The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers (138 page)

MO: Stabbed an Oklahoma woman to death for her 21 confessed

credit cards; stabbed a man in Missouri while stealing
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The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers

his car; killed the tow truck driver who stopped to MO: “Bluebeard” slayer of ex-wife and mother

help him when the stolen car ran out of gas

DISPOSITION: Condemned on one count + life terms DISPOSITION: Condemned in Oklahoma and Ten-for second count, burglary and kidnapping, 1994

nessee; life sentence in Missouri

Thompson, Ben
(1843–84)

Thanos, John Frederick
(1949–94)

SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: N MOTIVE: PC

SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: T MOTIVE: CE-felony

DATE(S): 1863–84 VENUE: La./Tex. VICTIMS:

DATE(S): 1990 VENUE: Md. VICTIMS: Three

Eight+

MO: Shot robbery victims age 14–18

MO: “Shootist” and occasional lawman; shot various DISPOSITION: Condemned on three counts; executed personal enemies, including a Union soldier

May 17, 1994

DISPOSITION: Killed in gunfight at San Antonio, Mar.

11, 1884

Theron, John
(?– )

SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: T MOTIVE: PC-

Thompson, Jerry K.
(1961– )

extremist

SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: T MOTIVE: CE

DATE(S): 1979–80 VENUE: Namibia VICTIMS:

DATE(S): 1991 VENUE: Indianapolis, Ind. VIC-

200 confessed

TIMS: Three

MO: South African special forces officer who murdered MO: Career criminal; shot two men and one woman in black prisoners of war by strangulation and lethal holdups

injection; also “experimented” on black taxi drivers DISPOSITION: Condemned

with poisoned beer

DISPOSITION: Absolved by South Africa’s Truth and
Thompson, Kelly Ray
(1968– )

Reconciliation Commission in return for confession SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: N MOTIVE: Sex.

DATE(S): 1990s VENUE: Wash./Colo. VICTIMS:

Tholmer, Brandon
(1949– )

Eight confessed

SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: T MOTIVE: Sex./CE

MO: Stabbed women in random attacks

DATE(S): 1981–84 VENUE: Los Angeles, Calif.

DISPOSITION: 31 years on one count in Wash., 1998

VICTIMS: 34 suspected

MO: Rape-slayer of elderly women; victims also
Thompson, Raymond Michael
(1930– )

robbed

SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: T MOTIVE: CE-felony

DISPOSITION: Four consecutive life terms, 1986

DATE(S): 1980–82 VENUE: Broward County, Fla.

VICTIMS: Two

Thomas, Ed Clifford
(1960– )

MO: Killed robbery/kidnap victims

SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: T MOTIVE: PC

DISPOSITION: Condemned on one count + life for DATE(S): 1980 VENUE: Dade County, Fla. VIC-kidnapping, 1986; 17 years six months on second TIMS: Two

count, 1987

MO: Killed victims in personal disputes

DISPOSITION: Two life terms, 1981

Thompson, Robert J.
(1909– )

SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: T MOTIVE: Sex./CE

Thomas, Renard Carlos
(1962– )

DATE(S): 1958 VENUE: Mexico VICTIMS: Two

SEX: M RACE: Unk. TYPE: T MOTIVE: PC

MO:American expatriate; raped/robbed/bludgeoned DATE(S): 1981–98 VENUE: DeKalb County, Calif.

female tourists

VICTIMS: Three suspected

DISPOSITION: Life sentence, Nov. 1958

MO: Named as prime suspect in the murders of two wives and a girlfriend

Thompson, William
(1845–88?) AKA: Texas Billy DISPOSITION: Received life sentence on April 9, SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: N MOTIVE: PC

2003, for the 1998 murder of his second wife; iden-DATE(S): 1973 VENUE: Kans./Colo./Tex. VIC-

tified by prosecutors as the probable killer in two TIMS: “Several”

other cases

MO: Psychotic brother of BEN THOMPSON; victims included at least one lawman

Thomas, William Gregory
(1960– )

DISPOSITION: Reportedly killed in Laredo, Tex.

SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: T MOTIVE: CE

DATE(S): 1991/93 VENUE: Duval County, Fla.

Thompson, William Paul
(1937–89)

VICTIMS: Two

SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: N MOTIVE: CE/PC

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Appendix A: Solo Killers

DATE(S): 1980s VENUE: N.Y./Kans./Calif./Nev.

Tipton, John Calvin
(1936–58)

VICTIMS: Six confessed

SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: T MOTIVE: Sex.

MO: Shot men in personal conflicts and contract mur-DATE(S): 1956 VENUE: Orange County, Calif.

ders

VICTIMS: Two

DISPOSITION: Convicted on two counts in Calif.; exe-MO: Home-invader; stabbed 18-year-old girls in breasts cuted in Nev. on one count, June 19, 1989

DISPOSITION: Executed on one count, Sept. 27, 1958

Thorpe, Scott Harlan
(1960– )

Tipton, Richard
(1971– )

SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: T MOTIVE: PC

SEX: M RACE: B TYPE: T MOTIVE: CE-drugs

DATE(S): 2001 VENUE: Nevada City, Calif. VIC-

DATE(S): 1992 VENUE: Richmond, Va. VICTIMS:

TIMS: Three

11

MO: Delusional paranoid who shot five victims, killing MO: Led drug gang in series of murders

three

DISPOSITION: Condemned under federal law

DISPOSITION: Pleaded guilty to three murder counts, March 24, 2003; found to be insane and committed
Todd, George
(1841–64)

to an asylum for life

SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: N MOTIVE: PC/CE

DATE(S): 1861–64 VENUE: Kans./Mo. VICTIMS:

Threinen, David
(1947– )

“Numerous”

SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: T MOTIVE: Sex.

MO: Member of “QUANTRILL’S RAIDERS”

DATE(S): 1975 VENUE: Saskatoon, Canada VIC-

DISPOSITION: Killed by Union sniper, Oct. 22, 1864

TIMS: Four

MO: Pedophile slayer of two boys aged nine and 12,
Todd, Sweeney
(1756–1802) AKA: Human Ghoul and two girls aged seven and eight

SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: S MOTIVE: CE

DISPOSITION: Pled guilty on four counts and received DATE(S): 1784–1801 VENUE: London, England

life term, 1975; rejected all further parole bids, VICTIMS: 160 alleged

August 2000

MO: Real-life “demon barber of Fleet Street” who robbed/killed patrons of both sexes; flesh of victims
Thwala, Sipho Agmatir
(1967– ) AKA: Phoenix processed and sold as “veal pies” by lover/accom-Strangler

plice Margery Lovett

SEX: M RACE: B TYPE: T MOTIVE: Sex.

DISPOSITION: Hanged on one count, Jan. 25, 1802; DATE(S): 1994–98 VENUE: Phoenix, South Africa

Lovett committed suicide in prison after confessing, VICTIMS: 16–19

Dec. 1801

MO: Rape-slayer of black women aged 20–30, strangled with their own underwear

Toffania
(1653–1723)

DISPOSITION: Acquitted of a rape-murder in 1994; SEX: F RACE: W TYPE: T MOTIVE: CE/Sad.

received 506-year sentence on March 31, 1999 for DATE(S): 1670–1719 VENUE: Naples, Italy VIC-16 murders and various lesser felonies

TIMS: 600 estimated

MO: Extreme feminist; poisoner-for-hire of unwanted
Tilley, Joe Vance
(1974– )

husbands

SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: T MOTIVE: Sad.

DISPOSITION: Executed by garrote, 1723

DATE(S): 1990 VENUE: Johnson/Marshall counties, Okla. VICTIMS: Three

Tolerton, Kenyon
(?– )

MO: Thrill-killer of elderly man and two 15-year-old SEX: M RACE: B TYPE: N MOTIVE: Sex.

girls

DATE(S): 1976–80 VENUE: Colo. VICTIMS: Four

DISPOSITION: Life without parole on one count, suspected

1993; condemned on second count

MO: Sex slayer of petite white females aged 14–21; victims stabbed

Tingler, Richard Lee, Jr.
(1940– )

DISPOSITION: Life without parole plus 48 years on SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: N MOTIVE: CE-felony

two counts, 1993; new DNA evidence under investi-DATE(S): 1968 VENUE: Cleveland/Columbus, Ohio

gation in two more cases

VICTIMS: Six

MO: Executed victims of both sexes during robberies
Toppan, Jane
(1854–1938)

DISPOSITION: Condemned, 1969 (sentence com-

SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: T MOTIVE: PC-non-

muted to life, 1972)

specific

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The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers

DATE(S): 1880–1901 VENUE: New England VIC-

DATE(S): 1897–1902 VENUE: Colo./Wyo./Utah

TIMS: 70–100 suspected

VICTIMS: “Several”

MO: Live-in “nurse” who poisoned patients and their MO: “Wild Bunch” outlaw known for his murderous relatives

temper

DISPOSITION: Confessed 31 counts, 1901; confined DISPOSITION: Suicide by gunshot to avoid arrest, to insane asylum where she died, in Aug. 1938

Aug. 6, 1902

Torres, Leslie
(1971– )

Traore, Mamadou
(1973– )

SEX: M RACE: H TYPE: T MOTIVE: CE

SEX: M RACE: B TYPE: T MOTIVE: PC

DATE(S): 1988 VENUE: New York City VICTIMS:

DATE(S): 1997 VENUE: Paris, France VICTIMS:

Five

Two

MO: Victims shot in robberies staged to support drug MO: Senegal native who blamed demonic possession addiction

for violent assaults on six women, including two DISPOSITION: Life term with 60-year minimum, Apr.

fatalities

1989

DISPOSITION: Life sentence with 22-year minimum, February 2000

Torres Hernandez, Ramon
(1971– ) AKA: The Razor

Trapishkin, Nicholas
(d. 1926)

SEX: M RACE: H TYPE: T MOTIVE: Sex.

SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: N MOTIVE: CE

DATE(S): 1991 VENUE: San Antonio, Tex. VIC-

DATE(S): 1920-26 VENUE: Russia VICTIMS: 100

TIMS: Five alleged

alleged

MO: Rape-slayer of young women, sometimes operat-MO: Apparent outlaw; several robbery charges also ing with accomplices

included

DISPOSITION: Condemned on one count, Oct. 2002; DISPOSITION: Executed, 1926

named as prime suspect in four additional rape-murders

Travis, Maury Troy
(1966–2002)

SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: T MOTIVE: Sex.

Toshihiko Haseqawa
(1951–2001)

DATE(S): 2001–02 VENUE: St. Louis, Mo. VIC-

SEX: M RACE: A TYPE: N MOTIVE: CE-felony

TIMS: 10–20 alleged

DATE(S): 1979–83 VENUE: Japan VICTIMS:

MO: Black female prostitutes beaten and strangled Three

DISPOSITION: Arrested June 7, 2002; suicide by MO: Killed two men, aged 20 and 30, for insurance hanging in his cell, June 10

payments; murdered a 39-year-old money broker

during robbery

Trawick, Jack Harrison
(1946– )

DISPOSITION: Hanged on Dec. 27, 2001

SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: N MOTIVE: Sex./Sad.

DATE(S): 1972–92 VENUE: Ala./Ore./at sea VIC-

Totia, Hiralal
(?– )

TIMS: Five confessed

SEX: M RACE: A TYPE: T MOTIVE: PC

MO: Rape-strangler of women, including one thrown DATE(S): 2004 VENUE: Shankarpur, India VIC-overboard on cruise ship sailing from Seattle to Alaska TIMS: Three

DISPOSITION: Condemned in Ala., 1994

MO: Vampire killer of a policeman, a cab driver, and a woman; drank blood of victims to prevent their spir-Trillo, Martin (?– )

its from haunting him

SEX: M RACE: ? TYPE: T MOTIVE: Sex.

DISPOSITION: Unknown

DATE(S): 1981 VENUE: Sacramento, Calif. VIC-

TIMS: Two

Townser, Anthony
(1975– )

MO: Lust strangler of women

SEX: M RACE: B TYPE: N MOTIVE: CE

DISPOSITION: Two life terms without parole, 1984

DATE(S): 1993 VENUE: Ill./Mo. VICTIMS: Three

suspected

Troppmann, Jean-Baptiste
(1848–70) AKA: Human MO: Home invader; killed/robbed elderly whites Tiger

DISPOSITION: 75-year term on one count, 1995

SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: T MOTIVE: CE

DATE(S): 1869 VENUE: France VICTIMS: Eight

Tracy, Harry
(1876–1902)

MO: Murdered entire family during prolonged swindle SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: N MOTIVE: CE

DISPOSITION: Guillotined Jan. 19, 1870

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Appendix A: Solo Killers

Troyer, Daniel Ray
(1960– )

MO: Shot women aged 54 and 21, during residential SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: T MOTIVE: Sex./CE-burglaries; formerly served 17 years for rape in Utah felony

DISPOSITION: Executed on May 28, 2004

DATE(S): 1985–88 VENUE: Salt Lake City, Utah

VICTIMS: 13 suspected

Tuggle, Lem Davis, Jr.
(d. 1996)

MO: Robbed, beat and sexually assaulted women, SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: T MOTIVE: Sex.

aged 69–88, in their homes

DATE(S): 1971/83 VENUE: Smyth County, Va.

DISPOSITION: Received sentence of 1–15 years for VICTIMS: Two

attacking a 71-year-old paraplegic in 1978; paroled MO: Rape-slayer of women

1982; received 15 years for a 1982 burglary; paroled DISPOSITION: Life term, 1971 (paroled 1983); exe-in 1985; 1988 murder charge dismissed on technical cuted Dec. 12, 1996

grounds; pled guilty on two murder counts and

received consecutive life terms (one without parole),
Tullis, Patrick
(1959– )

June 1999; confessed three more murders with pros-SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: T MOTIVE: PC

ecution waived, October 1999

DATE(S): 1987 VENUE: Chicago, Ill. VICTIMS:

Two

Trueblood, Lydia
(?–?)

MO: Homophobic slayer of gay men; victims

SEX: F RACE: W TYPE: N MOTIVE: CE-inheri-

stabbed/strangled

tance

DISPOSITION: 60 years on two counts, 1989

DATE(S): 1915–19 VENUE: Mo./Mont./Idaho

VICTIMS: Five

Ture, Joseph Donald, Jr.
(1950– )

MO: “Black widow” poisoner of husbands and a