Births

Christine & Lea Papin

1700 – Anne Bonny – was an infamous Irish pirate known for her audacious spirit and remarkable life at sea during the early 18th century. Born around 1697 in County Cork, Ireland, Anne was the illegitimate daughter of a lawyer, William Cormac, and his servant, Mary Brennan. Her father initially attempted to disguise her as a boy to protect her identity and inheritance. The family eventually relocated to the Province of Carolina, where Anne grew up.  Anne’s fiery temperament was evident from a young age. She was said to have stabbed a servant girl with a knife in her youth. Around 1718, she married a small-time pirate named James Bonny, but their union was short-lived as Anne yearned for adventure beyond domestic life.  Her life took a dramatic turn when she met the charismatic pirate John “Calico Jack” Rackham and became his lover. Together, they embarked on a life of piracy, commandeering ships and accumulating wealth through their exploits in the Caribbean. Anne, alongside another female pirate, Mary Read, became known for her prowess in combat and her ability to match her male counterparts in bravery and skill.  In 1720, Anne Bonny, Calico Jack, and their crew were captured by pirate hunters. While awaiting execution, Anne and Mary Read revealed they were pregnant, which postponed their sentences. Mary Read died in prison, but Anne’s fate remains a mystery, as there are no historical records of her release or execution.  Anne Bonny’s legacy lives on as one of the most famous female pirates in history, a symbol of defiance and freedom on the high seas. Her story has been romanticized and retold through books, films, and folklore, cementing her place in the annals of pirate legend.

1823 – John Charles Tapner – was an Englishman whose life took a tragic turn, leading him to become the last person executed by Guernsey. Born on 8 March 1823 in Woolwich, London, Tapner moved to St Martin, Guernsey, where he worked as a clerk at Fort George.  In a grim event on 18 October 1853, 74-year-old Elizabeth Saujon was murdered in her home in St Peter Port. The circumstances were dire; she was knocked unconscious and left to die in her burning house. Tapner, who was living in St Martin at the time, was arrested and tried for the murder of Saujon.  During the trial, it was revealed that Tapner’s mistress, who was also his wife’s sister, lived with Saujon. Some of Saujon’s belongings were found near Tapner’s house, further implicating him. Despite Tapner’s admission of being in St Peter Port on the evening of the murder, he denied any involvement in the fire or Saujon’s death.  The motive for the murder was never clear, but Tapner was convicted and sentenced to death by hanging. The renowned writer Victor Hugo, who was living in Jersey at the time, and 600 residents petitioned the Home Secretary of the United Kingdom, Lord Palmerston, to commute Tapner’s sentence. Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain.  Tapner’s execution on 10 February 1854 was a botched affair. The executioner, a novice, failed to properly perform the hanging, resulting in Tapner dying from strangulation after a prolonged and gruesome ordeal which you can read more about by clicking the link. This execution was so poorly handled that it became the last one carried out in Guernsey, and the death penalty was abolished there in 2003.

1863 – Mary Cowan – is historically recognized as “The Borgia of Maine,” an American serial killer who poisoned two husbands and four children between 1884 and 1894. Her life took a dark turn when she married Willis W. Bean, a young farmer from nearby Dixmont, with whom she had three children: Gracie, Alice, and Mabel.  Tragedy struck the family when Gracie was found smothered to death in 1884, followed by the peculiar stomach ache-related deaths of Alice and Mabel in the subsequent years. No official investigations were conducted, and the deaths were soon forgotten after the burials at the Plymouth cemetery.  Despite these losses, Willis pursued a medical career, enrolling in an institute that sold diplomas. However, a state law was passed prohibiting the sale of fake diplomas, thwarting their plans. Undeterred, the couple traveled to Ohio to enroll in another institution.  In a mysterious turn of events, Willis’ parents received a letter in January 1888, informing them of their son’s death due to stomach pain, eerily similar to the children’s cause of death. Mary Cowan was eventually apprehended in September 1894 and convicted of killing her stepson, Willis Cowan. She was sentenced to life imprisonment and died in the Maine State Prison on September 17, 1898, from an unspecified illness.  Mary Cowan’s story is a chilling tale of deceit and murder, leaving a haunting legacy in the annals of American criminal history.

1905 – Christine Papin – was one-half of the infamous Papin sisters, who were convicted of a brutal double murder in Le Mans, France. Christine and her sister Léa worked as live-in maids for the Lancelin family. On February 2, 1933, the sisters committed a heinous crime that shocked the nation: they murdered their employer’s wife and daughter.  The early life of Christine was marked by family turmoil. She was born to Clémence Derré and Gustave Papin in Le Mans. Her mother was rumored to be having an affair with her employer, which led to a strained marriage. After Christine’s birth, she was given to her paternal aunt and uncle, with whom she lived happily for seven years.  Christine’s desire to become a nun was thwarted by her mother, who instead placed her in employment. Along with Léa, Christine worked in various homes in Le Mans, often preferring to work together with her sister. From about 1926, they were employed by the Lancelin family.  The murder case had a significant impact on French intellectuals and was considered symbolic of class struggle by some. Christine was sentenced to death, which was later commuted to life in prison. She was transferred to a mental asylum in Rennes, where she died on May 18, 1937. The Papin sisters’ story has been the subject of various cultural and intellectual analyses, forming the basis of publications, plays, and films.

1940 – Leslie Isben Rogge – is known for being the first criminal on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list to be apprehended due to the internet. His criminal career included car theft and grand larceny, leading to his imprisonment at the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas, during the 1970s.  In 1984, Rogge was convicted and sentenced to 25 years for a bank robbery in Key Largo, Florida. However, in September 1985, he managed to escape from prison in Moscow, Idaho, by bribing a corrections officer. Following his escape, Rogge continued his criminal activities, committing additional bank robberies across the United States.  On January 24, 1990, Rogge’s notoriety earned him a spot as the 430th fugitive on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, where he remained for six years. He was featured on television programs such as “Unsolved Mysteries” and “America’s Most Wanted” multiple times.  Rogge’s approach to bank robberies involved meticulous planning, including determining viable targets and devising escape plans. He and his partner would use a police scanner to monitor the bank’s alarm system and police activity, and they employed distractions like timed smoke bombs to aid their escapes.  Ultimately, Rogge’s run from the law ended on May 19, 1996, when he surrendered at the United States Embassy in Guatemala after being recognized from his photo on the FBI website. While on the run, he had spent time in Antigua Guatemala under the alias “Bill Young”. Rogge stole more than $2 million and robbed approximately 30 banks during his criminal career. He is currently serving a 65-year sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Sheridan, Oregon, with a scheduled release date of May 29, 2034, at the age of 94.  Leslie Isben Rogge’s story is a testament to the reach of modern technology and its role in law enforcement, marking a significant moment in the history of crime and its resolution.

1950 – Patrick Gene Poland – He became infamously known for his involvement in the 1977 Arizona armored car robbery alongside his brother, Michael Kent Poland. On May 24, 1977, the Poland brothers committed an armed robbery of an armored car along Interstate 17, during which they murdered the two guards of the car. The guards, Russell Dempsey and Cecil Newkirk were on duty for Purolator Courier when they were pulled over by the Poland brothers, who were impersonating police officers. After robbing the armored car of $293,000 worth of paper currency, the brothers took the lives of the guards and disposed of their bodies in Lake Mead.  The investigation into the robbery and murders led to the arrest of the Poland brothers, who were both eventually executed for their crimes. Patrick Gene Poland was executed on March 15, 2000. His story, along with his brother’s, is a grim chapter in the history of crime in Arizona.

1957 – Anthony Bartee – He had a criminal history that included two counts of aggravated rape for which he was sentenced to 10 and 33 years in Bexar County. Bartee was on parole when he committed the offense that led to his capital murder charge.  On August 15, 1996, in San Antonio, Texas, Bartee murdered his 37-year-old neighbor, David Cook. He used a 9-millimeter pistol to fatally shoot Cook in the head and neck. After the murder, Bartee stole Cook’s motorcycle and fled the scene. There were no co-defendants in the case, and the victim was a white male.  Bartee’s case went through the legal system, and he was sentenced to death on September 3, 1998. He faced execution after losing a federal court appeal, which moved him a step closer to execution. Bartee’s defense argued that DNA evidence showed someone else was at Cook’s home the night of the slaying, but the appeals court decided the evidence would show no one other than Bartee was responsible for stabbing Cook in the throat after he’d been shot. Bartee contended that two gang members committed the slaying, but this claim was not substantiated.  Bartee’s execution date was set, and he faced the death penalty for his crimes

1958 – David Wyatt Jones – is known for his criminal activities that led to his conviction and death sentence. On January 31, 1995, Lori McRae was abducted from a parking lot and later found murdered in a neighboring county. The evidence suggested that the most likely cause of death was ligature strangulation. Over the two days following her abduction, Jones stole $600 from McRae’s ATM account, with the first withdrawal occurring on the morning of the murder. Jones was captured on the bank’s security camera during one of these transactions.  Jones was apprehended on February 1, 1995, near an ATM that police were staking out. At the time of his arrest, he was driving McRae’s Chevy Blazer and had bloody scratches on his face and reddish stains on his jeans, which DNA testing later revealed to be McRae’s blood. Traces of blood were also found in the Blazer.  After his arrest, Jones confessed to the murder and led police to where he had hidden McRae’s body. The body was badly decomposed, making it difficult to determine the exact cause of death, but the medical examiner opined that it was due to ligature strangulation. McRae’s body exhibited multiple bruises and defensive wounds, and there was evidence linking Jones to the crime through items found at the scene.  Jones was sentenced to death on April 25, 1997, for his crimes

1961 – Gregg Francis Braun – He was the son of a prominent lawyer, Lelyn Braun, and pursued a college degree in criminal justice. Unfortunately, Braun’s life took a dark turn, and he became known for his criminal activities. In 1989, Braun was convicted for the murder of Gwendolyn Sue Miller. His criminal record extended beyond this case, as he was also responsible for the deaths of Barbara Kochendorfer, Mary Raines, Pete Spurrier, and Geraldine Valdez. These crimes spanned across multiple states, including Kansas, Texas, and New Mexico.  Braun’s actions ultimately led to his execution on July 20, 2000, in Oklahoma, at the age of 39.

1961 – Ernest D. Jamison – is known for his criminal activities and the tragic consequences of his actions. He became infamous for a multi-state crime spree that resulted in the loss of several lives.  On June 19, 1995, Jamison embarked on a series of violent crimes that led to the murder of three individuals: his friend Arthur Kirkwood, aged 24; James Klug, a 67-year-old gas station attendant; and Sue Gilmore, aged 52. The method of murder in all cases was shooting, and the crimes spanned across Illinois, Missouri, and Tennessee.  Jamison’s criminal actions were met with swift justice, and he was sentenced to death in Illinois on February 21, 1996

1962 – Jose Santellan Sr  – was a man whose life was marked by a tragic and violent crime. Born in Texas, Santellan’s life took a dark turn on August 22, 1993, when he murdered his former girlfriend, Yolanda Garza, in the parking lot of Hill Country Memorial Hospital in Fredericksburg, Texas.  The incident occurred as Garza was leaving her job at the hospital. After a heated argument, Santellan shot Garza four times with a .25-caliber pistol. He then placed her body in his car and drove to a motel, where he engaged in disturbing acts with her body over the next two days.  Santellan’s criminal history included burglary, assault, shoplifting, and other offenses. He had been imprisoned twice and received early release both times due to prison population caps in Texas at the time.  On April 10, 2002, at the age of 40, Jose Santellan Sr. was executed by lethal injection in Huntsville, Texas, for his crimes

1972 – Timothy Tyler Titsworth – His life took a tragic turn when he became involved in criminal activities that led to a heinous crime. On July 23, 1993, Titsworth, then 21 years old, argued with his girlfriend, Christine Sossaman, aged 26, in their trailer home in Amarillo, Texas. After leaving to purchase crack cocaine, Titsworth returned and brutally attacked Sossaman with a dull axe while she slept, striking her approximately 16 times. He then proceeded to steal her credit cards and car, and over the following days, he and some friends returned to the trailer multiple times to take additional property to sell for drug money.  Titsworth’s criminal history began in childhood, with a record of burglary, drug possession, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. He had been released on “shock probation” after serving less than three months of a five-year prison sentence due to Texas’s strict prison population caps at the time. There was an arrest warrant out for him at the time of the murder. While awaiting trial, Titsworth was involved in a jailbreak but was recaptured after a high-speed chase in a stolen car. He was executed by lethal injection on June 6, 2006, in Huntsville, Texas, for the murder and robbery of Christine Sossaman. His life story is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of crime and substance abuse.

1974 – Jason Demetrius Stephens – He became known for his involvement in a heinous crime that took place on June 2, 1997.  On that fateful day, Stephens, along with several accomplices, broke into the home of Robert Sparrow, Jr. The group intended to commit robbery, and they did not hesitate to use violence to achieve their goals. During the incident, Stephens was armed with a 9-mm firearm and used it to intimidate the occupants of the home. In a tragic turn of events, 3-year-old Robert Sparrow III was murdered during the robbery.  Stephens was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Robert Sparrow III. Despite the gravity of his actions, Stephens refused to name his accomplices. One of the accomplices, Horace Cummings, turned himself in to authorities, but the others were never apprehended.  The case of Jason Demetrius Stephens is a grim reminder of the devastating impact of violent crime on individuals, families, and communities. He was sentenced to death on April 7, 1998, and his story serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of such actions.

1978 – Mohammed Bouyeri – He is known for his involvement in the assassination of Dutch film director Theo van Gogh. Bouyeri is a convicted terrorist currently serving a life sentence without parole at the Nieuw Vosseveld prison in Vught, Netherlands.  Bouyeri’s early life was marked by a change in his educational pursuits; he switched majors several times at university and left after five years without obtaining a degree. He was known to the police as a member of a group of Moroccan “problem youth” and for a time, worked as a volunteer at Eigenwijks, a neighborhood organization in Amsterdam’s Slotervaart suburb.  After the death of his mother and his father’s remarriage in the fall of 2003, Bouyeri began to adopt a strict interpretation of Sunni Islamic Sharia law, which led to changes in his lifestyle and behavior. He grew a beard, started wearing a djellaba, and became less involved in community activities due to his religious beliefs.  Bouyeri was associated with the El Tawheed mosque, where he met other radical Sunnis, including the suspected terrorist Samir Azzouz. He is said to have been a part of the Hofstad Network, a Dutch terrorist cell.  On November 2, 2004, Bouyeri assassinated Theo van Gogh in Amsterdam. Van Gogh was a filmmaker who, along with Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali refugee and member of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, directed a short film called “Submission, Part I,” which critiqued Islam and violence against women. The assassination took place in the early morning as van Gogh was bicycling to work. Bouyeri was 26 years old at the time of the murder.

Deaths

William Poole

1855 – William Poole – also known as “Bill the Butcher,” was born on July 24, 1821, in Sussex County, New Jersey. He was a notable figure in mid-19th-century New York City, recognized for his leadership of the Washington Street Gang, which later became known as the Bowery Boys. Poole was also a local leader of the Know Nothing political movement, which was characterized by its nativist attitudes during that time.  Poole’s family moved to New York City in 1832, where they opened a butcher shop in Washington Market, Manhattan. This is where he earned his nickname “Bill the Butcher,” both for his profession and his reputation as a bare-knuckle boxer known for his brutal fighting style. He was described as a large man, weighing over two hundred pounds and standing about six feet tall, with a fighting style that was not averse to extreme measures such as biting off noses or gouging out eyeballs.  In addition to his work as a butcher, Poole was involved with the Howard (Red Rover) Volunteer Fire Engine Company #34. During this period, volunteer fire groups were essential in controlling fires in New York City, and these groups often had close ties with street gangs. Poole’s gang, the Bowery Boys, was known for their tactics in ensuring that they were the ones to extinguish fires, often leading to fights over fire hydrants with rival gangs.  Poole’s life came to a violent end when he was murdered by gunshot on March 8, 1855, at the age of 33. His death was the result of a feud with supporters of his political rival, John Morrissey of Tammany Hall. Poole was laid to rest in Green-Wood Cemetery, Kings County, New York.  His legacy as a gang leader and political figure in the tumultuous environment of 19th-century New York has been immortalized in various forms of media, including the portrayal of a fictionalized version of him in the film “Gangs of New York.”

1915 – Arthur Rottman – At the onset of the First World War, Arthur Rottman, hailing from Germany, found himself aboard a New Zealand vessel. With the war’s escalation, he was taken into custody in New Zealand and subsequently assigned to labor on a farm situated near Ruahine. It was there that he came to reside at the dairy farm operated by Joseph and Mary McCann.  The events that unfolded on December 27, 1914, were tragic. Following an episode of heavy drinking, Rottman and Joseph McCann engaged in a heated dispute. The altercation escalated later that day when, during a repair task in the cowshed, McCann suffered multiple axe blows. Legal proceedings later confirmed that McCann had been struck a total of six times. In a harrowing extension of the violence, Mary McCann and her infant child also fell victim to axe attacks within the farmhouse. In the aftermath, Rottman boarded a train bound for Wellington.  While in Wellington, Rottman sought employment and took up temporary residence at a construction site. It was there that William Kelly grew wary of him after coming across a newspaper article detailing the “Ruahine Axe Murders.” Acting on his suspicions, Kelly alerted the authorities, leading to Rottman’s apprehension.  The court proceedings concluded on February 13, 1915, with Rottman being convicted for the murders. He received a death sentence and was executed at Wellington’s old Terrace Gaol on March 8, 1915.

1945 – Karl Gustav Hulten – born in Sweden in 1922, is infamously known for his involvement in the “Cleft Chin Murder” alongside Elizabeth Jones. His early life saw him emigrating to the United States, growing up in Massachusetts, and working various jobs including as a grocery clerk and mechanic. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hulten enlisted in the U.S. Army and was trained as a paratrooper. However, he deserted in 1944, during his deployment in England for the D-Day invasion.  Hulten’s criminal activities began after meeting Elizabeth Jones, an eighteen-year-old waitress, in a tea shop on October 3, 1944. For six days, they committed a series of crimes, including robbery and assault. Their most notorious act was the murder of George Edward Heath, a taxi driver, which led to their moniker due to Heath’s distinctive cleft chin. They were both found guilty of murder and sentenced to death. While Jones’s sentence was later commuted and she was released in 1954, Hulten was executed at Pentonville Prison on March 8, 1945. His story and the sensational nature of the crimes have been referenced in cultural works, including George Orwell’s essay “Decline of the English Murder.”

1951 – Martha Beck – born Martha Jule Seabrook on May 6, 1920, in Milton, Florida, is known for her role as one half of the infamous “Lonely Hearts Killers” duo, alongside Raymond Martinez Fernandez. Beck’s early life was marked by hardship; she was raised by a domineering mother after her father abandoned the family when she was ten years old. Struggling with weight issues and early puberty, Beck faced bullying and claimed to have been sexually assaulted by her brother, which led to further abuse when she confided in her mother.  Beck pursued a career in nursing after completing her education but faced challenges due to her physical appearance. She eventually found work as an undertaker’s assistant and later as a nurse at an army hospital in California, where she engaged in promiscuous behavior that resulted in an unwanted pregnancy. After returning to Florida, Beck fabricated a story about the child’s father, a supposed serviceman who died in action, to gain sympathy and employment at a Pensacola hospital.  Her criminal activities began after meeting Raymond Fernandez through Lonely Hearts ads in newspapers. Between 1947 and 1949, the pair were involved in a series of murders, targeting single women and ultimately being convicted of one murder, although they were suspected of killing nearly 17 victims. Their trial in 1949 brought them notoriety as “The Lonely Hearts Killers,” a name derived from their method of finding victims. Martha Beck was executed at Sing Sing prison on March 8, 1951. Her life and crimes have since been the subject of various films and TV shows, cementing her place in criminal history.

1951 – Raymond Fernandez – See above

1963 – Patrick Mahon McGee – The defendant, Patrick McGee, was convicted of First Degree Murder on December 16, 1959, following an incident that occurred on July 31, 1959. McGee, accompanied by Millie Fain, his companion for about eight months, was traveling through Coconino County, Arizona, en route to California. Ary J. Best, the murder victim, offered assistance to McGee and Fain, whose car had broken down approximately twelve miles east of Flagstaff, alongside U.S. Highway 66.  In a shocking turn of events, without any provocation, McGee stabbed Ary J. Best, an arthritic cripple, four times in the chest and back, seemingly with the intent to rob. After the fatal attack, McGee placed the murder weapon, a large hunting knife, in Millie Fain’s hand and instructed her to stab the dying victim twice in the neck. Following this gruesome act, McGee and Fain robbed Best’s pockets, stole his car and personal belongings, and made no attempt to report the crime to the authorities.  Rather than seeking help, McGee and Fain squandered the stolen money in Flagstaff and Williams, engaging in a drinking spree before leaving for California by train. They were apprehended in Los Angeles on August 1, 1959.  During the trial, McGee initially denied guilt, asserting that he killed Best in self-defense against an attempted rape of Millie Fain. He maintained this version on the witness stand, suggesting he acted in response to either resisting a rape or thwarting an act of solicitation by Fain that appeared to him as forcible sexual intercourse.  Contrarily, Millie Fain contradicted McGee’s account, testifying that the killing was unprovoked, and followed an unsuccessful solicitation for money from Ary J. Best at the insistence of Patrick McGee. Polygraphic examinations conducted on Millie Fain supported her version, confirming that McGee’s motive was robbery, coupled with the intent to commit murder, rather than self-defense against a rape attempt.

1977 – Guerry Wayne Hertz – is a convicted murderer currently on death row in the United States. He was found guilty of the first-degree murders of Melanie King and Robin Keith Spears, which occurred on July 27, 1997. The case was marked by its brutality; the victims were found in their burning home, having been shot and then set on fire. Hertz, along with accomplices Jason Looney and Jimmy Dempsey, carried out a robbery that escalated into arson and murder. The trio had initially left an acquaintance’s house on foot and, upon encountering the victims’ home, decided to rob it. After binding and gagging the victims, they shot them and set the house ablaze to cover up the crime. Hertz was sentenced to death on February 18, 2000, and his appeals for postconviction relief have been denied.

2001 – Michael Hilderbrand Sr – In a tragic series of events in Greer, South Carolina, a man was suspected of fatally shooting his estranged wife, her young daughter, and their son. Following the incident, he allegedly attempted to destroy their shared antique shop. The suspect, identified as 43-year-old Michael Hilderbrand Sr., later took his own life during a police pursuit in Virginia.  Hilderbrand had become the focus of an extensive manhunt after investigators discovered evidence suggesting he might attempt to escape to Mexico. Arrest warrants were issued, charging him with the murder of his 36-year-old wife, Sandra, his 8-year-old stepdaughter, Caitlin Williams, and his 5-year-old son, Michael Jr.  The victims were discovered deceased in their beds, with Sandra Hilderbrand having sustained multiple gunshot wounds to her face and head, and each child suffering a single gunshot wound to the head, as reported by Greenville County Coroner Parks Evans.  The shootings are believed to have occurred after a court order that mandated Hilderbrand to vacate the family residence and cease all contact with his family members. Sandra Hilderbrand had expressed fear for her safety in legal documents, citing concerns about her husband’s size and his bipolar disorder.

2005 – William Henry Smith – In Cincinnati, Smith encountered Janice Echols and her companion, 47-year-old Mary Bradford, at the Race Inn. After spending several hours socializing and consuming drinks, the group moved on to the Queen Anne Café. Around 1:30 am, they left the café, dropping off Ms. Echols at another bar.  Subsequently, Smith accompanied Ms. Bradford to her residence, where, following the consumption of alcohol and purported cocaine that belonged to him, they engaged in sexual activity. After some time, Smith left but returned upon discovering that a portion of his cocaine was missing. Confronting the victim, who denied taking the drugs, escalated into a violent altercation.  Smith proceeded to stab the victim approximately 10 times in the neck, right breast, and right chest. As she lay on the bed, fatally wounded, Smith shockingly engaged in another act of intercourse with her. Following this disturbing act, he pilfered two televisions and a stereo system belonging to the victim.  Upon apprehension, Smith initially denied any involvement in the crime but later confessed to stabbing the victim in the neck and engaging in further acts of violence.

2005 – George Anderson Hopper – was a man whose actions led to a tragic and complex criminal case. Born around 1956, Hopper became infamously known for his role in the murder-for-hire of Rozanne Gailiunas, a 33-year-old woman, in 1983. The case was one of the most intricate and complex ever in Dallas County, Texas, and took authorities years to unravel, leading them across international borders.  On October 4, 1983, in Richardson, Texas, Rozanne Gailiunas was found by her 4-year-old son, lying on her bed, bloody, naked, and unconscious. She had been strangled, shot twice in the head, and her mouth was stuffed with tissue. She succumbed to her injuries two days later. The investigation revealed a tangled web of relationships and motives, involving Rozanne’s affair with a wealthy homebuilder, Larry Aylor, and the subsequent reconciliation of Aylor with his wife, Joy Aylor, who was initially a suspect in the case.  It wasn’t until years later that the full story came to light. Joy Aylor, bitter over her husband’s affair, initiated a complicated scheme to have Rozanne Gailiunas killed. She paid William Garland, her sister’s husband, $5,000 to carry out the murder. Garland, along with another man, Brian Kreafle, then hired George Anderson Hopper for $1,500 to execute the crime.  Hopper eluded capture for five months but was finally arrested in December 1988 near Dallas. He gave detailed confessions in February 1989, admitting to posing as a flower delivery man to gain entry to Gailiunas’ home, where he attempted to rape her, strangled her with pantyhose, and shot her in the head twice through a pillow when she resisted.  George Anderson Hopper was executed by lethal injection on March 8, 2005, in Huntsville, Texas, at the age of 49. Before his execution, he expressed remorse for his actions, acknowledging the irreversible harm he caused to many lives

2012 – Robert Charles Towery – was a man whose life took a dark turn leading to a tragic end. Born in 1964, Towery’s life was marked by a series of wrong choices that culminated in a crime that would cost him his life.  In 1991, Towery was convicted for the murder of Mark Jones, a 68-year-old man from Scottsdale, Arizona. The crime was committed during a robbery at Jones’ home, where Towery, seeking financial gain, strangled his victim to death. The case was particularly gruesome as reports indicated that Towery had injected battery acid into his victim before the strangulation.  Towery’s life was one of regret, as he acknowledged in his final moments. Before his execution by lethal injection on March 8, 2012, he expressed remorse for his actions, apologizing to both the family of Mark Jones and his own family. He reflected on his life, stating that it was “mistake after mistake after mistake,” and broke down in tears during his final statement.  His last words were cryptic, “potato, potato, potato,” which was later revealed to be a secret message to his nephew, signifying the sound of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle idling—a shared interest between them and a way of telling his nephew that everything was okay.

Events

Timothy McVeigh

1973 – Paul & Linda McCartney are fined £100 for growing cannabis

1987 – The FBI apprehends most wanted Claude L Dallas Jr in California

1990 – New York City’s Zodiac killer shoots his 1st victim, Mario Orosco

1993 – Nigerian singer Fela Kuti arrested again on suspicion of murder

1999 – The Supreme Court of the United States upholds the murder convictions of Timothy McVeigh for the Oklahoma City bombings