Arthur Shawcross

[chris]

Arthur Shawcross 91-B-0193
P.O. Box 116 325 Riverside Dr.
Fallsburg, NY 12733

[chris]

Arthur John Shawcross is an American serial killer, also known as The Genesee River Killer.

He claimed most of his victims after being paroled early following a conviction for murdering a child, which led to criticism of the justice system.

Shawcross was born in Kittery, Maine, but his family moved to Watertown in New York State when he was young. He dropped out of school in the ninth grade, and when he was 19 he enlisted in the Army. He fought in the Vietnam War where, as he later claimed, he had murdered and cannibalized two young Vietnamese girls, although there is nothing to back up this claim.

Back in civilian life, living in Watertown once more, Shawcross married four times, but his wives invariably left him after a short time because of his violent and erratic behavior. It was there, in May 1972, that he sexually assaulted and murdered a 10-year-old named Jack Owen Blake after luring the boy into some woods. Four months later, he raped and killed eight-year-old Karen Ann Hill, who was visiting Watertown with her mother for the Labor Day weekend.

Arrested for these crimes, Shawcross confessed to both murders but was later able to obtain a plea bargain with the prosecutors. He would plead guilty to killing just Karen Ann Hill on a charge of manslaughter, instead of first-degree murder, and the charge of killing Jack Blake would be dropped. With little evidence to go on, prosecutors went along, and the self-confessed double child killer was given a 25-year sentence.

Shawcross served 15 years before he was released on parole in March 1987. He had difficulty settling down as he was chased out of homes and fired from workplaces as soon as neighbors and employers found out about his criminal record. Eventually he settled in Rochester, New York, and lived with a woman named Rose Marie Walley.

Starting in March 1988, Shawcross began murdering prostitutes in the area, claiming 11 victims before his capture less than two years later.But not all of them were prostitutes.The victims were:

* Patricia Ives, 25
* Frances Brown, 22
* June Cicero, 34
* Darlene Trippi, 32
* Anna Marie Steffen, 28
* Dorothy Blackburn, 27
* Kimberly Logan
* June Stotts, 30
* Marie Welch, 22
* Elizabeth Gibson
* Dorothy Keller, 59

They were usually strangled and battered to death, and were often mutilated as well. Most of them were found near the Genesee River.

All the victims were murdered in Monroe County, except for Gibson, who was killed in neighboring Wayne County.

After the last victim's body was found in January 1990, the police decided not to remove it and instead keep surveillance on the area, based on a psychological profile that suggested the killer would return to the scene.

Shawcross was spotted masturbating as he sat in his car on a bridge over the creek in which the body of his final victim was floating. He was arrested and eventually confessed in custody.

[ointment1940]

ya he just died a few weeks ago.....

[FactorX]

A signed card & a drawing by Art

[Jules]

This should probably be taken down- he's dead now.

[petedeamon]

Looks like the prison used "Glamor Shots" for his introduction photo!

[Merry Misanthrope]

Anyone know where to find the audio files of his confession?

[Zahir82]

Wow...what an incredible failure of the justice system!

[banana dick]

Originally Posted by Jules

This should probably be taken down- he's dead now.

why should it be taken down just because he's dead? people should know what he did and what he was. baby rapers and murderers don't get to die and take their secrets with them.

[swheaton]

I didn't realize he was from Maine. What a sick bastard.