Births
Marianne Bachmeier
1803 – Giorgio Orsolano – was an Italian serial killer who was active in the Piedmont region of Italy in the early 1830s. He was known as “The Hyena of San Giorgio” for his savagery and the brutality of his crimes. Orsolano was born in San Giorgio Canavese, a small town not far from Ivrea. He was the son of a poor farmer and a devoutly religious mother. Orsolano’s father died when he was young, and his mother sent him to live with her brother, a priest. Orsolano’s early life was marked by poverty and neglect. He was a troubled child who was often in trouble with the law. He was convicted of theft and assault as a teenager, and he spent time in prison. In 1834, Orsolano began a series of murders that would terrorize the Piedmont region for over a year. His victims were all young women, and he would often mutilate their bodies after he killed them. Orsolano’s crimes finally caught up with him in 1835. He was arrested after he was seen attacking a young woman. He was tried and convicted of murder, and he was sentenced to death. Orsolano was executed by hanging on March 17, 1835. He was 31 years old. Orsolano’s crimes were a shock to the Piedmont region. He was the first serial killer to operate in Italy, and his savagery shocked the public. Orsolano’s case helped to raise awareness of the dangers of serial killers, and it led to the development of new methods for investigating and apprehending these criminals. Orsolano’s first victim was a young woman named Anna Maria Bertolino. She was abducted from her home in San Giorgio Canavese on October 15, 1834. Her body was found the next day, mutilated and strangled. Orsolano’s second victim was a young woman named Maria Domenica Ferrero. She was abducted from her home in Ivrea on November 15, 1834. Her body was found the next day, also mutilated and strangled. Orsolano’s third and final victim was a young woman named Teresa Maria Vercelli. She was abducted from her home in San Giorgio Canavese on March 1, 1835. Her body was found the next day, mutilated and strangled. In addition to these three murders, Orsolano is also believed to have committed other crimes, including theft, rape, kidnapping, and pedophilia. The investigation into Orsolano’s crimes was led by the Piedmontese police. The police were initially baffled by the nature of the crimes, but they eventually developed a profile of the killer. The police believed that the killer was a young man who was familiar with the Piedmont region. They also believed that the killer was sexually motivated and that he enjoyed mutilating his victims. The police eventually caught a break in the case when they received a tip from a local resident. The resident had seen a man matching the killer’s description attacking a young woman. The police arrested Orsolano on March 10, 1835. He confessed to the three murders, and he was subsequently convicted and sentenced to death.
1903 – Louis Rothkopf – He began his criminal career early, involved in petty theft and gambling. By the time Prohibition arrived in 1920, he was well-positioned to take advantage of the illegal liquor trade. Rothkopf built a bootlegging empire in Cleveland, amassing wealth and notoriety. He was known for his flamboyant lifestyle and ruthless business practices. As Prohibition ended in the 1930s, Rothkopf turned his attention to other ventures. He invested in casinos in Las Vegas, including the Desert Inn, and helped establish racetracks in Ohio and Kentucky. He became a close associate of other prominent Las Vegas figures, such as Moe Dalitz and Morris Kleinman. In 1951, Rothkopf and Kleinman were called to testify before the Senate Crime Investigation Committee, chaired by Senator Estes Kefauver. The committee was investigating organized crime, and Rothkopf’s bootlegging past made him a target. However, both men refused to testify, citing concerns about media attention. They were charged with contempt of Congress but were later cleared. Rothkopf died in 1956 at the age of 53. He left behind a complex legacy. While he was undoubtedly a criminal figure, he was also a shrewd businessman who helped shape the early development of Las Vegas. His story is a reminder of the dark side of the American dream, where ambition and opportunity can sometimes lead down a dangerous path.
1950 – Marianne Bachmeier – became a national figure known for the most dramatic act of vigilantism in post-war German history. Her life story, intertwined with the brutal murder of her daughter Anna, is a tragic tapestry of grief, rage, and a controversial pursuit of justice. Anna, a sweet and vibrant seven-year-old, was snatched from her bicycle ride in 1980. The discovery of her mutilated body shattered the Bachmeier family and unleashed a maelstrom of grief within Marianne. Klaus Grabowski, a drifter with a history of violence, was eventually apprehended and charged with the heinous crime. The trial became a crucible for Marianne’s anguish. Witnessing Grabowski’s nonchalant demeanor and the glacial pace of legal proceedings, a primal hunger for vengeance consumed her. On March 6, 1981, defying all logic and security, she smuggled a pistol into the Lübeck courtroom. Eight shots, swift and deadly, silenced Grabowski in the very seat where he stood accused. Marianne’s act sent shockwaves through Germany. Public opinion oscillated between outrage at her recklessness and sympathy for her unimaginable pain. Some saw her as a vengeful monster, while others hailed her as a desperate mother seeking justice denied by the system. Tried for manslaughter and illegal firearm possession, Marianne received a six-year sentence. Public support, however, led to her early release after three years. Unable to escape the glare of the media and her torment, she sought solace in marriage and relocation, even moving abroad. Yet, the burden of her deed and the loss of Anna gnawed at her soul. In 1996, succumbing to cancer, Marianne returned to Germany. Her death at the age of 46 marked the end of a life defined by both immense tragedy and a controversial act that continues to ignite debate. Marianne Bachmeier’s story remains a potent reminder of the devastating impact of violence, the complexities of grief, and the blurred lines between justice and personal vengeance. Whether she was a flawed heroine or a misguided soul consumed by rage, her actions left an indelible mark on German society, prompting introspection on the nature of justice and the limits of grief-stricken hearts.
1952 – Benjamin C. Stone – A man who expressed a desire for execution since strangling his ex-wife and stepdaughter two years ago saw his wish fulfilled. Benjamin Stone, aged 45, passed away via lethal injection on Thursday. Stone declined to make a final statement, signaling ‘no’ as one of his sisters wept and trembled. None of the relatives of the murder victims were present at the execution. “In my view, it’s the only way I’ll attain peace of mind,” Stone had mentioned in a previous interview. Stone had admitted to the police that he “just snapped” when explaining the reasons behind killing the two at their family home in Corpus Christi. Despite being offered legal assistance, Stone refused and declined to have any appeals filed on his behalf.
1956 – Bill J. Benefiel – was a resident of Terre Haute, Indiana, known for his heinous crimes that shocked the community. In 1987, Benefiel kidnapped two women and held them captive for months, subjecting them to physical and sexual abuse. One of the victims, 18-year-old Delores Wells, was held captive for 12 days before being killed. The other victim, Alicia Elmore, was held captive for four months and survived to testify against Benefiel. Benefiel’s crimes were so shocking that they were referred to as the “House of Horror”. His case was prosecuted by Phil Adler, the Vigo County Prosecutor at the time. After a three-week trial, Benefiel was convicted of murder, criminal confinement, rape, and criminal deviant conduct. The jury recommended the death penalty. Benefiel spent nearly two decades on death row. After more than 16 years of appeals, he was executed by lethal injection in April 2005. His last words were, “No, let’s get this over with. Let’s do it”. His execution marked the end of a dark chapter in Indiana’s history.
1957 – Robert Brice Morrow – was a former oilfield roughneck with a criminal record in at least three states. He was convicted for the 1996 abduction and murder of a 21-year-old Nevada college student named Lisa Allison. The crime occurred while Allison was home in Texas on spring break. Her body was found the next day in the Trinity River, having suffered 42 injuries. Morrow was arrested nearly four months later near a crack house in Houston. A computer check revealed he was wanted for the slaying. He was executed on November 5, 2004. In his last statement, Morrow expressed remorse for his actions and hoped his death would bring closure to the victim’s family.
1960 – Stephen Ray Nethery – In February 1981, convicted in the fatal shooting of 24-year-old Dallas Police Officer John T. McCarthy, Nethery was engaged in a disturbing incident. While in his car near White Rock Lake, he was assaulting a 22-year-old woman. McCarthy and his partner, Phillip Brown, arrived in their squad car, unaware of the ongoing assault. Instructing the pair to leave the area, the officers began to walk away. Unexpectedly, Nethery emerged from the car, uttered, “Officers, I’m sorry,” and fired three shots at McCarthy, hitting him in the back of the head. Responding, Brown fired three shots at Nethery, who then fled into the lake. Despite swimming a short distance, Nethery surrendered when Brown fired a fourth shot. Remarkably, none of the shots struck Nethery. McCarthy was swiftly taken to the hospital, succumbing to his injuries two days later.
1981 – Reginald Winthrop Blanton – He is known for a crime committed on April 13, 2000, in San Antonio, Texas. At the age of 18, Blanton, along with his twin brother Robert and Robert’s girlfriend LaToya Mayberry, went to the apartment of Carlos Garza, a 20-year-old acquaintance. While Mayberry waited in the car, the twins kicked in the door of Garza’s apartment and went inside. Two shots were fired, one of them hitting Garza in the forehead. After taking some jewelry and cash, and looking for drugs to steal, the twins returned to the car, and the party drove away. Garza was unconscious when emergency workers arrived but died on the way to the hospital. Two days later, Mayberry was arrested following an altercation with Robert. She then told the police about the murder. She said when she was sitting in the car, she heard “two booms” from the door being kicked in, then “two more booms” from the gunshots. She said she saw Reginald return to the car with jewelry in his hand, including two necklaces. She said Robert told her Garza confronted them while they were inside the apartment, and Reginald shot him. According to Mayberry, Reginald also stole $100 in cash. San Antonio police recovered Garza’s jewelry from a local pawn shop. Reginald Blanton was recorded on videotape about 20 minutes after the shooting, selling two of Garza’s gold necklaces and a religious medal for $79. At the time of arrest, he was wearing a ring and bracelet that had also belonged to Garza. As a juvenile, Blanton had convictions for burglary, auto theft, and unlawfully carrying a weapon, as well as for lesser charges including shoplifting, possession of marijuana, and trespassing. In May 2001, while awaiting trial for capital murder, he assaulted an inmate for testifying in another inmate’s capital murder trial. Reginald Winthrop Blanton was executed by lethal injection on October 27, 2009, in Huntsville, Texas, for robbing and murdering Carlos Garza.
1997 – Irineo Tristan Montoya – He is known for his involvement in a crime that took place in November 1985. Montoya and an accomplice, Juan Villavicencio, were convicted for the robbery and murder of 46-year-old John Edgar Kilheffer in Brownsville. Kilheffer, a resident of South Padre Island, was stabbed to death after offering Montoya and Villavicencio a ride as they were hitchhiking. Montoya was also suspected in the abduction, rape, and robbery of two Brownsville women. Montoya was sentenced to death in 1986. His case drew international attention as he was a Mexican citizen facing death by lethal injection in Texas. Human rights groups, law firms, and prominent individuals across North America signed an open letter to Texas Governor George W. Bush, urging him to halt Montoya’s execution and ensure that he received a full and fair clemency hearing. Despite these efforts, Montoya was executed on June 18, 1997.
Deaths
Jack Kevorkian
1955 – Barbara Graham – also known as “Bloody Babs”, was born on June 26, 1923, in Oakland, California. Her mother, Hortense Ford, was a young, unwed woman who earned her living through prostitution. Barbara was raised by strangers and extended family, and despite being intelligent, she had a limited education. As a teenager, she was arrested for vagrancy and sentenced to serve time at Ventura State School for Girls, the same reform school where her mother had been. After her release from reform school in 1939, she tried to make a fresh start. She married Harry Kielhamer, a U.S. Coast Guardsman, in 1940, and enrolled in a business college. However, the marriage was not successful, and by 1942, they were divorced. Over the next several years, she was married twice more, but each of these attempts at a more traditional lifestyle failed. After this string of failures, Graham is said to have become a worker in the sex trade, as her mother had before her. Graham was convicted of murder and executed in the gas chamber at San Quentin Prison on June 3, 1955. She was involved in a robbery that led to the murder of an elderly widow. Her story of adult criminal activity is told in the highly fictionalized 1958 film “I Want to Live!”, in which she was portrayed by Susan Hayward, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress.
1983 – Gordon Wendell Kahl – was an American farmer known for his involvement in two fatal shootouts with law enforcement officers in the United States in 1983. Born in Wells County, North Dakota, Kahl was raised on a farm. He served in World War II as a highly decorated turret gunner for the Army Air Corps. After the war, he worked as a mechanic and farmed a 400-acre property near Heaton, Wells County, North Dakota. Kahl was a one-time member of the Posse Comitatus movement. In 1967, he wrote a letter to the Internal Revenue Service stating that he would no longer pay taxes. In 1975, he organized the first Texas chapter of the Posse Comitatus and became the state coordinator. On November 16, 1976, Kahl was charged with willful failure to file federal income tax returns for the years 1973 and 1974. He was convicted on each count in April and June 1977 and was sentenced to two years in prison and a fine of $2,000. Kahl served eight months in prison in 1977. After his release from prison, Kahl became active in the township movement, an early version of the sovereign citizen movement. He was involved in two fatal shootouts with law enforcement officers in the United States in 1983.
1985 – Frederick Robert Klenner Jr – was born on July 11, 1952, in Durham, North Carolina. He is infamous for his involvement in a series of murders during the 1980s. Klenner was romantically involved with his first cousin, Susie Newsom Lynch, who was recently divorced and the mother of two children. A bitter child custody dispute between Lynch and her ex-husband preceded a series of brutal murders. Klenner is proven to have murdered Lynch’s in-laws in Kentucky and is highly suspected of murdering Lynch’s parents and grandmother as well. Lynch’s involvement in the murders was also suspected by many but never proven. On June 3, 1985, during a low-speed police chase, Klenner and Lynch ended their lives with a car bomb, also killing Lynch’s two young sons. The crimes are the subject of Jerry Bledsoe’s book “Bitter Blood” as well as a made-for-TV movie.
1999 – Scotty Lee Moore – the convicted killer of Oklahoma City’s Airline Motel desk clerk Alex Fernandez in 1983, was declared dead early Thursday at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary following a series of unsuccessful last-minute appeals. Moore had been sentenced to death for the murder of Fernandez, who had terminated Moore’s employment a month before the fatal incident. Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson remarked on Wednesday, “Scotty Lee Moore took the life of Alex Fernandez more than 15 years ago. His death sentence has been upheld by all courts. It is time he receives his punishment. My thoughts are with the family of Alex Fernandez.” The crime involved Fernandez being discovered face down on the floor, surrounded by a pool of blood, with five bullets in the back of his head. He left behind a wife and two sons in Pakistan, to whom he sent money, but none of his family members were present at the execution. Moore’s appeals targeted the impartiality of the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board, which had denied clemency in a 4-1 vote on May 18. Other appeals argued that Moore’s confinement conditions and inadequate legal representation violated international treaties, and there were alleged errors in sentencing instructions, with claims of arbitrary actions by the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. Statutory appeals concluded in March when Edmondson sought an execution date from the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. The U.S. Supreme Court denied the last appeal shortly after 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday. Despite not requesting witnesses for his execution, four out-of-state family members and Moore’s attorney were on his visitation list for Wednesday, according to Lee Mann, a spokeswoman for the Oklahoma State Penitentiary. Moore declined a last meal but was offered a selection from the prison’s dinner menu, including hamburgers, french fries, fruit, and peanut butter cake.
2006 – Kenneth L. Mount – was a reserve Bakersfield police officer who was convicted of masterminding three murders for money. He was the reputed “mastermind” of a Bakersfield crime group self-dubbed “The Corporation” that was implicated in three killings in the 1980s. Mount was convicted of first-degree murder and a special circumstance of murder during the course of a burglary in the beating, throat-slashing, and drowning death of Harry Bannister, 68, at a canal bank on Dec. 7, 1986. Bannister provided amusement games and cigarette machines to businesses and he carried large amounts of money with him. Mount faced the death penalty but was sentenced to life without parole. He died on June 3, 2006, in Antelope Valley Hospital after being transferred two months earlier from the California State Prison, Los Angeles County in Lancaster.
2009 – Daniel E. Wilson – Wilson murdered Lutz after she gave him a ride home from a bar in Elyria. In an inexplicable turn of events — as per Wilson’s account, though he claimed not to recall the specifics — Lutz found herself confined in the trunk of her black Oldsmobile Cutlass after leaving the bar and heading to Wilson’s residence. Despite briefly releasing Lutz when she pleaded to use the restroom, Wilson callously forced her back into the trunk, disregarding her plea to forget the horrifying incident if he fled. Subsequently, Wilson deliberately ignited the damaged gas tank, leaving Lutz to perish in the ensuing flames. While Wilson insisted that his intoxicated state hindered a full recollection of the details, he acknowledged remembering this much when questioned by the police.
2011 – Jack Kevorkian – born Murad Jacob Kevorkian in 1928, was an American physician who became a lightning rod for the debate surrounding euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. Born to Armenian immigrants in Pontiac, Michigan, Kevorkian displayed an early fascination with death and the dying, even proposing controversial medical experiments during his residency. He eventually became a successful pathologist but grew increasingly disillusioned with the limitations of medicine in alleviating suffering. In the 1980s, Kevorkian’s focus shifted from prolonging life to ending it on a patient’s terms. He designed and built his first “suicide machine,” the Mercitron, and in 1990, he assisted Janet Adkins, a 54-year-old woman with ALS, in ending her life. This marked the beginning of a long and tumultuous period where Kevorkian openly assisted over 130 terminally ill patients in dying. His actions ignited a fierce public debate, dividing opinion between those who saw him as a compassionate advocate for individual autonomy and those who condemned him as a vigilante playing God. Kevorkian faced numerous legal challenges, with acquittals on some charges and convictions on others, including a second-degree murder conviction in 1999 that sent him to prison for eight years. Despite the controversy, Kevorkian’s actions brought the issue of euthanasia to the forefront of public discourse. He forced society to confront difficult questions about end-of-life care, individual rights, and the role of medicine in death. While his methods were often unorthodox and his convictions debatable, his unwavering commitment to patient autonomy and his willingness to challenge legal and societal norms left an undeniable mark on the landscape of medical ethics and bioethics. Kevorkian was a multifaceted individual with interests beyond the euthanasia debate. He was a painter, musician, and filmmaker, and his artistic pursuits often reflected his preoccupation with death and mortality. His complex legacy continues to be debated and analyzed, leaving behind a multitude of questions about life, death, and the choices we make in between.
2021 – F. Lee Bailey – a name synonymous with courtroom drama and high-profile defendants, was an American lawyer who left an indelible mark on the legal landscape. Born in 1933, Bailey’s life was a whirlwind of adventure, from piloting planes in the Marine Corps to becoming a champion of the accused in some of the most sensational trials of the 20th century. Bailey’s upbringing wasn’t conventional. After his parents’ divorce, he bounced between boarding schools and eventually dropped out of Harvard to join the Navy. His piloting skills earned him wings in the Marine Corps, where he honed his discipline and strategic thinking – qualities that would later serve him well in the courtroom. Returning to civilian life, Bailey enrolled in law school and quickly established himself as a formidable legal talent. His first major break came in 1966 when he secured the acquittal of Dr. Sam Sheppard, a case that inspired the TV show “The Fugitive.” This victory propelled Bailey into the national spotlight, showcasing his charisma, meticulous preparation, and mastery of courtroom theatrics. Bailey’s client list reads like a who’s who of criminal history. He defended Albert DeSalvo, the suspected Boston Strangler, Patricia Hearst, the kidnapped heiress turned bank robber, and most famously, O.J. Simpson, whose murder trial captivated the nation. While not all of his clients walked free, Bailey’s courtroom victories were numerous, and his strategies were often ingenious. Bailey’s career wasn’t limited to the courtroom. He wrote best-selling books, hosted TV shows, and even dabbled in acting. His larger-than-life personality and outspoken nature often landed him in controversy, but there was no denying his passion for justice and his dedication to his clients. F. Lee Bailey passed away in 2021, leaving behind a legacy as complex as the cases he argued. He was admired for his legal prowess, criticized for his flamboyant style, and remembered for his unwavering commitment to his clients, regardless of their guilt or innocence. His life and career serve as a testament to the power of persuasion, the drama of the courtroom, and the enduring fascination with the American justice system.
Events
Valerie Solanas
1871 – Jesse James and his gang rob Obocock Bank in Corydon, Iowa of $15,000
1943 – In Los Angeles, California, white US Navy sailors and marines attack Latino youths in the five-day Zoot Suit riots
1968 – Valerie Solanas, author of The Scum Manifesto attempts to assassinate Andy Warhol by shooting him 3 times.
1980 – An explosive device is detonated at the Statue of Liberty. The FBI suspects Croatian nationalists.
1982 – The Israeli ambassador to the UK, Shlomo Argov, is shot on a London street. He survives but is permanently paralyzed.
1982 – American singer Rusty Day is shot in his home along with his son, dog and a friend
1983 – Prolific studio drummer Jim Gordon murders his mother, Osa Marie Gordon in North Hollywood, California
1985 – American spy Jerry Whitworth is apprehended
2013 – The trial of United States Army Private Chelsea Manning for leaking classified material to Wikileaks begins in Fort Meade, Maryland
