November 19, 1992Miami, FloridaLawrence Goodine and his 10-year-old daughter are killed by a man who had previously dated Lawrence’s wife Seburt Connor had previously dated Margaret Goodine, and the pair had known each other for 20 years by the time of the killings. Margaret and her husband Lawrence separated in 1988 and Margaret began seeing…
Man killed by newlywed couple who claimed the killing was either in self-defense, because of Satanism, or for no reason more than they wanted to kill someone
November 11, 2013Sunbury, PennsylvaniaTroy LaFerrara is strangled and stabbed to death by newlyweds Elytte and Miranda Barbour Miranda (18) and LaFerrara met on Craigslist after Miranda posted an ad for escort services. The two met in Miranda’s car; unbeknownst to LaFerrara, Elytte (22) was hiding in the backseat awaiting the code phrase “Did you see…
Man strangles, rapes, and sets neighbor on fire
September 2, 1994Wilmington, DelawareBrian D. Steckel (27) strangles, rapes, and sets his neighbor Sandra Lee Long on fire Steckel’s story changed during the course of his interrogation, trial, and incarceration. In the most consistent version of events Steckel claimed he visited Long’s apartment to ask to use her telephone — multiple neighbors at the Driftwood…
Man executed for killing his pregnant wife, likely to continue his relationships with two other women
February 27, 1890 Paris, Kentucky Thomas O’Brien is hanged for killing his pregnant wife O’Brien had married Betty Shea in secret, using assumed names in the process. After some time, Betty insisted O’Brien make the marriage public. O’Brien gave various reasons for not wanting to, though he left out the probable real reasons: he was…
Woman strangles baby she was babysitting
January 1, 1963 Phoenix, Arizona Betty Smithey (20) strangles the 15-month-old baby she was babysitting Four years before the murder, Smithey (then 16) kidnapped a child she was babysitting. She took 18-month-old Mitchell Johnson from his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico, hitchhiking or taking buses along the way. She and the toddler were found in…
