Births

1838 – Sarah Jane Robinson – entered the world seemingly unremarkable. However, beneath the surface lurked a calculating intellect and a heart devoid of empathy. She would later become infamous as the “Boston Borgia,” a name echoing the notorious Italian poison family, for her role in a string of cold-blooded murders that shocked 19th-century America. Arriving in America with her family, Sarah married George Robinson, a prosperous architect, in 1864. But her ambition and greed gnawed at her. Suspicions arose with the untimely deaths of several relatives, including her parents and sister. Each demise was accompanied by generous life insurance payouts, fueling whispers of foul play. The poison of choice – arsenic – became Sarah’s tool. Through manipulation and cunning, she ensnared accomplices: Thomas R. Smith, a lover, and Dr. Charles C. Beers, a doctor lured by promises of wealth. Their collaboration resulted in the deaths of not only family members but also unsuspecting acquaintances, driven by insatiable financial desires. In 1886, the web of deceit began to unravel. The suspicious death of Sarah’s brother-in-law led to an exhumation and the discovery of arsenic. A trial revealed a chilling narrative of greed, manipulation, and murder. Initially sentenced to death, Sarah’s sentence was commuted to life imprisonment due to legal technicalities. Sarah Jane Robinson spent the rest of her days in Charlestown State Prison, maintaining her innocence until she died in 1906. Her case remains a chilling reminder of the darkness that can lurk beneath the facade of ordinary lives. The “Boston Borgia” may be gone, but her story serves as a stark warning against unchecked ambition and the devastating consequences of succumbing to the alluring yet deadly whispers of greed.

1853 – John Wesley Hardin – Hardin was an American Old West outlaw and gunfighter who gained notoriety for his deadly and violent exploits. Born in Bonham, Texas, Hardin was the second of ten children and was raised in a family that held strong beliefs in the Confederacy during the American Civil War. Hardin’s first brush with the law occurred at the age of fifteen when he stabbed a fellow student to death. He then went on to commit a series of crimes, including robbery, cattle rustling, and murder. He claimed to have killed his first man at the age of fifteen, and by the time he was 25, he had allegedly killed over 20 people. In 1874, Hardin was arrested for the murder of a sheriff and sentenced to twenty-five years in prison. While incarcerated, he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1884. After serving seventeen years, he was released on a pardon from the governor of Texas. After his release, Hardin attempted to live a law-abiding life and worked as a lawyer and schoolteacher. However, he was constantly harassed by former enemies and eventually returned to a life of crime. In 1895, he was shot and killed by John Selman, a local lawman, while playing dice in a saloon in El Paso, Texas.

1883 – Peter Kurten – was a German serial killer who terrorized the city of Düsseldorf in the late 1920s. Nicknamed “The Vampire of Düsseldorf” and “The Monster of Düsseldorf,” he is believed to have murdered at least nine people, though he confessed to many more. His crimes were characterized by extreme brutality and sadism, and his case became a sensation in Germany and around the world. Kürten was born in 1883 into a poverty-stricken and abusive family in Mülheim am Rhein, near Cologne. His childhood was marked by violence and neglect, and he began committing petty crimes at a young age. By his early teens, he had already been in trouble for theft, arson, and attempted murder. In 1913, Kürten was convicted of murdering a nine-year-old girl and sentenced to nine years in prison. After his release in 1921, he continued his criminal activity, committing multiple assaults and robberies. In February 1929, Kürten began a series of brutal murders in Düsseldorf. His victims were mainly women and children, and he often attacked them in deserted areas. He would typically stab or bludgeon them to death and sometimes mutilate their bodies. Kürten’s crimes became increasingly bold and depraved. He would taunt the police with letters and leave clues at the crime scenes. The city of Düsseldorf was gripped by fear, and the hunt for the killer became a national obsession. In April 1930, Kürten was arrested for a minor assault. While in custody, he began boasting about his murders to fellow inmates. His claims were initially dismissed, but eventually, the police became convinced of his guilt. Kürten confessed to nine murders and numerous other crimes. He was put on trial in April 1931, and the proceedings were a media circus. Kürten was found guilty of seven murders and sentenced to death. He was executed by guillotine on July 2, 1931.

1928 – Jack Kevorkian – He was an American pathologist and euthanasia advocate, also known as “Dr. Death”. Born in Pontiac, Michigan, Kevorkian was the second of three children and grew up in a family of Armenian immigrants. He attended the University of Michigan and later the University of Edinburgh, where he earned a medical degree. Kevorkian first gained national attention in the 1990s for his advocacy of physician-assisted suicide. He developed a device called the “Mercitron”, which he used to assist in the suicides of terminally ill patients. He claimed to have assisted in the deaths of over 130 individuals throughout his career. Kevorkian’s actions sparked controversy and legal battles, and he was often the subject of media scrutiny. He was arrested multiple times for his involvement in assisted suicides, and in 1999, he was convicted of second-degree murder for administering a lethal injection to a man with Lou Gehrig’s disease. He was sentenced to 10-25 years in prison and was released on parole in 2007. Throughout his life, Kevorkian was a vocal advocate for the right to die, and he believed that individuals had a fundamental right to control their own deaths. His work and advocacy brought attention to the issue of end-of-life care and sparked debates about the ethics of assisted suicide. Kevorkian died in 2011 at the age of 83 from complications related to kidney and respiratory problems.

1938 – Pauline Parker – Parker is a New Zealand woman who is known for her involvement in the Parker–Hulme murder case in 1954. She was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, and was the youngest of three children. In 1954, Parker and her friend Juliet Hulme (later known as Anne Perry) were convicted of murdering Parker’s mother, Honorah Parker. The two teenage girls had formed a close bond and had created a fantasy world together, which they called “the Fourth World.” Honorah Parker disapproved of the relationship and threatened to separate the girls, which led to the murder. Parker and Hulme bludgeoned Honorah Parker to death with a brick in a park in Christchurch. They were both arrested and tried for murder. Parker was found guilty and sentenced to serve five years in prison. After her release, Parker changed her name to Hilary Nathan and moved to England, where she lived a quiet life and worked as a librarian. She later moved to the United States, where she earned a degree in social work from the University of Michigan. In 1994, Parker was discovered by journalists, and her past was revealed to the public. She gave several interviews and spoke openly about her involvement in the murder case. She also published a book, “Anatomy of a Crime: The Parker–Hulme Case,” which detailed her experiences and provided insight into the circumstances that led to the murder. Today, Pauline Parker lives a private life and has largely remained out of the public eye. The Parker–Hulme murder case remains one of New Zealand’s most infamous criminal cases and has been the subject of several books and films.

1941 – Aldrich (Rick) Ames – Ames is a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer who became infamous for selling classified information to the Soviet Union and later to Russia. Born on May 26, 1941, in River Falls, Wisconsin, Ames grew up in a military family and went on to attend the University of Chicago, where he earned a degree in history. After college, Ames joined the CIA in 1962 and was assigned to the Soviet-East European Division. He quickly rose through the ranks and was eventually promoted to become the chief of the Soviet Counterintelligence Branch. During his time at the agency, Ames became disillusioned with the U.S. government and began selling classified information to the Soviet Union in 1985. Over several years, Ames provided the Soviets with a wealth of highly sensitive information, including the identities of CIA agents operating in the Soviet Union and other countries. In 1993, he was arrested by the FBI and charged with espionage. He pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Ames’ actions were described as one of the most damaging spy cases in U.S. history, and his betrayal of his country led to the deaths of several CIA agents. Despite this, some experts have pointed out that Ames’ motivations for spying were largely personal and financial, rather than ideological. Ames is Federal Bureau of Prisons prisoner #40087-083, serving his life sentence in the medium-security Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Terre Haute, Indiana.

1954 – Danny Rolling – Rolling was a convicted American serial killer who gained notoriety in the 1990s for his brutal murders in Gainesville, Florida. Born on May 26, 1954, in Shreveport, Louisiana, Rolling had a troubled childhood, marked by poverty, abuse, and a family history of mental illness. As a young man, Rolling drifted from job to job and had several run-ins with the law. In 1990, he moved to Gainesville, where he began a string of violent crimes that would earn him the nickname “The Gainesville Ripper.” Over several days in August 1990, Rolling murdered five college students in their apartments, mutilating their bodies in gruesome ways. Rolling’s crimes terrified the Gainesville community and sparked a massive manhunt. He was eventually captured and charged with multiple counts of murder, sexual battery, and burglary. During his trial, Rolling’s defense argued that he suffered from mental illness and was not fully responsible for his actions. However, he was convicted on all charges and sentenced to death. While on death row, Rolling became a subject of interest for true crime enthusiasts and researchers. He corresponded with several authors and journalists, including Stephen King, who later acknowledged that Rolling’s crimes had inspired his novel “Desperation.” Rolling also claimed to have committed several other unsolved murders, though some of these claims have been disputed. Rolling was executed by lethal injection on October 25, 2006, at Florida State Prison.

1957 – Mary Bell – Bell is a British woman who became infamous in the late 1960s for the murder of two young boys in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Born on May 26, 1957, Bell grew up in a troubled home and suffered abuse from her mother, who was a prostitute. At the age of 10, Bell began a series of violent acts, including the strangulation of two young boys, Martin Brown, and Brian Howe. Bell was able to convince investigators that the deaths were accidental, but suspicions were raised when she made incriminating statements to her friends. After a thorough investigation, Bell was arrested and charged with the murders. During her trial, Bell was found guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, and she was sentenced to life in prison. The case sparked a nationwide debate about the nature of childhood and the extent to which young people could be held responsible for their actions. After serving 12 years in prison, Bell was released in 1980 at the age of 23. She was given a new identity and lived under a legal ban on her true identity and her whereabouts. She has since maintained a low profile and has rarely spoken publicly about her crimes. Despite her efforts to distance herself from her past, Bell’s case remains a haunting reminder of the dangers of childhood trauma and the need for early intervention in cases of child abuse and neglect.

1959 – Anthony Joyner – In October 1981, Joyner applied for and got a job as an assistant nutritionist at the Kearsley Home in Philadelphia, he got on well with staff, visitors, and residents and was known for his talkative nature. In 7 months of 1983, between January and July, he is known to have raped and murdered six elderly patients, he was charged with 6 counts of rape and murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, he is however suspected of murdering a further 12 patients whilst at the home.

1964 – Muzzammil Syed Hassan – It is believed that Hassan was a domestic abuser, on February 6th, 2009 his wife, Aasiya Zubair presented Hassan with divorce papers as well as a protection order, Hassan was furious and started banging on doors and breaking windows and the police were called. 6 days later, Hassan went to the residence of his estranged wife with what are believed to be hunting knives and when he was there he killed her and cut her head off. Strangely after he had carried out the crime he went to the police station, admitted the crime, and stated he felt massive relief and that a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to imprisonment of 25 years to life. He is currently incarcerated in Clinton Correctional Facility.

Deaths

Louis Mandrin

1755 – Louis Mandrin – Mandrin was a French smuggler who became a legendary figure in the 18th century. Born in 1725 in the town of Saint-Etienne-de-Saint-Geoirs, Mandrin grew up in a family of farmers and became involved in smuggling at an early age. Mandrin was known for his daring exploits and his ability to evade the authorities. He and his gang of smugglers would transport goods such as salt, tobacco, and coffee across the French-Swiss border, bypassing the customs duties and taxes imposed by the government. Mandrin became a popular hero among the common people, who saw him as a symbol of resistance against the corrupt and oppressive government. However, his success also made him a target of the authorities, who were determined to bring him to justice. In 1755, Mandrin was captured by French soldiers and sentenced to death for his crimes. He was executed in Valence, France, and his body was left on display as a warning to other smugglers.

1876 – Thomas W. Piper – haunted by the nickname “The Boston Belfry Murderer,” lurked through the shadows of Boston in the 1870s, forever etching his name in infamy. Born in 1849, this Canadian immigrant toiled as a laborer, concealing a simmering darkness beneath a quiet exterior. He erupted in 1873, luring young Minnie Brown to a secluded church tower and savagely ending her life. With the city gripped by fear, Piper struck again in 1875, snatching Harriet Pomeroy on her way to school and drowning her in a desolate cemetery. Cornered, he confessed to both, and, chillingly, to a third unsolved murder in New Hampshire. His detailed confessions sent shivers down spines, sealing his fate in the infamous trial that captivated the nation. Sentenced to death, Piper met his end in 1876, leaving behind a legacy of horror, the whispers of his unknown victim continuing to echo through the Boston alleys. Yet, his motives remain shrouded in mystery, a chilling reminder of the darkness that can lurk in the hearts of men.

1938 – Robert William Hoolhouse – Emerging from the shadows of history comes Robert William Hoolhouse, a life tragically cut short under the bleak British gallows in 1938. His early years remain shrouded in mist, lost to the whispers of time, but his final act etched itself into the annals of injustice. A farm laborer in Haverton Hill, fate twisted him with the Dobson family, a bitter dispute over land souring into murder. Margaret Dobson found lifeless and violated, cast suspicion upon Robert, his face scratched, clothes stained crimson. A swift trial, fueled by whispers and circumstantial threads, condemned him, the noose tightening around a voice hoarsely screaming innocence. Despite flimsy evidence and a shaky alibi, the jury deemed him guilty, and on a grim May morning, his protestations echoing on the wind, Robert ascended the gallows, leaving behind a chilling legacy. Even in death, controversy clings to him, whispers of police bias and alternative suspects swirling around his silent form. New evidence, a ghost from the past, casts doubt on the verdict, hinting at a truth buried beneath layers of time. Robert Hoolhouse’s story is a stark reminder of the fallibility of justice, a chilling echo urging us to seek truth even in the face of a closed casket. His life may be gone, but the quest for understanding, for a definitive answer, continues, lest another innocent soul fade into the abyss of an unjust past.

1989 – Michael Lindsay – An American thief who on December 14th, 1981 broke into the home of 64-year-old Rosemary Rutland, here he bound and gagged her before stabbing and shooting her. When he left the property, he stole Rutland’s Christmas presents, bank cards, money, and valuables. Lindsay was arrested the next day when he attempted to use one of the victim’s bank cards at a store.

Events

Alse Young

1647 – Alse Young becomes the first person executed as a witch in the American colonies when she is hanged in Hartford, Connecticut.

1896 – James Dunham murders six people in Campbell, California

1971 – Mexican serial killer Juan Corona is arrested

2004 – US Army veteran Terry Nicholls is found guilty of 161 state murder charges for helping carry out the Oklahoma City bombing.

2012 – A gunman in the Finnish town of Hyvinkaa kills 2 people and wounds 7 others.

2021 – Nine people are shot and killed by their colleague, a public transport employee in San Jose, California.