Births
Keith Daniel Williams
1945 – Arthur Shawcross – also known as the Genesee River Killer, was a notorious American serial killer who terrorized Rochester, New York, from 1988 to 1990. He claimed to have murdered 14 people, though he was only convicted of 12. His reign of terror left a dark mark on the city and sparked outrage over the justice system’s handling of his earlier crimes. Shawcross was born in Kittery, Maine, in 1945. He had a troubled childhood, marked by his parents’ divorce and his struggles with learning and behavior. In 1972, at the age of 27, he committed his first known murders in his hometown of Watertown, New York. He strangled a 10-year-old boy and an 8-year-old girl and was later convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Shawcross served only 14 years of his sentence before being released on parole in 1987. He moved to Rochester, New York, where he soon began his killing spree again. Between 1988 and 1990, he murdered 12 women, typically strangling them and dumping their bodies along the Genesee River. His victims were mainly prostitutes and drug users, making them vulnerable and their disappearances less likely to be immediately noticed. Police initially struggled to connect the murders to a single suspect. However, a series of DNA breakthroughs ultimately led to Shawcross’s arrest in 1990. He was convicted of 11 of the murders in Rochester and sentenced to 250 years to life in prison. He later confessed to another murder in Wayne County, New York, for which he received an additional life sentence. During his trial, Shawcross made sensational claims of cannibalism, alleging that he had eaten parts of some of his victims. These claims were never conclusively proven, but they added to the public’s horror and fascination with the case. Psychologists who evaluated Shawcross diagnosed him with various personality disorders, including necrophilia and antisocial personality disorder. However, there was no consensus on what motivated his crimes. Shawcross died in prison in 2008 at the age of 63. His case remains a chilling reminder of the dangers of serial killers and the challenges of bringing them to justice. It also raises questions about the effectiveness of parole and the treatment of mentally ill offenders. The Genesee River Killer murders had a profound impact on the city of Rochester. The fear and uncertainty that gripped the community during Shawcross’s reign of terror took years to dissipate. The case also led to calls for reform of the parole system and increased resources for mental health care.
1947 – Keith Daniel Williams – life began seemingly unremarkable. However, whispers of troubled youth and brushes with the law hinted at darkness beneath the surface. Details are scarce, but it’s evident that Williams struggled with personal demons and faced challenges that shaped his future trajectory. The year 1978 marked a horrific turning point. On October 25th, the peaceful Californian city of Merced was shattered by the gruesome discovery of three bodies – Jennie Lynn Vincent, a teenager, and a married couple, Edward and Dorothy Seiter. The investigation led to Williams, and the subsequent details painted a chilling picture of a brutal triple homicide fueled by robbery and violence. Williams’ trial was fraught with tension and controversy. He initially pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, raising questions about his mental state. The ensuing legal battle explored themes of Williams’ troubled past, mental evaluations, and the nature of intent. Ultimately, he was found guilty of all three murders and sentenced to death in 1979. Williams spent the next 18 years on death row at San Quentin State Prison. This period saw numerous appeals, legal challenges, and attempts to stay his execution. He continued to maintain his innocence, claiming mental instability at the time of the murders. Despite these efforts, his appeals were denied, and the date of execution was set. On May 3rd, 1996, Keith Daniel Williams was executed by lethal injection at San Quentin. His case left a lasting mark on the community and sparked debates about the death penalty, mental health, and the complexities of human justice. Whether truly remorseful or maintaining his claims of innocence till the end, Williams’ life and its tragic conclusion remain a cautionary tale of lost potential and the devastating consequences of violence.
1947 – Jimmie Ray Slaughter – was a man from Oklahoma who was sentenced to death in 1994 for the murder of Melody Wuertz, with whom he had an affair, and their 11-month-old daughter, Jessica Wuertz. The crimes were committed in 1991 and were characterized as a horrendous double murder. Melody Wuertz was found mutilated, with gunshot and knife wounds, and their daughter, Jessica, had been shot. Slaughter maintained his innocence throughout his time on death row. In an attempt to prove his innocence, he underwent a controversial new test known as brain fingerprinting. This test, conducted under the supervision of Dr. Larry Farwell, a Harvard-educated scientist, involved asking Slaughter questions while his brain activity was monitored. According to Farwell, the test showed that, with a statistical confidence of 99.9%, Slaughter did not recall key details of the crimes. Despite these efforts, Slaughter was executed in Oklahoma on March 15, 2005.
1948 – Metod Trobec – was a Slovenian serial killer whose reign of terror left a lasting scar on the nation. A career criminal with a history of fraud, theft, and robbery, Trobec gained notoriety for the brutal murders of five women between 1976 and 1978. His cunning personality and the sheer magnitude of his crimes cemented him as one of the most infamous figures in Slovenian history. Trobec’s childhood was steeped in hardship. Raised in a poverty-stricken household dominated by an alcoholic and abusive father, he struggled with social isolation and academic difficulties. Unable to finish elementary school, he drifted into a life of petty crime in his early twenties. Trobec’s criminal activities soon took a darker turn. In 1974, he was convicted of fraud and sentenced to four years in prison. This taste of incarceration, however, failed to deter him. Upon release, he embarked on a macabre path that would shock the nation. Starting in 1976, Trobec lured unsuspecting women, predominantly older than 60, into his remote farmhouse in Planina nad Horjulom. The details of his crimes remain chillingly vague, shrouded in the ashes of the village bread oven where he disposed of his victims’ remains. Five innocent lives were snuffed out, their final moments tainted by the manipulative charm and callous cruelty of their killer. In 1980, Trobec’s reign of terror came to an end. Apprehended and interrogated, he eventually confessed to all five murders. The subsequent trial gripped the nation, culminating in a 1981 conviction and a life sentence served in the notorious Dob pri Mirni prison. Psychiatric evaluations painted a chilling portrait of Trobec’s psyche. Diagnosed with psychopathy, he exhibited a chilling mixture of narcissism, manipulative charm, and utter disregard for human life. His intellect, however, fueled his criminal career, allowing him to operate undetected for far too long. Trobec’s crimes sent shockwaves through Slovenia. His rampage marked the nation’s first documented serial killings, igniting discussions about women’s safety and the need for improved crime prevention systems. While serving his sentence, Trobec remained an enigma. Rumors swirled about his prison persona, including his habit of quoting the Bible to his victims and his passion for music, playing guitar, and singing within the confines of his cell. Despite these glimpses into his inner world, Trobec remained consumed by fantasies of eventual release, a dream that would never materialize.
1948 – James Willie Brown – Brenda Sue Watson relocated to DeKalb and worked as a dancer at an Atlanta nightspot, where she crossed paths with James Willie Brown on May 12, 1975. Their evening unfolded at the Mark Inn Lounge, a motel bar, where they indulged in a steak dinner, consumed numerous drinks, and danced for hours before departing around 11 p.m. Tragically, the next morning revealed Watson’s lifeless body in a secluded area, clad only in a blouse pulled up over her breasts, with a nylon cord affixed to her ankle. Evidence of restraint appeared on her wrists and ankles, affirming the grim possibility of rape, as substantiated by abrasions, contusions, and the presence of seminal fluid in her throat and vagina. Asphyxiation was determined to be the cause of death. Shockingly, during the autopsy, it was discovered that her panties had been forcibly lodged down her throat. Upon Brown’s apprehension, he initially disavowed any acquaintance with Brenda Watson but later confessed to the heinous acts of rape and murder. Initially deemed incompetent for trial, Brown was committed to a state mental institution until 1981 when a ruling of competence led to his conviction and subsequent death sentence. However, in 1988, a federal court overturned the conviction, citing doubts about his mental competency. In 1991, Brown faced retrial, resulting in another conviction and a renewed death sentence.
1960 – John M. Buzia – is a convicted criminal who was sentenced to death in the United States. He was charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, armed burglary, and armed robbery. Buzia had been performing odd jobs around the residence and rental properties of Charles and Thea Kersch. On March 14, 2000, he did not arrive at the Kersch residence to work as scheduled. In a later police interview, Buzia stated that he intended to resolve a “money issue” with the Kersches by stealing money from them. He attacked both Charles and Thea Kersch with his fist and an axe, causing severe injuries. Charles Kersch died from blunt force trauma to his head, while Thea Kersch survived the attack. After the attack, Buzia stole money and a credit card from the Kersches and fled the scene. Buzia was indicted on April 4, 2000, and his trial was held in March 2003. The jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment on March 28, 2003. On March 11, 2004, he was sentenced to death for first-degree murder, life imprisonment for attempted first-degree murder, and armed burglary with assault. His appeal of the circuit court judgment sentencing him to death was affirmed by the Supreme Court of Florida on March 23, 2006.
1968 – Exzavier Lamont Stevenson – who pleaded guilty to the capital murder of two convenience store clerks, Khalid Masroor and Syed Mehdi, over a dispute involving 10 cents, has been sentenced to the death penalty. The incident occurred on February 16 at a gas station in Houston. Despite testimony from family members highlighting Stevenson’s troubled childhood and low mental capacity, the jury determined on Saturday that he posed a threat to society and should be sentenced to death. Stevenson informed the police that he had forgotten to collect 75 cents in change after purchasing gum at the store. When he returned to make another purchase later that day, the clerk refused to credit him 10 cents from the previous transaction. Subsequently, Stevenson returned, shooting the clerks and attempting to open the cash register, as described by witnesses in court.
1973 – Jackie Arklov – is a Swedish convicted criminal, former neo-Nazi, and Yugoslav Wars mercenary and war criminal. He gained notoriety for his involvement in the 1999 Malexander murders, where he, along with two other neo-Nazis, robbed a bank and then murdered two police officers. Arklöv was born in Liberia in 1973 to a Swedish father and a Liberian mother. He moved to Sweden with his family at a young age and grew up in the southern city of Malmö. As a teenager, he became involved in the Swedish neo-Nazi scene and joined the Vitt Ariskt Motstånd (White Aryan Resistance) group. In the early 1990s, Arklöv traveled to the former Yugoslavia to fight alongside Serb forces in the Yugoslav Wars. He participated in various atrocities against Bosnian Muslims, including torture, ethnic cleansing, and looting. He was later convicted of war crimes by a Swedish court and sentenced to eight years in prison. After his release from prison in 1999, Arklöv remained active in the neo-Nazi movement. In December of that year, he participated in a bank robbery in the town of Malexander. Following the robbery, Arklöv and his accomplices shot and killed two police officers who were responding to the crime. The Malexander murders sent shockwaves through Sweden and led to a renewed crackdown on neo-Nazi activity. Arklöv was arrested shortly after the Malexander murders and charged with two counts of murder. He was tried alongside his accomplices and was ultimately convicted and sentenced to life in prison. He is currently serving his sentence at the Anstalten Storboda prison in northern Sweden. The Malexander murders remain one of the most notorious crimes in Swedish history. Arklöv’s involvement in the murders, as well as his past as a neo-Nazi and war criminal, has made him a symbol of far-right extremism in Sweden. His case continues to be studied by criminologists and experts on terrorism.
1974 – David D. Stevenson – In 1994, Stevenson held a position at Macy’s Department Store in the Christiana Mall. During his employment, he illicitly utilized customers’ credit card information to generate fraudulent gift certificates. Macy’s security team, comprised of Parminder Chona (“Chona”) and Kristopher Heath (“Heath”), initiated an investigation into Stevenson’s activities. Subsequently, Stevenson faced theft charges, and a trial was scheduled in the Superior Court. On the eve of Stevenson’s court date, a black male wearing a long puffy black jacket visited Heath’s residence. Deborah Dorsey, Heath’s fiancée, answered the door and informed the visitor that Heath was not at home. The individual left, prompting Dorsey to contact Heath and express her apprehension. Notably, she clarified that the visitor was not Stevenson, whom she would have recognized from their shared employment at Macy’s. Tragically, on the morning of November 13, 1995, Heath was fatally shot in the back five times in the parking lot of his Cavalier Country Club Apartments residence. This horrifying incident occurred on the same day Heath was slated to testify against Stevenson in court. Witnesses reported hearing gunshots, leading several residents to alert the police. Lance Thompson, a resident, informed the police that he witnessed a black male fleeing to and entering a mid-sized blue vehicle with worn paint. Providing the license plate number, Thompson’s information led the police to Stevenson and his mother’s registered address at 206 West 20 Street in Wilmington, Delaware. Wilmington Police, responding swiftly, arrived at 206 W. 20th Street in two squad cars. They observed a vehicle matching the description given by Thompson, occupied by two black men. The occupants attempted to exit upon seeing the approaching officers but reconsidered and reentered the vehicle. Following a brief pursuit, the suspects abandoned the vehicle and were subsequently apprehended on foot. The occupants, identified as Manley and Stevenson, matched the descriptions provided by eyewitnesses. Following Stevenson’s arrest, a search of the police transport car revealed a slip of paper containing the name, address, and phone number of Chona, the Macy’s employee who, along with Heath, had investigated Stevenson for theft.
1978 – Judith Barsi – was an American child actress who captivated audiences with her infectious smile and undeniable talent. Born in Los Angeles to Hungarian immigrants, Judith’s star shone brightly from a young age. At the tender age of five, Judith’s infectious charm was discovered at a local skating rink. Mistaken for a three-year-old, she landed her first commercial for Donald Duck Orange Juice. This was just the beginning of a prolific career that saw her grace the screens in over 60 commercials, numerous television shows, and even major motion pictures. Her notable appearances include the films “Jaws: The Revenge” and “All Dogs Go to Heaven,” where she lent her voice to the adorable Anne-Marie. But it was her unforgettable portrayal of Ducky, the little dinosaur with a big heart in “The Land Before Time,” that truly cemented her place in pop culture history. Sadly, Judith’s life was cut tragically short at the age of ten. In 1988, she and her mother were victims of a double murder-suicide committed by her father. Despite the briefness of her time, Judith Barsi left an indelible mark on the world. Her talent, charm, and tragic story continue to resonate with audiences of all ages. Her voice lives on in animated classics like “The Land Before Time,” and her memory serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility and preciousness of life.
1981 – Brigitte Harris – Her childhood was marred by tragedy and abuse. Abandoned by her mother at a young age, she was bounced between foster homes and abusive relatives. Both she and her sister, Carleen, later came forward with allegations of being repeatedly raped and sexually abused by their father, Eric Goodridge, throughout their childhood. In 2007, at the age of 26, Brigitte lured her father to her apartment under the pretense of reconciliation. However, the encounter turned violent. After a struggle, she overpowered him, handcuffed him, and mutilated him with a scalpel. Goodridge later died from his injuries. Harris was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter. During her trial, she claimed that she did not intend to kill her father but sought to “take away his weapon” to prevent him from harming anyone else. Her defense team portrayed her as a victim of years of abuse, driven to desperate measures by her trauma. The jury acquitted Harris of the more serious charges but convicted her of second-degree manslaughter. This verdict sparked a heated debate, with some viewing her as a vigilante avenging her abuse, while others condemned her actions as a brutal act of revenge. Harris received a sentence of five to fifteen years in prison. However, she was released on parole in 2010 after serving just three years. Since then, she has maintained a low profile and avoided public attention. The Brigitte Harris case remains a complex and controversial topic. While some supporters view her as a symbol of victim empowerment and the lengths survivors may go to escape their abusers, others criticize her actions as violent and unforgivable. Harris’s story raises important questions about trauma, revenge, and the justice system’s handling of cases involving abuse victims. It serves as a stark reminder of the lasting impact of childhood abuse and the ongoing struggle for justice for survivors.
1983 – Dale Cregan – is a convicted British drug dealer and murderer. He grew up with an elder brother and a younger sister. His father, Paul Cregan, left the family when Dale was young. Dale attended the ‘Littlemoss High School’ in Droylsden. He started dealing in marijuana while in high school and by the age of 22, he had started selling cocaine. Cregan is known as ‘One Eye’ due to his missing left eye. The cause of the injury remains unknown, however, he has stated that he lost it during a fight in the Far East, experts believe it was more likely plucked out with a knife. He is infamous for his collection of firearms, including machine guns. In 2012, Cregan carried out four murders within a few months. On September 18, 2012, two Greater Manchester Police officers, Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone, were killed by Cregan in a gun and grenade ambush. This incident was the first in England in which two female police officers were killed on duty. Earlier in May 2012, he had killed Mark Short and later Mark’s father. Cregan was sentenced to a whole life tariff at Preston Crown Court on June 13, 2013. He is currently stationed at HM Prison Full Sutton.
1986 – Atalay Filiz – is known as a Turkish serial killer. He is held responsible for at least three murders, possibly one in 2012, two in September 2013, and one in May 2016. After being a fugitive for more than two years, he was captured in June 2016. Filiz was born to an officer of the Turkish Air Force, who later retired from the military and became a pilot at Turkish Airlines. He was educated at Galatasaray High School, one of the most prominent high schools in Turkey, in Istanbul, and graduated with honors. His teachers remarked that “he is so intelligent that he could survive in a jungle when left alone”. In college, Filiz studied biology at the University of Paris-Sud in France. However, due to a lack of money, he did not attend classes, take exams, and couldn’t finish school. In 2010, he returned to Turkey and told his family he was going to study for his doctorate in Ankara. After the allegations of his crimes, it was revealed that he was never registered for a doctorate in Ankara. Filiz is currently serving a life imprisonment sentence.
1989 – John Zawahri – He was the perpetrator of the 2013 Santa Monica shootings. The incident began with a domestic dispute and subsequent fire at a home, followed by a series of shootings near and on the Santa Monica College campus. Zawahri, armed with an AR-15-type semi-automatic rifle and a .44 1858 Remington model cap-and-ball revolver, first set fire to his house, where two men were found dead from gunshot wounds. He then forced a woman to drive him to the Santa Monica College campus, shooting at a city bus and a police cruiser along the way. Upon arriving on the campus, he shot into a Ford Explorer, killing the driver and critically wounding the passenger. He continued on foot toward the college library, where he opened fire on students inside. The shooting spree ended when Zawahri was killed by police officers after exchanging gunfire with them at the Santa Monica College library. The incident resulted in six deaths, including Zawahri, and four injuries.
Deaths
Timothy Tyler Titsworth
1920 – Francis Percy Toplis – christened in controversy and buried in bullets, was a British figure whose life story reads like a pulpy crime novel. Born in 1896 into a life of modest means, Toplis embarked on a tumultuous journey marked by petty crime, wartime exploits, and a dramatic finale that earned him the moniker “The Monocled Mutineer.” Toplis’s youth was far from idyllic. His family struggled financially, and his rebellious streak led him to petty thefts and misdemeanors. At 15, a shocking act of attempted rape landed him in prison for two years, leaving an indelible mark on his formative years. When the First World War ignited in 1914, Toplis enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps. Although serving as a private, he cultivated a penchant for deception, posing as an officer while on leave and sporting a signature monocle to bolster the charade. While the extent of his wartime service remains hazy, reports mention bravery and desertion, adding further mystique to his persona. The demobilization after the war proved unsettling for Toplis. Unable to reintegrate into civilian life, he spiraled into a vortex of crime. In 1920, a botched robbery of a London taxi driver turned deadly, leaving the driver murdered and Toplis on the run. A subsequent shootout with police resulted in a wounded officer and solidified Toplis’s image as a dangerous fugitive. The ensuing manhunt became a national sensation, with newspapers detailing Toplis’s exploits and the public captivated by his audacity. Cornered in the Lake District, a final gunfight with police ended Toplis’s life in a hail of bullets, sealing his fate as a notorious outlaw. Toplis’s legacy remains a curious blend of fascination and condemnation. Some portray him as a Robin Hood-esque figure, rebelling against societal constraints. Others see him as a ruthless criminal, fueled by violence and delusion. Regardless of perspective, Toplis’s story resonates with its dramatic turns, wartime intrigue, and tragic conclusion.
1968 – Robert F. Kennedy – also known by his initials RFK and by the nickname Bobby, was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 64th United States Attorney General from 1961 to 1964 during his brother President John F. Kennedy’s administration, and later as a U.S. senator from New York from 1965 until his assassination in 1968. Like his brothers John F. Kennedy and Ted Kennedy, he was a prominent member of the Democratic Party and is an icon of modern American liberalism. Kennedy was born on November 20, 1925, in Brookline, Massachusetts, the seventh of nine children to Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald. He attended Milton Academy and Harvard University, where he played football and was elected president of the student body. After graduating from Harvard in 1948, he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After the war, he attended the University of Virginia School of Law, where he graduated in 1951. Kennedy began his political career as an assistant to his brother John F. Kennedy during John’s successful campaign for the U.S. Senate in 1952. After John was elected president in 1960, Robert was appointed attorney general. As attorney general, Kennedy cracked down on organized crime and pursued civil rights cases. He also played a key role in resolving the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. In 1964, Kennedy was elected to the U.S. Senate from New York. As a senator, he was a vocal critic of the Vietnam War and advocated for social justice causes. He also traveled extensively abroad, meeting with world leaders and promoting human rights. In 1968, Kennedy announced his candidacy for president of the United States. He was seen as a leading contender for the Democratic nomination, but he was assassinated on June 6, 1968, in Los Angeles, California, just minutes after winning the California Democratic primary. Kennedy is remembered as a charismatic and passionate leader who fought for justice and equality. He is also remembered for his tragic death at a young age. His legacy continues to inspire people around the world to fight for a better future.
1985 – Leonard Lake – was an American criminal who gained notoriety for his involvement in a series of gruesome crimes during the 1980s. Born on October 29, 1945, in San Francisco, California, Lake’s early life appeared unremarkable. However, beneath the surface, he harbored dark fantasies and a disturbing fascination with sadistic acts. Lake’s criminal activities became widely known in connection with the infamous “Lake and Ng” case. He partnered with Charles Ng, and together they carried out a horrifying spree of abductions, sexual assaults, and murders. The duo’s crimes were unearthed when Lake committed suicide on June 6, 1985, by ingesting cyanide, shortly after being arrested on unrelated charges. Before his criminal exploits, Leonard Lake had a troubled personal life marked by failed marriages and a sense of alienation. His interest in survivalism and extreme ideologies added an ominous layer to his personality. Lake’s twisted fantasies took a tangible form when he built a secluded bunker in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, which became the setting for the duo’s heinous acts. The bunker, often referred to as the “Death Palace,” was equipped with soundproof cells, restraints, and tools designed for torture. The horrors that transpired within its walls came to light during the investigation, revealing the depths of depravity that Lake and Ng had sunk to. Leonard Lake’s actions remain a chilling reminder of the potential darkness that can lurk within seemingly ordinary individuals. His life and crimes have been the subject of numerous documentaries, books, and true crime investigations, contributing to the morbid fascination with the psychology of serial offenders.
2000 – Feltus Taylor Jr – was an American individual who was convicted and later executed by the state of Louisiana for robbery and the murder of Donna Ponsano. Taylor was born into poverty and had been working at Cajun’s Fabulous Fried Chicken restaurant on Florida Boulevard in Baton Rouge. He was fired from the restaurant due to poor performance. On March 27, 1991, facing financial problems, Taylor decided to rob the restaurant. He retrieved a .22 caliber handgun and handcuffs from his car, held Donna Ponsano at gunpoint, and demanded the restaurant manager, Keith Clark, to open the restaurant’s floor safe. After obtaining approximately $800 from the safe, Taylor shot Ponsano five times and also shot Clark in the head. He then emptied the cash register of approximately $580 and fled the scene. Taylor was arrested the same day. After almost a decade of legal appeals, he was executed by lethal injection by the state of Louisiana in 2000.
2006 – Timothy Tyler Titsworth – was born on March 8, 1972, in Denver, Colorado. He had a troubled past, with a criminal record dating back to his childhood. At age 13, he broke into a shed and was sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered to undergo psychological counseling. At age 15, he was arrested for drug possession and was again put on probation. In February 1992, Titsworth received a felony conviction for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and was sentenced to five years in prison. After less than three months, he was released on “shock probation.” His probation was revoked soon afterward, however. On July 23, 1993, Titsworth, then 21, and his girlfriend, Christine Sossaman, 26, argued in their trailer home in Amarillo, Texas. Titsworth left the trailer to buy crack cocaine. When he returned, he took a dull axe from a closet and struck Sossaman, who was sleeping in her bed, about 16 times. Titsworth then stole Sossaman’s credit cards and car. Titsworth was arrested as he was making another trip to the trailer. He was driving Sossaman’s car at the time of his arrest, and he was illegally in possession of a firearm. He initially denied any involvement in the murder, but later he confessed. While awaiting trial, Titsworth and some other inmates escaped from the Randall County Jail by crawling through ductwork. Titsworth was captured about 12 hours after the escape, after leading police on a high-speed chase in a stolen car. Timothy Titsworth was executed by lethal injection on June 6, 2006, in Huntsville, Texas, for the murder and robbery of his girlfriend. He was 34 years old at the time of his execution. He was buried at Captain Joe Byrd Cemetery in Huntsville, Walker County, Texas.
2018 – Darbara Singh – was an Indian serial killer who was convicted of two murders. He was a native of Jallupur Khera village of Amritsar district. Singh joined the Indian Armed Forces and was posted at the Air Force Station at Pathankot. In 1975, he was accused of lobbing a hand grenade at the house of his senior officer Major V K Sharma, after having an altercation with him. Singh had three children; his wife expelled him from their house, because of his “bad habits”. In 1996, Darbara Singh raped and attempted to murder the daughter of a migrant laborer in Kapurthala. In 1997, he was convicted in three cases of rape and attempted murder, and sentenced to prison for thirty years. On 3 December 2003, his mercy petition was accepted based on his good conduct, and he was released from jail. After his release, he came to Jalandhar, where he started working in a factory in the Leather Complex area. To take his ‘revenge’ against the migrants, he started targeting their children. During April–October 2004, 23 children of non-Punjabi migrants were kidnapped in the Jalandhar city of Punjab, India. Many of these children were sexually assaulted, and 17 of them were killed. In October 2004, the police apprehended Darbara Singh, who had earlier been jailed for nearly a decade in another case involving sexual assault and attempted murder of a child. Singh allegedly confessed that he was behind all these abductions, sexual assaults, and murders in 2004. He was convicted of two of the murders, and sentenced to life in prison. He was also acquitted in four more cases because of insufficient evidence. He died in 2018 while serving a life sentence, with some of the cases pending for trial.
Events
Alice Marie Johnson
1923 – Gangster Albert Anastasia is convicted of illegal possession of a firearm and sentenced to two years in prison
1936 – Charles “Lucky” Luciano is convicted on 62 counts of compulsory prostitution
1991 – Dana Plato receives a 6-year suspended sentence for robbing a video store
1999 – The largest jailbreak in Brazilian history at the Putim maximum security prison in Brazil, 345 prisoners run from the main gate. In the ensuing manhunt, 2 fugitives are killed and 5 innocent bystanders are accidentally jailed
2015 – Convicted killers Richard Matt & David Sweat break out of Clinton correctional facility in Dannemora, New York
2018 – Convicted drug trafficker, Alice Johnson, granted clemency by US President Donald Trump after Kim Kardashian highlighted the case
2019 – German serial killer nurse Niels Hoegel jailed for a second life sentence for the murder of 85 more people (he was previously convicted of 6) Germany’s worst post-war serial killer
