Births
Isabel Luberza Oppenheimer
1901 – Isabel Luberza Oppenheimer – better known as “Isabel la Negra,” was a complex and controversial figure in Puerto Rican history. Born in 1901 in the San Anton neighborhood of Ponce, her early life remains shrouded in mystery. There are conflicting stories, some suggesting a teenage heartbreak that propelled her into a life outside the social norms, while others claim she married a wealthy American. What is clear is that by the late 1930s, Isabel had established herself as a prominent figure in Ponce’s nightlife. Her brothel, “Elizabeth’s Dancing Club,” became a notorious yet well-known establishment, attracting influential patrons and generating a great deal of local gossip. Isabel’s legacy is a mixed bag. On the one hand, she was a shrewd businesswoman who defied societal expectations. On the other, she operated in a controversial industry. However, there’s another facet to consider. Isabel was known for her charitable works, supporting those in need within her community. Isabel la Negra’s life ended tragically in 1974 when she was caught in the crossfire of a gunfight at one of her establishments. Despite the circumstances surrounding her death, her story continues to be a source of fascination in Puerto Rico. She is remembered in folklore and even inspired a 1979 film titled “Life of Sin.
1938 – Charles Harrelson – Born in 1938, Harrelson had a brief stint in the Navy before becoming an encyclopedia salesman. However, he soon turned to a life of crime, with his first arrest for robbery coming in 1959. Harrelson later claimed involvement in numerous murders-for-hire throughout the 1960s. Though details remain murky, he was acquitted of one murder charge in 1970. In 1 (1973), he was convicted of killing a grain dealer for $2,000 but served only five years due to good behavior. Harrelson’s most infamous act came in 1979. He was convicted of assassinating Judge John H. Wood Jr., the first federal judge killed in the 20th century. The murder was reportedly ordered by a drug trafficker for $250,000. Harrelson received two life sentences and died in a supermax prison in 2007. Charles Harrelson’s criminal life cast a long shadow over his family, including his son, actor Woody Harrelson.
1941 – Lemuel Smith – Raised in a religious household, Smith exhibited signs of violence from a young age. Claims of attempted murder and a possible link to a local killing cast a shadow over his formative years. A brutal assault in 1958 marked the beginning of a series of crimes. Smith was eventually convicted for several murders, showcasing a growing capacity for brutality. While already serving a life sentence, Smith cemented his place in infamy by killing a corrections officer at Green Haven Correctional Facility. This act sent shockwaves through the prison system and highlighted security concerns. Considered one of the most dangerous inmates in the New York prison system, Smith remains in near-solitary confinement. His crimes serve as a stark reminder of the potential for violence and the challenges faced by the justice system. Lemuel Smith’s story is a cautionary tale, a chilling example of how a troubled youth can spiral into a life of monstrous violence. His crimes continue to be studied and debated, a grim reminder of the darkness that can lurk beneath the surface.
1942 – Myra Hindley – name is synonymous with one of Britain’s most horrifying crimes: the Moors murders. Born in 1942 in Manchester, England, Hindley’s upbringing was far from ideal. She spent much of her childhood with her grandmother after a strained relationship with her parents. A personal tragedy, the drowning death of a close friend at 15, further isolated her and led her to leave school. In 1961, at 18, Hindley’s life took a fateful turn when she met Ian Brady. Working as a clerk, she was drawn to Brady’s dark charisma. Their relationship soon took a sinister turn, fueled by shared fantasies of violence and a twisted fascination with Nazism. Hindley became Brady’s willing accomplice in a series of horrific acts. Between 1963 and 1965, the pair lured five children to their deaths on Saddleworth Moor outside Manchester. The murders, known as the Moors murders, were characterized by extreme cruelty and a disturbing sexual sadism. Despite her claims of innocence, Hindley was arrested in 1965 and ultimately convicted of three murders. Sentenced to life imprisonment, she remained behind bars for 36 years, never truly admitting the full extent of her crimes. While in prison, she converted to Catholicism and claimed to be a changed woman, but many remained unconvinced. Myra Hindley’s story is a chilling reminder of the depths of human depravity. Her crimes continue to shock and horrify, leaving a dark stain on British history.
1957 – Francesco Mangione – is an Italian-born Australian who gained notoriety for his criminal activities. He moved to Australia in 1969 and initially worked as an electrical apprentice. In 1978, he was recognized as the outstanding radio tradesman apprentice by the Industrial Training Commission of Victoria. Mangione’s life took a darker turn when he became involved in a violent turf war over ice cream vending routes with his cousin, Denis Giunta. This conflict culminated in the tragic murder of Giunta on February 5, 2002. Mangione attacked Giunta with a homemade sword, resulting in Giunta’s death. Mangione was subsequently convicted of the murder and sentenced to 22 years in prison, with a non-parole period of 18 years. Despite his conviction, Mangione has maintained his innocence.
1960 – Robert Beeler Power – He is known for his criminal activities, particularly the heinous crime he committed in 1987. Power was convicted of the rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl named Angeli Bare in Orange County, Florida. This crime led to his arrest and subsequent sentencing to death on November 8, 1990. Before this crime, Power had a history of sexual assaults, including incidents involving two sisters in Kissimmee, Florida. He remained at large for about a month before being apprehended. Power spent over two decades on death row before dying of natural causes while awaiting execution.
1968 – Reginald Love Powell – On November 14, 1986, Reginald Powell and three companions went to a liquor store to obtain alcohol. They encountered Freddie and Lee Miller and asked them to buy liquor since they were underage, but the Miller brothers refused. Later that evening, Powell and his friends met the Miller brothers again in a friend’s backyard. Both groups were intoxicated. Powell made a derogatory remark and urged his companions to rob the Millers. When one of the Millers called them “punks,” the group attacked, brutally beating the brothers with bricks, boards, and tree branches. Lee Miller begged for his life during the assault. After the beating, Powell jumped on the chests of the Miller brothers, breaking most of their ribs. He and two others searched the victims, finding only three dollars and a pack of cigarettes. The group left, but Powell stayed behind and stabbed both brothers three times each with a butterfly knife, causing fatal internal bleeding. Powell later rejoined his companions, wiping the bloody knife on the ground and boasting about the stabbings. The police learned of Powell’s involvement from his step-brother and arrested him the next day. Powell confessed to the murders during questioning.
1973 – Michael Dee Mattson – was a notorious American serial killer. His early life was marked by severe physical abuse from his father and stepfather, leading to a troubled childhood filled with violent tendencies and criminal behavior. Mattson’s criminal activities escalated over time, culminating in a series of brutal crimes in the late 1970s. He was convicted of multiple counts of rape, kidnapping, and murder, targeting young females ranging in age from 9 to 22 years old. His heinous acts earned him a death sentence in 1980. Despite his conviction, Mattson spent nearly three decades on death row before dying in a medical facility outside San Quentin State Prison on July 17, 2009.
1974 – Alexander Tchayka – is a notorious spree killer known as “The Fur Coat Hunter.” His criminal activities spanned a brief but violent period in early 1994, during which he murdered four women in Moscow, Russia. Tchayka’s criminal history began at a young age. In 1989, at just 14 years old, he was arrested and convicted for participating in the gang-rape of a young girl, resulting in a five-year prison sentence. He was released early on parole in July 1993 for “excellent behavior.” After his release, Tchayka moved to Moscow, where he committed his first murder on January 31, 1994, by stabbing a 38-year-old woman 21 times. Over the next two weeks, he killed three more women, all of whom were wearing fur coats, which led to his nickname. His final victim was murdered on February 12, 1994. Tchayka was eventually apprehended on February 14, 1994, after a detective noticed his suspicious behavior and matching description. He confessed to the murders and was sentenced to death, but his sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment due to a moratorium on the death penalty in Russia.
1984 – Kaid Mohamed – is a former professional footballer who played primarily as a winger. He began his career in Welsh football with clubs like Ely Rangers, Cwmbrân Town, Llanelli, and Carmarthen Town. Mohamed gained prominence during the 2006-07 season, scoring two goals for Carmarthen in their Welsh Cup final victory. In June 2007, he signed a professional contract with Swindon Town, marking the start of his career in the English Football League. Over the years, he played for various clubs, including Torquay United, Forest Green Rovers, Newport County, Bath City, AFC Wimbledon, Cheltenham Town, Port Vale, Bristol Rovers, Northampton Town, and several others. Mohamed’s career highlights include helping Bath City win promotion at the end of the 2009-10 season by scoring the only goal in the play-off final and playing a key role in AFC Wimbledon’s Conference Premier play-off final victory. He also had notable stints with Cheltenham Town, where he scored 15 goals in 84 appearances. Unfortunately, his post-football life took a downturn. In October 2023, Mohamed was convicted and sentenced to eleven years and six months in prison for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
Deaths
Andrew Cunanan’s FBI poster
1908 – Marie Margarethe Beier – commonly known as Grete Beier, was born on September 15, 1885, in Brand-Erbisdorf, Saxony, Germany. She was the daughter of Ernst Theodor Beier, the mayor of Brand-Erbisdorf, and his wife, Ida Karoline Clausnitzer. Grete’s life took a dark turn in the early 1900s. In 1905, she secretly became engaged to Johannes Heinrich Merker, a clerk, without her parents’ knowledge. However, after discovering his infidelity, she ended the relationship and became engaged to Heinrich Moritz Curt Pressler, a chief engineer, in 1906. This engagement was troubled, and Grete reconnected with Merker, leading to a series of criminal activities. In 1907, Grete committed a series of frauds and ultimately murdered her fiancé, Pressler, by poisoning him with cyanide and staging his death as a suicide. Her crimes were discovered, and she was arrested in June 1907. After a trial, she was found guilty and sentenced to death. Grete Beier was executed by guillotine on July 23, 1908, making her the last woman publicly executed in the Kingdom of Saxony. Her case attracted significant attention due to her age, background, and the elaborate nature of her crimes.
1997 – Joseph Roger O’Dell III – was an American man who gained significant attention due to his controversial conviction and execution for the murder, rape, and sodomy of Helen Schartner in Virginia Beach in 1985. O’Dell was arrested in 1985 and convicted in 1986, largely based on blood evidence. Throughout his time on death row, he maintained his innocence and became known for his high-profile legal battles and public campaigns. O’Dell’s case attracted international attention, with notable figures such as Pope John Paul II and Sister Helen Prejean advocating on his behalf. Despite these efforts, his appeals were unsuccessful, and he was executed on July 23, 1997. His story is detailed in Sister Helen Prejean’s book, “The Death of Innocents.”
1997 – Andrew Cunanan – was an American serial killer who gained notoriety for a series of murders over three months in 1997. Born in National City, California, Cunanan was the youngest of four children. His father, Modesto Cunanan, was a Filipino-American who served in the U.S. Navy and later became a stockbroker, while his mother, Mary Anne Schillaci, was an Italian-American homemaker. Cunanan was known for his intelligence, boasting an IQ of 147, and attended the prestigious Bishop’s School in La Jolla, California. Despite his academic potential, he developed a reputation for being a prolific liar and was known to change his appearance frequently. He identified as gay during high school and began relationships with wealthy older men. In 1997, Cunanan embarked on a killing spree that claimed the lives of five individuals, including the famous fashion designer Gianni Versace and Chicago real estate developer Lee Miglin. His motives remain unclear, but his actions were marked by brutality and a lack of remorse. Cunanan’s life ended in suicide on July 23, 1997, in Miami Beach, Florida, eight days after murdering Versace.
1998 – Danny Lee King – was an American individual who gained notoriety due to his involvement in a heinous crime. In 1990, King, along with his former wife, committed the brutal murder of Carolyn Rogers. The crime took place in Virginia, where Rogers was lured to a vacant house under the false pretense of a property sale. Once there, she was subjected to a vicious attack, involving beating, kicking, choking, and stabbing. King was subsequently arrested, tried, and convicted for his role in the murder. He was sentenced to death and was executed by lethal injection on July 23, 1998.
2003 – Bobby Wayne Swisher – Swisher abducted Dawn McNees Snyder from her flower shop at knifepoint. He later raped her and slit her throat before dumping her body in the South River. Despite her severe injuries, the 22-year-old mother managed to crawl back onto land before succumbing to her wounds in a riverside field. Her body was discovered 16 days later. In a confession to the police, Swisher revealed that he decided to kill Snyder because she had seen his face. He described pulling out a butcher knife, slitting her across the left side of her face, then her throat, and finally gouging her before tossing her into the river. He walked along the riverbank, watching her struggle in the water, and asked, “Are you dead yet?” After some time, Swisher saw Snyder crawl up the bank. Panicked, he fled the scene, running straight to his house. He disposed of the knife by throwing it into the river.
2008 – Francis “Frank the German” Schwehs – was a shadowy figure who carved a violent path through the Chicago underworld. Born in 1932, Schwehs’ exact heritage remains unclear, although his nickname stuck. By the 1960s, he had become a feared enforcer within the Chicago Outfit, a ruthless organized crime syndicate. Schwehs’ rise within the Outfit is shrouded in secrecy. However, his reputation for violence preceded him. He is suspected of participating in numerous murders over the decades, including those of prominent figures like the Spilotro brothers and Allen Dorfman, a powerful figure in the Teamsters Union. Whispers also connected Schwehs to the deaths of Outfit bosses and associates like Sam Giancana and John Roselli. Despite operating in the shadows, Schwehs’ criminal activities eventually caught up to him. In 1989, he faced justice for extortion and received a prison sentence of over 13 years. But for law enforcement, Schwehs was more than just a convicted hoodlum. Authorities believed he possessed crucial information on past Outfit murders. Federal prosecutors were reportedly planning charges against him at the time of his death in 2008, hoping to unlock the secrets he carried to his grave. Frank Schwehs’ legacy remains shrouded in mystery. While never conclusively proven, his suspected involvement in high-profile gangland killings continues to fuel speculation, particularly surrounding the conspiracy theories about Marilyn Monroe’s death. Schwehs’ story serves as a chilling reminder of the brutality of the Chicago Outfit and the unsolved mysteries that linger within the world of organized crime.
2013 – Derek Percy – was a prolific criminal suspected to be one of Australia’s worst serial killers. While only convicted of one murder, he was linked to the disappearances and deaths of multiple children in the 1960s. Born in 1948, Percy’s early life was marked by frequent moves across Australia with his family. By his late teens, he exhibited concerning behaviors, including stealing women’s clothing, dressing in them, and mutilating dolls. Percy served in the Australian Navy during the time of several unsolved child disappearances, including the Beaumont children and the Wanda Beach murders. Though never proven, authorities suspected him of involvement in these cases. In 1969, Percy was convicted of the murder of schoolboy Simon Brook. He spent the rest of his life in prison, labeled a person of interest in other unsolved child deaths. Percy died in 2013, taking many secrets to his grave. Derek Percy’s case remains a chilling reminder of the dangers posed by unidentified serial killers. His crimes continue to be investigated, and his connection to other unsolved cases is a source of ongoing speculation and heartbreak for the families of the victims.
2013 – Marvin Gray – was a notorious American serial killer known for his brutality and immense physical strength. Born in 1954 in rural Kentucky, Gray’s upbringing was marked by hardship. Details are sketchy, but reports suggest a troubled childhood with physical discipline and early exposure to methamphetamines to treat anxiety. By his early twenties, Gray had a criminal record and found himself incarcerated. It was within the prison system that Gray’s crimes escalated. His imposing physique, fueled by an obsession with weightlifting, made him a dominant figure. Gray reportedly committed multiple rapes and murders of fellow inmates throughout the 1990s, culminating in his placement in solitary confinement at a high-security prison. Marvin Gray’s story is a chilling reminder of the potential for violence. His exceptional strength and history of mental health issues raise complex questions about rehabilitation and the prison system’s ability to manage dangerous individuals. Gray died in 2013, but his case continues to be a subject of fascination and study for criminologists.
2014 – Joseph R. Wood III – was an American convicted murderer. Born in 1958 in Texas, details about his early life are scarce. Military records show he served in the U.S. Air Force, but was discharged with reported struggles including alcoholism and emotional problems, possibly stemming from head injuries sustained in accidents. In 1989, Wood’s life took a tragic turn when he became involved in a violent situation with his ex-girlfriend, Debra Dietz. He stalked and ultimately murdered both Dietz and her father. Apprehended and convicted, Wood was sentenced to death. In 2014, he was executed by lethal injection at Florence State Prison in Arizona. The execution was marred by controversy, taking a grueling two hours and raising concerns about the protocol used. This incident led to a temporary suspension of executions in Arizona.
2015 – John Russell Houser – often called Rusty, was a troubled man who left a trail of controversy and violence in his wake. Born in 1955, details about his early life are scarce. Public records show he attended colleges in Georgia and Alabama. Mental illness reportedly played a role in his life, with bipolar disorder mentioned by family members. In 2005, disturbing signs emerged when domestic violence allegations surfaced, with his wife fearing for her safety. Houser gained a reputation for his extreme views on race, gender, and politics. Local Louisiana talk shows frequently featured him as a guest, where he would spout anti-government and far-right ideologies. These appearances seemed fueled by his desire to provoke, as his rants often sparked outrage from viewers. Houser’s life took a horrific turn on July 23, 2015, when he opened fire at a movie theater in Lafayette, Louisiana. The shooting tragically claimed the lives of two people and injured nine others before Houser ended his own life. While a clear motive for the attack hasn’t been established, his history of violence and extremism paint a picture of a deeply disturbed individual. The Lafayette shooting left a lasting scar on the community, serving as a grim reminder of the dangers of extremism and the importance of mental health awareness.
Events
James Farentino
1943 – The Rayleigh bath chair murder occurred in Rayleigh, Essex
1967 – In Detroit, Michigan, one of the worst riots in US history begins on 12th street in the predominantly African American inner city. It ultimately kills 43 people, injures 342 and burns about 1400 buildings
1977 – A Washington jury convicts 12 Hanafi Muslims on hostage charges
1978 – Franklin Bradshaw is murdered in Salt Lake City by his grandson Marc Schreuder at the instigation of his mother Frances Schreuder
1991 – James Farentino of “Dynasty” is arrested in Canada for cocaine possession
2007 – Cheshire, Connecticut home invasion murders
2015 – The Supreme Court rejects Bill Cosby’s petition against a civil case of his alleged sexual assault of 15-year-old girl at the Playboy mansion in 1974
