Births

Joel Steinberg

1859 – William Henry Bury – Bury was born on May 25, 1859, in the town of St. John’s, Jersey. He was the youngest of six children, and his father was a well-respected merchant. Bury’s childhood was said to be uneventful, and he was known to be quiet and introverted. In 1879, Bury moved to London, where he worked various jobs and eventually married his wife, Ellen “Nelly” Elliot, in 1887. The couple had a tumultuous relationship, and they were known to argue frequently. In 1888, they moved to Whitechapel, an area in London’s East End that was plagued by poverty and crime. During the time of the Jack the Ripper murders, Bury was working as a clerk in a shipping office. He became a suspect in the case after his wife’s body was found in their home on February 6, 1889. She had been strangled and mutilated like the Jack the Ripper murders. Bury was arrested and charged with his wife’s murder, and during the trial, evidence was presented that linked him to the Jack the Ripper case. He was known to have purchased knives similar to those used in the murders, and he had a fascination with the killings. However, the evidence was circumstantial, and Bury maintained his innocence throughout the trial. Despite his protestations, Bury was found guilty of his wife’s murder and was hanged on April 24, 1889. To this day, there is still debate among historians and true crime enthusiasts about whether or not he was Jack the Ripper.

1866 – John Reginald Birchall – was a British conman and murderer who gained notoriety for his crimes in Canada. Born in Accrington, England, Birchall led a life of deception from a young age. He posed as a nobleman under the alias “Lord Frederick A. Somerset” and swindled people out of money through various schemes. In 1889, Birchall arrived in Canada and targeted two young Englishmen, Douglas Pelly and Frederick Benwell. He convinced them to invest in a non-existent farm near Woodstock, Ontario, through a fraudulent scheme known as the “Farm Pupil” program. Birchall collected £500 from each victim to kill them and take their money. On February 17, 1890, Birchall lured Benwell into a swamp and shot him to death. He then attempted to kill Pelly but failed. Pelly managed to escape and alert the authorities, leading to Birchall’s arrest. Birchall’s trial became a sensation in Canada. Despite a lack of direct evidence, the prosecution presented a strong case based on circumstantial evidence and Birchall’s history of deception. He was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death by hanging. Birchall maintained his innocence until the end and even wrote a memoir while in prison, proclaiming his wrongful conviction. However, he was hanged on November 14, 1890, in Woodstock, Ontario. His case remains a subject of debate and intrigue, with some questioning the fairness of his trial and the strength of the evidence against him. Birchall’s story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of con artists and the importance of being wary of investment scams. His case also raises questions about the justice system and the use of circumstantial evidence in criminal trials. Birchall’s life and crimes have been the subject of several books and articles, and his story continues to fascinate people today. He is remembered as one of Canada’s most notorious criminals and a symbol of the dark side of human nature.

1906 – Rufe Persful – wasn’t destined for a quiet life. His name became synonymous with violence and brutality, carving a dark path through the underbelly of America during the early 20th century. His biography is a haunting chronicle of crime, punishment, and ultimately, the unraveling of a mind tormented by both circumstance and, possibly, its own darkness. Persful’s early years were shrouded in poverty and hardship. He drifted through various states, picking up odd jobs and petty crimes. But it was in 1924, at the tender age of 18, that his life took a horrific turn. Convicted of the brutal murder and robbery of an elderly man, he was sentenced to 15 years in the Arkansas State Penitentiary. This wasn’t a typical prison; it was a hellhole where labor was the norm and violence rampant. Here, Persful was tasked with a chilling duty: using a shotgun to subdue escape attempts, a grim job that likely hardened his already callous core. Released in 1934, Persful returned to his life of crime, culminating in a kidnapping and robbery that landed him back in prison, this time at the notorious Alcatraz. His reputation preceded him, and fellow inmates, recognizing him from Arkansas, subjected him to relentless torture and abuse. This descent into physical and psychological torment further destabilized Persful, culminating in a desperate attempt to amputate his own hand in 1937. Diagnosed with schizophrenia, he was transferred to McNeil Island Prison, but the violence continued, even under close supervision. Despite the horrors he endured, Persful was eventually released in 1948. He lived a quiet life in Indiana until his death in 1991. However, the shadow of his past never truly left him. Rufe Persful’s story remains a stark reminder of the cyclical nature of violence, the depths of human cruelty, and the devastating impact of unchecked trauma.

1941 – Joel Steinberg – Steinberg was an American criminal defense attorney who gained notoriety for his involvement in a high-profile child abuse case. He was born on May 25, 1941, in New York City and earned his law degree from Brooklyn Law School in 1966. Steinberg was known for his aggressive courtroom tactics and his ability to win seemingly unwinnable cases. He became a highly sought-after defense attorney and represented several high-profile clients throughout his career. However, Steinberg’s career came to an abrupt end in 1987 when he was charged with the murder of his six-year-old adopted daughter, Lisa Steinberg. Lisa had suffered extensive physical abuse at the hands of Steinberg and his partner, Hedda Nussbaum, and she died from her injuries on November 5, 1987. During the trial, it was revealed that Steinberg and Nussbaum had been abusing Lisa and their other adopted children for years. The case garnered widespread media attention and shocked the nation, leading to calls for child welfare reforms. Steinberg was disbarred and found guilty of manslaughter in 1988. He was sentenced to a maximum of 25 years in prison but was released on parole in 2004 after serving 17 years.

1946 – Richard Gerald Jordan – is an American man who is currently on death row in Mississippi for the 1976 murder of 34-year-old Edwina Marter, the wife of a bank executive. As of 2022, Jordan is the state’s oldest and longest-serving death row inmate. Jordan was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, to Mr. and Mrs. Homer H. Jordan. He grew up nearby in Petal. After graduating from Petal High School, Jordan spent four or five years in the army, serving in the Vietnam War. By the mid-1970s, Jordan was married with three children. After his military discharge, he worked in Louisiana while his wife maintained their home in Hattiesburg. He spent a year managing a fertilizer plant and two or three months working in a Morgan City shipyard. In January 1976, Jordan became desperate for money, and he planned to kidnap someone from a wealthy family and demand ransom money. He decided to go to Gulfport, Mississippi, to carry this out. He called Gulf National Bank in Gulfport and asked for the name of the commercial loan officer. When he learned that the man’s name was Chuck Marter, he looked up the man’s address in a telephone directory, then drove to the home and kidnapped Edwina Marter. He fatally shot her in the De Soto National Forest before calling her husband and attempting to collect ransom money from him. After Jordan’s 1976 guilty verdict and death sentence were vacated because automatic death sentences were found unconstitutional, he was convicted again and re-sentenced to death the next year. After Jordan successfully appealed this sentence on constitutional grounds, he received another death sentence. After this third death sentence was overturned due to constitutional issues, Jordan entered a guilty plea in 1991 in exchange for life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a sentence that was not permitted under Mississippi sentencing guidelines at the time. When Jordan learned that his plea agreement had been improper, he challenged the life sentence in court. He was given a new sentencing hearing in 1998, at which he received the death penalty again. As of 2022, Jordan remains on Mississippi’s death row. His most recent legal objections are related to questions of prosecutorial vindictiveness and whether Mississippi’s execution drug cocktail constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.

1957 – Sonny Boy Oats Jr – An American thief who in December 1979 robbed the Little Country Store in Martel, Florida as he was carrying out the robbery he was disturbed by the clerk Jeanette Dyer and he shot her in the head, would die later that day. Initially, Oats was sentenced to death for the murder and 99 years for robbery with a firearm, however in April 2021 after 40 years on death row his sentence was commuted to life due to his being intellectually disabled and therefore ineligible for the death penalty.

1963 – Tracy Alan Hansen – In April 1987, Hansen was driving erratically along Interstate 10, he was accompanied by his girlfriend Anita Krecic when they were pulled over by a Mississippi Highway Patrol officer called David Ladner, everything seemed to be going ok until the officer asked to search the vehicle, all hell broke loose and Hansen shot Ladner several times in the back, he would die two days later. Despite admitting guilt, Hansen maintained that the death penalty was “wrong”. Hansen was sentenced to death in 1987 for this crime. He spent 15 years on death row before being executed on July 17, 2002. His execution marked the first in Mississippi since 1989 and the state’s first by lethal injection. Before his execution, Hansen had a final meal of lobster, shrimp, crab, and oysters. In a letter to The Clarion-Ledger newspaper of Jackson, Hansen expressed his belief in his right to live and his opposition to the death penalty. He stated that he never intended to kill Ladner and that he had panicked and shot the trooper. Despite these claims, his appeals for clemency were denied. Hansen’s case remains a significant part of Mississippi’s history with the death penalty.

1966 – Ivan Mendoza – A juvenile at the time of his crimes, Mendoza robbed and killed two elderly ladies, 64-year-old Louise Kong, and 88-year-old Lena Cronenberger, he stabbed Kong with a screwdriver and Cronenberger with a carving knife and fork, they appear to be weapons of opportunity making me believe that he just wanted to rob them but they must have disturbed him. Due to his age at the time of the crimes, Mendoza was sentenced as a juvenile to a maximum of nine years to life.

Deaths

Marcel Petiot

1946 – Marcel Petiot – Petiot was a French serial killer and one of the most notorious criminals in the country’s history. Born on January 17, 1897, in Auxerre, France, Petiot served in World War I and later became a doctor. In 1926, Petiot was convicted of fraud and sentenced to prison. After his release, he opened a medical practice in Paris and began to accumulate large debts. He also became involved in illegal activities, including drug trafficking and abortion services. During World War II, Petiot joined the French Resistance and used his medical expertise to help Jews and other refugees escape the Nazis. However, he also used his position to lure victims to his home, where he would kill them and dispose of their bodies. Between 1942 and 1944, Petiot is believed to have murdered at least 27 people, including Jews, members of the Resistance, and others who had sought his help. He would lure his victims to his home, telling them he could help them escape to safety, and then kill them with poison or by other means. He then dismembered their bodies and disposed of them in various locations. In 1944, Petiot was arrested after neighbors complained about foul odors coming from his home. When police searched the property, they discovered human remains and evidence linking Petiot to multiple murders. He was subsequently tried and found guilty of 26 counts of murder and sentenced to death. On May 25, 1946, Petiot was executed by guillotine. His case remains one of the most shocking and gruesome in French criminal history.

1979 – John Arthur Spenkelink – Spenkelink was an American criminal who gained national attention for being the first person to be executed in Florida and only the second in the United States after the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976. Born on March 29, 1949, in Florida, Spenkelink grew up in a troubled family and had a history of criminal behavior. In 1973, Spenkelink was involved in a fight with another man, Joseph J. Szymankiewicz, during which he stabbed and killed him. He was subsequently convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. Spenkelink’s case drew national attention, with many arguing that the death penalty was cruel and unusual punishment. His attorneys appealed the sentence multiple times, but each appeal was denied. On May 25, 1979, Spenkelink was executed by an electric chair at Florida State Prison. His execution drew widespread protests, and many people viewed it as a controversial and unjust use of the death penalty.

1985 – Charles Milton – Milton had a previous record for theft when he went into a liquor store owned by husband and wife, Leonard & Menaree Denton with the intention of robbery. Milton was disturbed in his plan by the owners and his answer was to shoot them, Mrs. Denton would not survive but Mr. Denton did and testified against Milton.

1987 – Pawel Tuchlin – also known as “Scorpion”, was a notorious Polish serial killer. He was born on April 28, 1946, in Góra, Kościerzyna County, Poland. He was the eighth child out of eleven siblings. His father, Bernard, was an abusive alcoholic farmer, and his mother, Monika, was also known to mistreat him. As an adult, Tuchlin moved to Gdańsk, where he worked as a driver. He got married twice, first to an unnamed woman and later to a woman named Regina. Despite his troubled past, his neighbors described him as a calm, stable, and resourceful man who cared for his wife and two children. Tuchlin was responsible for the murder of 9 women and a further 11 attempted murders, spanning from 1975 to 1983. His victims ranged in age from 18 to 35. His crimes earned him the code name “Scorpion” by the Citizens’ Militia. Tuchlin was sentenced to death for his crimes and was executed by hanging on May 25, 1987, in Gdańsk, Poland.

1991 – Vinko Pintaric – was a Croatian serial killer and outlaw who murdered five people over 17 years. His violent, vindictive nature and proficiency with firearms struck fear into inhabitants of Hrvatsko Zagorje, a region of northern Croatia where he spent years at large, hiding from law enforcement and engaging in various crimes. Pintarić was born in 1941 in Zrinski Topolovac near Bjelovar. His father Ilija joined the Partisan resistance during World War II, but near the end of the war, he was taken away by the Ustaše and spent several months with them. His father never returned; according to rumors, he was shot the day after his arrest. Pintarić’s mother remarried after a couple of years, and his alcoholic stepfather physically abused him. In his adolescence, he developed an interest in firearms, using them for poaching. His first marriage lasted only a couple of months. He moved to Zabok and married Katica Tisanić, a divorced woman with a child. They built a house in Zabok and had a daughter. Pintarić committed his first murder on 26 April 1973. He escaped from prisons and police stakeouts on multiple occasions. His exploits made him a household name in Croatia and Yugoslavia and even brought him a degree of sympathy from the general public, who saw him as a Robin Hood-like figure and dubbed him “Čaruga of Zagorje”, after an infamous post-World War I outlaw Jovo Stanisavljević Čaruga. He died in a shootout with the police on 25 May 1991.

1995 – Willie Lloyd Turner – was a lifelong criminal born in 1946. He is known for his crimes in Southampton County, Virginia, USA. Turner’s criminal activities included robbery and murder. He was responsible for the murder of two victims, one of whom was W. Jack Smith Jr., a jewelry store owner. The murder of Smith occurred during a robbery in Franklin, VA, in June 1978. While incarcerated, Turner was involved in several notable incidents. He helped plot the 1984 escape of six fellow inmates from death row at Mecklenburg Correctional Center. He also concealed a loaded pistol in his typewriter, which was discovered only after his execution. Turner was executed by lethal injection in Virginia on May 25, 1995. His life and crimes have been the subject of significant media attention.

1999 – Edward Lee Harper Jr – was born in 1948 and lived in Jefferson County, Kentucky, USA. He is infamous for the murder of his adoptive parents, Alice and Edward Lee Harper Sr., on February 19, 1982. The crime was committed with a .38 caliber handgun in the early morning hours. Harper Jr., who was an unemployed machinist at the time, hoped to inherit $85,541 ($265, 865 as of 2023) his father’s life insurance policy. At his trial, Harper Jr. testified that his father, who had recently retired from a job at Ford Motor Co.’s Fern Valley assembly plant, asked him to shoot him and Harper’s mother because his mother was mentally ill and his father could not bear to put her in an institution. However, the prosecutor argued that Harper Jr. was a spoiled child who “killed both his parents in bed for the insurance money” – an $86,541 ($265, 865 as of 2023) on his father’s life. Harper Jr. was convicted and sentenced to the death penalty for the 1982 murder of his adoptive parents. He had been evaluated by a psychiatrist before trial; based on the psychiatrist’s testimony, the trial court found Harper competent to stand trial. On May 25, 1999, Harper Jr. became Kentucky’s first death-row inmate put to death by lethal injection. He chose to be executed rather than face life in prison for the shooting deaths of his parents. Just before he was injected with the lethal dose of drugs, Harper Jr. said he was “sorry for what I’ve done,” and told his 27-year-old son, “I love you and I’ll be waiting for you on the other side”.

2001 – Abdullah Tanzil Hameen – formerly known as Cornelius Ferguson, was a man who had a significant impact on his surroundings, despite his troubled past. Born on September 7, 1963, Hameen was convicted in November 1992 for the murder of college student and drug dealer Troy Hodges. His conviction led to his execution by lethal injection on May 25, 2001. Despite his criminal history, Hameen’s time in prison was marked by a transformation. He converted to Islam after his arrival on death row. He claimed rehabilitation and expressed a desire to help others reject violence and crime. He used his time in prison to counsel other inmates and work with at-risk youths, encouraging them to turn away from lives of crime, guns, and drug abuse. His petition for clemency centered around his claim of rehabilitation and his desire to continue his work from within prison. However, his request was denied, and he was executed in 2001. While his life was marked by serious criminal activity, the latter part of his life in prison showed a man attempting to make amends and help others avoid the path he had taken.

2005 – Gregory Scott Johnson – Johnson was an arsonist and a thief and at the end of June 1985 he broke into the home of 82-year-old Ruby Hutslar, as soon as he broke in Hutslar was there and he immediately attacked her, stomping on her and smashing his fists into her so ferociously that she ended up with a broken nose and cheek, 20 broken ribs and her larynx and spine were also fractured, this collection of injuries contributed to her death. Johnson grabbed a few items, set fire to the house, and made his getaway. He was executed at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, Indiana on May 25, 2005. His case gained some attention as he sought a reprieve to donate a portion of his liver to his ailing sister, a request that was ultimately denied.

2020 – George Floyd – was an African-American man whose death at the hands of police in Minneapolis, Minnesota, sparked a global movement for racial justice. His final words, “I can’t breathe,” became a rallying cry against police brutality and systemic racism. Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Floyd’s family moved to Houston’s Third Ward when he was young. He faced the challenges of growing up in a low-income, predominantly Black community. Despite his athletic talent in football and basketball, Floyd’s path wasn’t easy. He struggled with periods of homelessness and incarceration, making choices that led to him serving four years in prison for a 2007 aggravated robbery. However, Floyd’s story wasn’t defined by his mistakes. Upon release, he sought to turn his life around. He became a mentor in his church community, spreading a message of hope and redemption. He also reconnected with his athletic roots, becoming a security guard and bouncer at a nightclub. In 2014, he moved to Minneapolis seeking new opportunities, working various jobs to support his family. On May 25, 2020, Floyd’s life was tragically cut short. A fatal encounter with police over a suspected counterfeit $20 bill ended with officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on his neck for over nine minutes, despite Floyd’s repeated pleas for air. The video of his death, captured by a bystander, went viral, igniting a wave of protests against police brutality and racial injustice not seen in generations. While the world remembers Floyd’s death, it’s important to remember the life he lived. He was a loving father to his five children, a supportive brother, and a kind friend. He was a talented athlete, a man of faith, and someone who actively sought to improve himself and his community. His story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring fight for justice. George Floyd’s death became a catalyst for change. His name and image became synonymous with the Black Lives Matter movement, inspiring millions to speak out against racism and demand police reform. His legacy lives on in the countless murals, memorials, and scholarships established in his honor, as well as the ongoing fight for racial equality. Remembered not just for his death, but for his life and the impact it continues to have, George Floyd’s story is a powerful reminder that even in the face of tragedy, hope and justice can prevail.

Events

Jerome “Jerry” Brudos

1895 – Playwright, poet & novelist Oscar Wilde is convicted of “committing acts of gross indecency with other male persons” and sentenced to 2 years in prison.

1925 – John T. Scopes is indicted for teaching human evolution in Tennessee.

1969 – Serial killer Jerome “Jerry” Brudos is apprehended

1978 – The first of a series of bombings orchestrated by the Unabomber, Theodore Kaczynski detonates at Northwestern University resulting in minor injuries.

1979 – Six-year-old Etan Patz goes missing.

1983 – The first US national Missing Children’s Day is proclaimed.

1995 – Willie Lloyd Turner is executed by lethal injection for the shooting murder of W. Jack Smith Jr.

2018 – Hollywood mogul & film producer Harvey Weinstein turns himself in to New York police to face charges of rape, a criminal sex act, sex abuse, and sexual misconduct.