Get theDelaware TodayBest Restaurants Guide for FREE! (AP Photo/Robert Craig, Pool), Murder suspect Thomas Capano is led into the courthouse by Corrections officers, for the third day of jury selection in Wilmington Del., Thursday, Oct. 8, 1998. If you travel the swamp trail alone, you might hear the screams of the young runaway who was raped and killed here in the 1870s she still haunts these woods. Two men whom he never met filed appeals on his behalf, but they were quickly dismissed for lack of standing. In the years to come, the "Weepy-voiced killer" would be identified as Paul Michael Stephani. Bobby Beausoleil, Mary Brunner, and Susan Atkins held Gary Hinman hostage for days in order to retrieve his inheritance. In 1987, when he was just 13 years old, he stabbed Rebecca Spencer to death. Ross was executed in 2005, making him the first and last execution in the state of Connecticut. In 2012, reports surfaced that Rogers may be the murderer of Nicole Simpson not O.J. As she walked along the corridor, a car pulled up and offered her a ride. Also, some examples of unsolved murders in Dover, Delaware, include the 2014 murder of Christopher Gillis, the 2007 murder of Jerome Hill, the 2016 murder of Tyler Parton, and the 1986 murder of Lonnie Hill, among many others. Kim Magaraci graduated Rutgers University with a degree in Geography and has spent the last seven years as a freelance travel writer. She became notorious for her illegal activity, including murder, crime, and theft, and striking fear into the hearts of Americans. Capano, 61, apparently died of natural causes. Even the FBI tried to talk to him and get at the heart of what caused him to do this. She was an illegal slave trader, involved in the kidnapping of both free and enslaved African Americans. Its so moving and some of the stories bring me to tears not because its sad, but because its relatable and shows that were not alone. Kendra. By 1980, the couple killed 10 teenagers in Nevada and California. Between 1979 and 1981, Atlanta was in a state of panic. Pedro Lopez. The perpetrator must have sensed a pleasure in the killings,he told the court. The 30-year-old scheduling secretary to then-Governor Thomas Carper was the subject of a community-wide search for several weeks. All rights reserved. First, he would abduct them and then he would torture them. After Lopez's arrest in 1980, police found the graves of more than 50 of his preteen victims. Can you imagine being there at the time? The van stopped. Learn more about what you can expect from your stay at the haunted Addy Sea B&B in Bethany Beach, Delaware. It was a chilly, rainy night on Nov. 29, 1987. It was a strange, strange thing., Pennell argued as if he were a prosecutor demanding death for a vicious criminal. In the weeks that followed, both the killer and the task force accelerated their activities. Despite the fact that some of the women were stabbed to death, the killer earned the name the "Boston Strangler." He then shot her point blank in the head and dragged her body into a wooded area. Moore cant recall any other oral argument in the Supreme Court without at least one question. The fibers led to everything else,says Oberly. By 1973, Corll had killed 28 boys in Texas just outside of Houston. [3] In September 1995, while still involved with Capano, Fahey began another relationship with Michael Scanlan.[4]. They tortured her for a month before she passed on, however, it's indistinct whether the men were at fault for her demise or on the other hand on the off chance that it was because of a medication glut. According to Project: Cold Case, there were roughly 1,993 homicides in Delaware between 1965 and 2019. Gaskins claimed he killed 200 hitchhikers. As part of a plea bargain to avoid the death penalty, Rudolph plead guilty to all charges. He also had "atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease, and that obesity was a contributing factor in his death". The most famous of Delaware serial killers include Steven Brian Pennell, also known as "The Corridor Killer" and "Route 40 Killer," who killed 5 people from 1987 to 1988, and James Allen Red Dog, who killed 5 people between 1990 and 1991, among others. Although she confessed, she was not put to death because she was so young instead, she was sentenced to life in prison. In 1892, Fall River, Massachusetts buzzed with talk of the 19th century's most incendiary story - that well-to-do local couple, Abby and Andrew Borden, died at the hands of an axe-wielder. In 1974, Randall Woodfield was drafted into the NFL to play for the Green Bay Packers. The Lizzie Borden Axe Murders. The young officer was prescient enough to playfully rub her hand against the carpeting on the vans floor, pulling out blue fibers for testing. What the NFL didn't know was that they just drafted one of America's deadliest serial killers. Theyre so troubling in fact, that many of them sound more like Delaware ghost stories; you wont want to believe that theyre in fact true. The most famous of Delaware serial killers include Steven Brian Pennell, also known as The Corridor Killer and Route 40 Killer, who killed 5 people from 1987 to 1988, and James Allen Red Dog, who killed 5 people between 1990 and 1991, among others. Thomas Warren Whisenhant was convicted of raping, mutilating, and murdering 3 women in Mobile County, Alabama in the 1970s. The story of Polly Bartlett dates all the way back to 1868 and is surrounded by local lore. The story of Clementine Barnabet is that of voodoo and the occult. Jurors spent eight days reviewing the evidence, which is still the longest deliberation in Delaware legal history. Her gang of 50 to 60 people operated for 30 years, committing as many as 30 murders and more than 3,000 . Grate was found guilty and was sentenced to death in 2018. Overridden with guilt, Matzke confessed to the murderers and served 20 years. Renee Taschner was a 23-year-old New Castle County police officer when she came face to face with evil on Sept. 14, 1988. Woodfield didn't become well known as a football player. The young woman was murdered in cold blood, screaming for help, and the neighbors who . In 1994, Capano was a partner at the Wilmington office of Saul Ewing LLP when he became involved with 28-year-old Anne Marie Fahey, the appointments secretary to then-Governor Tom Carper. The name makes sense because, at that time, Howell abducted, assaulted, and murdered seven people, according to Oxygen. The majority of the names on the list of Delaware murders on the Delaware State Polices cold case website may not soundfamiliar; however, a handful of the names on the list of all murders inDelaware, list of Delaware murders, and notorious Delaware criminals have seemingly become household names as time passes. Last but not least on our list of tales so scary they seem like Delaware ghost stories is that of the Route 40 Killer. He was found guilty on three murder charges and was facing the death penalty, but in 2000 it was overturned to a life sentence. They killed five people, who were at the housepregnant actress Sharon Tate, Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger, and Wojciech Frykowski, and Steven Parent. The smell turned out to be Tiffany Bresciani decomposing body. Kent County, Delaware, had a population of over 180,700 people as of 2019. Sept. 28, 2016. In 2003, he roamed the streets of Connecticut in his van that he dubbed his "murder mobile." When finally caught, Hansen confessed to murdering 17 people but was only convicted for four. There was the so-called torture kitpliers, a whip, handcuffs, needles, knives and restraints. Famous Murders: Kitty Genovese. Also among the same list are the many unsolved murders Dover, Delaware, which include the 2014 murder of Christopher Gillis, the 2007 murder of Jerome Hill, the 2016 murder of Tyler Parton, and the 1986 murder of Lonnie Hill, among many others. Thomas Carper. In the '90s, Paul Dennis Reid moved to Nashville to become a country music star. I don't have an answer. When police came into his house, they found body parts all over. He was your typical, all-American person,the task forces Hedrick says of his interview with Pennell. David Parker Ray bought a $100,000 trailer. In an interview with the Daily News in 2010, Rifkin said, "I was surprised I didn't get caught sooner.". While police brass tried to shed light on what drives the violence, Philly councilmembers and residents expressed weariness with more hearings, little action. He never once used the first person. There was no pattern or clear idea as to who would be next. In 2016, his nine death sentences were upheld in Phoenix. He cared very much what people thought of him.. Bernard Williams. In 1891, Mary Pennington of Dover, daughter of former Delaware Congressman John Pennington, married John P. Dunning, a newspaper reporter. You'd pay an annual fee and receive a list of eligible lovers in your area. He was executed by lethal injection in 1990. The body count rose across state lines, as his list of aliases grew. She walked to a more secluded area. He was looking right through me.. It's hard to pin down Terry Peder Rasmussen. Why did he refuse to admit guilt but demand to be executed for the crimes? Pennell was sentenced to two life terms in 1990. 1. Eventually, they moved in together. All of this thanks to a gas leak in the kitchen. Dennis Lynn Rader is better known by his other name: the "BTK Killer." Here's a list of men, women, and, yes, even families who were serial killers in every state across the United States. When police arrived at the home, the place was filled with garbage to the ceiling. Although this killer was never identified and spanned two states, The Phantom Killer earns his spot on the list for the terror he caused in 1946. When they were unsuccessful, Beausoleil stabbed him to death and the women painted Black Panther symbols on the wall with his blood. These horrifying Delaware stories prove that even the smallest of states can hold big, dark secrets. This terrifying, troubling event unfolded in the late 1980s. Ed Kemper is a particularly brutal serial killer who killed 10 young people, earning him the title "The Co-ed Killer." Patty Cannon lived in the Seaford area in the early 1800s. In 2002, he was in jail for fraud and convinced the FBI to let him out as an informant. Whisenhant would abduct women, rape them in his pickup before shooting them with a 32 pistol. Its how we live. Gacy would sexually assault the boys, strangle them with rope, and then bury their bodies under his house. The law was developed from one book, and its that book I quote from,he said. Charged with the murder of DiMauro, Gordon and Ellis, he exercised his right to remain silent. John Joubert once said that when he was young he fantasized about killing his babysitter and eating her. Authorities also link him to a couple's murder in Burlington, Vermont. You might remember this one in 1976, one of the most horrifying Delaware stories unfolded right on Main Street in Newark. Related:Lovers, murder and madness: Revisit Delaware's most sensational killings, Marys father had a chemist examine the unconsumed candy, and the chemist found that they were laced with arsenic. It may surprise you to learn that the small state of Delaware holds more than its fair share of haunted locations. The Delaware State Police have arrested 53-year-old Robert Franks of Bridgeville, Delaware for the murder of his wife, Cynthia Moss-Franks. Whisenhant declined having any final words when he was eventually put to death. Rasmussen was finally identified,but he had already died in prison, where he was serving time for different charges in 2010. With roughly 60 members, it was the states third-largest police department for a time. You can read more about Delaware Cold Cases here. I think that hurt him in front of the jury., Pennell may have come across as unlikable, but the jury still struggled with the three murder charges. Before she could stand trial for her crimes, she was shot to death reportedly by a friend of one of the victims. Mrs. C. Thinking it was from one of her friends, Mary opened the box and passed the chocolates around. Witnesses last saw her leave in a blue Ford panel van with round headlights driven by a white male. The sleepy town of Bear was jolted awake when a serial killer was on the loose, killing women that he picked up along Route 40. For the most part, Delaware is a peaceful state. But investigators believe this serial killer murdered at least 11 people around the country. Cullen only confessed to the 40 murders, but investigators and experts believe his body count might reach the hundreds. Wayne is in jail for two other murders and has never been tried for the Atlanta Child Murders, but there is evidence that points to him, including the fact that fibers from his home and dog were found on the victims. He was hunting women like wild animals. No one would ever look at his background and see signs that this could happen. Philly mayoral candidates are discussing gun violence tonight. The day before Halloween, Price, a redhead, was found dead in the bathtub, and Rogers fled the scene. [4] Capano, the last known person to have seen Fahey alive, was the prime suspect. He was sentenced to death. He died of cancer in 1984. Pennell appeared before the five-judge court on Feb. 11, 1992, to ask for his own execution. An article in The Boston Globe said it best: "He stabbed four of his neighbors to death in their own homes before he was old enough to drive.". Most of the time, when you hear about Delaware history, you hear about war heroes, colonial surveys, railroad towns, and of course, the elaborate estates of the Du Ponts. It happened again seven months later. He was found unresponsive Monday afternoon at 12:34 in his cell at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center near Smyrna and later was pronounced dead. He was found guilty of killing 17 women and was sentenced to 203 years in prison, which he is still serving. 2006, at the New Castle County Courthouse in Wilmington, Del. He is currently serving his sentence in prison. On December 22nd he first shot his wife and oldest son before strangling his 3-year-old granddaughter and disposing of the bodies in a cesspit he had made his children dig. On some occasions, he would have sex with the corpses. The man then beat 7-year-old Melissa Bennett to death, before attempting to kill 3-year-old Vanessa, who survived the attack but still has weakness on the left side of her body. He brought them to an abandoned house and shot Bill to death. He died in prison in 2014 at 75. You made us feel like human beings.. As each day passed, I thought maybe we got something going.. (AP Photo/Wilmington Police, File), Kathleen Fahey, sister of murder victim Anne Marie Fahey, talks during a news conference after Thomas Capano was sentenced to life in prison Thursday, March 2. Whisenhant would visit the bodies of his victims after killing them and mutilate them. My thoughts and prayers are with her family during this difficult time.. Capano tried to pin Faheys death on another lover. The suspect had been pulled over for a routine traffic violation and was immediately hauled into court to pay his ticketan infrequent but legal method for the police to detain a suspect. Though the holiday had passed three days earlier, Ellis was carrying a Thanksgiving platter for an AIDS patient undergoing treatment at Wilmington Hospital. Looking further into the statistics on the same website, there were around 1,993 murders in Delaware from 1965 to 2019, and through the years, roughly 1,476 of those murders were solved, leaving around 517 unsolved murders in the state of Delaware alone. Abraham Lincoln wrote a True Crime Story, and it was Good! When Dunning, who had returned from the war, was shown the note from the candy box, he immediately said, Cordelia.. Martha "Patty" Cannon is thought to have been born about 1760. Eventually, an undercover cop was picked up by Pennell and she noticed his van was covered in blue carpet. Police were never able to catch the murderer, only link him to a bludgeoning of another murder in Lakewood. When the Spanish-American War began, Dunning decided to follow the troops to Cuba, broke off the affair with Cordelia, and declared that he was going to reconcile with his wife. We felt that the same person was responsible for both murders.. He was sentenced to 224 years in prison, but he died in prison of a heart attack in 2002. Hauntings at this hotel include: While none of these things is necessarily sinister, the effect is definitely chilly! Kim Magaraci graduated Rutgers University with a degree in Geography and has spent the last seven years as a freelance travel writer. Later, Rogers would be connected to two other murders of women with red hair and found slain in their bathtubs. He was only found guilty of one murder and was sent to a mental institution. Two years later, he killed Joan Heaton and her two daughters. 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