Births

Christian Nielsen

1867 – Giuseppe Morello – also known as “The Old Fox” and “The Clutch Hand”, was a notorious Italian-American mobster who co-founded the Morello crime family, one of the Five Families that dominated organized crime in New York City during the early 20th century. Morello was born in Corleone, Sicily, in 1867. His father died when he was young, and his mother remarried a member of the Corleonesi Mafia clan. Morello grew up surrounded by crime and violence, and he eventually joined the family business. In 1892, Morello emigrated to the United States to escape arrest for murder and counterfeiting in Italy. He settled in New York City’s Lower East Side, where he quickly established himself as a tough and ruthless gangster. Morello formed a gang with other Sicilian immigrants, and they soon began to control rackets such as extortion, gambling, and prostitution. In the early 1900s, Morello’s gang merged with another powerful Sicilian gang led by Ignazio Lupo, and together they formed the Morello crime family. Morello earned the nickname “the Clutch Hand” because of his deformed right hand, which had only one finger. Despite his disability, Morello was a skilled and ruthless leader. He was known for his cunning and his ability to outmaneuver his rivals. In the late 1920s, the Morello family became embroiled in a bloody war with another Sicilian Mafia clan, the Castellammarese, led by Salvatore Maranzano. Morello served as a top advisor to his boss, Giuseppe “Joe the Boss” Masseria, during the war. In 1930, Morello was assassinated by Castellammarese gunmen while collecting cash receipts from one of his businesses. His death marked a turning point in the Castellammarese War, and it ultimately led to the downfall of Masseria and the rise of Maranzano as the new boss of all Mafia families in New York. Giuseppe Morello was one of the most powerful and feared mobsters of his era. He played a key role in the founding of the Morello crime family, which later evolved into the Genovese crime family, one of the most powerful Mafia organizations in the world today. Morello’s life and career have been the subject of numerous books and films, including Mario Puzo’s novel The Godfather, in which he is loosely based on the character of Peter Clemenza.

1895 – Jacques Mecislas Charrier – He was a French anarchist and thief who along with 2 accomplices attempted to rob the richest travelers on the Paris-Marseilles train, unfortunately during this attempt, someone died. When the three arrived in Paris, Charrier was arrested and his two accomplices were killed by the police, when Charrier went to court everyone knew that he was not the killer, however being an anarchist he was full of bravado and suggested to the court that they take his head, the court took him at his word and Charrier, a simple robber was executed by guillotine.

1930 – John Anglin – is a notable figure in American criminal history, best known for his daring escape from the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in 1962. Born in 1930 in Donalsonville, Georgia, he was one of 14 children in his family. His life of crime began with a bank robbery in Columbia, Alabama in 1958, which led to his incarceration. However, it was his escape from Alcatraz that truly cemented his place in history. Despite the prison’s reputation for being escape-proof, Anglin, along with his brother Clarence and fellow inmate Frank Morris, managed to break free in an event that has since been the subject of numerous books and films. Following the escape, Anglin became one of the FBI’s most wanted fugitives. Despite extensive manhunts and investigations, his whereabouts remain unknown, adding to the intrigue and mystery surrounding his story. His life continues to captivate the public imagination, symbolizing audacity and the human desire for freedom.

1955 – Lindsey Robert Rose – an Australian multiple murderer and contract killer hailing from New South Wales, presently serves five consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. These convictions stem from his involvement in the murder of five individuals spanning the years 1984 to 1994. One notable instance occurred on February 14, 1994, when Rose fatally shot and killed Fatma Ozonal before proceeding to shoot and stab his former girlfriend, Kerrie Pang, at her massage parlor, “Kerrie’s Oasis,” in Gladesville. Ronald Waters played a role in facilitating Rose’s access to the premises, receiving $500 for his assistance, as Pang would have recognized Rose. The murder of Pang had been orchestrated by her de facto partner, Mark Lewis, who was subsequently found guilty of both murders and sentenced to life imprisonment plus an additional 18 years without the possibility of parole. Waters, admitting to being an accessory to murder, received a sentence of 18 months of periodic detention. The motive for Pang’s murder, as revealed during Lewis’ trial, was rooted in relationship difficulties between Lewis and Pang, Lewis’ dissatisfaction with Pang’s profession, and Rose’s reported animosity towards Pang. The unfortunate presence of Ozonal at the crime scene was incidental, as she was not part of the initial murder plan. Rose pleaded guilty to five murders, including those of Pang and Ozonal, in the Supreme Court of New South Wales on June 18, 1998. Subsequently, on September 3, 1998, he received five consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. Rose was among the first six inmates placed in Goulburn Jail’s High-Risk Management Unit when it was established in 2001. Over the years, reports surfaced about Rose’s discontent with various aspects of prison life, from inmates converting to Islam to the lack of education opportunities in the High-Risk Management Unit. His correspondence with prison management and involvement in expressing grievances against jail conditions became part of the public record, shedding light on the challenges within the correctional system.

1965 – Eric Ernest Napoletano Jr – His father, Eric Napoletano Sr., left during the pregnancy, but his mother, Carolyn Hankinson, adopted his last name and told Eric that his father had died. He had a strained relationship with his mother and was frequently sent to mental hospitals. Eric is classified as a “sexually sadistic serial killer” by the FBI. He is known to have committed three murders between 1984 and 1990. His victims included Marilyn Coludro, 15, his girlfriend; Gladys Matos, the mother of his first wife; and Myra Acevedo, 22, his second wife. The methods of murder varied from stabbing with a knife and shooting to strangulation. He was arrested on March 27, 1991, and was sentenced to life imprisonment in New Jersey on June 25, 1993. He is currently incarcerated at the New Jersey State Prison in Trenton, New Jersey.

1973 – Pete Russell Jr – Two years after completing an 8-year sentence for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, Russell was in trouble again, he believed 40-year-old Tanjala Brewer had set him up on a charge of cocaine possession and distribution, and for this, he received a ten-year sentence. The judge in the case allowed Russell some time to get his affairs in order before he was due to report to begin his sentence, whilst on this brief furlough, Russell stabbed Brewer to death! Instead of just the 10-year sentence for drug possession, Russell received the death penalty. 

1975 – Christian Charles Nielsen – is known as an American spree killer. He is infamous for fatally shooting four people and dismembering three of them over four days around the Black Bear Bed & Breakfast, a remodeled farmhouse and Inn located in Newry, Maine. Nielsen’s parents divorced when he was four years old, and his father gained custody of him and his little sister. He studied English at the University of Maine between 2001 and 2004 but did not earn a degree. As an adult, Nielsen worked as a line cook for the Sudbury Inn, in Bethel. He had been staying at the Black Bear for two months before the murders. On September 1, 2006, Nielsen murdered a handyman and attempted to incinerate his corpse. Over the next three days, he murdered and dismembered three women – including Julie Bullard, the lodge’s owner – to cover up his first murder. On September 4, 2006, Nielsen invited his father and stepmother to the property for Labor Day. After they arrived at the lodge and found one of the victims, Nielsen’s father immediately called the police. Christian Nielsen was subsequently arrested and pleaded guilty to the murders in 2007. The motive behind the crimes was never established.

1978 – Rio Alex Bulo – also known as Rio the Hammerhead, was born on May 2, 1978, in Sleman, Indonesia. He was an Indonesian serial killer who killed at least four people with a hammer between 1997 and 2001, and then his cellmate in 2005. Bulo was reportedly an unruly child who lashed out because his parents preferred to pay more attention to their business than him. Due to his erratic behavior, his parents sent him to Jakarta, where he would be raised by his brother, who was 12 years older than him. His behavior worsened, especially after his father renounced him because Rio refused to convert to his religion. As a result, Bulo began to hang out with thugs in the Senen area, skipping school, drinking alcohol, and smoking marijuana. He was expelled from his brother’s house and forced to live on the streets. While growing up, he supported himself by selling fake vehicle documents, but after he got married, he switched to auto theft. Between 1997 and 2001, Bulo is known to have killed at least 4 people, all of them car rental entrepreneurs. On January 12, 2001, Rio entered the Rosenda Hotel in Purwokerto, where he subsequently killed businessman and lawyer Jeje Suraji in room 135 to steal his rented Toyota Kijang. For his crimes, he was sentenced to death and subsequently executed by firing squad in 2008.

Deaths

Gravestone of Susan Eberhart

1873 – Susan Eberhart – The year is 1871 and 18-year-old Susan Eberhart found employment as a servant for 36-year-old Confederate veteran Enoch Spann and his wife Sarah who was 50+ and disabled.  After a short period, Spann started making sexual advances toward Eberhart, he was sick of dealing with a disabled wife and looked for ways to kill her off so that he could marry Eberhart.  On one occasion, Spann arranged for his wife to be thrown into a stream whilst on the way to church, however, Eberhart jumped in and saved Mrs. Spann from drowning.  Finally, in May 1872 it seemed that Spann’s plan had come to fruition as neighbors found Sarah’s lifeless body at the family home, she had been strangled.  Enoch & Eberhart were nowhere to be found, after the Governor offered a $500 reward on the two a posse was formed and a week later they found them. Enoch confessed that he had strangled his wife with rope and Eberhart had nothing to do with it but both were sentenced to death and on May 2nd, 1873 Eberhart was hung. 

1923 – Emilio Picariello – Picariello was an Italian immigrant who became one of the most notorious bootleggers and criminals in early 20th century Canada. He was born in Italy in 1876 and immigrated to Canada in 1900, settling in the town of Fernie in British Columbia. In Fernie, Picariello opened a grocery store and became involved in the sale of illegal alcohol during Prohibition. He quickly gained a reputation as a ruthless bootlegger and criminal, using violence and intimidation to control the local illicit alcohol trade. Picariello’s criminal activities eventually caught the attention of the authorities, and he was arrested and charged with bootlegging and other crimes. He was convicted and sentenced to prison in 1922, but he was released after serving only two years. After his release, Picariello returned to Fernie and resumed his criminal activities. In 1923, he and his accomplices were involved in a violent confrontation with a group of law enforcement officials, during which a police officer and a local mine manager were killed. Picariello was arrested and charged with murder, and he was eventually convicted and sentenced to death. His execution in 1923 was one of the most controversial in Canadian history, with many people arguing that he had been unfairly targeted by the authorities.

1931 – Kurt Erich Tetzner – Tetzner from Bavaria, Germany was a conman and murderer who sometimes went by the name “Stranelli”. In his first con, he asked his mother to reschedule her surgery for cancer, and unbeknownst to her, Tetzner insured her life, once the rescheduled appointment came and his mother had her surgery, she died and of course, he claimed the insurance policy.  As he found his first con so easy, he discussed finding another victim with his wife and on November 25th, 1929 he picked up a hitchhiker, murdered him, crashed his car into a tree, and then set fire to the hitchhiker who had been repositioned into the driver’s seat.  Tetzner’s wife tried to claim the insurance for the “accident” however during an autopsy, several differences between the corpse and Tetzner were found which caused suspicion and forensics had advanced at this point that the autopsy proved that the victim died before the accident!!  Eventually, Tetzner was apprehended having been using the Stranelli alias, he was charged, put on trial, and found guilty, on this day in 1931 he was executed. 

1960 – Caryl Chessman – was a convicted robber, kidnapper, and serial rapist. He was born in St. Joseph, Michigan, and was the only child of Serl Whittier and Hallie Lillian Chessman, both devout Baptists. The family relocated to Glendale, California, in 1922. Chessman had a troubled childhood. He suffered from asthma and contracted encephalitis, which he later claimed changed his personality. His family was hit hard by the Depression, and Chessman later recalled that he stole food and other items as an adolescent to help his parents. He was sent to reform school and the county jail four times before he was sentenced in March 1941 to San Quentin prison for a term of 16 years to life on several counts of robbery, assault, and attempted murder. In January 1948, Chessman was arrested as the accused “Red Light Bandit,” who had robbed couples in Los Angeles’ lovers’ lanes. He was sentenced to death for a series of crimes committed in January 1948 in the Los Angeles area. His case attracted worldwide attention and helped propel the movement to end the use of capital punishment in the state of California. While in prison, Chessman wrote four books, including his 1954 memoir Cell 2455, Death Row. He was executed in California’s gas chamber in 1960.

1972 – J. Edgar Hoover – a name synonymous with the FBI, remains one of the most captivating and controversial figures in American history. Serving as the first director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a staggering 48 years, from 1924 to 1972, Hoover’s legacy is a complex tapestry woven with threads of crime-fighting, political maneuvering, and personal eccentricities. Born in Washington D.C. in 1895, Hoover’s upbringing was marked by a strict, moralistic mother and a passion for order and efficiency. He excelled in his studies, obtaining law degrees from George Washington University while working for the Department of Justice. His meticulousness and organizational skills caught the attention of his superiors, propelling him through the ranks. In 1924, at the tender age of 29, Hoover was appointed director of the Bureau of Investigation (BOI), a scandal-ridden agency plagued by inefficiency. He immediately set about transforming the BOI, professionalizing its operations, and establishing a centralized fingerprint database. These reforms, along with his ruthless pursuit of gangsters like John Dillinger, earned him national recognition and paved the way for the creation of the FBI in 1935. As the FBI director, Hoover wielded immense power and influence. He masterfully cultivated an image of himself as the nation’s protector, battling against threats like communism, organized crime, and radicalism. Hoover’s FBI employed cutting-edge forensic techniques and centralized crime reporting, revolutionizing law enforcement in the United States. However, Hoover’s legacy is not without its blemishes. He was a staunch anti-communist, often resorting to illegal wiretapping, surveillance, and intimidation to track down suspected subversives. His COINTELPRO program targeted civil rights activists and other dissident groups, employing tactics like disinformation and infiltration to discredit and disrupt their activities. Hoover’s personal life was also shrouded in secrecy and speculation. He never married and lived with his mother until her death, fueling rumors about his sexuality and personal relationships. His obsessive personality and vindictive streak often manifested in vendettas against political rivals and those who dared to question his authority. J. Edgar Hoover’s death in 1972 marked the end of an era. His achievements in modernizing law enforcement and combating crime cannot be denied. However, his tactics of surveillance, political meddling, and suppression of dissent raise serious questions about his commitment to civil liberties and democratic principles. Hoover’s legacy remains a subject of debate. Some hail him as a national hero, while others condemn him as a power-hungry tyrant who abused his authority. Regardless of one’s perspective, J. Edgar Hoover’s life and career offer a window into a fascinating and troubling chapter in American history, a time when the pursuit of security often clashed with the ideals of freedom and justice.

1995 – Keith W. Zettlemoyer – was born on June 4, 1955, in Aberdeen, Maryland. He was the oldest of five children and had four sisters. In his early years, he tried to join the army but was unsuccessful. He then worked a variety of different jobs, including photographer, custodian, and maintenance worker. On October 13, 1980, Zettlemoyer murdered his friend Charles DeVetsco. DeVetsco had been scheduled to testify against Zettlemoyer in an upcoming robbery trial in Snyder County. Zettlemoyer had kidnapped DeVetsco near Selinsgrove and had driven him to Harrisburg to kill him to prevent his testimony. On April 24, 1981, Zettlemoyer was convicted of first-degree murder and was sentenced to death. After spending fourteen years on death row, Zettlemoyer fired his lawyers and dropped his efforts to live. He was executed on May 2, 1995, becoming the first person to be executed in Pennsylvania since the United States reinstated the death penalty in 1976.

1998 – Jessie Ray Moffett – was a convicted murderer born in 1959. He was found guilty of two murders that took place in San Diego, California, USA. The first murder occurred in 1979, when he was convicted for the murder and rape of 20-year-old Debra Owen. The second murder took place in 1987, where he fatally shot 67-year-old Glen Avery, a security guard at the Kearny Mesa Holiday Inn. This murder was part of a month-long crime spree that included a string of armed robberies. Moffett was convicted of four special circumstances: multiple murders, murder during a robbery, murder during a kidnapping, and murder during a burglary. These convictions made him eligible for the death penalty. He was sentenced to death on September 2, 1992, six years later he beat the system by dying in prison on this day in 1998. 

Events

The arrest of Anne Boleyn

1536 – Anne Boleyn is arrested and taken to the Tower of London

1809 – Dartmoor Prison in England opens to house French prisoners of war

1873 – Susan Eberhart was hanged for helping her employer, Enoch Spann kill his wife

1929 – Billie Holliday (14) and her mother are arrested for prostitution following a raid of a brothel in Harlem

1946 – The “Battle of Alcatraz” takes place, killing two guards and three inmates

1957 – Gangster Frank Costello escapes an assassination attempt made by rival mobsters

1963 – The children’s crusade begins in Birmingham, Alabama. More than 600 African American schoolchildren are arrested for marching against segregation, organized by James Bevel & the SCIC

1981 – Joseph Azevedo is found murdered inside his mobile home in a case that remained cold for 30 years

1997 – Police arrest transsexual prostitute Atisone Seiuli with Eddie Murphy

2011 – Flavor Flav is arrested on four outstanding misdemeanor warrants for various driving offenses

2011 – Osama Bin Laden killed