January 17, 1989Stockton, CaliforniaPatrick Purdy (24) visits the Cleveland Elementary School where he fires on students and teachers, killing 6 (including himself) and wounding 29 On the morning of January 17, the police department received an anonymous death threat against the Cleveland Elementary School. A few hours later, Purdy arrived at the school he had…
Man arrested for the murder of his wife, whose body is never recovered
January 13, 1987ConnecticutRichard Crafts (49) is arrested for the murder of his wife Helle Crafts (39) was last seen on November 18, 1986. The following morning, Helle’s husband Richard Crafts woke their live-in nanny to inform her the power was out, and he was taking her and his three children to his sister’s house to…
Man executed for the murder and sexual mutilation of two teens
January 11, 1985Columbia, South CarolinaJoseph Carl Shaw is executed for the murder of two teens On October 29, 1977, Shaw (22) and two companions — James Terry Roach (17) and Ronald Eugene Mahaffey (16) — decided to “see if we could find a girl to rape,” according to Mahaffey. The trio armed themselves with a…
12-year-old abducted, killed
December 20, 1984Greeley, Colorado12-year-old Jonelle Matthews is taken from her home; her body will remain undiscovered for nearly 35 years Matthews was last seen on the night of December 20 after she sang Christmas carols with her school choir. She was taken home by a friend and the friend’s mother who watched Matthews walk into…
Man abducts, assaults, kills young cousin
December 19, 1985Houston, TexasTara Lauti (9) is abducted, sexually assaulted, and killed by her uncle Aua Lauti (31) Aua visited the house of his uncle (Tara’s father) on the night of December 18. He had been despondent over a recent break up and was visibly intoxicated by the time he arrived, and continued to excessively…
