Michael Francis McDonald (16): Disappeared and found on January 1, 1980, in San Bernardino County; mutilated and strangled to death with ligature after being assaulted. [137], Months later, Bonin suggested that they rape and murder a teenage hitchhiker during one of these discussions. Due . Shelton had been linked to the manhunt for the Freeway Killer upon the discovery of his body in August 1979, Two months after all charges had been filed against each defendant, Butts committed suicide, rendering his recorded testimony in these three cases. Despite upholding Bonin's convictions, the Supreme Court poured scorn upon Judge Keene for failing to fully heed a warning given by the prosecution prior to the Los Angeles County trial that Munro had discussed the possibility of agreeing to legal representation by Charvet prior to his testimony. In late 1960, Bonin's mother kicked his father out of their home, earning custody of her children with the court declaring his father unfit on grounds of spousal abuse and frequent drunken absences. Bonin admitted in a jailhouse interview with a reporter that he killed 21 young men and boys. In addition, a neurologist's magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalogram tests conducted on Bonin would reveal that he had minimal, if any, brain anomalies indicative of damage. [333] He was tried before Superior Court Judge Kenneth Lae. Bonin would later allege he had been intimately involved with Sharp, and had taken him out to Knott's Berry Farm for a date when his (Bonin's) girlfriend was absent. 589 (C.D. Shortly before his abduction, Lundgren had reportedly told friends a man had offered to meet him at a skatepark to take photos of him for a skateboarding magazine. James Munro / Accomplice of The Freeway Killer / His 8 Chapter Booked Penned From His Cell. [240] Pugh had initially been charged with the first-degree murder of Turner, in addition to companion charges of robbery and sodomy; however, after five days of deliberation, the jury found Pugh guilty of the reduced charge of manslaughter, and innocent of robbery and sodomy. Law . [73] His body was found two days later alongside the Ortega Highway, five miles east of San Juan Capistrano. When Monge attempted to exit the vehicle, Bonin punched his stomach and chest before squeezing his genitals, handcuffing him, and forcing Monge to orally copulate him. Contending the prosecution's case was "full of holes", he then alleged the prosecution had resorted to what amounted to little more than "revulsion tactics" in the hope Bonin would be convicted upon that basis. This spokesperson added that five further murder charges would likely be filed against the men in Orange County in due course. For these appeals, Bonin hired new lawyers, who initially submitted contentions that his previous defense attorney, Charvet, had provided inadequate defense at his trials by failing to place sufficient emphasis upon Bonin's bipolar disorder and the sexual abuse he had endured as a child. As far as I know, I'm the only surviving victim. "[217] Miley replied, stating, "Why don't you just let the kid go?" [174][175] As Bonin drove into the Cajon Pass in San Bernardino County, Butts entertained the boy with magic tricks before orally copulating him. [22] They attended St. Mary's Catholic School where staff repeatedly made complaints of Bonin's aggression toward other students, absence from school, not paying attention in class, and an incident in which he rode his bike into a group of young girls. [24] Bonin later confessed to fondling[31] and orally copulating younger boys and stripping in the presence of a ten-year-old girl. [342] On this date, Bonin received four further death sentences, with Lae describing Bonin as sadistic and guilty of "monstrous criminal conduct". [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. Bonin then retrieved a Buck Knife, proceeding to intimidate Grabs as Butts drove toward Bonin's home[180] where the youth was again sodomized and beaten. With little breath left, McVicker pleaded for his life stating, "God, help!" [252], In a direct rebuttal, the prosecution summoned forensic psychiatrist Park Dietz, a noted expert in impulse control disorder and sexual sadism disorder, who testified that the overall pattern of Bonin's behavior was inconsistent with an inability to control his impulses. As these verdicts were read by the clerk of court, many relatives and friends of Bonin's victims wept openly. Police also discovered a coded list depicting cryptic references to his victims in the trunk of Kraft's vehicle, leading Kraft to also become known as the "Scorecard Killer. William George Bonin (January 8, 1947 February 23, 1996), also known as the Freeway Killer,[2] was an American serial killer and twice-paroled sex offender[3][4] who committed the rape, torture, and murder of a minimum of twenty-one young men and boys in a series of killings in southern California from May 1979 to June 1980. His nude corpse was dumped shortly thereafter, in an alleyway alongside East Second Street in Los Angeles. Some neighbors later recollected frequently observing young boys accompany Bonin into the residence, some of whom they would later hear screaming and crying once inside the residence. Bonin and three of his four known accomplices were convicted of fourteen murders committed between August 5, 1979, and June 2, 1980; Bonin was also charged with two additional murders for which he was acquitted at his first trial in Los Angeles County. This supermarket was located close to Butts' former workplace. [59] Bonin's mother allegedly extremely emotionally controlling and protective of her son reportedly refused to acknowledge his acts of molestation, as well as the general escalating antisocial behavior exhibited by Bonin throughout his adolescence. This incident wounded his self-esteem and increased Bonin's belief that he "just couldn't make it with girls" as romantic partners; he resolved to never allow a female to hurt him this deeply again. In his closing argument on behalf of the prosecution, Norris described Bonin as an insatiable, callous individual who acted with malice aforethought, and who derived extreme pleasure from the suffering he inflicted upon his victims. [168] Lundgren was last seen leaving his parents' house in Reseda at 10:50a.m. on May 28, 1979. [12], Working as a gas station attendant, Bonin feeling betrayed and frustrated[69] returned to Downey to live with his parents, whom he resented for frequently requesting his help. William Bonin: The True Story of The Freeway Killer by Jack Rosewood 115 ratings, 3.70 average rating, 11 reviews Open Preview William Bonin Quotes Showing 1-4 of 4 "there is some evidence that some serial killers have brain damage that impact their ability to exact rational control." Video unavailable. [395] Throughout the years of his incarceration, Miley was repeatedly reprimanded for violating prison rules. She put me in one of those boy's homes, and I got raped by these older guys. Bonin also shares his nickname with two other killers, who were believed to be a single serial killer. At school, Bonin was known to classmates as a juvenile delinquent who was often in trouble or absent, poorly dressed and unkempt, aggressive with peers, had no observable friends, and was often bullied for his strange behavior. He had previously served time at Atascadero State Hospital for sex crimes committed against five young boys in 1969. In frustration, Miley assaulted the youth with various sharp objects before assisting Bonin in beating him. [172], On August 4, 1979, Bonin drove from Silverado Canyon to a drive-in movie theater to spend time with Butts in Westminster; he soon suggested that they rape and murder a teenage hitchhiker. In his testimony, delivered on November 17, Munro stated that shortly after the murder of Wells, he and Bonin drove to a McDonald's restaurant and purchased hamburgers with $10 taken from Wells' wallet. [252], On November 24, prison inmate Lloyd Douglas testified that Bonin had bragged to him of his culpability in the Freeway Killer murders while both were incarcerated in the Los Angeles County Jail in the summer of 1980. He spent fourteen years on death row before he was executed by lethal injection at San Quentin State Prison in 1996. Miley was sentenced to a term of 25 years to life for the first-degree murder of Charles Miranda by Superior Court Judge Bonnie Lee Smith on February 5, 1982. At the time of his death, he had been scheduled to be tried on July 27 for six of the murders he had accompanied Bonin upon. Playlists from our community. "[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!. [360] According to several of these witnesses, Bonin's execution passed without complications, and he was heavily sedated throughout the latter stages of the procedure. Munro was an accomplice of William George Bonin, who admitted to killing 21 boys and was convicted in the rape, torture and murder of 14 of them in Orange and Los Angeles counties. [264], While at the Angell Street residence, Munro who was bisexual and preferred sexual relations with females began a consensual sexual relationship with Bonin. According to Lpez, Bonin had confided that although he resented the prospect of being executed, he had opted to kill repeatedly simply because he had enjoyed the "sound of kids dying". Each successive appeal proved unsuccessful,[349] with the U.S. Supreme Court refusing to overturn Bonin's death penalty convictions in August 1988 and January 1989. [101] By this period, Bonin had also returned to his parents' house where he gradually developed a reputation as a child molester among local residents due to his habit of inviting young boys into the household occasionally as his mother, younger brother, and others were present[49] under the guise of providing free alcohol and viewing pornography with them. "[386][387] In the years following Bonin's execution, McVicker has actively campaigned to ensure that his accomplices, Miley and Munro, remain incarcerated. [79][42] During the arrest, Bonin repeatedly advised her to incarcerate him before sobbing and insisting he was not responsible for his actions. Bonin would later claim he murdered Markus Grabs in self-defense to Fraser. On this date, Charvet argued for a modification of the sentence recommended by the jury. [302], Four days after his formal plea before Judge Leetham, Butts committed suicide by hanging himself with a towel in his cell. [17] Opponents and advocates of the death penalty alike were in agreement Bonin had endured extensive physical, emotional and sexual abuse throughout his childhood, but much scorn was given to the claims from his attorneys and supporters that his murders had been a direct manifestation of the abuse he had endured, and an attempt to purge his frustration and anger onto his victims. Douglas also conceded in his cross-examination that he had previously agreed to testify against serial killer. WWE is a sports entertainment company based in Stamford, Connecticut. These symptoms had included convulsions. King was strangled to death before his body was discarded in Live Oak Canyon, Yucaipa. . John. The state of California, specifically the counties of Los Angeles and Orange, were terrorized by William George Bonin between the years 1979 and 1980. [325] Despite an impassioned appeal by Charvet, on March 12, Keene formally sentenced Bonin to death for the ten murders for which he had been convicted. Infamous Serial Killers Robbie Ruinsburg. Willimantic Willimantic is a census-designated place, former city and borough. When arrested, he informed law enforcement that "next time there won't be any more witnesses. [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. [125], Miley an illiterate Texas native and high school dropout with an IQ of 56 who supported himself with casual work also actively participated in two murders he accompanied Bonin upon. It is full of quotes from the police, victims, and the perpetrators, which make it a real story rather than just facts. "[162] Bonin further explained that he had not chosen to refrain from sexually assaulting and murdering Pugh out of sentiment; he had been spared because the pair had been seen leaving Fraser's party together. [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]. [132] Although both lived externally heterosexual lifestyles,[136] the two soon became lovers,[34] with Butts also introducing Bonin to the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, in which Butts organized and advertised weekly gaming events at his residence. [82][78], In March 1969, Bonin underwent two psychiatric examinations; he was determined to be a sexual psychopath who had little control over his impulses and showed signs of depression and inappropriate emotional responses. [112] On August 13, 1979,[176] Fraser drove to collect Bonin from the Orange County Jail where he had been incarcerated. Sadistic, unbelievably cruel, senseless and deliberately. Bonin then strangled Miranda to death with a T-shirt and a tire iron as Miley repeatedly jumped on Miranda's chest. He is also known as " The Freeway Killer " and he shares that name with two other serial killers, Patrick Kearney and Randy Steven Kraft, who was not affiliated with him. [42] Bonin was arrested months later for the two assaults on October 11, 1975. [60], Closing arguments lasted from December 16 to 22, 1981. Operating alone, Bonin abducted 14-year-old South Gate youth Sean King from a bus stop in Downey. ", Bonin denied any responsibility for his actions in this interview, stating "I can say that I feel that these people [believe I am] guilty and [that] they feel when I'm executed, that will put a closure to it. My father used to beat the shit out of me. As far as how I'm going to feel at that very moment, I can't answer that question. Police had been searching for a suspect responsible for the murders of 42 boys during an eight . [306] In the case of Miley, Norris agreed to accept two separate pleas of guilty to first-degree murder in exchange for two concurrent sentences of life imprisonment, with a possibility of parole after 25 years, if Miley agreed to testify against Bonin at both upcoming trials. According to Bonin, he masturbated Shelton before Butts began squeezing his genitals, prompting the boy to scream. [336], Initial jury selection began on this date, and saw a total of 204 prospective jurors subjected to the process of voir dire selection until sixteen were picked in June. [49][13], On November 17, 1968, Bonin confronted 14-year-old Billy Jones in Arcadia, California, at 9:00 p.m. while driving his mother's white Chevrolet station wagon. [42][13] As such, the two frequently argued about his homosexual attraction. He shares this epithet with two separate and unrelated serial killers active in and around southern California in the 1970s: Patrick Kearney and Randy Kraft. Classified Ads. His family moved to California when he was 14. [51] According to Bonin, he was something of an awkward, shy loner who generally felt uncomfortable in the presence of his peers. Type Image Format 1 photograph :b&w Photographic prints Identifier 00043353 Herald Examiner Collection [40], In 1957, Bonin was arrested for stealing metal tags from vehicle license plates;[17] he was placed in a juvenile detention center for these offenses and various other minor crimes. Bonin was not a first offender. [n 17] Bonin then sent Munro to purchase burgers. "[355], He opined that he was not the same person he was during his spree of crimes, and would not be able to live a normal life outside of prison as a result. [141] Pugh was to later testify that he and Bonin lured Turner into Bonin's van with an offer of $20 for sex. [294], On August 8, all charges were formally submitted against Bonin. After receiving repeated complaints by angry neighbors, Bonin's father merely yelled at his son for stealing. They encountered 15-year-old Charles Miranda standing close to the Starwood nightclub,[215] hitchhiking along Santa Monica Boulevard. [248], On May 12, 1980[81][251] Bonin abducted and murdered an acquaintance whom he later stated he had decided to kill when he had awoken that morning because he was "tired of having him around". the creepiest facts about the freeway killer William Bonin. [204] During the ordeal, Bonin allegedly asked the victim whether he knew why he "had to die." [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. This final appeal was rejected on June 28, 1995, with the appellate judges stating they had found no evidence of legal misconduct, and that no evidence existed that the 13 jurors who served upon Bonin's Orange County trial who had admitted to minimal, indirect pretrial exposure to the Freeway Killer case had, as a result of this pretrial publicity, been incapable of judging Bonin with impartiality. The crime rate among the mentally ill is lower than among so-called 'normal' people. The first execution of a prisoner took place in the prison way back in 1893. [143] Bonin himself later confessed to a psychologist his feeling a sense of social belonging with his accomplices in murder that he had never previously experienced with any other individuals. Chances are the three of William Bunyan's accomplices would have never gotten out of prison no matter how long they lived. [333] Charvet also argued before the jury that Brown had "spent more time discussing the two Los Angeles cases" for which Bonin had previously been convicted than actually proving Bonin had committed any of the Orange County murders. Initially doubting Bonin, Miranda began crying and begging for his life. Apparently survivor David A. McVicker has not posted previously in MS. With it, California's San Quentin State Prison has been the country's most well-known death row for many years. 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