True Crime With Caledonian Kitty

It's been nearly 50 years since the horrific murders of 4 innocent children shocked Oakland County, Michigan. The four children who are confirmed to be the victims of the same perpetrator (or perpetrators) were 12 year old, Mark Douglas Stebbins, Jill Robinson (also 12), Kristine Marie Mihelich (aged just 10 years old) and 11 year old Timothy John King. Snow was heavy on the ground at the time each of the children's bodies were found, each had been abducted, held, either strangled, suffocated or shot. The boys had been sexually assaulted and the children had been cleaned thoroughly (investigators believe the children were bathed to remove evidence) before being disposed of in similar poses and patterns in the snow within 19 days of their abduction. 

It was a terrifying time in the late 70s where parents were on tenderhooks wondering what was going to happen next. Each of the cases had startling similarities that were impossible to ignore and took place from February 1976 to March 1977. After March of 1977 everything seemed to have all of a sudden ceased. The case was one of the most covered and highly investigated at the time. In an effort to help find the killer, public appeals were made and a psychologist (Bruce Danto) published an open letter to the killer which was shared in the local media. There was an overwhelming response to the letter but most of the leads were useless until one particular informant raised some eyebrows. A man calling himself 'Allen' and identifying himself as a Vietnam war veteran, claimed that had been a roommate of the killer that the press were now referring to as 'The Babysitter'. The killer was given this nickname because of how he carefully abducted his victims then kept them in captivity in a manner which saw him feeding and washing the victims before disposing of their bodies. 

'Allen' told Bruce Danto that the murders were an act of revenge for the war and that 'The Babysitter' wanted to teach wealthy parents a lesson by targeting children from well to do backgrounds in an effort to bring war on home soil. At the time it was hard to know if this 'Allen' character was legit but with investigators being desperate to get to the bottom of the case they couldn't afford to not pay attention to every little thing they could get. 'Allen' mentioned the snow and even told Bruce not to hope for more snow as if to indicate that more murders would happen. 

Communication between 'Allen' and Bruce continued for some time before Bruce suggested that they meet. Everything seemed to be on track and 'Allen' seemed to be on board for the meeting but all of a sudden he vanished, no letters, no phone calls, not a word and there hasn't been a word from 'Allen' since. Who was this man? Was he really the killer or was he some loner who realised that the trail back to him was getting too hot so he decided to stop lying and just fade into the darkness? who knows, the real identity of 'Allen' remains a mystery to this day. 

So much had been going on around the time that each of the bodies were found that investigators originally suspected 'The Babysitter' to have been responsible for a lot more murders and incidences that had been going on at the time. Some of these suspected murders have since been disproved and there is still a big question mark hanging around the others. 

One of the facts that investigators found was that the killer not only had a thing for cleanliness, but was also obsessed with snow. Parents were fearful every time the winter weather would roll around in case the murderer struck again but things continued to be silent. 

As well as 'The Babysitter', the serial killer is also known by the nickname 'The Oakland County Serial Killer' and 'The Snow Murderer'. This case has remained unsolved for decades and it's heartbreaking after so long you try to keep hopeful that a new lead will come but there is nothing to go on. 

The case remains open to this day and one of the sad facts of the case was that the heartbroken father of Timothy John King, passed away a few years ago never finding justice for his son. Timothy's father, Barry had spent decades trying to keep the case alive and did everything he could to find information. He dedicated his life to finding his son's killer and never got that moment of justice and glory. Bruce reminds me a lot of Winnie Johnson (the devoted and late mother of 'Moors Murders' victim, Keith who was murdered by Ian Brady & Myra Hindley in 1964. I wrote about this horrendous case last year, you can find the post here) who never gave up looking for Keith's remains, she may have seen the day her son's killers were brought to justice but she did not have the closure of being given that last bit of comfort to have her son's remains for herself and her family to pay tribute and give a meaningful burial or cremation. Brady and Hindley were so evil to the core that they denied giving Winnie that information about where keith was. 

I've written about cases that have been solved decades later but a case that is nearly 50 years old? Could it be possible a miracle could happen and we could still get some sort of closure for these poor families who've been through hell for decades? I can never imagine the pain of losing a child and then not knowing where they were or that the murderer has escaped justice for decades. 

It brings to mind another case from my home town in Scotland which was finally solved last year after 27 years!! The Caroline Glachan murder shocked my home town for years and rumours were rife but nobody spoke up. Caroline's mother Margaret went through hell for years not knowing if the person she passed on the street was responsible for her daughter's murder. It was a case that never went away for us, every chance that Margaret could get she was looking for her daughter's killer. Regular updates and reports on the case were shared nationwide along with newspaper articles appealing for information and the case featured on many true crime documentaries. I seemed to be the only one in the true crime community who had written about the case back in 2019 but that might have been down to the fact that it was a murder that happened in a small town who knows? But when the three murderers were finally caught the news went world wide! Everyone was elated and astonished that after all this time that a case could be solved and justice finally done. 

One of the sad facts about cases such as Caroline's and others that I have covered on this blog, is that by the time these cases are solved the celebration is bittersweet because the person is still no longer with us plus the years of anguish and hell that their loved ones have gone through, years wasted. It is like a torture for the families of the victims and it's another heartbreaking aspect of unsolved cases. 

So there are a lot of broken hearts in the Oakland County case, innocent children being murdered, taken from their families with nobody facing justice for these horrendous crimes. Investigators still suspecting there could be more victims tied to the same killer. I guess all we can do is hope and pray that someone, somewhere comes forward and that this case (for the sake of the victims and their remaining loved ones who are still alive) will finally be closed. 

RIP to the little angels (who are confirmed to be victims of this unidentified monster. We can but hope that one day all of this will be solved, it's important to never give up) Jill Robinson, Kristine Mihelich, Timothy King & Mark Stebbins. Thinking also of the other potential victims, survivors and their families. 

If you have any information or could pass the phone number/email on to someone who does, please get in touch with the Oakland County Police Dept on 248 858 5000 or email osco@oakgov.com 

Further Reading & Sources:

- The Encyclopedia of Unsolved Crimes | Book by Michael Newton

- The Snow Killings | Book by Marney Rich Keenan

- Oakland County Child Killer | Wikipedia

- Oakland County Child Killer Case : Article | Click On Detroit

- Oakland County Child Killer: Article | Fox 2 Detroit

- Oakland County Child Killer: Case Discussion | Reddit

- Children of The Snow | TV Mini Series 

- Oakland County Michigan | Wikipedia

- Oakland County Police Dept

Well, this heartbreaking story was the first instalment of my Unsolved series here on my blog. I will be covering five more cases in the coming weeks that you may not have heard about before and I hope that you will join me for them. Just a reminder that I publish a new post every Sunday evening, to keep up to date with when i share my latest content, check out my Linktree for all of my social media platforms. 

Take care & I hope you will join me next time x

(Linda Kurle & The Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital. Picture credits: Chicago Tribune)

As you know I have written about killer nurses in the past (Lucy Letby & Beverley Allitt)  as well as the shocking crimes of Doctors Harold Shipman and Josef Mengele who have abused their position and harmed or murdered innocent patients in their care. It's a frightening thought to know that the stories I have written about involving these individuals are just a tiny speck on a huge number of cases which are still going on to this day. We used to be able to say that whilst in hospital you were considered to be in the best place, it was seen as safe, clean and staffed by qualified medical professionals that only had your best interests at heart. We used to be able to say that you could 100% trust your Doctor but in this day and age with numerous mistakes being made, patients concerns being ignored, corner cutting and unexplained deaths, you really do have to think twice. 

So back in 1980 in Chicago, Illinois, USA, a shocking story briefly hit the headlines involving a 24 year old nurse by the name of Linda Kurle. Apparently Linda, who had been working her usual 11pm to 7am nightshifts at The Good Samaritan hospital was being suspended due to an investigation into two unexplained deaths of elderly female patients who had primarily been in her care. The two patients had been in hospital for routine surgery (one of the patients was in hospital for a hip operation) but suddenly died due to lapsing into a insulin induced coma. The two women had been perfectly fine previously so their deaths became a mystery and shock to the staff of the hospital. Linda was in charge of 12 patients on that particular ward and was the one who had apparently found both of these patients not responding and raised the alarm. According to Linda, she had done everything she possibly could to keep both of these women alive. 

Both of the women had undergone autopsies which revealed that both of them had died through heavy doses of insulin. After the autopsies the remains were released to the families for cremation. Linda Kurle was suspended by the hospital who continued on with their investigation into the unexplained deaths. Linda contacted a lawyer and got the press involved declaring that she was innocent and had been targeted by the hospital. Her argument was that the insulin had been kept in a room which anyone could have had access to as it was always open and was situated right next to a public elevator. Her lawyer also argued the fact that the hospital was not questioning everyone who had access to that room, the focus was purely on Linda.

A hearing about Linda's suspension was held and she turned up with her lawyer and an army of friends who were prepared to provide a positive character reference for Linda. She had also alerted the media. The hospital forbid the press to attend but interviews with Linda and her lawyer as well as the attorney representing the hospital were conducted outside. The hearing only lasted 20 minutes but Linda was provided with a two-page document which contained the concerns that the hospital had in regards to her conduct during her shifts. Linda was in tears and again declared that she was innocent and even offered to take a polygraph (lie detector) test. 

The shocking story did make the nightly news and the public were waiting to hear what the final decision was going to be in regards to Linda's possible guilt, innocence and her career as a nurse. The hospital board were set to make a decision within days of what manner in they wished to proceed. It ended up with Linda being fired from her position but because the deaths could not be proven to be her responsibility they still let her go. The hospital still believed the deaths to be highly suspicious and unexplained but they could not prove that Linda was 100% responsible although they did suspect her. Nobody else was ever questioned. 

Not one to take the news of her nursing career at the age of 24 being over, Linda pressed forward and took the hospital to court to fight for her nursing reputation, employment and financial damages. She claimed that her life and professional career had been ruined and that she'd been made a scapegoat. 

In a surprise turn of events due to lack of evidence which could 100% prove that Linda had been the person who had administered the insulin to the patients, the court decided that the hospital give Linda back her nursing position as well as money owed and financial compensation for distress caused. 

The story quickly vanished from the media which is quite interesting because if it had occurred today, I think that members of the public and the media would be interested in getting to the bottom of it all. We have seen with the likes of Dr Harold Shipman, with his patients who had routine ailments mysteriously passing away out of the blue but those relatives of those victims and members of the public would not let it lie despite the victims being of a certain age. I could be wrong but it seems like because the two patients in the Good Samaritan Hospital case were elderly women and it occurred in 1980, there seemed to be an attitude of just letting the case dwindle away. You'd think that the hospital would continue their investigations into everyone who worked there, not just Linda. At the end of the day the hospital was left with a bad reputation as well as being dragged through the court in front of the media by Linda, you'd think they'd want to get to the bottom of the unexplained deaths. To not only bring some sort of closure to the patient's families but to help repair their image to the public. 

Linda returned to her position as a nurse at the hospital which is quite baffling to me for a number of reasons. One being that she was allowed to return (by order of the court not by the hospital wanting her back) to her position despite the fact that it was not known if she had been responsible for the deaths. Two that she would even return to a place where everyone suspected her of being a murderer basically. In this situation I think that if there's any doubt (obviously with some sort of evidence) about someone's conduct in that position with vulnerable people, I think that chances should not be taken. 

After Linda's return no other incidences were reported but was Linda 100% innocent all along or was it the case that she was guilty and knew that all eyes were on her, so if anything was to happen she knew they'd look to her first? 

The unexplained deaths of Ellen O'Hara and Vivian Brown were never solved, nobody was brought to justice and their families were left with unanswered questions. Linda continued on with her career and reportedly passed away at the age of 35 in 1991 taking any possible secrets to the grave. This case was over 43 years ago and the people that were working in the hospital at the time are probably no longer with us or at least in their late 60s if they were around the same age as Linda. 

The Good Samaritan Hospital still exists to this day but goes by the name of Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital. Linda having passed away at the young age of 35 one wonders if it was illness related or had she taken her own life? I couldn't find any information except for a death notice. If Linda was indeed innocent, it's a very sad end to a very tragic story. To be accused of murder at the age of 24 then passing away not that long after at the young age of 35 the ordeal of being falsely accused and no doubt suffering PTSD afterwards as a result for the rest of those years, one hopes that she did find some peace towards the end. On the other hand, if she was guilty, it is still tragic and questions remain why did she do it? was it an error in judgement or a deliberate act? 

What would you have done in that situation if you had been accused of something you hadn't done? Would you have given up your nursing career? This is a case that leaves a lot of unanswered questions which in my opinion we'll never know the answers to. Too much time has passed, no evidence was saved and unless someone has a death-bed confession we may never know. 

I think about the families of the deceased women and hope they were able to find some sort of peace despite everything. 

RIP Ellen and Vivian 

I feel that I should say RIP also to Linda because even I am not psychic and cannot say whether she was or was not guilty. 

The story of what happened at that hospital back in 1980 has long been forgotten I'm sorry to say. It's popped up on my blog now in 2024 and it may inspire others to look for answers or cover the story but it's one of those cases that has been lost in the sands of time and it really is a tragedy no matter how old the victims were. There's also the thought that if Linda was innocent, someone spent all of those years allowing her to suffer and have her reputation as a nurse called into question. If that is the truth of the matter, I hope that karma has come back around for that person. 

Further reading & sources: 

- Linda Kurle: Article | Chicago Tribune

- Kurle Courtcase | Case Text

- Hinsdale High School Yearbook

- The Encyclopedia of Unsolved Crimes | Book by Michael Newton

- Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital

- Linda Kurle | News Report 

Thank you as always for joining me in my latest true crime post, I hope that you found it interesting and informative. please let me know your thoughts below, by email (jocaledoniankitty@gmail.com) or on my Socials. 

See you next time and stay safe x 

So this case which I'm focusing on in this post took place in the early 90s and was only solved in recent times thanks to DNA technology. The murders of two beautiful young women just 10 months apart in Phoenix, Arizona in the timeline of 1992 and 1993 had shocked and horrified anyone who had watched the news and read the papers. Angela Brosso was just about to turn 22 years old the very next day when she decided that she would take her usual bike ride along the beautiful scenic route by Cave Creek Park the night before. This activity was a regular occurrence for Angela but she always had her boyfriend with her. On this rare occasion her boyfriend decided to stay home and continue planning her birthday celebrations as well as making her a cake. Obviously a young woman going for a bike ride late at night would concern a lot of people but because it was a regular routine and there had been times in the past where she'd been on her own and all was fine, she must have thought that this time would be ok too. 

Unfortunately this time, Angela did not return home and panic set in. She was reported missing but the reality of what had happened was quickly apparent. Someone had cruelly murdered Angela in the most gruesome and cold-blooded way. Her remains had been found within hours on the day of her birthday, she had been decapitated and disemboweled, it was a crime scene so sickening that investigators believed the murder to be the work of a serial killer. Whoever murdered Angela had obviously been lying in wait and could possibly have been watching her and her boyfriend cycling previously so knew her routine. The murder looked like that of a fast, frenzied, aggressive attack with a sharp, ragged object. When Angela's remains were originally found, her head was missing. Her head was later found on the 20th of November, nearly two weeks later. With no clue as to who was responsible, the investigators tried to work with the evidence that they had but DNA techniques were still in their infancy at that point. The case remained opened.

Just 10 months after Angela's gruesome murder, a 17 year old girl by the name of Melanie Bernas had been found murdered at the same location where Angela's head at been found. Melanie had not been disemboweled or decapitated like Angela but both had been sexually assaulted before they were murdered or after the fact. Melanie had also had the letters WSC carved into her chest by the unknown killer. DNA evidence found at the scene connected both murders to the same culprit. Both girls had been out riding their bikes at the beauty spot near the Arizona Canal when they were attacked and murdered, the media dubbed the killings ''The Canal Murders''. Both of the bikes have never been found but the DNA collected was kept on file and later entered into the national database. 

As I mentioned before, investigators believed the murders of both Angela and Melanie to be the actions of an unidentified serial killer. The evidence collected together with the perpetrator's DNA sample was kept on file and on the database but for decades there was no match. 

For years the case went unsolved but a big break came in 2015 when investigators discovered a match on the national database. A man named Bryan Patrick Miller came to their attention and he was promptly brought in for questioning and later charged. All of the DNA evidence matched up to him and it turned out that Bryan had quite the background of violence towards women. During his trial (which took years to get up and running due to a series of delays, especially with the covid pandemic) details emerged of his difficult and abusive childhood, he had an addiction to violent porn and BDSM. At the time of the murders (of which he was just 20 years old at the time of the killings) he had been fantasizing bout abducting, sexually assaulting and mutilating women and had written about his fantasies. In later years he went on to marry and have a daughter. 

During his trial his lawyer tried to plead his case trying to gain some sympathy for his client who was clearly a sexual sadist. They were trying to paint him as an abuse survivor who wasn't in his correct frame of mind at the time of the killings due to severe PTSD. Looking at the evidence presented and the gruesome reality of the crimes, it was clear that he had planned these murders and had written about violent fantasies involving sexually assaulting and murdering women since his teens. It was clear he had been a ticking time bomb. The fact he was able to just move on with his life after the murders and start a family shows just how callous he was. He continued on with his life whilst the families and friends of Angela and Melanie suffered. One wonders what it must have been like for Angela's boyfriend who must have felt a huge amount of guilt (even though he wasn't to have known what would happen that night) as well as devastation at what had happened. 

After decades Bryan Patrick Miller was finally found guilty and was given two death sentences. As the murders of Angela and Melanie occurred when he was 20 years old and he wasn't caught until 2015 one wonders if he was connected to any other murders. Some investigators believe he could have started killing in his teen years. Investigators are still looking into other cases that he may have been responsible for. 

I know this was a difficult post to get through and I appreciate that you have made it this far. 

RIP to Angela, Melanie and to any other unknown victims of Bryan Patrick Miller. 

Further Reading & Sources:

- Bryan Patrick Miller: Article | AZ Central

- Angela & Melanie: Article | The Sun

- The Encyclopedia of Unsolved Crimes | Book by Michael Newton

- Bryan Patrick Miller: Article | The Mirror

- Bryan Patrick Miller: Article | AZ Central

- Bryan Patrick Miller: Article | CBS News

- Angela & Melanie: Article | The US Sun

Thank you for taking the time to read my latest case and I hope that you will join me next time. In the meanwhile I hope to see you on my socials. Take care and stay safe x 

(Harvey Glatman. Picture credit: murderpedia)

*Please be aware that some of the details that I will be sharing in this post will be disturbing and deal with child self abuse as well as sexual abuse, assault and murder*

Often, when it comes to Serial Killers, it comes as no surprise when details emerge that their childhoods were less than satisfactory. Nine times out of ten there are signs and red flags of things to come pretty much early on in childhood through actions, behaviours as well as the environment in which the individual is brought up in. You can't always bank on that as we have seen with so many cases where killers have appeared to have had a normal childhood and then suddenly fallen on the wrong side of the law during their teenage years escalating into more and more disturbing behaviour. 

I've written about so many Serial Killers that I've lost count but in this case, the story of Harvey Glatman is particularly disturbing, not just because of his sadistic crimes but his childhood behaviour. To have a child carrying out disturbing sexual acts on himself at the age of 4 is just too much to stomach. Harvey Glatman was obsessed with sexual practices and rope as a child, he would tie things around his private area in order to gain gratification. It's disturbing to write as well as to read but that was the situation. His parents knew what had been going on and had caught him doing these things on many occasions. They turned a blind eye to it at first but eventually sought help to which they were told that it would just be a phase. Well, Harvey's unhealthy and disturbing behaviour was not just a phase, in fact it was the beginnings of a Serial Killer who became obsessed with binding, sexually assaulting and murdering women. 

As disturbing as this intro into this case is, I would like to go into Harvey's childhood to the very beginning. He was born Harvey Murray Glatman on the 10th of December 1927 in New York City to parents Albert and Ophelia. At first, things seemed pretty normal in the household, Harvey was his parent's only child and was the apple of their eye. The family moved to Colorado and there wasn't anything really out of the ordinary, no traumatic events or reported abuse from either parent but for some reason, Harvey started exhibiting some very disturbing behaviour. He was obsessed with rope and string. He would tie things around his private area for pleasure and he was doing this at the age of 4! His parents put it down to a phase as disturbed as they were and hoped that he would grow out of it but it carried on. By the age of 12 he was carrying out sexual acts in the bathroom involving rope. It sounds like to me that he was indulging in Autoerotic Asphyxiation which involves placing a rope around one's neck to the point of choking whilst masturbating at the same time. It's a very dangerous thing to do and has resulted in many fatalities and serious injury. The blood is cut off by the rope and it gives the individual a light-headed rush to the head which intensifies their orgasm. 

His mother caught him in the bathroom and terrified that her son would accidentally kill himself, his parents sought help and shockingly they were told that it was just a phase and that Harvey would eventually stop. The truth was that even during his childhood his parents knew that their son was not normal but they had no way to help or stop him. All they could do was just try and prevent something terrible from happening but they were truly powerless. It is unknown how or why Harvey was doing these things or where he had learnt it from. His parents could not explain it. 

As is often the case, Harvey wanted to carry out these things on women he desired. As a teenager he would stalk women, break into their houses and go through their lingerie drawers. He fantasized about tying women up, having complete control over them. The pattern of behaviour was escalating more and more because he no longer got a thrill just from the masturbation and stealing women's underwear, he wanted to carry out sexual assaults. He had carried out various sexual assaults during some of the break-ins at various women's homes but on one occasion he abducted a woman and subjected her to a horrific sexual assault, luckily she escaped alive and he was put behind bars but it wasn't long until he was back on the streets. 

Whilst he was in prison he had been diagnosed by a psychiatrist as schizophrenic with a sexual impulse which was a warning right there that this guy was a ticking time bomb. Normally, people have sexual fantasies but know where to draw the line, with Harvey there was no line and no dulling down. As soon as he was released from prison his behaviour only got worse. 

Back on the streets he'd discovered a new tactic for getting close to women, to beautiful women that he knew would probably not look twice at him. He posed as a professional photographer and lured aspiring models to his apartment in the pretence of a photoshoot to help with their modelling portfolio. Once the women were in his apartment the tone had changed, he either convinced them or forced them to allow him to tie them up as part of the photoshoot. 

His first known murder victim was the beautiful 19 year old Judy Ann Dull, Judy had been subjected to a horrific ordeal and it was during this disgusting assault that Harvey was reported to have officially lost his virginity. He'd sexually assaulted women in the past but was technically still a virgin up until that point apparently. He was 29 years old at this time. There are infamous pictures of Judy on the internet and which you will often see pop up on documentaries. The haunting picture of her tied up on the chair with the look of fear in her eyes, it's very disturbing especially if you know what was actually happening at that time and after the picture was taken. After Judy's ordeal at the sick hands of Harvey Glatman, she was strangled and her body was dumped in a desert which was on the outskirts of LA. The location where Judy's body was placed became a regular spot where Harvey's victims would be discarded. Harvey would take the women there to further torment them, sexually assault them before strangling them and their bodies would be left there. 

(Judy Ann Dull. Picture credit: murderpedia)

Harvey went on to kill two other women in a similar manner, Ruth Mercado (24) and Shirley Ann Bridgeford (24). He attempted to carry out another kidnap, assault and murder on another victim, Lorraine Vigil (28). Lorraine initially got in his car on the knowledge that they were going to conduct a photoshoot but she soon realised that something wasn't right and tried to make an escape. Harvey tried to threaten Lorraine with a gun but she bravely fought back, resulting in a slight injury to her thigh. During the struggle, she bit him and managed to get hold of the gun and kept the cowardly Harvey Glatman terrified to move until the police arrived. 

(Judy Ann Dull. Picture credit: murderpedia)

To everyone's surprise, Harvey Glatman was only too happy to tell anyone who would listen, that he had killed women and confessed to everything. He'd kept trophies of his victims in a toolbox which contained photographs, lingerie etc. He wanted to be put to death and having been found guilty of his horrific crimes, he was sentenced to die in the gas chamber at San Quentin State Prison which he accepted. Harvey Glatman died on the 18th of September 1959. 

RIP to the known victims of Harvey Glatman: 

Judy Ann Dull

Ruth Mercado

Shirley Ann Bridgeford

And to all of the possible unknown victims. 

RIP also to the brave and inspirational survivor, Lorraine Vigil who sadly passed away in 2002.

Further Reading & Sources: 

- The Big Book of Serial Killers | Book by Jack Rosewood

- The Killer Book of Serial Killers | Book by Michael Philbin, Tom Philbin.

- Harvey Glatman | Wikipedia

- Harvey Glatman | Murderpedia

- Harvey Glatman | This Day in History

- Rope: The Twisted Life & Crimes of Harvey Glatman | Book by Michael Newton

Thank you as always for checking out my latest true crime post, I hope you will join me in the next one. in the meantime you can find me on my socials here and if you would like to help support my weekly content, donations can be made here

Stay safe x

 (Donald Henry ''Pee Wee' Gaskins. Picture credit: The Sate)

*Please be aware that I will be sharing disturbing details in this post. I have tried to be as sensitive as I can without shying away from the facts of the case*

I've read a lot of books about various serial killers over the years and have written about them on this blog but now and then there is a case which tends to haunt me and the story of Pee Wee Gaskins is such a case. I found a book about him in an old bookstore when I was about 15, I think it was called 'The Autobiography of A Serial Killer' and to say it was very graphic and disturbing, is an understatement. 

The book detailed Pee Wee's crimes and a no holds barred interview on death row had been transcribed. Without a shred of remorse or human decency, Pee Wee went into details about what he did to his victims and it was horrific, there was a part where he was talking about the sexual assault and murder of a child and how he had enjoyed that sexually and I just couldn't cope with that. At the age of 15 I was just learning about the world myself and couldn't even bring myself to accept that such horrific things and evil individuals like Pee Wee Gaskins could even exist. 

I threw the book away and it took weeks for me to get those horrible thoughts out of my head and forget the things he said. Whenever I see his face pop up in a book or a documentary, I remember how truly sick and evil this man was. I've read a lot of books and written a lot of blogs on serial killers but that book is one of the most spine-chilling, gut wrenching things that I have ever read. 

I didn't want to write about him in all honesty but I keep getting requests to do so and thought I would just get it over with and add his story to the huge list of serial killers that I have already written about. I will be covering more serial killer cases in 2024 but I thought I would end this year with a readers request. 

So let's get into the case.... 

Donald Henry Gaskins was born on the 13th of March 1933 in Florence County, South Carolina. His original full name at birth was Donald Henry Parrott Jr. He was called ''Pee Wee' because he was known to be a small and weak child and he came into a home life that was no where near comfortable. There was no love from his single mother, who had a string of children from different fathers and the level of neglect to all children was appalling. 

Different men would come and go from the house and Pee Wee often found himself being physically assaulted by the men his mother was acquainted with. There was no love or protection, just pure neglect in a very unsafe environment. Pee Wee was known to suffer from seizures during the early part of his childhood and this was believed to have stemmed from an incident when he was one years old where he drank a bottle of kerosene. 

With no love and a home life in turmoil it was only a matter of time before Pee Wee went off the rails but it was worse than anyone could have expected.  Sometimes an abused and neglected child will take part in various thefts, petty crime but not Pee Wee, he was a monster from the get-go. He had been a member of a gang of other kids that did some petty crimes but had also partaken in a horrendous gang r*** of a sister of one of the boys. Pee Wee had enjoyed the sickening act. Other assaults and thefts had occurred and he soon found himself being sent to a reform school because he was too young at that point to go to an adult prison. 

Before he had even turned 18 he claimed that he had been sexual assaulted on a number of occasions by the other boys at the school and he ran away. He returned to continue the rest of his time there and was soon released. It was all supposed to be a fresh start for him and he'd manged to get a job but it wasn't to last. He was found guilty of assaulting girls and ended up again behind bars to serve 6 years. 

Pee Wee was always seen as weak and a pathetic type of character but when he found himself being sexually assaulted again, he took matters into his own hands and fought back with a knife. He cut his attacker's throat and soon earned a level of respect. He also found a new level of confidence that he had never had before. He'd always hurt people who were smaller than him but he was now able to fight grown men and he enjoyed that. 

His time in prison was not without drama and over that incident, he did have some time added on to his sentence but he managed to escape again. He was soon returned and like before, he completed his sentence and was deemed fit to be released. As soon as he walked out of the prison gates he was back into a life of crime. 

Robberies and sexual assaults were back on the cards again and more sentences followed but he managed to escape once again and he was in and out of prison. The fact that they continued to release him and he'd be back in trouble in a short period afterwards, should have demonstrated that he should never have been released. 

Getting a slap on the wrist for his sexual assaults and robberies must have made Pee Wee feel that he could pretty much get away with anything. He was no longer satisfied with the horrible things he had been doing, he wanted to take it a step further and commit murder. 

When it came to his killings, nobody was safe, he targeted men, women and children. Most of the victims (who he nicknamed 'coastal kills') were reportedly hitchhikers and we may never truly know how many people he actually killed. His methods of killing were horrendous and there was no set way in which he did things. Some victims had been sexually assaulted and stabbed, some were smothered, tortured, butchered and reportedly had some of their flesh eaten by him. 

His niece and her friend had fallen victim to him, both girls who were just 15 and 17 had been sexually assaulted and beaten to death. 

All of the murders were horrendous and too much to stomach but the sexual assault and murder of his neighbour and her little girl who was just a toddler, was something that really disturbed me and something that I will never be able to not be horrified by or forget as I read the details all those years ago. 

I won't go into the horrific details of the murders I just mentioned because it is just too horrendous to bare but I'm sure you understand and know it is a line that none of us want to go over and think about. Murders of anyone, no matter their age, is horrific but when it is the sexual assault and murder of a child by someone so evil and twisted that they would say that it was the most excited that they had gotten sexually, is just too much. His words (and I will say them as it is a fact of the case so please skip a few lines if you must) about the murder were ''It was the most overpowering come I had ever felt.'' 

His murder spree came to an end when a former crime associate of his had ratted him out to the cops. The man had claimed that he had seen Pee Wee murder two men. In November of 1975 he had given up and told the police some of what he had done and where he had buried the remains of his victims. After a short trial he was found guilty of just murders based on the remains that authorities were able to recover. He was given a death sentence which was reduced to a life sentence due to changes in state but as always he found himself in more trouble behind bars and murdered a fellow inmate who he was shockingly, paid to murder by a relative by one of his own murder victims, that was a lot to get one's head around in this horrible case too. 

His reduced life sentence was soon changed back to death row and the night before he faced the electric chair he tried to call the shots himself by cutting his wrists. I've heard of this happening quite a few times with inmates who are due to face their final punishment. It doesn't phase the prison guards, they will just wipe up the blood, stitch up your wounds and go ahead as scheduled. That's exactly what they did with Pee Wee Gaskins. He was a coward and it didn't matter what he did this time, there was no way of escaping, it was time to face the music. 

Donald Henry ''Pee Wee'' Gaskins was executed by electric chair on the 6th of September 1991 at the age of 58. 

His murder spree reportedly took place between 1953 and 1982 and shockingly he was only confirmed to have murdered 15 people but suspected of killing 110. He said himself that there were more victims. He once told authorities ''There are quite a few bodies that have never been mentioned but you've got enough for now.''

His last words before he was executed were ''I'll let my lawyers talk for me, I'm ready to go.''

This was a difficult post to get through and I appreciate if you have made it this far. What are your thoughts on this case? Pee Wee Gaskins was clearly a dangerous individual from day one, having committed such a horrendous crime from a young age. He should have been dealt with properly and never been released. He demonstrated that he was dangerous both inside and outside of prison walls. A frightening individual who targeted anyone, anywhere at any time and not a shred of remorse or feeling of guilt for what he had done. I watched a documentary about him a few years ago and his daughter was talking about him. The grown up daughter came across as having severe psychological issues, she kept saying ''My Daddy was sick, my Daddy this and Daddy that''  like what he had done could be easily forgiven. I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that if I had a father or relative that was exactly like Pee Wee Gaskins, I would run a mile and never have his name mentioned in my presence ever again. 

It's interesting the behaviour of some of these parents and relatives of serial killers or child killers. They are totally devoted to their sons or daughters even though they have committed the most horrendous pain and suffering to other people and their families. For example, Chris Watts who murdered his heavily pregnant wife then buried her in a shallow grave, came back for his two young daughters and smothered them before dumping their tiny bodies down two oil tanks. All the while he was texting the woman he had been having an affair with at work. He stood before the TV cameras playing the part of the worried and concerned husband and father. 

He didn't confess to what he had done, oh no, he decided to claim at first that his wife went to stay with friends and when he could feel the net closing in he changed that to accusing his wife of abusing their daughters. It had all come out in the courtroom how he had been looking at jewelry for his mistress (who claimed to be completely innocent in everything even though she knew he had been married with kids and had stalked his wife on facebook etc then deleted tons of text messages. People have different opinions on that but the police say that she didn't have any part in what took place and didn't push him to make any rash decisions. We know she wasn't there at the crime scene but what some people believe is that she pressured him to choose between his family and her. What are your thoughts on that?), making arrangements to sell the house and had spoken to the girl's school and told them that the girls would not be coming back. 

I mention Chris Watts because his parents think that the sun shines out of his backside even though they sat there and listened in detail to what he had done. The parents were never fans of his wife but that's no excuse, he's a monster and they think he's an angel. I think it says a lot when you look at the parents. I know the parents are not always to blame for how their children turn out but Chris Watts family are very strange people to say the least. 

RIP to the known victims of Pee Wee Gaskins and we can but hope that one day the families of the unknown victims will have some sort of closure and be able to know the truth about what happened to their loved ones. RIP to the victims of Chris Watts, Shanann, baby Nico, Bella and Celeste. 

Once again, thank you for getting through the post and also, thank you for all of your support this year. I will be taking a little break for the Christmas holidays but I will be back in January so keep your eyes peeled!

If you would like to help support my content by buying me a cheeky Christmas coffee, that would be amazing, you can either make a small payment Here on my ko-fi page where you will also find pictures and regular updates! or simply make a payment to My PayPal or CashApp: £CaledonianKitty

Further Reading & Sources:

- Autobiography of A Serial Killer | Book by Pee Wee Gaskins

- Donald Gaskins | Book by Jack Rosewood

- The Big Book of Serial Killers | Book by Jack Rosewood

- The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers | Book by Michael Newton

- Famous Serial Killers Wordsearch | Book by Crook Crook

- Donald Henry Gaskins | Wikipedia

- Pee Wee Gaskins | Crime Museum

- Pee Wee Gaskins: Documentary: Real Crime

I wish you all of the best for Christmas and New Year and I hope to see you in January with some fresh new content x

 (From left: Sion Jenkins. From Right: Billie-Jo Jenkins. Picture credits: thatslife)

*Please be aware that some of the details that I will be sharing in this post will mention sensitive subjects such as child abuse and murder. As always, I have tried to be as sensitive as I can whilst not taking away from the facts of the case*

This case has to be one of the most talked about in the UK for a very long time. The horrific murder of 13 year old Billie-Jo Margaret Jenkins in Hastings (England) in 1997 was a case that shocked and baffled not only the UK public but beyond. This beautiful young girl was just painting the patio doors in the back garden of her foster family home, when she was suddenly attacked and bludgeoned to death with an iron tent peg. She was later 'found' by her foster father, Sion Jenkins but there was more to this than met the eye. 

Going into Billie-Jo's background, she had a tough start with her biological parents. Born in East London on the 29th of March 1983, her biological parents had not exactly been prepared for her arrival. With a father in prison and a mother who was struggling to make ends meet, Billie-Jo was taken into foster care and ended up with Sion and Lois Jenkins (they shared the same surname which can make it a bit confusing when discussing the case). The couple had four daughters and a beautiful house and at the beginning, Billie-Jo was welcomed in with open arms....at least by Lois. It seemed that Sion had a bit of a short temper to say the least. A man who was described as being quick to fly off the handle at the least little thing, he ruled his family with an iron fist. 

Sion had been a troubled child and not much is known about his childhood except that he had been kicked out of school for his behaviour. Behavioural issues have been noted and his constant need for telling lies about the least little thing. He was a fantasist and like a lot of people, he would tell a few lies on his CV and application forms in order to get teaching jobs. Like a true narcissist he couldn't just tell a few lies about dates or the odd qualification here and there, he made out that he had 10 O-levels and was qualified for specific teaching roles when all he had was a pretty average educational background but not adequate training in the specific roles he was going for. He did manage to get away with a few things because he was quite good at presenting a certain image as well as being able to charm people. 

So at home, the guy was a nightmare to live with and if anyone was to do anything that he deemed to be wrong or not perfect, he would raise his hand or use weapons to 'punish' his daughters. His wife also had been on the receiving end of his temper one too many times. 

(Sion Jenkins. Picture credit: thesun)

Billie-Jo had been living with the Jenkins family for 5 years up until she was murdered and even though she was technically a 'foster child', Sion didn't let her escape his 'punishments' either. The pair clashed on a regular basis over silly things to do with music being on too loud or not doing homework. Sion would physically assault Billie-Jo to the point where she would go to school covered in bruises and her school friends would become concerned. Billie-Jo would tell them that Sion would get angry and grab her by the neck and hurt her. Billie-Jo was an abused child there's no doubt about that, she was in such turmoil that she had written 'I Hate My Dad' (meaning Sion) on her knuckles on one occasion. Her friends at school knew what had been going on at home and there was an incident where Billie-Jo had sprained her ankle and during an argument, Sion deliberately kicked her on the affected area. Various witnesses had seen similar incidences involving Sion's abuse of Billie-Jo and his family. It was no secret but for some reason people were too scared to say anything. Sion could also cut quite an intimidating figure. 

So there had been trouble for a while when Sion had returned from a trip and had arranged for Billie-Jo to paint the patio doors in the back garden in exchange for some extra pocket money. Two of his other daughters were going to wash the car at the front of the house. The date was the 15th of February 1997 and Sion's behaviour on this day was reported to have been strange. He had two of his daughters in the car when he got out and left them inside before returning a short time later. He then drove to a DIY store with no money and then drove a different way home which took longer than his usual route. During this time, Billie-Jo was lying deceased in the back garden of the house. Nobody else was home at the time and when Sion and the girls returned, Sion went into the back garden where he claimed that he had suddenly found Billie-Jo laying in blood, unresponsive. 

The odd behaviour continued with him taking his time to call for help having been practically forced to by a neighbour. He then refused to follow the operator's instructions on the phone of checking to see if Billie-Jo was still breathing. He just stood there calm and telling them that he didn't need to check that it was obvious she was deceased. Foster parent or not, you would think that in that situation and absolute horror at seeing this poor girl in the state that she was in, would be utterly devastating and that he would want to be by her side until the ambulance and police arrived. He vanished into the house for a short period of time and then came back. His story to the police wasn't straightforward either. 

Because he was a well-dressed, well-spoken man of a certain class (or the appearance of a certain class with the nice big house, car etc), it was often the case that these types of people were treated a certain way by the police because he didn't look like a typical suspect. The police even asked him to do a public appeal for information but as the days went on, a lot of things were not adding up. The police began to see holes in Sion's story including the fact that he went to the DIY store without any money for items that he already had at the house. The different route he had taken to and from the DIY store which was soon seen as a way for him to provide some sort of alibi. Before going to the DIY store he had been bringing the two girls home from a clarinet lesson when he left the car for a short period of time and then returned to go to the DIY store. 

Police believe that in that time, he had gone to the back of the house where he confronted Billie-Jo and some sort of argument ensued. There was paint on the windows of the patio doors and knowing how crazy Sion could get about things, maybe there was a disagreement about that? There was an iron tent peg that had been left in the garden and this was the weapon that was used to strike Billie-Jo violently over the head five times. The police believe that he then went back to the car and took the girls to the DIY store without any money, for items that he did not need, as a way to create an alibi. 

During the time that Billie-Jo was murdered there were theories about someone else being involved and a few potential suspects had been thrown into the mix, however the police could not establish a connection to either of these suspects and experts claim that it would have been impossible for a random person to break into the back garden, find a weapon so quickly, murder Billie-Jo and then flee the scene without anyone noticing. 

There was also the fact that Sion Jenkins (strangely enough - I say that in a sarcastic tone) just happened to have small droplets of Billie-Jo's blood all over him from head to toe. It was later determined that included in the droplets were pieces of bone and matter. Sion claimed that he had held Billie-Jo at some point and that she had breathed these droplets out on to him. He was arrested and put on trial and everyone around him believed he did it, including his wife and his own biological children. Too many people had seen or been a victim of his temper in the past and knew what he was like. People had also seen his treatment of Billie-Jo. 

At the first trial they threw the book at him, sentenced him to life imprisonment and it looked like justice had been served but he decided to appeal, luckily this was thrown out. With the support of an Investigative Journalist, Sion and his supporters (yes, he has supporters!) pushed forward with another appeal and a re-trial was granted. This was based on the possibility that Billie-Jo could have (due to gases in her lungs) breathed out the blood on to Sion. It was all if's, but's and maybes but the re-trial went ahead. 

So he had the first trial and was convicted and then appealed which was thrown out (hope you are still with me here) then a bunch of busy-bodies got involved and they pressed for another appeal. He was granted a re-trial which couldn't come to a conclusion, the jury were hung so another re-trial was ordered and guess what? long story short, he walked! Nobody could come to a decision on his guilt so he was set free. According to the powers that be, they couldn't prove that he was 100% guilty and they couldn't prove he was 100% not guilty. 

(Newspaper article on the case. Picture credit: buggedspace)

I don't know what was going through anyone's minds at these trials but how much more red flags do you need? This was a violent man who abused his own family, even his wife and biological children believed him to be guilty. He wasn't just abusive, he was a pathological liar. 

It seemed to be that because so much money had been spent on this case (apparently somewhere in the region of £10 million pounds) and so much time and work had gone into the trials that it came across that they had simply given up. It was like Sion Jenkins was too clever for them, he outsmarted them because I know people who have been thrown in jail for less. As they often say in the true crime community, this guy had the smoking gun. The time frames, the strange behaviour before, during and after the murder, the history of violence and constant lying. The microscopic blood, bone and matter that been found all over him. 

You can't blame some people for still talking about this case today because for a lot of people in the UK this guy got away with murder! Where is the justice for Billie-Jo? After the decision was made to let him go, the police announced that they had fought so hard to get justice for Billie-Jo but they were closing the investigation. People were furious and quite rightly so. In my opinion and as I've often read in other cases over the years, the police believed that they had their perpetrator, they believe Sion Jenkins to be guilty 100% but why continue to waste tax payers money looking for another suspect that didn't exist? The police do all they can but in the end it's the courtroom that decides.

After being set free after spending 6 years in prison, Sion played (and still continues to do so) the part of the innocent man done wrong. He teamed up with his Investigative Journalist pal and they wrote a book about the case with a picture of Billie-Jo on the front cover. Criminals are not allowed to profit off of crimes but because he was technically set free obviously he was given the go-ahead to write a book. I haven't read it but my friends in the true crime community have and it did nothing to change their minds of his guilt and the words ''very narcissistic'' popped up a few times. 

Sion decided to try and make more cash by doing interviews with anyone who would listen as well as trying to bag £500,000 compensation for being 'locked up for a crime he didn't commit'. Thankfully the attempt at wasting more tax payers money didn't happen because the board couldn't determine him to be 100% not guilty and eligible for compensation. To think he had the actual nerve to write a book, do interviews and try and claim compensation. You'd think that an innocent man would be too busy moving heaven and earth trying to find the supposed real murderer. 

So where is he now? Well he tried to get into politics (I think he enjoys attention on a public platform way too much) but failed and is apparently living in Hampshire with his new wife. 

I mentioned earlier that the police closed the case but in January 2022 they decided to do a case review which got everyone's hopes up. Basically this just means that they are not re-opening the investigation, they are just reviewing the case as they do routinely with 'cold cases'. This was reported in January 2022 and there hasn't been an update since. There was talk of a possible link to the murder of Billie-Jo to that of a well known convicted r**ist but nothing more has come of that either. If any updates happen I will share them as soon as they come up. 

Billie-Jo would have been 40 years old today (at time of writing - 2023) if she hadn't had her life so cruelly taken. Just 13 years old with her whole life in front of her, she had a lot on her shoulders at 13, one let down after another and one wonders if when she first arrived at the Jenkins family home, was she thinking that this could finally be the place to call a true home? Her biological family vow to keep going and fight for justice for her. Her biological father passed away and is buried in the same plot as Billie-Jo at City of London Cemetery and Crematorium. 

(Billie-Jo's final resting place. Picture credit: findagrave)

It's so heartbreaking to think that she only had 13 years on this earth and the majority of that was very difficult for her and then for it all to end in such a horrific way, it's just devastating. I pray for justice for Billie-Jo, it' important that none of us forget what has happened here. 

(Billie-Jo Jenkins. Picture credit: unilad)

Further Reading & Sources:

- Billie-Jo Jenkins: Article | The Mirror

- Billie-Jo Jenkins: Article | BBC

- Billie-Jo Jenkins: Article | Daily Mail

- Billie-Jo Jenkins | The Forensics Library

- Billie- Jo Jenkins | Wikipedia

- Billie-Jo Jenkins: Article | The Standard

- Billie-Jo Jenkins: Article | Sussex Express

- Billie-Jo Jenkins | Find A Grave

- Documentary Segment Feat The Billie-Jo Jenkins case

Thank you for taking the time to read my latest post, if you would like to help support my work by buying me a coffee, you can do so here, thank you so much!

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See you in the next post, stay safe x

                                                     (Sid & Nancy. Picture credit: schonmagazine)

*Please be aware that I will be sharing some details in this post that may not be suitable for anyone under the age of 18 or who are sensitive to certain themes involving suicide, self harm, substance misuse. As always, I have tried to be as sensitive with the details whilst stating the facts* 

When it comes to the discussion of Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen, you'll often hear a mixture of opinions. different opinions about them and their lifestyle and different opinions on how each of them had met their end. Sometimes it's hard to believe that the two people in the picture above were barely 21 years old, they were just kids basically who let the fame, the money and the drugs, go to their head. 

My best friend is a huge Sex Pistols fan and has always adored John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) and it is through her that I discovered their music years ago. She knows all about the tragic story of Sid Vicious (Simon John Ritchie) and how he was just a confused kid who grew up around drugs due to witnessing his mother's own habit and then being encouraged by her to take them. 

I went to a show of John Lydon's a few years ago and he spoke quite fondly of Sid and how much he missed him. He even encouraged the audience to sing (to the theme of ABBA's 'Fernando') ''There was something in the air that night, the stars were bright FOR SIDNEY. They were shining there for you and me, for liberty, FOR SIDNEY...'' It was a brilliant show and very funny. John spoke of how Nancy Spungen had been trying to make her way around the band members of the Sex Pistols and she started with him, he wasn't interested so she turned her attention to Sid after the other band members kept away from her also. 

Nancy's was from the USA but she went to England because it was her goal to have a member of the Sex Pistols as her boyfriend. Well, she got what she wanted but at what cost? Both Sid and Nancy were from difficult backgrounds and had all sorts of emotional problems themselves, mix that with drugs and you have a disaster on your hands. The real Simon John Ritchie was an insecure, shy boy who became Sid Vicious and it gave him confidence and fame but it all went to his head. I think, to be honest, you could say that about each of the members of the Sex Pistols, they all became a bit big for their boots at that time. People were scared to interview them because nobody knew what they were going to say or do next. They thought they were invincible and they did get away with quite a lot because people at the top were intimidated by them but the public loved them. 

The Sex Pistols were just a flash in the pan but it's incredible what they were able to achieve in such a short space of time. Their songs are classics and still sound great to this day. They are seen as punk royalty and as for John? behind the 'John Lydon' persona, he's a big teddy bear and a really intelligent and caring person. Like Sid, John has always felt the need to put on 'the act' so not a lot of people get to see the real him but I highly recommend that you visit one of his shows, preferably when he is doing a talk. I have a lot of respect for John and how he took care of his wife who sadly passed away earlier this year. He was devoted to his wife and worshiped the ground she walked on. At his show, he shed tears talking about her. He really does wear his heart on his sleeve. 

Anyway, back to what this post is all about, I am focusing on Sid and Nancy and their tragic short time together and what really happened? Well, as I mentioned before, Sid (Simon John Ritchie - born on the 10th of May 1957 in Lewisham, London) and Nancy (Nancy Laura Spungen - born on the 27th of February 1958) were both from difficult backgrounds and were not quite sure where they fit in. Nancy had been through a lot of depression as a child and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia at a young age. There had also been previous suicide attempts and various emotional outbursts. Nancy struggled with life and every day was a challenge but in music she found some sort of saviour, especially punk music that was all the rage in London in the mid 70s. 

London was the place to be in the 70s and early 80s with the punk movement and then the New Romantics. It was all about the music, unique fashion and being yourself. Everyone was encouraged to look as different as possible and it was like the ultimate rebellion against the establishment. Everybody wanted to be in London because that seemed to be where everything was happening. Nancy was obsessed and wanted to run away to London, she dyed her dark hair blonde, wore heavy eyeliner, red lipstick and created her own style. She took off for London in 1976 in search for her dream to come true, to find a sex pistol and somehow that was the answer to everything. When she got there she felt like she'd finally found the place and people where she finally belonged. 

It was the same for Sid Vicious, he'd been a huge David Bowie fan and was quite shy. His mother had bought him some drugs in his early teens (as a birthday present) and he was hooked but at that time the drug use wasn't as heavy as it became. He felt different to everyone else and struggled to fit in but when he started hanging around various clubs, hearing the punk music and being surrounded by struggling teenagers just like him, he felt he finally belonged. 

Sid (Simon) had changed his style and had a more edgier look, he had plans for his own music career and there was some interest from other bands for him to join them. He also became known for his crazy behaviour at various punk shows, always making some sort of scene. He had been noticed at a Sex Pistols show and as he had 'the right look', he was brought into the band in 1977 after Malcolm McLaren, their manager decided to fire Glen Matlock. 

Whilst in the Sex Pistols, Sid was pretty useless as a band member in all honesty. He couldn't play bass and failed to show up for rehearsal on more than one occasion as his drug and alcohol dependency continued to get worse. Malcolm McLaren insisted that he remain in the band because he loved the drama and chaos that he brought to the band. Malcolm's motto was 'Cash For Chaos' (it's even written on his gravestone at Highgate Cemetery in London). Sid would binge on alcohol and drugs and start fighting, spitting, throwing things and Malcolm loved that for the band's image. 

It wasn't long though until the mix of strong, rebellious personalities clashed and the band fell apart. Their journey and life as a band was a short one but they managed to make a huge impact and Malcolm McLaren pretty much got what he wanted because it was their image as well as the music that attracted the fans. 

So Nancy and Sid became a couple and both of them lived a very drug and alcohol fueled lifestyle. They'd hang out at various shows, go to friend's parties at squats (a squat is a term used for a vacant building that has been taken over by a certain number of people who choose to live in it despite having no proper permission. Squats were often lit by candles and sleeping bags or mattresses would be placed on the floor to sleep on). When Sid's career with the Sex Pistols had come to an end, the drugs and relationship with Nancy took over. The pair flew to New York and settled in the famous Chelsea Hotel in 1978 in Room 100. The Chelsea Hotel was known for it's history of being home to some of the world's most famous artists, musicians and writers. However by 1978 it had fallen on hard times and most of it was run down with many of it's residents taking drugs. 

Nancy and Sid turned their room into an absolute mess and lived on alcohol, drugs and takeaway food. It was a miserable existence. Nancy was now acting as his manger and when they had the strength, Sid would play the odd gig as a solo artist or they would do interviews and photoshoots. Most of the time they would spend in that room, various people would also come and go, including various drug dealers. Sid would be so out of it at times that when people would visit they would later say that he was totally out of it and didn't even realise that they were there. Sometimes there would be money and drugs lying around the room, things were getting worse and it was only a matter of time before something had to give and unfortunately it ended up with Nancy being found dead in the bathroom on the 12th of October, 1978, slumped between the toilet and the sink. Nancy was just 20 years old. She had been fatally stabbed and all the fingers were pointing at Sid as the one who was responsible. 

Witnesses who had been in the room just hours before had claimed that Sid had been really out of it and in no fit state to have stabbed anyone. The knife that had been used did belong to Sid and had been purchased by Nancy as a gift for him just weeks earlier (they both had an obsession with knives). With no witnesses to say otherwise, Sid was arrested for Nancy's murder despite the fact that various people (including drug dealers) were known to come in and out of their room, sometimes stealing money and their belongings. There was rumours that they owed money to a certain drug dealer and that it was all a set up to frame Sid. Some people believe it was a robbery gone wrong with someone getting into the room to steal money and Nancy trying to defend herself whilst Sid was passed out from drugs. A lot of people believe that Sid was unfairly framed for Nancy's murder and that the cops didn't take it seriously because the pair were well-known drug users. 

At first, in a daze and in shock, Sid blamed himself and said he had killed Nancy but he soon changed his statement. Seeing the footage of Sid being taken out of the Chelsea Hotel in handcuffs, you can clearly see the bolt of reality that hit him. He was in a state of shock and disbelief, sometimes on heroin people can believe that they are invincible and living in a dream world. This was cold, harsh reality and he was facing a long jail term which his mother knew he wouldn't be able to cope with. Sid could be brash, put an act on and act the big man when he was high, but in all reality he was just a scared young boy who was in way over his head and some people did take advantage of him. 

Whilst Sid was in custody, various people were trying to raise the funds to get him out on bail. He was released on the 17th of Oct. Whilst in custody he was detoxing and was taking methadone. Just days after his release he attempted to take his own life by cutting his wrist and overdosing on methadone. His mother and Malcolm McLaren were present and able to get help. Sid wasn't happy with this as he claimed that he wanted to die to be with Nancy and it had all been part of his side of a suicide pact. 

There's all sorts of stories about Sid's time in New York after Nancy's murder and people who claim to have spoken to him. Apparently there is a recording on tape of him confessing to accidentally killing Nancy. He reportedly said that he and Nancy had been playing around with a knife when she got caught in the stomach. It looked to be a small cut and they didn't think anything of it because they were so out of it. He apparently left the room at some point and came back to find that Nancy had bled to death. 

The shock of Nancy's death didn't seem to sober Sid up because he was still going out and causing trouble, getting drunk and getting high. He'd even started a relationship with a woman named Michelle Robinson. This wasn't a good look for him so quickly after Nancy's death. It was no surprise when he was arrested again and sent right back to jail. His whole attitude and behaviour came across as uncaring and arrogant but away from the cameras, Nancy's mother claimed to have received a letter from Sid declaring his undying love for Nancy and that he missed and loved her. 

He reportedly wrote: ''Her pain was just too much to bear because, you see, I felt Nancy's pain as if it were my own, worse even....I love her with such passion. Every day is agony without her. I know now it is possible to die from a broken heart. Because when you love someone as much as we love each other. They become fundamental to your existence. So I will die soon even if I don't kill myself. I guess you could say that I'm pining for her. I could live without food or water longer than I'm going to survive without Nancy....she was too beautiful for this world.''

Sid spent seven weeks in jail and was forced to undergo a detox program. When he was released his mother came to collect him and arranged a bag of heroin for him. Various versions of events have been shared over the years but what actually happened was that his mother knew how much he suffered in prison. Apparently Sid had been bullied and beaten, he knew that there was a huge possibility that he was going to end up in prison for the rest of his life for Nancy's murder and he could not cope with that. His mother believed that she did the right thing by saving her son from the misery of a lifetime behind bars. Apparently when he was passed out high on heroin she injected some more into one of his veins. Sid was declared dead of a heroin overdose on the 2nd of February 1979, he was aged just 21. 

Sid was cremated and his mother secretly took his ashes to Nancy's grave site at King David Memorial Park in Pennsylvania where she scattered them on Nancy's grave. Some people thought this was in poor taste and others thought that it was fitting that they were together again. 

Due to the death of Sid, who was due to go on trial for Nancy's murder, the case was closed. 

Various other people have been suspected of killing Nancy over the years but all have denied it and some have even passed away. An actor and stand-up comic by the name of Rockets Redglare fell under suspicion as he reportedly delivered drugs to Nancy and Sid's hotel room on a number of occasions, including that night but he denied it right up until his death in 2001. 

With so many unsavory characters coming in and out of that room at all hours of the day and night and no security cameras in the lobby back then, there's no way of ever finding out who else (if anyone) was really there that night. Decades have gone by since Nancy died and the chances are that anyone who did visit that room are no longer with us and take any secrets they may have, to the grave. It could just be that Sid and Nancy were high on drugs and played around too rough with the knife and an accident happened. Sid passed out on the bed and Nancy crawled to the bathroom. Her injury was a cut to the abdomen and maybe she went to the bathroom (still out of it on drugs) to try and sort herself out with some towels or something and just slumped down. If Sid was guilty it's clear to see that it wasn't an intentional killing, it was a tragic and stupid mistake that should never have happened but the way that they both lived, it was only a matter of time before something happened. 

The thing about Sid and Nancy and old school stars like them is that back then, musicians were more for real. They actually lived that life and a lot of them didn't make it. Some were lucky and thankfully are still with us today. But there was nothing glamorous about it and I think that sometimes some people forget that, especially younger people or up and coming artists who fancy being a chip off the old block. It's not games and it's not fun. Sid was famous for being violent, a drug user who was all the worst things that you could imagine a famous person to be. Could you imagine asking him for a selfie or an autograph? You wouldn't know if you were going to get a punch or a spit on the face. Deep down he was just a kid caught up in everything but he got lost in the character of Sid Vicious and felt that he had to constantly make a show wherever he went. 

In the end Sid and Nancy as glamourised as we like to paint them now, ended up living in a run-down hotel room with drug dealers as pals and died in horrible circumstances before either of them reached the age of 22. It's heartbreaking and really shows the downward spiral of drugs and how important it is to keep your feet on the ground where fame is concerned. Adding heroin into everything just further fueled Sid's feelings of being invincible and that's why I mention that true moment when he was led outside of the hotel in handcuffs, reality set in and you could see that deep down he was just a frightened kid but soon had to switch the act back on for the cameras. 

Some people can become famous to the point that they get lost in their own reality and you pair drugs and huge ego into the mix and you have an absolute bonfire. 

What do I think of Sid and Nancy? well. Nancy was troubled and looking for something and she thought she had found it in Sid. He thought he had found his soulmate in her. There's no doubt that they loved each other but there was also a toxic element to their relationship. Things could get violent and Nancy was very jealous of other girls approaching Sid, she would order Sid to punch girls in the face as an act of proving his love and devotion to her. Sid was known to punch Nancy as vice versa. Two troubled young people lost in life, coming together and it was a disaster, it was never going to end well. Malcolm McLaren (who has since passed away himself) was part of the problem, he saw Sid as the poster boy for the band that he wanted to create and encouraged the violence. The other band members themselves have been accused of using Sid as a sort of attraction for the band's rough image. 

Do I think that Sid killed Nancy? it's a really difficult question to answer because they were both in the room at the same time, the knife that belonged to Sid had been used and the story he had reportedly told a friend about them playing around with the knife and him passing out, sounded plausible. On the other hand, everyone knew they had that room and that money was in there. People were always coming back and forth and drug dealers were always around. It would have been interesting to see this case being explored in a courtroom, maybe we could have found answers from that? I guess after so many years we may never know. 

Since Nancy's death the Chelsea Hotel has undergone so many transformations and the room (Room 100) no longer exists. A lot of people are still fascinated with this case today and some people believe the case should be re-opened and re-investigated but I don't know if that would bring any answers. I don't think the police kept any of the evidence for proper DNA testing and there is no way, obviously that they can go back over the room where Nancy died. 

RIP Nancy & Sid. 

Further Reading & Sources:

- Sid Vicious | Sex Pistols Website

- Sid Vicious: Article | The Independent

- Nancy Spungen: Article | Rolling Stone

- Sid Vicious: Article | The Guardian

- Sid Vicious: Article | History Channel

- Sid Vicious: Article | Metro

- Sid Vicious | Wikipedia

- Nancy Spungen: Article | Daily Mail

- Nancy Spungen: Article | Far Out Magazine

- Nancy Spungen: Article | NY Mag

- Nancy Spungen | Wikipedia

- Sex Pistols | Wikipedia

- Malcolm McLaren | Wikipedia

- Malcolm McLaren: Article | New York Times

- Hotel Chelsea | Official Website

- Hotel Chelsea | Wikipedia

- Sid Vicious: The Final 24 | Documentary

- And I Don't Want To Live This Life: A Mother's Story of Her Daughter's Murder | Book by Deborah Spungen

- Sid Vicious: No One is Innocent | Book by Alan Parker 

Have you ever seen the Sid & Nancy movie? You can find it here on YouTube 

I'll be taking a little break this coming week because it's my birthday on November 5th but I will be back soon with more true crime content. 

I hope you will join me in the next post, take care until next time...