Births

1870 – Albert Fish – Fish was an American serial killer and child rapist who was born on May 19, 1870, in Washington, D.C., and died on January 16, 1936. He is often referred to as the “Werewolf of Wysteria” or the “Brooklyn Vampire” due to his heinous crimes. Fish’s childhood was marked by abuse and neglect. His father died when he was only five years old, and his mother placed him in an orphanage. Fish was subjected to physical and sexual abuse by the staff and other children in the orphanage. He later claimed that he began to experience sadomasochistic fantasies during his time there. As an adult, Fish worked a variety of odd jobs, including as a house painter and a decorator. He was married and had six children. However, his mental health deteriorated, and he began to act on his sadomasochistic fantasies. Fish’s first known murder was that of 10-year-old Grace Budd, whom he kidnapped from her home in 1928. He later sent a letter to the girl’s family detailing how he killed and ate her. Fish was eventually caught and confessed to three murders, although he is believed to have committed many more. He was found guilty of the murder of Grace Budd and was sentenced to death by electric chair. Fish reportedly enjoyed the idea of being executed and even wrote to the judge asking for his sentence to be carried out as soon as possible. Albert Fish’s gruesome crimes and disturbing behavior continue to fascinate and horrify people to this day. His case is often cited as one of the most shocking and depraved in American criminal history.

1910 – Nathuram Vinayak Godse – Godse was an Indian political activist and the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi. Godse was born into a Brahmin family and was educated at a local school. He was interested in politics from an early age and became involved in the Indian nationalist movement. He was a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a right-wing Hindu nationalist organization, and later became a member of the Hindu Mahasabha, a political party that advocated for the interests of Hindus. On January 30, 1948, Godse assassinated Mahatma Gandhi, who was then the leader of India’s independence movement and was revered as the “Father of the Nation.” Godse believed that Gandhi’s policies, especially his advocacy for Hindu-Muslim unity, were weakening India and promoting Muslim interests at the expense of Hindus. He also accused Gandhi of favoring Pakistan during India’s partition in 1947. Godse and his accomplice were quickly captured and brought to trial. He did not deny his involvement in the assassination and instead justified his actions on political and ideological grounds. He was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging. Godse’s actions were widely condemned in India and around the world. He remains a controversial figure in Indian politics, with some right-wing groups and individuals hailing him as a hero while most others consider him a villain. The Indian government officially denounced Godse and his ideology, and the assassination remains a significant event in Indian history.

1923 – Angel P. Serna – He served in the ground forces of the Air Corps from 1942 to 1945, receiving an honorable discharge. However, his life took a dark turn as he was convicted of murder, rape, and robbery. He was executed in Arizona in 1950. 

1938 – Tony “The Ant” Spilotro – Spilotro was an Italian-American mobster who was born on May 19, 1938, in Chicago, Illinois, and died on June 14, 1986. He was a member of the Chicago Outfit, a powerful organized crime syndicate, and was known for his violent reputation as an enforcer and hitman. Spilotro grew up in a tough neighborhood on the west side of Chicago and dropped out of high school at the age of 16. He became involved in petty crime and was soon recruited by the Chicago Outfit, where he rose quickly through the ranks. He was known for his loyalty to the organization and his willingness to use violence to achieve its goals. In the 1970s, Spilotro was sent to Las Vegas to oversee the Outfit’s operations there, which included illegal gambling, loan sharking, and other criminal activities. He became known as the “Boss of the Strip” and was feared by many in the local community. He was also suspected of being involved in several high-profile murders. In 1986, Spilotro’s criminal activities caught up with him. He and his brother Michael were lured to a meeting in a basement in Bensenville, Illinois, where they were beaten to death. Their bodies were found buried in a cornfield in Indiana several days later. The murders were widely believed to have been ordered by the Chicago Outfit leadership, who saw Spilotro as a liability and a loose cannon. His death marked the end of an era in the Outfit’s history and signaled a shift in its power structure. Spilotro’s life and death have been the subject of several books, documentaries, and films, including the 1995 movie “Casino,” in which he was portrayed by actor Joe Pesci.

1943 – Kathy Boudin – Boudin is an American political activist and former member of the far-left radical group Weather Underground. She was born on May 19, 1943, in New York City, and grew up in a politically active family. Her father, Leonard Boudin, was a prominent lawyer who represented many left-wing clients, including Fidel Castro. Boudin attended Bryn Mawr College, where she became involved in left-wing politics and civil rights activism. After graduating in 1965, she went on to earn a master’s degree in education from Columbia University. In the late 1960s, Boudin joined the Weather Underground, a radical group that advocated for the violent overthrow of the U.S. government. In 1981, she was involved in a robbery of a Brink’s armored car in Nyack, New York, that resulted in the deaths of two police officers and a security guard. Boudin was convicted of murder and sentenced to 20 years to life in prison. She spent more than 22 years behind bars, during which time she earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in adult education. She also became a model prisoner, participating in programs to help other inmates and working as a teacher and counselor. After her release from prison in 2003, Boudin became an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s School of Social Work. She also became involved in criminal justice reform and restorative justice initiatives, working to help former prisoners re-enter society and advocating for alternative approaches to punishment. Boudin’s story is a controversial one, with some seeing her as a committed activist who was unjustly punished for her political beliefs, while others view her as a criminal who participated in a heinous act of violence.

1953 – Dawud M. Mu’min – also known as David Belfield, is a former American citizen who converted to Islam and fled to Iran after assassinating Ali Akbar Tabatabai, a former Iranian diplomat, in 1980. He was born on August 28, 1950, in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in a Catholic family. Mu’min attended Columbia University and became involved in left-wing politics and black nationalist movements. He converted to Islam in the early 1970s and changed his name from David Belfield to Dawud Salahuddin. In July 1980, Mu’min, acting on behalf of the Iranian government, assassinated Ali Akbar Tabatabai, who was living in the United States in exile. Mu’min lured Tabatabai to his apartment in Bethesda, Maryland, where he shot and killed him. After the assassination, Mu’min fled to Iran, where he was granted political asylum and has since lived under the protection of the Iranian government.

1959 – Nicole Brown Simpson – was an American model and ex-wife of former professional football player O.J. Simpson. She was born on May 19, 1959, in Frankfurt, West Germany, while her father was serving in the military, and grew up in Southern California. Brown began working as a waitress at the age of 18 and eventually became a model. She met O.J. Simpson in 1977 while she was working at a nightclub in Beverly Hills, and the two began dating. They were married in 1985 and had two children together. In 1992, Brown filed for divorce from Simpson, citing irreconcilable differences and alleging that he had physically abused her. Despite her allegations, Simpson was acquitted of criminal charges in 1995, following a high-profile trial that became known as the “Trial of the Century.” On June 12, 1994, Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman were found brutally murdered outside of Brown’s home in Brentwood, Los Angeles. Simpson was arrested and charged with the murders but was acquitted after a highly publicized trial that captivated the nation. Brown’s murder and Simpson’s subsequent trial brought issues of domestic violence and celebrity culture to the forefront of public discourse.

1974 – Nikolay Alekseyevich Soltys – Soltys was a Ukrainian-American who gained notoriety for a killing spree in Sacramento, California, in 2001. Soltys had a history of mental illness and was reportedly estranged from his wife and family members. On August 20, 2001, he allegedly murdered his pregnant wife and five other family members in their home in North Highlands, California. He then fled the scene and became the subject of a massive manhunt. Over the next several days, Soltys evaded capture by hiding out in various locations, including a dumpster and a parking garage. On August 29, he was finally apprehended by a neighbor who recognized him from media coverage and called the police. Soltys had reportedly attempted suicide by cutting his own throat before being arrested. Soltys was charged with six counts of murder and faced the possibility of the death penalty. However, he was found dead in his cell at the Sacramento County Jail on February 13th, 2002, in an apparent suicide by hanging.

Deaths

Sante Kimes

1917 – Belva Ann Lockwood – Lockwood was an American lawyer, suffragist, and women’s rights advocate who made history as the first woman to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. She was born on October 24, 1830, in Royalton, New York, and grew up on a farm. Lockwood attended a local academy and later graduated from Genesee College, where she met and married her husband, Uriah McNall. After her husband’s death, Lockwood decided to pursue a career in law, despite facing significant barriers as a woman. In 1869, Lockwood applied to law school at the National University Law School in Washington, D.C. Although she was initially denied admission, she persisted and eventually became the first woman to graduate from the school in 1873. Lockwood was admitted to the District of Columbia Bar in 1873 and began practicing law, specializing in women’s rights and equality issues. In 1879, she made history as the first woman to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court, representing a client who had been denied a pension from the government. Lockwood was also active in the women’s suffrage movement and ran for President of the United States in 1884 and 1888 on the National Equal Rights Party ticket. Although she did not win either election, she helped to pave the way for future women candidates. Lockwood passed away on May 19, 1917, at the age of 86. She is remembered as a pioneer and trailblazer for women in the legal profession and for her tireless efforts to advance the cause of women’s rights and equality.

1984 – Michael Alan Silka – Silka was an American criminal who gained notoriety for a killing spree in Alaska in 1984. He was born on January 19, 1958, in Cleveland, Ohio. Silka had a troubled childhood and reportedly suffered from mental illness. He moved to Alaska in the early 1980s and became involved in various illegal activities, including poaching and drug trafficking. In May 1984, Silka embarked on a shooting spree that lasted for several hours and left nine people dead, including two Alaska State Troopers. Silka was eventually tracked down and killed in a standoff with police. Silka’s killing spree was one of the deadliest incidents in Alaska’s history and sent shockwaves through the community. The tragedy prompted calls for increased law enforcement presence and resources in rural Alaska, where Silka had committed most of his crimes.

1998 – Pedro Cruz Muniz – is known for a notorious crime that took place in Texas. On December 20, 1976, Muniz brutally raped and murdered a 19-year-old college student named Janis Bickham. Bickham was a freshman at Southwestern University in Georgetown, just north of Austin. Muniz, who was 20 years old at the time, had been charged with raping a Georgetown woman and was out on bond when Bickham was killed. In a written confession, Muniz said he grabbed Bickham as she walked across a Georgetown bridge, and forced her down a river bank and into an abandoned tin shed. He said he raped and beat the woman until she was unconscious, then hid her body beneath a brush pile. An autopsy showed that Bickham, who was from Van Vleck in Matagorda County, died from a fractured skull caused by blows to the head with a large rock. Muniz was first convicted of Bickham’s murder in 1977, but the verdict was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court because he was not warned that the results of a psychiatric exam could be used against him. He was later sentenced to death.

2001 – Roger Leroy Johnson – was a man who became infamous for his criminal actions. He was born in 1953. On May 15, 2001, he committed a mass murder, taking the lives of Pearl Burks, 48, and her grandchildren Ashley Burks, 6, Bobby Burks, 4, and Mikhala Burks, 5. The tragic event took place in Lodi, California, USA. Johnson was armed with a handgun and knife during the attack. The motive behind his actions was reportedly due to his upset over a breakup with Rhonda Burks, Pearl Burks’ daughter. Four days after the murders, on May 19, 2001, Johnson committed suicide at his late wife’s grave located at the Cherokee Memorial Park & Funeral Home. He was found lying face-down, having cut the main artery in at least one arm.

2009 – Michael Lynn Riley – was born on May 9, 1958, in Dallas County, Texas. He worked as a metal worker and had a prior prison record. On February 1, 1986, Riley committed a crime that would change his life forever. He was a frequent customer of a Shop-A-Minit convenience store in his hometown of Quitman, Texas. On that fateful day, he entered the store carrying a concealed butcher knife. The 23-year-old clerk, Wynona Harris, was counting money when Riley stabbed her to death, inflicting 31 stab wounds. He fled the store with a cloth bag containing $1,110 in cash. Riley turned himself into authorities later that day after hearing police were looking for him. After detectives recovered his coveralls and the stolen money inside them, he confessed. Riley was twice found guilty and sentenced to death for the capital murder of Wynona Lynn Harris. His first conviction and sentence were set aside based on a jury-selection error, and the State opted to retry Riley. He was again convicted of capital murder on September 6, 1995, and sentenced to death two days later. Riley was executed by lethal injection in Huntsville, Texas on May 19, 2009. His final words were an apology to his victims and a message to his friends on death row.

2010 – Paul Everette Woodward – was a man who was convicted of a heinous crime. In 1987, he was found guilty of the rape and murder of 24-year-old Rhonda Crane, a volunteer with the Jackson County Youth Court. The crime took place in July 1986 when Crane was driving to join her parents for a family camping trip. Woodward used his log truck to force her to stop on Mississippi Highway 29 south of New Augusta. Woodward, who was 38 at the time, kidnapped and raped Crane, then shot her to death. He did not fight his execution beyond an appeal to Gov. Haley Barbour for clemency, which the governor denied. Woodward was executed by lethal injection on May 19, 2010, at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman. He was pronounced dead at 6:39 p.m.

2011 – Jason Oric Williams – Williams had spent the night drinking and getting high with a mixture of crack cocaine and LSD when he went back to the trailer where he’d been sleeping, whilst off his face he had spoken to his ex-wife and once the call finished he grabbed the nearest weapon which was a .22 caliber rifle and shot Gerald Paravacini who was the head of the family that he’d been staying with, Gerald’s wife was beaten with the weapon and their 16-year-old son was shot in the face before Williams left the trailer and went to a neighbor’s home and annihilated the family, 50-year-old Freddie Barber, his wife, 45-year-old Linda and their 22-year-old son Bryan he then stole valuables and the family car before making his getaway.

2014 – Sante Kimes – nicknamed the “Dragon Lady”, was not your average housewife. Her life, spanning 1934 to 2014, was a tangled web of deception, violence, and insatiable avarice. A portrait of Sante would be incomplete without acknowledging both the chilling darkness and the twisted allure of her story. Born in Oklahoma, Sante embarked on a life of crime early, dabbling in con artistry and fraud. Her repertoire blossomed to encompass robbery, arson, and even alleged violations of anti-slavery laws. Often accompanied by her son Kenneth, she became a two-person criminal enterprise, weaving webs of manipulation and exploiting vulnerabilities. The pinnacle of their descent into darkness came in 1998, with the unsolved disappearance of Irene Silverman, their wealthy landlady. Suspicion swirled around the Kimeses, fueled by their penchant for scheming and growing financial desperation. While Irene’s body was never found, circumstantial evidence and Kenneth’s eventual confession implicated them in her murder. Their greed-fueled rampage didn’t end there. Another life, David Kazdin, fell prey to their murderous intent in 2003. Kenneth confessed to the strangulation, revealing a disturbingly close-knit dynamic between mother and son, possibly tainted by incestuous undertones. Sante, a master of denial, vehemently refuted all accusations, portraying herself as the victim of a vindictive justice system. Yet, juries saw through her façade, convicting her for both murders and sentencing her to a life sentence that ended in 2014. Kenneth remains incarcerated, their legacy forever etched in the annals of notorious criminal duos. But why is Sante Kimes remembered? Beyond the gruesome details of her crimes, lies a chilling fascination. Her ruthlessness, coupled with a cunning intellect and an unwavering self-assuredness, paints a picture of a woman who defied societal norms and embraced darkness with terrifying conviction.

Events

1536 – Anne Boleyn is beheaded on charges of adultery, incest & treason

1982 – Actress Sophia Loren is jailed in Naples, Italy for tax evasion

1988 – Carlos Lehder Rivas of Colombia’s Medellin drug cartel is convicted in Florida for smuggling more than 3 tons of cocaine into the US

1992 – Amy Fisher shoots Mary Jo Buttafuoco in the face because Fisher is having an affair with her husband in Massapequa, New York

1996 – Kenneth Noye is part of a road rage incident and Stephen Cameron is killed by him.