How & Why Bonin covered for accomplice Eric Wijnaendts, who helped him with two murders. No clothing or other identifying evidence was discovered at the scene. [107], The prosecutor at Bonin's Orange County trial, Bryan Brown, contended that all four victims killed within this constituency had been abducted while hitchhiking, then ordered to strip before being bound about the wrists and ankles. [138] Butts was amenable to this suggestion, and later freely admitted to taking great delight in watching Bonin abuse and torture his victims in the rear of his van as he (Butts) drove the vehicle. [322], Charvet repeatedly reminded the jury he had exposed myriad inconsistencies in the testimony of Munro's account of the murder of Wells in the various statements he had given, and had compelled him to admit that he lied on numerous occasions. Authorities Hunt Clues to Bodies Found in Trash Cans", "Prosecutors Give Details of Sadistic Freeway Murders", National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, "California Death Records: Frank Dennis Fox", "Mother Identifies 'Freeway Killer' Victim", "Grieving Parents Want Killers Behind Bars", "Officials Arrest a Suspect in 'Freeway Killer' Case", "Gregory Matthew Miley Pleads Innocent Today to Charges", "Orange County DA's Office to Oppose Parole for Double Murderer", "Confessed Accomplice of William Bonin Testifies", "A Confessed Accomplice of Accused Freeway Killer William Bonin", "Innocent Plea Entered in 'Freeway Killer' Case", "Teenager Convicted of Manslaughter in Death", "Lasting Pain for Victims' Families: Some Parents Say Witnessing Execution May Speed Healing", "Bill Bonin's Pickup Line: "Hey Kid, Want a Ride? [252][253] The body of 17-year-old Lawrence Sharp[9][n 15] was discarded behind a Westminster gas station. Infamous Serial Killers Robbie Ruinsburg. [242] His nude, hogtied and extensively beaten body was discarded in a Long Beach alleyway beside a dumpster, with his head resting against a nearby bench[243] close to the Pacific Coast Highway. [359] In his final statement, given to the prison warden one hour prior to his scheduled execution at midnight, Bonin again expressed no remorse for his crimes and left a note that stated: I feel the death penalty is not an answer to the problems at hand. [192] Butts then threatened Hyden, stating he "entered the Death Van, and when someone enters, they don't go out alive." serial murderers are the most "[386][387] In the years following Bonin's execution, McVicker has actively campaigned to ensure that his accomplices, Miley and Munro, remain incarcerated. [24] Receiving constant complaints from various authorities and locals regarding Bonin and his older brother's delinquency, the parents frequently neglecting to discipline their children began to feel stress regarding their two sons. [n 17] Bonin then sent Munro to purchase burgers. [316] Lpez also testified Bonin had informed him he had killed one victim by repeatedly punching him in the throat,[60] and that the primary incentive for his revealing the location of King's body to authorities had actually been his knowledge police would purchase a hamburger for him as they searched San Bernardino County for the remains. [337] As such, Brown stated, the four Orange County victims had been killed by the same individual who had killed Miranda and Wells, and his accomplices in these two murders, Miley and Munro, would testify as to their accompanying Bonin on each of these murders. [121] As a result, Bonin and Butts frequently discussed the subject of death. [232] Barker was also beaten and raped with objects,[233] then strangled with a ligature; his neck had numerous burns made by a cigarette[232] and his rectum was extensively distended. William George Bonin was a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War. [340], On August 1, both counsels delivered their closing arguments before the jury, who then retired to consider their verdicts. [13] Bonin became a regular attendee at Fraser's parties held almost every night of the week for the next several months where young men, drugs, and alcohol were rife. [27][35][36], While living in Mansfield, Bonin attended Annie Vinton Elementary School with his younger brother, with whom he was frequently seen roaming town. [197] Following this incident, Butts reportedly began exhibiting extremely bizarre behavior, at one point putting an ax blade to a close friend's throat and stating, "I'd like to see your blood gush out and hear your screams. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected a last-minute appeal by William Bonin, convicted in 1982 of sexually abusing, torturing and killing 14 young men and boys in 1979 and 1980. . On at least twelve occasions, Bonin was assisted by one of his four known accomplices; he is also suspected of committing a further fifteen murders. Bonin's jailhouse writings offer new perspective on his brutality, methods, thoughts and personality. [333] This security measure was largely due to the fact he had previously received a severe beating by an incarcerated gang member with whom he had shared a cell. [231] The following day, his bound body was found behind an industrial building[73] in the city of Duarte. [223][219] Bonin then strangled Macabe to death with his own T-shirt before the pair discarded his corpse alongside a dumpster at a construction site in Walnut City. Of these murders for which Bonin was convicted, ten were committed in Los Angeles County and four in nearby Orange County. As far as I know, I'm the only surviving victim. John Wayne Gacy, the Killer Clown. The first execution of a prisoner took place in the prison way back in 1893. [275][268], At approximately 9p.m., the two drove to Butts' Lakewood apartment[276] as Bonin informed Munro that he, Butts, and others had committed many of the "Freeway Killer" murders. The crime rate among the mentally ill is lower than among so-called 'normal' people. Bonin immediately ceased his assault and apologized before reverting to casual conversation. [126] On this subject, then-Governor Pete Wilson, who had rejected a submitted plea for clemency from Bonin's attorneys three days prior to the execution,[351] referred to Bonin as the "poster boy for capital punishment" before adding that California's method of execution ensured his death was infinitely more pleasant than that endured by his victims.[151]. [148] An autopsy revealed that Lundgren had suffered emasculation and extensive bludgeoning "from an object like a tire jack handle"[171] to his face and head, with his skull sustaining multiple fractures. [51] According to Bonin, he was something of an awkward, shy loner who generally felt uncomfortable in the presence of his peers. He is known to have confessed to the murder of King, and led police to his body; he emphatically denied Lundgren's murder in the series of interviews granted to David Lpez between December 1980 and January 1981, although Bonin stated in these interviews he had killed 21 victims. Though no other significant brain anomalies were present,[78][21] a physical examination revealed extensive scars on Bonin's head and buttocks, which he claimed to have no memory of obtaining, but were likely sustained in the Franco-American Orphanage. [169][170], His body, clad only in a T-shirt, shoes and socks, was found the same afternoon in Agoura. McVicker replied that he had not, asking to leave the vehicle, prompting Bonin to accelerate the vehicle. [163][250], Kendrick who had fiercely fought his attackers, including biting the two men then halted his resistance as he vomited onto the apartment floor before complaining of dizziness. I jumped down on him the same way, killing the guy. Several of these images depicted confirmed victims of Kraft. Initially denying early childhood abuse, Bonin confessed to being fondled at age eight and suspecting he was molested on various occasions between 9 and 12 years old. Douglas also conceded in his cross-examination that he had previously agreed to testify against serial killer. [113] Bonin also often spent time with her children and included them in these events. [211], On January 1, 1980, Bonin encountered 16-year-old Ontario youth Michael Francis McDonald near the Chino Airport. Profile of Serial Killer Richard Angelo. [371] Prior to his surrender, Kearney had been a fugitive for two months, following his being forensically linked to the murder of 17-year-old John LaMay a confirmed victim of the Trash Bag Murderer. The story of William Bonin, the savage serial killer who took the lives of more than 21 teenage boys and left their bodies strewn across freeways in California. [135] In contrast, Bonin held Butts in high regard for his social popularity and for empowering him,[52] describing the young man as very intelligent. Promising to leave him unconscious somewhere, Bonin informed the boy he was to be killed while strangling him with a bandana and tire iron. Psychiatrists noted his defensive, aggressive attitude toward other patients and refusal to acknowledge his homosexuality. [374] Although primarily known as the "Trash Bag Murderer",[375] Kearney is also known as the Freeway Killer. At Bonin's subsequent trial, Munro recalled Butts recommending they discard Wells near a gas station. Furious, Bonin resolved to commit a murder. [389] (In the days immediately following the murder of Wells and prior to Bonin's arrest, Munro boasted to several colleagues of his belief the Freeway Killer would never be caught. He loved to hear them scream he loved every minute of it. [262][n 16], The same day Pugh had informed police of Bonin's involvement, Bonin invited 18-year-old homeless drifter James Michael Munro whom he had encountered while cruising for young male prostitutes[264] to move into the Angell Street home he shared with his mother and older brother, but only in exchange for sex. Specifically, Charvet attacked the credibility of Munro, and further contended Bonin was simply a scapegoat for four unsolved murders. As they had eaten the burgers at Bonin's home, Bonin laughed and mused: "Thanks, Steve, wherever you are"[118] before Munro had also joined in the laughter. William Bonin was born in Willimantic, Connecticut, on January 8, 1947, the second of three brothers born to Robert and Alice Bonin. [265], Inside Bonin's van, investigators discovered numerous artifacts attesting to his culpability in the Freeway Killer murders. author interviews, editors' picks, and more. [314] Bonin also became acquainted with convicted murderers Randy Kraft (one of the other two murderers who shared with Bonin the nickname "Freeway Killer"), Douglas Clark, and Jimmy Lee Smith. [73][78], By this point, extensive efforts were being made by local police to locate a potential serial rapist that fit Bonin's description. February 28, 2023 Vonda3310 0 Comments. Interviews of Bonin, Miley & Munro with Vonda Pelto, Ph.D. before, during & after his Los Angeles trial. On this date, Charvet argued for a modification of the sentence recommended by the jury. Throughout Bonin's trials and in the years of his subsequent incarceration on death row, experts devoted much speculation and debate as to whether the root cause of his crimes lay in his extremely abusive and dysfunctional upbringing. When Bonin asked Kendrick whether he was gay, Kendrick attempted to flee,[249] but Bonin and Butts overpowered and bound him[180] and Butts sodomized him; Bonin raised the volume of Butts' sound system to cover Kendrick's screams. Inside the glove box, investigators also discovered a scrapbook of newspaper clippings related to the murders.[288]. "[310], The method of Bonin's execution was superseded by lethal injection by the state of California in 1992, following the execution of Robert Alton Harris (the first inmate California had executed since 1967). Bonin then threw Wells' T-shirt across the hallway before ordering Munro who had retreated to the driveway to breathe to retrieve a cardboard box from his older brother's room; the two placed Wells' body inside this cardboard box, which they then carried to Bonin's van. [65][66] According to Bonin, he engaged in allegedly consensual relations with four young girls and had a "number of homosexual encounters" in Vietnam, as well as a 25-year-old female prostitute in Hong Kong,[67][63] although he also confessed to sexually assaulting two soldiers under his command at gunpoint during the period of the Tet Offensive. During his time in Vietnam, he raped two fellow soldiers at gun point. [300] He initially pleaded innocent to two charges of first-degree murder on December 18,[215] but pleaded guilty at two separate pretrial hearings in May 1981. Contemporary records reveal Bonin fainted "dead away for ten minutes" from stress related to acknowledging his sexual orientation during his first interview at the Atascadero hospital. [244] Wood's autopsy revealed the youth had been killed by ligature strangulation. As Butts drove, Bonin forced the boy to orally copulate him before squeezing his genitals and sodomizing him. Born in Connecticut on January 8, 1947, Bonin was the middle child of three brothers. [151] His attorney, Joe Ingber, theorized that Butts' depressive state had been magnified by the impending release of transcripts of his client's testimony at the preliminary hearing, in which Butts had graphically described the torture the victims had endured prior to their murder. According to Bonin and Munro, upon learning Wells was bisexual, Bonin engaged in consensual relations with Wells in the rear of his van before persuading the youth to accompany him to his parents' house, where the two engaged in further sexual relations on Bonin's parents' bed. [222] Miley then drove in an aimless manner for what he later described as being a "very, very long distance"[215] as he repeatedly heard Macabe crying as Bonin raped Macabe and bludgeoned him about the head with a tire iron. [357] His final hours were spent in the company of five individuals whom he had chosen for this occasion. [23] After returning home, Bonin was reportedly more recalcitrant toward his parents than before the punishment. [100] Bonin then forced oral copulation on McVicker[73] before raping him as he simultaneously strangled him with his T-shirt and a tire iron in the front seat of his car. [392] On this date, Miley was informed he would need to serve a minimum of sixteen years and eight months before he would be considered for parole. [48] Unable to sleep and frequently worried he would be arrested for petty crime or crimes involving children, she prayed for him and warned him often, frustrating Bonin. One week later, on March 21, Bonin offered a ride to 14-year-old hitchhiker Glenn Norman Barker. During that entire time, he reported in an interview, he only felt grass under his feet just five times. [272], Bonin then retreated to the kitchen for water, informing Munro they were to both kill Wells[166] before gagging and beating Wells in the hallway, stating, "You're going to do what I tell you to do" as Wells pled for his life. King was strangled to death before his body was discarded in Live Oak Canyon, Yucaipa. [5], Described by the prosecutor at his first trial as "the most arch-evil person who ever existed",[6] Bonin was convicted of fourteen of the murders linked to the "Freeway Killer" in two separate trials in 1982 and 1983. He was a victim of William Bonin AKA "The Freeway Killer". Despite admonishing Charvet for a potential conflict of interest, Judge Keene had permitted him to act as Bonin's defense attorney at his first trial. [223] William Pugh also agreed to testify, having pled guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter for which he later received six years in prison. Miley then returned to his native. Los Angeles, CAA major historical biography about serial killer Bill Bonin, aka The Freeway Killer, is now on sale in Kindle and Nook formats for 99 Cents thru March 31. He had most recently been eligible for parole in October 2014, after previously agreeing to a three-year continuance of his most recent request for parole. [17][38] In addition, Bonin's parents occasionally left Bonin and his younger brother Paul under the care of the eldest brother, Robert Jr., who receiving the majority of their father's abuse for defending their mother[39] often beat and belittled his siblings. [186] He then bound and raped the boy at knife-point before driving to Butts' residence. With it, California's San Quentin State Prison has been the country's most well-known death row for many years. [349] Alice Benton subsequently agreed to pay restitution for receiving these payments in March 1996, claiming neither she or her son were aware of the illegality of their actions.[383]. "[354], At 6 p.m. on the day he was executed, Bonin was moved from his cell to a death watch cell, where he ordered his last meal: two large pizzas, three pints of ice cream and three six-packs of Coke, which he ate while watching an episode of Jeopardy!. This event would hold significance as being the last incident in which Bonin is known to have expressed any semblance of. I stabbed him again and then again, and again and again until he was helpless. Neither Bonin nor any of his accomplices were ever charged with the murders of John Kilpatrick or Michael McDonald, although Bonin confessed to their killings to David Lpez. The victims were usually killed inside his van before their bodies were discarded alongside or close to various freeways in southern California. harvnb error: no target: CITEREFPeltoButler2022 (, harvnb error: no target: CITEREFPelto2022 (, San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, California, Long Beach Veterans Administration Hospital, California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison, Corcoran, List of serial killers by number of victims, List of serial killers in the United States, "Freeway Killer: Bonin Convicted for 10 Killings; Awaits Sentencing", "The Beat Goes On: Decades Have Passed, but Housewife and Mom Jane Howatt Remains Determined to Piece", "California Murderer Gets Death Sentence", "Freeway Killer's Story: Ghastly Tale of Horror", "The Mother and Two Brothers of Convicted Freeway Killer", "William George Bonin, Petitioner-appellant, v. Arthur Calderon, As Warden of San Quentin State Prison; James Rowland, Director of the California Department of Corrections. 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