Births

Thomas Hamilton

1838 – John Wilkes Booth – was an American stage actor born in Bel Air, Maryland on May 10, 1838. He was the son of Junius Brutus Booth, a renowned British actor, and Mary Ann Holmes. Booth began his acting career in 1855 and quickly established himself as a talented actor with a particular talent for Shakespearean roles. However, Booth’s life took a dark turn when he became a supporter of the Confederacy during the Civil War. He opposed President Abraham Lincoln’s policies, particularly his efforts to abolish slavery, and became involved in a conspiracy to kidnap the president. When the kidnapping plot failed, Booth took matters into his own hands and assassinated Lincoln on April 14, 1865, at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. After the assassination, Booth went into hiding but was eventually tracked down and killed by Union soldiers on April 26, 1865. Although his actions were widely condemned, Booth’s legacy has remained a topic of fascination and debate in American history. Some view him as a misguided idealist, while others see him as a cold-blooded killer. Regardless of one’s perspective, Booth’s assassination of President Lincoln marked a turning point in American history and continues to be studied and discussed to this day.

1886 – Charles Davis Lawson – was an American farmer who infamously murdered his wife and six of his children in Germanton, North Carolina, on Christmas Day in 1929. Born in Lawsonville, North Carolina, Charles was the third of twelve children. In 1911, Charles married Fannie Manring and together they had eight children. On December 25, 1929, Charles Lawson, seemingly without warning, brutally murdered his wife and six of their children, ages four to seventeen, with a shotgun before turning the gun on himself. Only his eldest son, Arthur, who was nineteen at the time, was away from the family home during the massacre and survived. The reason for the murders remains unclear. Some suggest financial troubles, mental illness, and a strained relationship with his wife may have contributed to Charles’s actions. Others point to rumors of incestuous relationships within the family as a possible motive. The Lawson family tragedy shocked the nation and garnered widespread media attention. Thousands of people attended the funeral of the victims, which was held at the family home. The murders inspired numerous books, songs, and even a movie. To this day, the Lawson family tragedy remains one of the most notorious and mysterious mass murders in American history. Charles Lawson’s motives for the brutal killings have never been definitively determined, and the event continues to capture the attention of true crime enthusiasts and historians alike.

1933 – John Albert Hinchey – He lived with his common-law wife and her 17-year-old daughter Tammy, the relationship with his wife was quite antagonistic with them often getting into arguments. On September 29th, 1985 they got into another argument over a domestic matter, after a while Hinchey’s wife went to sleep in the living room, and as she did Hinchey grabbed his gun, came into the room, and shot her 4 times he would then rush to the bedroom where Tammy was and he shot her twice to the face. Amazingly still alive, Hinchley’s wife ran outside to presumably get help but he caught up with her and beat her over the head with the gun and then with some rocks.  He returned to the house where Tammy was moaning, to finish her off he would beat her around the head with a glass bottle until it shattered and then stabbed her using a kitchen knife. Surprisingly, Hinchey’s wife would survive to testify against him, he received the death penalty and spent 14 years on death row before dying.

1952 – Varnell Weeks – Weeks had severe mental health difficulties suffering from longstanding issues with paranoid schizophrenia which manifested itself in the form of religious delusions, so much so that he believed his execution was a millennial religious scheme to rid the world of humankind and that he would be saved and transformed into a giant tortoise to reign over the world. The details of the crime that Weeks committed are extremely difficult to find but I can tell you he was executed on May 12th, 1995 which brought to the fore, the topic of whether mentally ill people should be given the death penalty.

1952 – Thomas Watt Hamilton – was a Scottish mass murderer who perpetrated the Dunblane school massacre in 1996. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and grew up in Stirling, where his father worked as a joiner and his mother was a housewife. Hamilton had a troubled childhood and struggled in school due to learning difficulties. He was later diagnosed with a personality disorder and showed signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Despite his difficulties, he was able to secure a job as a shopkeeper and later as a youth club leader, which gave him access to children. On March 13, 1996, Hamilton walked into the Dunblane Primary School in Scotland armed with four handguns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. He opened fire on a class of five and six-year-old children, killing 16 and injuring 15 others. Hamilton then turned the gun on himself and took his own life. The massacre sent shockwaves throughout Scotland and the rest of the world, leading to widespread calls for stricter gun control laws. In response, the UK government passed the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997, which effectively banned private ownership of handguns in the UK. Hamilton’s motivations for the attack remain unclear, although there have been suggestions that he may have been motivated by a desire for revenge against the community or for the perceived mistreatment he had experienced as a youth club leader. Despite his heinous crime, Thomas Hamilton’s life and actions continue to be studied and analyzed by criminologists and psychologists in an attempt to understand and prevent future tragedies.

1953 – Earl Bradley – is an American pediatrician who gained notoriety for sexually abusing and assaulting hundreds of children throughout his career. He was born on May 10, 1953, in Lewes, Delaware.  Bradley received his medical degree from the University of Virginia in 1979 and began practicing pediatrics in Delaware. For his career, he built a reputation as a caring and dedicated doctor, and he even served as the pediatrician for several local schools.  However, in 2009, Bradley was arrested and charged with hundreds of counts of sexual abuse and assault of young patients, some as young as three months old. The evidence against him was overwhelming, and he was eventually convicted on all counts and sentenced to 14 life sentences in prison. Bradley’s crimes shocked the community and sparked a national conversation about the importance of protecting children from sexual abuse. The case also highlighted the need for greater scrutiny of medical professionals and their interactions with children. Today, Earl Brian Bradley is remembered as one of the most notorious pedophiles in American history. His crimes have had a lasting impact on the lives of his victims and their families, and his story serves as a reminder of the need to remain vigilant in the fight against child sexual abuse.

1955 – Mark David Chapman – is an American criminal who gained notoriety for the assassination of musician and peace activist John Lennon. He was born on May 10, 1955, in Fort Worth, Texas. Chapman had a troubled childhood and suffered from mental illness throughout his life. He developed an obsession with J.D. Salinger’s novel “The Catcher in the Rye,” and identified with the book’s protagonist, Holden Caulfield. In 1971, Chapman moved to Hawaii and became involved in Scientology, but later became disillusioned with the religion. He began to suffer from severe depression and delusions and became convinced that killing John Lennon would bring him notoriety and fame. On December 8, 1980, Chapman waited outside Lennon’s apartment in New York City and shot him four times as he returned from a recording studio. Lennon died shortly afterward, and Chapman was arrested at the scene. Chapman pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison. He has been denied parole multiple times and remains in prison to this day. Chapman’s assassination of John Lennon shocked the world and sparked a national conversation about the dangers of celebrity and the impact of mental illness on violent crime. His story has been the subject of numerous books and films, and his name has become synonymous with senseless violence and tragedy.

1957 – Sid Vicious – was a British musician best known as the bassist for the punk rock band Sex Pistols. He was born John Simon Ritchie on May 10, 1957, in London, England. He adopted the name Sid Vicious in the mid-1970s, after joining the Sex Pistols. Vicious became known for his wild, unpredictable behavior both on and off stage. He was often involved in fights and drug use, and his volatile behavior eventually led to his dismissal from the Sex Pistols in early 1978. After leaving the band, Vicious pursued a solo career and released a cover of the song “My Way,” which became his signature tune. However, his problems continued, and he was arrested and charged with the murder of his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen, in October 1978. Vicious was initially held in Rikers Island jail in New York but was released on bail in February 1979. Tragically, Vicious died of a heroin overdose on February 2, 1979, just months after Spungen’s murder. He was just 21 years old at the time of his death. Despite his short and troubled life, Vicious remains an iconic figure in the punk rock movement and a symbol of rebellion and anti-establishment attitudes. His music and persona continue to inspire new generations of musicians and fans.

1964 – Rick Allan Rhoades – With a previous rap sheet for burglary and only one day after being paroled Rhodes went to the home of two brothers aged 32 & 33, where he attacked them both with a combination of steel pipe and butcher knife, he managed to get away with some cash from one of the victims. When he was caught he was charged with the murders and found guilty, he was sentenced to death.

1978 – Cory Deonn Morris – An American rapist, serial killer, and necrophile who was dubbed “The Crackhead Killer” after he murdered at least five prostitutes in Arizona in an eight-month period between 2002 – 2003. Morris seemed to have a thing for super cheap sex and strangulation.

1981 – William Balfour – is a convicted criminal who gained national notoriety for his role in the murder of three members of the family of American singer and actress Jennifer Hudson. He was born on May 10th, 1981, in Chicago, Illinois, and spent much of his adult life in the city’s Englewood neighborhood. Balfour was married to Hudson’s sister, Julia, but the couple separated in 2008. In October of that year, Balfour broke into the home of Julia’s mother, Darnell Donerson, and fatally shot her, as well as Hudson’s brother, Jason, and seven-year-old nephew, Julian King. Balfour was arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder. He was found guilty on all counts in May 2012 and was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Balfour’s case received widespread media coverage, in part due to the high profile of Hudson, who had won an Academy Award for her role in the movie Dreamgirls. The case also shed light on the issue of domestic violence, as Balfour had a history of abusive behavior towards Julia and had been ordered to stay away from her by a court. While Balfour’s conviction brought some measure of closure to the Hudson family, the tragic events of October 2008 remain a painful memory for them and for those who followed the case

Deaths

Leslie Dale Martin

1994 – John Wayne Gacy – was an American serial killer and rapist who gained notoriety in the 1970s. He was born on March 17, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois. Gacy had a troubled childhood and was frequently physically and emotionally abused by his father. Despite this, he was able to attend business school and eventually became a successful businessman. Gacy’s criminal history began in 1968 when he was convicted of sexually assaulting two teenage boys. He served 18 months in prison for this crime. After his release, he moved to Iowa and started a successful construction business. However, Gacy’s dark side soon emerged again. Between 1972 and 1978, Gacy killed at least 33 young men and boys, most of whom he lured to his home under the guise of offering them employment. He would then sexually assault and murder them, often burying their bodies in the crawl space beneath his home. Gacy was eventually caught when the police discovered the bodies of several victims on his property. In 1980, Gacy was convicted of 33 counts of murder and sentenced to death. He spent 14 years on death row before he was finally executed by lethal injection on May 10, 1994. Today, John Wayne Gacy is remembered as one of the most notorious serial killers in American history. His crimes shocked the nation and sparked a national conversation about the dangers of trusting strangers.

1995 – Duncan Peder McKenzie Jr – was born on October 5, 1951, in Chicago, Illinois, and passed away on May 10, 1995. He was a convicted murderer from the United States. McKenzie was convicted for the murder of Lana Harding, a schoolteacher from Conrad, Montana. The crime was committed on January 21, 1974. After his conviction in March 1975, he was on death row for twenty years, receiving eight stays of execution. His ninth stay of execution was denied by the United States courts of appeals. He was also suspected of murdering Debra Prety, a teenager from Coeur d’Alene. However, he never confessed to the murder of Prety or Harding. McKenzie was executed on May 10, 1995, at Montana State Prison. He was the first person executed in Montana since 1943, and also the first-ever U.S. death row inmate to spend twenty years or more on death row and still eventually be executed. He remains one of only three people to have been executed in Montana since the reinstatement of the death penalty.

2000 – Frank McPhee – was a notorious figure in Glasgow’s underworld. Born on October 21, 1948, he built his empire on the back of drugs and robbery. His criminal career included several stints in prison: a five-year sentence for robbery in 1978, another five years in 1986 for an armed raid, and an eight-year sentence in 1992 for his involvement in a £200,000 drug deal. Despite being prosecuted for several murders, the cases were found not proven. McPhee’s life came to a violent end in May 2000 when he was killed by a single shot to the head from a .22 rifle with a telescopic sight outside his home in Guthrie Street, Maryhill, Glasgow. His life and death marked a tumultuous chapter in Glasgow’s history.

2002 – Leslie Dale Martin – was born on April 24, 1967, in Shreveport, Louisiana. His early life was shrouded in darkness, marked by family dysfunction and violence. In 1984, at the age of 17, Martin committed a heinous act, sexually assaulting his 14-year-old sister. Apprehended and convicted of sexual battery, he received a ten-year prison sentence. Released early in 1990, Martin seemed destined for a fresh start. However, his past demons followed him. Just a year later, in June 1991, tragedy struck again. Nineteen-year-old Christina Burgin, a vibrant young woman with a promising future, became the victim of Martin’s brutality. He abducted, raped, and murdered her in a chilling display of depravity. The investigation into Christina Burgin’s murder led to Martin, and the evidence against him was overwhelming. DNA analysis and witness testimonies cemented his guilt, and he was convicted and sentenced to death. Martin spent the next eleven years on death row, maintaining his innocence while appealing his sentence. However, all appeals were denied, and on May 10, 2002, he was executed by lethal injection at the Louisiana State Penitentiary. Leslie Dale Martin’s case remains a subject of debate and controversy. Supporters of the death penalty point to his heinous crimes and the suffering he inflicted on Christina Burgin and her family. Opponents, however, raise questions about the fairness of his trial and the ethics of capital punishment. Martin’s execution marked the last involuntary execution in Louisiana, with the state later adopting a requirement for unanimous jury recommendations in death penalty cases. While Martin’s story is one of immense darkness, it is crucial to remember the true victim of this tragedy. Christina Burgin was a young woman with a bright future cut short by senseless violence. Her life and memory deserve to be honored, and her story serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of violent crime.

2002 – Lynda Lyon Block – was an American woman who gained national attention in the early 2000s for her role in a high-profile murder case. She was born on December 20, 1948, in California, and spent much of her adult life in Florida. In 1998, Block was arrested and charged with the murder of a police officer named Roger Motley. Block and her accomplice, George Sibley Jr., had been robbing a pawn shop when Motley attempted to apprehend them. In the ensuing confrontation, Motley was shot and killed. Block and Sibley were both found guilty of Motley’s murder and were sentenced to death. Block maintained her innocence throughout the trial and subsequent appeals, but her appeals were ultimately denied, and she was executed by lethal injection on May 10, 2002. Block’s case received national attention and was the subject of several books and documentaries. Supporters of Block argued that she had been wrongfully convicted and that her execution was a miscarriage of justice. Others, however, pointed to the overwhelming evidence against her and argued that justice had been served. Regardless of one’s position on Block’s guilt or innocence, her case remains a controversial and tragic chapter in American criminal justice history.

2012 – Adam Christopher Mayes – Adam Christopher Mayes was an American criminal born on October 23rd, 1977, in Union County, Mississippi. He gained notoriety in 2012 for his involvement in the kidnapping and murder of a Tennessee mother and her daughter. Mayes grew up in a troubled home and had a history of drug abuse and criminal behavior. He had several run-ins with law enforcement, including charges of drug possession, assault, and burglary. In April 2012, Mayes became involved in the abduction of Jo Ann Bain and her three daughters from their home in Tennessee. Mayes had previously worked for Bain’s husband, Gary, and had become infatuated with Jo Ann. Mayes killed Jo Ann and her 14-year-old daughter, Adrienne, and buried their bodies in Mississippi. He then fled with the two younger daughters, Alexandria and Kyliyah, and his wife, Teresa, who was believed to be an accomplice. A massive manhunt ensued, and Mayes and his wife were eventually found in a wooded area in Mississippi. Mayes had killed himself before he could be apprehended, and his wife was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder and kidnapping. The case shocked the nation and brought attention to the dangers of domestic violence and obsession. Mayes’ actions were condemned by law enforcement and the public, and he was remembered as a violent and unstable individual who caused unimaginable harm to innocent people.

2013 – Milo M. Stanley – was born on March 11, 1963. He was convicted of the murders of his wife, Susan, and their 5-year-old daughter, Seleste, which took place on June 19, 1986. The incident occurred during an argument about Stanley’s drinking problem. He drove his family to a remote area outside Cottonwood, Arizona, where he shot his wife three times in the head and his daughter once. Stanley did not shoot his 1-year-old son because the boy was too young to tell what he had seen. After the murders, Stanley dumped the bodies off the side of the road, went home, put his son to bed, and later called the police to report his wife and daughter missing. The search ended the following day when Stanley confessed. Stanley was sentenced to death for the murder of Seleste and received a life sentence for the murder of Susan. His trial began on June 24, 1987, and the verdict was delivered on July 10, 1987. He was sentenced on September 25, 1987. Stanley was found dead in his cell at the Eyman prison complex in Florence, Arizona, on May 10, 2013, in what the Department of Corrections called an apparent suicide.

Events

J. Edgar Hoover

1924 – J. Edgar Hoover was appointed the first director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation which was then simply called the Bureau of Investigation.

1967 – Rolling Stones Keith Richards, Brian Jones, and Mick Jagger are arrested on drug charges

2002 – FBI agent Robert Hanssen is sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for selling United States secrets to Russia for $1.4 million

2005 – A hand grenade is thrown by Vladimir Arutyunian lands about 65 feet from US President George Bush in Tbilisi, Georgia, it malfunctions and does not detonate.

2018 – R. Kelly songs are removed from Spotify playlists after sexual abuse allegations come to light.

2022 – The US reports the highest rate of gun-related deaths in 24 years in 2020, according to the CDC, with firearm homicides increasing 35% to 6.1 deaths per 100,000 people nationwide