Births

Orville Lynn Majors

1905 – Ray Gilbert Platter – There is very little information about Platter apart from the fact that he had a suicide pact with his wife and before ending his own life he shot and killed his wife and three children

1954 – Michael Eugene Sharp – He is known for abducting and killing two women and one girl in West Texas in 1982. It is believed that he may have been responsible for at least two more murders. Sharp’s criminal history began in March 1975 when he broke into a woman’s home, tied her up, and stole her valuables. He was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison for two counts of aggravated robbery and theft by check. However, he was granted early parole in mid-1979. On June 14, 1982, Sharp abducted 31-year-old Brenda Broadway and her daughters, 14-year-old Selena and 8-year-old Christie Elms. He raped the mother and the 14-year-old, and then stabbed Broadway and Christie to death. Selena managed to escape and notify the authorities. Sharp was convicted for two of the killings and sentenced to death for one of them. He was executed in 1997.

1958 – Steven Gerald James Wright – also known as the Suffolk Strangler, was born on April 24, 1958, in Erpingham, Norfolk, England. He is the second of four children of military policeman Conrad and veterinary nurse Patricia. The family lived in both Malta and Singapore due to Wright’s father’s military service. Wright left school at the age of 16 in 1974 and joined the Merchant Navy, becoming a chef on ferries sailing from Felixstowe, Suffolk. He married Angela O’Donovan in 1978, and they had a son, Michael. The couple separated in 1987 and later divorced. Wright held various jobs, including a steward on the ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2, a lorry driver, a barman, and a forklift truck driver. He is known for the murder of five women who worked in Ipswich, Suffolk. The killings took place during the final months of 2006, and Wright was found guilty in February 2008. He is serving a whole-life term in prison.

1961 – Orville Lynn Majors – was an American nurse and convicted serial killer, born on April 24, 1961, in Brazil, Indiana, USA. He gained notoriety for his involvement in the deaths of multiple patients under his care during his career as a nurse. Majors grew up in a small town in Indiana and pursued a career in nursing, eventually becoming a licensed practical nurse (LPN). He worked at Vermillion County Hospital in Clinton, Indiana, during the 1990s. It was during this time that suspicions arose about the unusually high number of patient deaths in the hospital’s critical care ward, where Majors worked. In 1995, an investigation was launched into the deaths at Vermillion County Hospital, and Orville Majors became the prime suspect. Authorities discovered a pattern of unexplained deaths, and many of the deceased patients had been under Majors’ care. The victims ranged in age and health status, but the common factor was that they had all been in the critical care unit where Majors worked. Majors was arrested in 1997 and charged with six counts of murder. The prosecution argued that he intentionally caused the deaths of patients through the administration of lethal doses of medication. The trial, which gained widespread media attention, revealed testimonies from coworkers who claimed that Majors had made suspicious comments about patients and death. In 1999, Orville Majors was convicted of six counts of murder and sentenced to 360 years in prison. The prosecution believed that the actual number of Majors’ victims could be much higher, but due to the difficulty in proving individual cases, he was only charged with the six murders for which there was sufficient evidence. Orville Lynn Majors died in prison on September 24, 2017, at the age of 56. His case remains one of the notable instances of a healthcare professional being convicted of serial murder in the United States.

1962 – Andrea Matteucci – also known as the “Monster of Aosta,” is a serial killer who committed four murders in the 1980s and 1990s in the Valle d’Aosta region of Italy. Matteucci was born in Torino, Italy, on April 24, 1962. He had a troubled childhood, marked by physical and emotional abuse from his parents. He also suffered from mental health problems, including schizophrenia. Matteucci’s first murder occurred on April 30, 1980, when he was 18 years old. He stabbed a 16-year-old girl to death in a forest near Aosta. He was not caught for this crime, and he went on to commit three more murders over the next 15 years. His next victim was a 22-year-old woman who was abducted, raped, and stabbed to death in 1988. His third victim was a 27-year-old woman who was abducted, raped, and strangled to death in 1993. His fourth and final victim was a 25-year-old woman who was abducted, raped, and stabbed to death in 1995. Matteucci was finally arrested on June 26, 1995, after he was seen driving the car of his last victim. He confessed to all four murders, and he was sentenced to 28 years in prison and three years in a psychiatric hospital. Matteucci was released from prison in March 2017, at the age of 55. He was placed in a psychiatric health facility, where he remains today. Matteucci’s crimes shocked the people of the Valle d’Aosta. He was the first serial killer to strike the region, and his crimes were particularly brutal. He is considered to be one of the most dangerous criminals in Italian history.

1965 – Amy Bishop – was a biology professor at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. She joined the faculty of UAH’s Department of Biological Sciences as an assistant professor in 2003. Before this, she was an instructor at Harvard Medical School. On February 12, 2010, during a routine meeting of the biology department attended by approximately 12 people, Amy Bishop began shooting those nearest her with a Ruger P95 handgun. Three people were killed and three others wounded in this incident. Bishop was charged with one count of capital murder and three counts of attempted murder. On September 11, 2012, she pleaded guilty to the charges after family members of victims petitioned the judge against the use of the death penalty. The same day, Bishop was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In March 2009, Bishop had been denied tenure at UAH, making spring 2010 her last semester there, per university policy. Due to the attention Bishop attracted as a result of the shooting, previous violent incidents in which she had been involved or implicated were reevaluated. In 1986, she shot and killed her brother in Braintree, Massachusetts, in an incident officially ruled an accident. She was also questioned, along with her husband, after a 1993 pipe bomb incident was directed at her lab supervisor. This tragic series of events has left a lasting impact on the University of Alabama in Huntsville and the broader academic community.

1967 – Leslie Dale Martin – An American rapist who was on parole for aggravated rape and had been convicted of raping his sister when he was 17 years old, on 20th June 1991 he left a lounge with 19-year-old student Christina Burgin this would be the last time she would be seen alive. Martin had raped and murdered her in a horrendously vicious way, he choked her using a rope, cut her throat, and her eyes had been gouged out, and finally, to kill her he had placed a wooden board across her neck and jumped up and down on it until she was dead.

1969 – Leslie Demeniuk – is known for a tragic event that took place on March 17, 2001. Born on April 24, 1969, she was arrested on the same day she committed a crime that shocked many. Demeniuk was convicted for the murder of her four-year-old twin sons, James and John Demeniuk. The method of murder was shooting with a .357 Magnum revolver. Her trial was a significant event, with her defense arguing that a mix of prescription drugs had caused her to be temporarily insane. However, the jury did not accept this argument. The case, which started with the 2001 killings of Leslie’s two 4-year-old twins, culminated with the life sentence in January 2006. On January 26, 2006, she was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences. Despite the gravity of her actions, some, including her stepfather, Eric Shoenig, argued that she was also a victim, blaming the pharmaceutical companies for the tragedy.

1976 – Susan Lucille Wright – became a household name not for her accomplishments, but for a horrific act that sent shockwaves through the nation. In 2003, she was convicted of the brutal murder of her husband, Jeff Wright, stabbing him 193 times and burying his body in their backyard. This singular act overshadowed any other detail of her life, transforming her into a national figure of infamy and igniting a heated debate about domestic violence, self-defense, and the complexities of human motives. Little is known about Susan’s life before her marriage to Jeff in 1998. Sources describe her as a seemingly ordinary woman, working as a waitress and raising their two children, Bradley and Kailey. However, whispers of marital discord surfaced early on, with allegations of Jeff’s drug use and physical abuse. Susan claimed this abuse escalated over the years, painting a picture of a desperate woman trapped in a violent home. The events of June 2003 remain shrouded in controversy. Susan’s account painted a picture of self-defense against an armed, enraged husband. The prosecution, however, presented a chilling narrative of premeditated murder fueled by greed for life insurance and a desire for escape. The subsequent trial captivated the nation, as details of the gruesome crime and conflicting testimonies dominated headlines. In 2004, Susan was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison. The legal saga didn’t end with the verdict. Susan’s defense argued for ineffective counsel and new evidence emerged, including testimony from an ex-girlfriend of Jeff corroborating Susan’s claims of abuse. This led to a reduction of her sentence to 20 years and eventual parole in 2020.

1976 – David Aaron Martinez – Kiersa Paul, a student hailing from Minnesota, was in Austin for a visit to her sister. Tragically, her life was cut short when her body was discovered next to a trail in a park close to her sister’s residence. The cause of death was determined to be a combination of strangulation and a cut to the throat, and evidence suggested she had been sexually assaulted. On the day before the tragic incident, Paul had informed her sister about her plans to meet an individual known as “Wolf” at the park. Interestingly, a man named Martinez, who was known among his friends by the nickname “Wolf”, had also mentioned his intentions to meet a girl at the park. He returned home past midnight, in possession of a bicycle that wasn’t his. Following a police search of Martinez’s apartment, several items were found that linked him to the crime. These included Paul’s bicycle and bicycle bag and Martinez’s Swiss army knife which had blood on it that matched Paul’s DNA. Furthermore, the hairs found on Paul’s body were consistent with Martinez’s hair, and Martinez’s DNA was a match for the semen found on Paul’s underwear. This evidence strongly suggested Martinez’s involvement in the tragic incident.

1979 – Mark Mala Valera – A murderer from New South Wales, Australia who was dubbed “The Butcher of Wollongong” who killed his first victim 59-year-old David O’Hearn by beating him to death with a wine decanter and after this he decapitated him, he proceeded to chop off his hand which he used to make satanic pictures on the walls and finally he pulled down his trousers and mutilated his penis, it is believed that O’Hearn may have made advances to Valera and this was his reaction.  The former mayor of Wollongong, Frank Arkell was his next victim who had been embroiled in a pedophilia and child pornography scandal, he was beaten with a bedside lamp before having the cord tightened around his neck and pins pushed into his eyes and cheeks. Once convicted, Valera was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences.

Deaths

Jack Harold Jones

1868 – John Millian – Millian was a French immigrant and thief who broke into the home of a local prostitute, the ever-popular Julia Bulette to steal money and valuables, he strangled and beat her around the head with a blunt object and then made his getaway with money, valuables, and dresses. He was caught a while later when he attempted to sell one of her dresses but it was recognized and he was convicted and sentenced to death. The world-famous author Mark Twain was present at the execution and you can read his report of the event by clicking the link above.

1889 – William Henry Bury – remains an enigmatic figure in British history. His life was marked by tragedy, suspicion, and ultimately, a grim demise. While his story is undeniably dark, it also offers a glimpse into the harsh realities of Victorian life and the enduring allure of unsolved mysteries. Bury’s early years were steeped in misfortune. Orphaned at a young age, he was raised in a charitable school, facing the hardships of poverty and limited opportunities. This difficult upbringing likely shaped his personality and future trajectory. As a young man, Bury became a drifter, traveling from place to place and taking up odd jobs. He married Ellen Elliot in 1888, but their union was troubled. Whispers of Bury’s volatile temper and strange behavior began to circulate. In 1889, Bury’s life took a horrifying turn. His wife, Ellen, was found murdered in their Dundee lodgings. The details of the crime were brutal, and suspicion immediately fell upon Bury. He was arrested and tried, ultimately convicted and sentenced to death. Bury was hanged on April 24, 1889, becoming the last person executed in Dundee. However, his story did not end there. Due to similarities in the Dundee murder and the ongoing hunt for Jack the Ripper, Bury became a potential suspect in the infamous Whitechapel slayings. While the evidence against him was inconclusive, the connection added a layer of macabre fascination to his already tragic tale. Today, William Henry Bury remains a figure shrouded in shadows. Was he a brutal killer, a victim of circumstance, or something in between? The answer likely lies buried in the past, lost to time and speculation.

1991 – Roy Allen Harich – was born on October 22, 1958, in Volusia, Volusia County, Florida, USA. He is known for his involvement in a criminal case that led to his execution. In 1981, Harich was involved in the slaying of Carlene Gayle Kelly, an 18-year-old from High Springs. The incident occurred when Harich picked up Kelly and her friend, Deborah Miller, in Daytona Beach after noticing the pair waiting at a gas station during a rainstorm. He drove them to a wooded area to smoke marijuana, but when they asked him to leave, he ordered them to undress at gunpoint and forced Kelly to perform a sex act on him. He shot both women and slashed their throats. Kelly died, but Miller survived her injuries and testified at his trial. Harich was executed for this crime on April 24, 1991, at the age of 32. His execution took place in Raiford, Union County, Florida, USA. Before he was executed, Harich’s last words were, “I’m disappointed with the almost total lack of fairness in the American criminal justice system. This is truly a sad time in our country’s history when political concerns take on more importance than the fundamental rights of the individual”.

2017 – Jack Harold Jones – was born on August 10, 1964, and passed away on April 24, 2017. He was an American serial killer who was convicted for the murder of at least three women in Florida and Arkansas between 1983 and 1995. Jones was born in Toledo, Ohio, and was convicted of two murders during his lifetime. He was executed in 2017. After his death, he was linked via DNA to a third murder, for which another man had previously been imprisoned. His victims included Regina Harrison, a 20-year-old college student, and Lorraine “Lori” Anne Barrett, a 32-year-old tourist. Both women were raped and strangled. Jones was also convicted of the rape and murder of Mary Phillips in 1995, and for beating Phillips’ 11-year-old daughter nearly to death in what began as a robbery. He had been diagnosed with antisocial personality and bipolar disorder and spent time in a mental institution shortly before the murder took place.

Events

Ed Kemper

1865 – Fire alarm & police telegraph system put into place in San Francisco

1973 – Serial killer Ed Kemper is arrested

1990 – Security law violator Michael Milken pleads guilty to six felonies

1993 – IRA explodes 1000kg car bomb in Bishopsgate, London killing one and injuring forty-four

1995 – A package bomb linked to the Unabomber blows up killing Gilbert B. Murray

2018 – Golden State killer suspect Joseph James DeAngelo is arrested and charged with eight murders after being identified through genealogy websites