Arthur John Shawcross (June 6, 1945 November 10, 2008), also known as the Genesee River Killer, was an American serial killer active in Rochester, New York from 1972 through 1989. 13. He preyed primarily upon prostitutes from Lyell Ave, raping and mutilating his victims before and after dumping their bodies in out of the way locations throughout the city.He had a penchant for securing their bodies by way of a . This victim was Dorothy Blackburn, a 27-year-old prostitute he strangled to death on March 24, 1988. Blake's body was not found until authorities received a tip by telephone on September 5. 19. Sheriff's officials say six people including a 17-year-old mother and her 6-month-old baby were killed in a shooting early Monday at a home in central California, and authorities are searching for . No matter how you look at it, Arthur Shawcross was a troubled person. The judicial system then thought it was wise to seal Shawcross records to prevent panic wherever he lived. He hid the body and left but told police that he later returned and threw her skull into the river. After his involvement in protecting a guard during a prison riot, he was granted an early release in October of 1971. Size: 13 x 10 in. He was probably a local man familiar with the area, and he probably had a criminal record. [1], After the war, Shawcross was stationed at Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma, as an armorer. Released and invisible. In 1967 he was drafted by the US Army at age 21. It was noted that the labia had been cut off and that the killer likely hadit in his possession. In June 1987, Shawcross and his new girlfriend, Rose Marie Walley, were relocated to Rochester, New York. 7. When discussing the murders of the two children in 1972, he told the detectives that Jack Blake had been bothering him, so he hit him, killing him by mistake. In this jailhouse interview, Arthur Shawcross, the Genesee River Killer, shares candid details of his crimes and his surprising family bonds. Shawcross was sentenced to five years in prison for arson in 1969. This one piece ofevidence could have led the authorities right to Shawcross, had they known that he was living in Rochester. He returned to Watertown, and by the following April, he was married for the third time and working for the Public Works Department. As reported by Biography, Shawcross made many disturbing claims about his childhood: he said he had sexual relations with his younger sister, claimed that he was molested by his aunt at just 9 years old, and said he had an early homosexual experience. When a pair of discarded jeans was discovered near the river on December 31, 1989, containing an ID card for a girl named Felicia Stephens, police began an aerial search of the surrounding area. Born in 1945 in upstate New York, Shawcross was perceived as different even in childhood (his classmates dubbed him ``Oddie,'' and elementary school officials called for mental health evaluations). Dr. Michael H. Stone, professor of psychiatry at Columbia University and an authority on violent behavior, identified Shawcross as "one of the most egregious examples of the unwarranted release of a prisoner" in his book The Anatomy of Evil. When approached, Shawcross agreed to assist the police with their enquiries. Shawcross was 27 years old, divorced for the third time and would be locked away until the age of 52, but after serving just 14 1/2 years,he was released from prison. She had been strangled, anally mutilated after death, had her labia removed, and was gutted from throat to crotch like a wild animal. Sentenced to 250 years to life in prison, 1991. Months after Jacks murder, 8-year-old Karen Ann Hill disappeared while on a Labor Day vacation with her mother. The case studies selected were those of Carroll Edward Cole, Jeffery Lionel Dahmer, Edmund Emil Kemper III, Henry Lee Lucas, and Arthur Shawcross. Arthur John Shawcross was also known as "The Genesee River Killer" and "The Rochester Strangler" all due to how he . He served two years in prison, was paroled to his respectable parents - and murdered a boy and a girl. Arthur Shawcross, AKA The Genesee River Killer, murdered at least 14 people. 17. 9. From school records it can be independently verified that he was an inveterate truant, with a particularly low IQ, a tendency to bullying and violence and that he came under suspicion for a series of juvenile arson attacks as well as burglaries. Arthur Shawcross Photo: Getty Images Serial killer Arthur Shawcross murdered 11 women in upstate New York in less than a two-year . Shawcross had served 12 years, roughly half of his sentence when inexperienced staff and social workers made the call to grant him parole stating he was no longer dangerous despite numerous psychiatrists warning that he was a schizoid psychopath. 30-year-old June Stotts was the first of Shawcrosss victims where he dove back into his love of cannibalism and mutilation. Arthur Shawcross was released from prison in 1987 after serving 14 1/2 years for the murder . Stott was mentally ill and would occasionally vanish without telling anyone. He wouldnt kill again for several months, but after being laid off from his job went into a rage and picked up Anna Steffen. The one aspect of Shawcross's life that was With little evidence, and no public impetus to solve the murder of a prostitute, her case languished for over a year. Over the next few years, his violent behavior intensified, and he was suspected of arson and burglary. Her boots were found in another location after the patrol expanded thesearch. In 1972 he confessed to the sexual assault and murders of two children. People with a desire to murder have a pretty big Venn diagram circle with people who have a craving for human flesh. Montaldo, Charles. An experienced and skilled writer, Olsen ( Predator ) proves himself equal to the formidable task of studying serial killer Arthur Shawcross. At around the same time, the Genesee River Killer murdered eight-year-old Karen Ann Hill. Arthur Shawcross was blinking in Morse code during his 2008 interview shortly before his death from cardia. Blackburn's lifestyle opened up a broad range of possible suspects for case detectives to investigate, but with too few clues the case eventually went cold. He was convicted of eleven murders, with a twelfth not officially ascribed to him. Six days later her body was pulled from the Genesee River Gorge. Arthur Shawcross, also known as "The Genesee River Killer," was responsible for the murders of 12 women in upstate New York from 1988 to 1990. It was also hindered by poor presentation on the part of the expert witnesses called to testify. Nostrand went to the police and gave them the information along with a description of the man's vehicle. He received a 25-year jail sentence, and third wife Penny divorced him shortly thereafter. 0 references. To get through the PTSD, I used therapy and microdosing 5-meo-DMT. Search Reddit posts and comments - see average sentiment, top terms, activity per day and more Then the body of 26-year-old June Stott, who was neither a prostitute nor drug user, was found on Thanksgiving Day. What's really fucked up is Shawcross had already been in prison for murdering other people. The cases selected were chosen largely because of the amount of information available on the subjects. This was the first real lead the investigators received. The detectives gave Shawcross a list of 16 women missing or murdered, and he immediately denied having anything to do with five of them. He had to be relocated to four different citiesbecause of community protests. Twenty-seven year old victim of the "Genesee River Killer" known as Arthur Shawcross. Road patrols were also sent out, and on New Year's Eve, they found a pair of black jeans belonging to Felicia Stephens. [2] He served one tour of duty with the 4th Supply and Transport Company of the 4th Infantry Division in Vietnam. Both marriages saw patterns of spousal abuse and violence perpetrated by Shawcross. "Serial Killer Arthur Shawcross Dead". The discovery of the body of another prostitute, Anna Steffen, on September 9, 1989, linked several of the victims. Serial killer Arthur John Shawcross, also called the Rochester Strangler or the Genesee River Killer, was prolific in the short time that he was an active killer. A food service worker, Shawcross trawled the streets of Rochester in his girlfriend's 1984 Dodge Omni (later using her 1987 Chevrolet Celebrity), looking for sex workers to kill. Had investigators hoped that the busy December holiday season and the cold temperatures might slow down the serial killer, they soon found out that they were wrong. [9], In response to the defense's claim that Shawcross's actions were the product of post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from his war service, FBI criminal profiler Robert K. Ressler reviewed the claim on behalf of the prosecution before the trial. Shawcrosss third victim of the 20-month spree was 59-year-old former waitress, Dorothy Keeler, with whom Shawcross had struck up a friendship. In 1972, he raped and killed an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old in two separate incidents. 1. In April 1967 Shawcross was drafted into the Army. On January 2, 1990, there was finally a breakthrough in the case. 1 reference. He was arrested . Image via murderpedia.org. It did not take long for Shawcross to return to his murderous ways. Interview with a Serial Killer is a powerful, no-frills documentary that consists largely of what the title advertises- a lengthy interview with Arthur Shawcross, also known as the Genesee River . Darlene Trippi, 32, was known for pairing up for safety with veteran Jo Ann Van Nostrand, yet on December 15, she like others before her, disappeared off Lyell Avenue. Shawcross was born on June 6, 1945 in Kittery, Maine to an English immigrant . New York governor George Pataki called Shawcross works of art sickening because the gentle paintings didnt reveal the monster underneath. One particular murder stood out to investigators who gave interviews after Shawcross went to jail. Agents sent to Rochester created a profile of the serial killer. Renowned forensic psychiatrist Dr. Park Dietz, who consulted for both the FBI and CIA, claimed under oath during Shawcross' trial he felt Lewis coaxed Shawcross to play various roles. Good Guy Arthur and his daughter and granddaughter . There were other murders of prostitutes in that time but, given the danger of the profession, nothing untoward was noticed that linked any of the cases. His second marriage, following drafting into the Army in April 1967, was also tainted by violence and was equally short-lived. Shawcross was held at the Sullivan Correctional Facility in New York State until November 10, 2008, when he complained of pain in his leg. [12], In 2003, Shawcross was interviewed by British reporter Katherine English for a documentary on cannibalism. There is simply no remorse, no emotion, and no feeling behind Shawcross voice. (2021, September 8). He did, however, offer up more details about his childhood, his past murders and his experiences in Vietnam. After throwing Junes body off a bridge by the Salmon River, Shawcross returned two days later and sawed of her genitals and ate them. A decision was made to seal his records from public view, and he was moved one final time. This time, Shawcross wasnt getting out of prison. The day of her death, October 21, 1989, Dorothy and Shawcross had spent the day fishing and having sex before getting into an argument about Shawcrosss various affairs and how hed been stealing money. He also claimed that an aunt sexually molested him when he was 9 years old and that he acted out by sexually molesting his younger sister. He was arrested the next day. Shawcross also removed her genitals and consumed them as well as the removed organs. Shawcross was born in Kittery, Maine in 1945, the oldest of four children. 27. Another serial killer, Arthur Shawcross did a prison stint for a few minor offences and was granted parole in 1971. He hid Patricias body under scraps of construction material, Francess down a nearby embankment and dumped Maria into roadside bushes. Shawcross was known to fish from the area under the same bridge. For detectives, June Stott's murder sent the investigation into a tailspin. Arthur Shawcross The Genesee Rive Killer Dr. Mike Aamodt Radford University maamodt@radford.edu Birth Born on June 6, 1945 at the U.S. Personal Life. He was pronounced dead at 9:50p.m. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Fortunately for the authorities, Shawcross had, as speculated, returned to the scene of one of his crimes to relive the pleasure of the attack. Now that youve read about Arthur Shawcross, the Genesee River Killer, read about serial killer Edmund Kemper, whose story is almost too gross to be real. A judge sentenced the murderer to 250 years in prison. Every Friday, we send out an email with the scariest horror movies and TV shows streaming that weekend along with creepy news, updates from the horror movie pipeline, and links to the best scary content on the web. We hear you like all things creepy we do too. The press also grew interested in the murders and dubbed the killer as the "Genesee River Killer," and the "Rochester Strangler.". 2. All Rights Reserved. In the end, it came down to what the jury believed, and they weren't fooled for a moment. Jack Blake would be the first of many more victims. An autopsy revealed that she had suffered severe wounds from a blunt object. During his trial, his lawyer tried to prove that Shawcross was a victim of multiple personality disorder stemming from his years of being abused as a child. Shawcross also killed 13 people over the course of 17 years. Shawcross started his life of crime at a very young age and ended up being a big fat liar about many things he claimed to have done. Arthur Shawcross, also known as the Genesee River Killer, was in prison after . His first known murders were in 1972 when he killed a young boy and a girl in his hometown of Watertown, New York. The prosecution was quick to dispute the claims about his childhood and military service, casting doubts on Shawcross' testimony. Shawcross is in part responsible for the 2001 ban of prisoners being able to sell artwork they create while incarcerated. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! Shawcross's medical records show that he had a cyst and scarring on his temporal lobe, which can dramatically alter .
