TRUE CRIME FRIDAY: THE ROCHESTER STRANGLER

Ninetoes dives into the case of the Rochester Strangler and comes away repulsed…again.

Hey there, true crime lovers! It is your favorite investigator, Ninetoes, coming to you from Ninetoes HQ, and I am on the beat with The Case of the Rochester Strangler. I have my notebook in hand and coffee in my system, so let’s get to it!

Arthur John Shawcross (a.k.a The Genesee River Killer, The Monster of the Rivers, and The Rochester Strangler) was an American serial killer based in New York State. He was active from 1972 to 1989, although most of his murders took place between the years 1988-89.

His first murders were in his hometown of Watertown, New York. This is where he raped and killed a young boy (Jake Owen Blake, aged 10) and a girl (Karen Ann Hill, aged 8). He accepted a plea bargain that allowed him to plead guilty to one charge of manslaughter. He was sentenced to twenty-five years, and only served fourteen of them. According to the Jefferson County District Attorney, William McKlusky, there was no direct evidence linking Shawcross to these crimes other than his own confession. Shawcross could have told the jury that he was under an extreme emotional disturbance, and the jury could have found him guilty of manslaughter. The reason for his early release was due to an inexperienced prison staff and social workers who deemed him no longer dangerous.

He was released on parole in April, 1987.

Shawcross had difficulty settling down. Neighbors would protest his presence, and he had difficulty finding work. The first place he settled was Binghamton, NY. He then went to Delhi with his girlfriend, Rose Marie Walley. The couple moved to Fleischmanns (a village in the town of Middletown, NY)  after the citizens of Delhi protested. Shawcross and Walley were moved to a transient hotel in Rochester by his parole officer. This was in June 1987. Shawcross and Walley found a more permanent place to live in October 1987, 241 Alexander Street in Rochester.

Shawcross began killing again in March 1988. His target of choice was local prostitutes. His victims were:

1)      Dorothy “Dottie” Blackburn – March 18, 1988 (27)

2)      Anna Marie Steffen – July 9, 1988 (28)

3)      Dorothy Keeler – July 29, 1989 (59)

4)      Patricia “Patty” Ives – September 29, 1989 (25)

5)      June Stott – October 23, 1989 (30)

6)      Marie Welch – November 5, 1989 (22)

7)      Frances “Franny” Brown – November 11, 1989 (22)

8)      Kimberly Logan – November 15, 1989 (30)

9)      Elizabeth “Liz” Gibson – November 25, 1989 (29)

10)   Darlene Trippi – December 15, 1989 (32)

11)   June Cicero – December 17, 1989 (33)

12)  Felicia Stephens – December 28, 1989 (20)

Elizabeth Gibson was murdered in Wayne County, all the rest were murdered in Monroe County.

Shawcross was arrested on January 5, 1990. He was spotted by witnesses and the police close to his car on the bridge where June Cicero’s body was found. He was masturbating when he was caught.

Shawcross’ trial began in November 1990 for the ten murders committed in Monroe County. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Forensic psychiatrist Dorothy Lewis testified that Shawcross suffered from brain damage, multiple personality disorder (dissociative identity disorder), and post-traumatic stress disorder. She also stated that Shawcross was sexually abused as a child, and when he committed his murders, he went into a personality known as “Bessie”. Lewis argued that Shawcross should be institutionalized rather than go to prison.

FBI criminal profiler, Robert K. Ressler, reviewed the PTSD claims for the prosecution and wrote that Shawcross’ claims of witnessing wartime atrocities were “outrageous and untrue”. Prosecution psychiatrist Park Dietz testified that Shawcross had antisocial personality disorder.

It was later discovered that Shawcross has a cyst on the temporal lobe of his brain as well as scarring on his frontal lobes. These are the areas that control decision-making and self-control.

Shawcross was found guilty and sentenced to 250 years in prison.

In 2003, Shawcross was interviewed for a documentary on cannibals by British reporter Katherine English. In this interview, he bragged about slicing out and eating the vulvae of three victims. He refused to discuss his earlier claim of eating the genitals of his very first victim, Jack Blake.

Arthur Shawcross was incarcerated at the Sullivan Correctional Facility in Fallsburg, NY, until he died in 2008.

Until the next time, fellow investigators, keep your pencils sharp and your paper dry.

Darren “Ninetoes” Perdue is a book and media reviewer. When he is not reading, he is watching true crime shows, cooking for his family, or working on a plan for universal domination. If you see him on his porch, say hi. He does not bite…much.

PLEASE NOTE: The views and opinions of the staff of Memento Mori Ink do not necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or Crystal Lake Publishing. Thank you for understanding.