Vaughn Greenwood
| Vaughn Greenwood | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Vaughn Orrin Greenwood 1944 (age 71–72) Pennsylvania |
| Other names | the Skid Row Slasher |
| Criminal penalty | Life imprisonment |
| Conviction(s) | |
| Killings | |
| Victims | 11 murdered, 1 survivor |
Span of killings | 1964–1975 |
| Country | United States |
| State(s) | California |
Date apprehended | February 3, 1975 |
Vaughn Orrin Greenwood (born 1944) is an American serial killer known by the nickname the "Skid Row Slasher."
Crimes
The first attacks occurred in 1964 as Greenwood killed two transients in November 1964. A ten-year gap period between murders occurred due to Greenwood being convicted and sentenced to a knifing assault in Chicago in 1966. He spent five and a half years in jail for this conviction before returning to California. Greenwood continued his murder spree in December 1974 and murdered nine victims between December 1974 and February 1975.
Greenwood was convicted of nine counts of murder, including eight of the "Skid Row Slasher" killings in Southern California.[1] The "Slasher" victims had their throats cut from ear to ear.[2] There was evidence that the killer drank the blood of the victims.[1] Greenwood left cups of blood and rings of salt around the corpses.[2] [1] The items left around the bodies have caused some to believe the murders to be linked to Satanism. This is disputed by K.V. Lanning.[3]
On 19 January 1977, Greenwood was sentenced to life imprisonment.[4] He is serving his sentence in the California Men's Colony at San Luis Obispo.[5]
Victims
These are the Skid Row Slasher's known victims in chronological order of attack:[4]
| Number | Name | Sex | Age | Body found |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Martinez, JesseJesse Martinez | M | 50 | October 23, 1978 |
| 2 | Hornberg, BenjaminBenjamin Hornberg | M | 67 | November 14, 1964 |
| 3 | Jackson, CharlesCharles Jackson | M | 46 | December 1, 1974 |
| 4 | Yakanac, MosesMoses Yakanac | M | 47 | December 8, 1974 |
| 5 | Dahlstedt, ArthurArthur Dahlstedt | M | 54 | December 11, 1974 |
| 6 | Perez, DavidDavid Perez | M | 42 | December 22, 1974 |
| 7 | Strawinski, CasimirCasimir Strawinski | M | 58 | January 9, 1975 |
| 8 | Shannahan, RobertRobert Shannahan | M | 46 | January 17, 1975 |
| 9 | Suarez, SamuelSamuel Suarez | M | 49 | January 1975 |
| 10 | Frias, GeorgeGeorge Frias | M | 45 | January 29, 1975 |
| 11 | Hays, ClydeClyde Hays | M | 34 | January 31, 1975 |
| 12 | Graham, WilliamWilliam Graham | M | N/A | Survived |
References
- 1 2 3 "'Slasher' jury finds man guilty", The Spokesman Review, December 29, 1976 http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19761229&id=a-QRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=q-0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3464,5899411
- 1 2 "Suspect Booked in L.A. Stabbings". Spokane Daily Chronicle. 8 December 1978. p. 1.
- ↑ Lester, David, PhD (1995). Serial Killers. Philadelphia: The Charles Press, Publishers. p. 167. ISBN 0-914783-77-7.
- 1 2 Newton, Michael (1990). Hunting Humans: An Encyclopedia of Modern Serial Killers. Loompanics Unlimited. ISBN 9781559500265.
- ↑ California Inmate Locator