of his life in prison, where he rose to become one of the most influential leaders of the Mexican Mafia. He had connections with drug suppliers in Mexico and forged alliances with other gangs such as the Aryan Brotherhood and the Black Guerrilla Family. He also helped organize and legitimize the Mexican Mafia’s activities, such as extortion, racketeering, murder, and drug trafficking. Known for his brutality and cunning, he earned the nickname “Pegleg” from authorities because of his artificial limb. Morgan died in 1993 at the age of 64 from complications of diabetes. He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. His life story has been featured in several books and documentaries, such as “The Godfather of Prison” by Robert D. Grant and “The Rise and Fall of La Eme” by Michael J. DeLong. He is considered one of the most influential figures in American prison history.

1962 – Mariusz Trynkiewicz – is a Polish serial killer and sex offender. He is also known as the “Satan of Piotrków” or the “Killer of Children”. Trynkiewicz was born in Piotrków Trybunalski, Poland. He was raised by his mother, Urszula after his parents divorced when he was young. He had a difficult childhood and was often bullied by other children. In 1983, Trynkiewicz was drafted into the Polish Army. While in the army, he was convicted of raping a young boy and was sentenced to one year in prison. In 1988, Trynkiewicz began a series of murders of young boys in Piotrków Trybunalski. His victims were all between the ages of 12 and 15. He would lure the boys into his car, take them to a secluded location, and then rape and murder them. Trynkiewicz was eventually caught and charged with four counts of murder. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. However, his sentence was later commuted to 25 years in prison. Trynkiewicz was released from prison in February 2014. However, he was immediately placed in the Krajowy Ośrodek Zapobiegania Zachowaniom Dyssocjalnym (KOZ), a high-security psychiatric facility in Gostynin, Poland. In July 2015, Trynkiewicz was convicted of possessing child pornography and was sentenced to an additional five years and six months in prison. He is currently serving his sentence in KOZ. Trynkiewicz’s crimes have had a profound impact on Poland. He is considered to be one of the most notorious criminals in Polish history. I could find no additional information after 2015.

1973 – Andrew Richard Lukehart – An American man who lived with his girlfriend and two infant children, on the 25th of February 1996, Lukehart took 5-month-old Gabrielle without the knowledge of her mother, it would seem from the vague details available that Lukehart was annoyed at the fact that Gabrielle made too much noise and messed her diapers. Lukehart would tell the police numerous stories before finally confessing that he had murdered the baby and dumped her body in a pond in Jacksonville. He is currently incarcerated on death row at Florida State Prison. 

1974 – George Alarick Jones – Jones and his accomplice went to a shopping mall near Lancaster, Texas intending to find someone to rob, they came across Forest Hall and decided he would be their target. They forced Hall using a pistol into his car and drove him to a secluded area where Jones got him out of the vehicle and shot him at close range, twice in the head, before making his getaway.

1976 – Steve Edward Roach – Roach had known his victim and her sister for years, even doing odd jobs for them like chopping wood or cutting the grass, he even visited and played board games. On 3rd December 1993, Roach killed 70-year-old Mary Ann Hughes by shooting her with a shotgun and then stole some valuables and a bank card. At his trial, Roach stated that he had no idea why he shot her. 

1977 – Bryan Nathan Hower – married Bonnie Lynn Hower in 2003 and they had two children together. They resided in Lakeland, Florida. On June 11, 2010, their 10-year-old daughter reported her mother missing after she did not come home from work. A deputy found her body and purse in a hole in the backyard where the family usually disposed of dead animals. Bryan Hower claimed that he did not intend to kill his wife, but was trying to stop her from attacking him during an argument over who would have custody of their children. He said he disarmed his wife when she grabbed a knife, but she kept trying to get a wrench as they struggled on the floor of the garage. However, the prosecution argued that Bryan Hower made a conscious decision to kill his wife and had enough time to reflect on what he was doing. They pointed out that he hid his wife’s body, lied about her whereabouts to family, friends, and investigators, and showed no remorse for his actions. On August 30, 2011, Bryan Hower was found guilty of first-degree murder by a jury after less than three hours of deliberation. He apologized to his wife’s family members before being taken into custody.

Deaths

Howard Marks

1934 – Georges-Alexandre Sarrejani – was a French lawyer, swindler, and murderer who was executed by guillotine in 1934. He was the last person to be hanged in Aix-en-Provence, a city in the south of France. Sarrejani was born in Trieste, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, in 1878. He emigrated to France with his family when he was young and studied law at the University of Marseille. He became a successful lawyer and lived a lavish lifestyle with his wife and children. In the 1920s, he met two German sisters, Catherine and Philomène Schmidt, who became his lovers. He also had another mistress, Noémie Ballandraux. He decided to use them for his insurance scams, which involved making them marry unhealthy men and then killing them with poison or other means. He would then share the life insurance money with his accomplices. In 1925, he killed one of his accomplices, Louis Chambon-Duverger, along with Ballandraux at their villa near Aix-en-Provence. He then dissolved their bodies in sulphuric acid for three days before disposing of them in the garden. This crime remained unsolved for six years until Catherine Schmidt confessed to it during police interrogation. She revealed that Sarrejani had also killed another man who had tried to blackmail them. Sarrejani was arrested in 1931 and tried for murder and fraud. He denied any involvement in the deaths of Chambon-Duverger and Ballandraux, but admitted that he had killed Chambon-Duverger out of greed. He also confessed to having killed another man who had threatened him with exposure. However, he claimed that he had acted alone and that Catherine Schmidt had no knowledge of his crimes until after they were committed. Sarrejani was found guilty by a jury in October 1933 and sentenced to death by guillotine on April 10, 1934. His execution took place in Aix-en-Provence’s prison courtyard before a large crowd of spectators. His last words were reported, “I am innocent”. His body was buried in an unmarked grave near Marseille’s cemetery.

1944 – Constance Kent – was an English woman who confessed to the murder of her half-brother, Francis Saville Kent, in 1860. She claimed that she killed him with a razor stolen from her father’s house and buried him in a privy on their estate. She said that she acted out of jealousy and resentment towards Francis, who had been neglected by their parents and favored by his nursemaid. Her confession shocked the public and raised questions about the legal system and the role of religion in criminal cases. Constance’s trial attracted widespread attention from the press and the public. She refused to plead guilty or not guilty, saying that she had no motive or opportunity to commit the crime. She also refused to reveal any details about her relationship with Francis or anyone else involved in the case. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence and expert testimony from forensic surgeons and pathologists. They argued that Constance had access to the razor, knew how to use it, and had an opportunity to kill Francis without being noticed. The jury found Constance guilty of murder after deliberating for two hours. The judge sentenced her to death by hanging at Newgate Prison on April 10, 1865. However, he commuted her sentence to life imprisonment on appeal by the Home Secretary, Lord Palmerston. He said that he wanted to spare Constance from further suffering and hoped that she would repent of her crime. Constance spent most of her time in solitary confinement at Newgate Prison until she was transferred to various prisons across England for good behavior. She wrote several letters during this time, expressing remorse for her crime and asking for forgiveness from God and humanity. She also received visits from some relatives and friends who tried to comfort her. In 1879, Constance was released from prison on parole after serving 20 years of her sentence. She changed her name to Ruth Emilie Kaye and moved back to Wiltshire with some relatives who helped her adjust to life outside prison walls. She became a nurse at a local hospital where she worked for 20 years until she retired at age 60. Constance never married or had any children of her own. She lived a quiet life as a nurse until she died at age 100 in Strathfield, New South Wales, Australia on April 10, 1944.

1959 – Leonard Shockley – was a young man who was executed in the United States in 1959 for a murder he committed when he was only 16 years old. He and his older brother, Harold, robbed and stabbed a shopkeeper named Sarah Hearne in Maryland. They were caught by a witness and arrested. Leonard was the last person to be executed while still a juvenile in America. His brother received life in prison but was eventually released. Leonard’s life story is tragic and sad. He grew up in a poor family with many siblings in Delaware. He stopped attending school and became unemployed for a while. He drank alcohol before the crime and had no clear motive for killing Hearne. He said he had money but did not take any from the store. He punched Hearne in the face and stabbed her several times in the chest and back. He also cut her throat with a knife. His brother tried to open the cash register but it jammed. They fled the scene and drove away, leaving Hearne’s body behind. The police found out about the crime from a witness, Clarence Bishop, who saw their car outside of the store and heard them arguing inside. Bishop called one of Hearne’s neighbors for help, who called the police too. The police searched for Leonard and Harold, but they were nowhere to be found. A few days later, they were identified by another witness, who saw them walking on a road near Omar, Delaware. They were arrested without much resistance and taken to jail. Leonard pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and asked for mercy from the judge. He said he was sorry for what he did and that he loved his family. He also said he did not know why he killed Hearne or that he wanted to kill anyone else. The judge sentenced him to death by gas chamber, which was then the legal method of execution for juvenile offenders in Maryland at that time. Leonard was executed on April 10, 1959, at the age of 17 years old. His last words were “I’m sorry.” His brother watched from behind glass as his younger brother died. Leonard’s case sparked controversy and debate about capital punishment for juveniles in America. Some people argued that it was too harsh and violated human rights, while others argued that it was necessary to deter crime and protect society. Leonard’s case also raised questions about race relations in America at that time. Leonard was black, while Hearne was white. Some people suspected that there might have been racial bias or discrimination involved in their arrest or trial. However, there is no evidence to support these claims or accusations. Leonard Shockley’s case is one of the most notorious examples of juvenile crime and execution in American history.

1996 – Doyle James Williams – In April 1980, Doyle Williams and John Morgan committed a burglary at the medical offices of Dr. A. H. Domann in Auxvasse, Missouri, stealing various items including blank prescription pads. Following the burglary, the pair retreated to Morgan’s trailer home where they discussed how to exploit the stolen prescription pads in the presence of Kerry Brummett, Morgan’s roommate, who noticed the pads bearing Dr. Domann’s name. Later that day, an attempt was made by the defendant to use the forged prescriptions at a drug store in Columbia, but he was apprehended, arrested, and subsequently convicted for attempting to fraudulently obtain a controlled substance. Despite facing charges related to the forged prescription, the defendant believed he could evade conviction if Dr. Domann did not testify that he hadn’t signed the prescription – a chilling foreshadowing of Dr. Domann’s demise. On October 7, 1980, Williams confessed to Morgan that he had murdered Dr. Domann and disposed of his body in a clay pit in Callaway County. The following day, the defendant proposed that Kerry Brummett should suffer the same fate as Dr. Domann as punishment for testifying against Morgan in the forgery proceedings. On October 9, 1980, Betty Coleman, a friend of Doyle Williams, set up a date with Kerry Brummett in Jefferson City. Unbeknownst to Brummett, she drove him to a secluded area in Callaway County near the Missouri River for a pre-dawn meeting with Morgan and Williams. Brummett was forcibly removed from the car by Williams and Morgan, who proceeded to assault him. Williams used a .357 Magnum to batter Brummett and with the aid of a pair of handcuffs borrowed from a police officer friend in Auxvasse, Williams and Morgan managed to restrain Brummett and force him into the trunk of Coleman’s car. The victim was then transported to a location near the river bank and extracted from the car. Morgan procured a bumper jack and rope to weigh down the body. Williams continued to assault the handcuffed victim, striking him in the back and causing him to stumble down the riverbank toward the Missouri River. Despite his predicament, Brummett resisted and promised the men he wouldn’t testify against them. In his desperation, Brummett ran into the river and sank beneath the surface due to his handcuffs. He managed to surface twice before Williams ordered Morgan to shoot him. Morgan fired a shot over Brummett’s head. Williams attempted to recover the body to remove the traceable handcuffs but was unsuccessful. The body was found seven days later on a sandbar. The cause of death was determined to be drowning. The victim’s scalp had lacerations indicative of blunt force trauma. At the scene of the assault, the victim’s eyeglasses and plastic name tag were discovered. Traces of the victim’s blood, hair, the brand of cigarettes he smoked, and Brummett’s gold chain were found in the car used by the defendant and Morgan. The defendant was eventually convicted when Morgan testified against him.

1997 – Richard D. Herr – On April 10, 1997, Richard D. Herr, an Amtrak machinist known as the “pigeon man” for his habit of conversing with birds, perpetrated a violent incident at the locomotive repair yard in Wilmington, Delaware. In a tragic turn of events, Herr fatally shot his foreman, John J. Jensen, 41, and critically injured two other Amtrak employees. Herr, armed with a 9mm handgun, fired at least 15 shots during his rampage through the 450-employee repair shop before being confronted by the police. The motive behind Herr’s actions remains unknown, but reports suggest that he exhibited signs of instability, engaging in peculiar conversations with inanimate objects such as walls and the sky. James Riley, a union official, commented, “This guy, he’d talk to the walls. He’d talk to the sky. He wasn’t stable. He must have snapped.” The rampage came to an end when two police officers encountered Herr climbing to an elevated catwalk. In a tense confrontation, one officer shot and killed Herr as he pointed a gun at them. Herr fell 25 feet to the shop floor. Despite the tragic incident, Amtrak compassionately announced that their train schedules would not be affected by the deaths!

2002 – Jose Santellan Sr – Santellan’s former girlfriend quit her job at the hospital as she wanted to escape from the toxic situation that Santellan had created. As she left her job, Santellan shot her and then took her lifeless body to a hotel so that he could spend time with her, he kept her there for several days and engaged in various sex acts with the corpse, he even sprinkled perfume over the body to remove the stench of decomposition. Whilst there, Santellan wrote letters to the family apologizing for the murder he had committed.

2002 – Paul W. Kreutzer – An American man who was on parole from Illinois prison for offenses unknown but looking at his history it was possibly a sex-related offense. Kreutzer had met his victim previously and on the 2nd September 1992, he went to her home, sexually assaulted & murdered her. Kreutzer was arrested later the same day with bundles of evidence in his vehicle and later DNA proved him guilty.

2013 – Larry Eugene Mann – was born on June 6, 1954, in Mississippi. He grew up in a poor family and dropped out of school in the ninth grade. He worked as a well driller and later as a truck driver. In 1973, Mann moved to Pascagoula, Mississippi, where he lived with his mother and sister. He was arrested for sexual battery and burglary after he forced a woman to perform oral sex on him while holding a knife to her throat. He also kidnapped and raped two teenage girls, Rose Marie Levandoski and Janie Sanders, who were later found dead. In 1980, Mann moved to Palm Harbor, Florida, where he lived with his girlfriend. He was arrested for sexual battery again after he molested his girlfriend’s daughter. He also became obsessed with Elisa Nelson, who lived next door to him. He snatched her from her bicycle as she rode to school on November 4, 1980. Mann drove Elisa to an orange grove near Starke, Florida, where he beat her, stabbed her repeatedly with a knife and an axe, and crushed her head with a concrete pole. He then dumped her body in the woods near Grand Bay, Alabama. Elisa’s body was found two weeks later by a wildlife officer who was searching for missing hogs. She had carried a note in her pocket that explained why she was late for school: she had a dental appointment. The note was found in Mann’s truck. Mann confessed to the crime shortly after Elisa’s disappearance. He said he killed her because she reminded him of his ex-girlfriend who had left him for another man. He also said he had killed other girls before Elisa. Mann was convicted of murder and sentenced to death in 1981. He appealed his conviction several times but lost all of them. In 1990, he received another death sentence after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Florida’s death penalty law that allowed juries to recommend death by majority vote instead of unanimity. Mann spent more than three decades on death row before his execution date arrived on April 10, 2013. His lawyers tried to delay his execution by arguing that Florida’s death penalty law violated the constitutional rights of inmates like him who had exhausted their appeals. However, their efforts were unsuccessful. On the day of his execution, Mann showed no remorse or emotion as he lay strapped to the gurney inside Florida State Prison. A lethal injection cocktail of chemicals was injected into his veins at 7:19 p.m., killing him instantly. His last words were reportedly “I love you” to his girlfriend who had visited him before his execution.

2016 – Howard Marks – was a Welsh author and drug smuggler who became famous for his involvement in the international cannabis trade. He was born in 1945 and grew up in a working-class family. He started his career as a journalist and then became a drug dealer, smuggling tons of cannabis from Morocco to the UK. He was arrested several times and faced trial in the US, where he was convicted of racketeering and sentenced to 25 years in prison. He was released in 1995 after serving seven years and wrote a best-selling autobiography, Mr. Nice, about his life and experiences. He also became an advocate for drug policy reform and wrote several other books on investing, business, and philosophy. He died in 2016 at the age of 70.

Events

David Blakely (C) and Ruth Ellis (R)

1919 – Emiliano Zapata assassinated

1955 – Ruth Ellis shoots David Blakely

1984 – Richard Ramirez murders 9-year-old Mei Leung – his first killing

2012 – Norwegian mass killer Anders Brevik is declared sane and able to stand trial