Thread: Have You Known Any Murderers or Victims ?

There having been a couple of threads on murderers sane or insane here lately got me to thinking. About twenty five years ago I was driving down the street with my then girlfriend. I don't remember what brought it up but I was mentioning something to do with a couple of friends of mine who were convicted murderers.

She was sort of awed and repelled by this. She found it strange that I knew people who were murderers. It went downhill from there. I thought more about it and recalled that I knew nine convicted murderers and four murder victims. She told me that she had never known either perpetrator or victim and thought that I was "not a normal person". I guess you are judged by the company you keep.

In my defense I have never been incarcerated or guilty of a felony. I knew some of the fore mentioned through growing up in what I guess was a tough time and place. Others through my membership in the Ironworker's union. Let me hasten to add that 99% of the ironworkers I knew did not have criminal behavior in their past and were good hard working and honest men.

Some of these murders were committed as crimes of passion, some in barroom brawls that went beyond the intention of the perpetrator. Others were drug deals gone bad and in others I am unaware of the motive. All were convicted and one of the acquaintances of my youth died in the electric chair.

It is with some trepidation that I post this poll. I don't know whether my lady friend was right in that I am weird or if it is not abnormal to have known that many murderers and murdered ..... or any at all ?

My aunt by marriage was at Florida State and a member of the Sorority that Ted Bundy murdered 4 of her friends at. She actually walked past him as she was coming back from a date as he was walking out of the sorority.

She was the first one in the house after he left.

Now that's screwed up.

I put that I've known people to be murdered, primarily because (semantics, here we go!) drunk driving is murder. Two weeks before my high school graduation, a fellow graduate was killed by a drunk driver. She was sober, sitting at a red light. He plowed around a corner and t-boned her.

He was tried for vehicular manslaughter. He's a murderer, and she was murdered.

If that's not murder, then I also knew a guy who was shot to death in Chicago, and died on the floor of a Chinese food restaurant calling for his mom.

I wouldn't call it abnormal. Unusual maybe. But even how unusual it is depends on the context. If you grew up in a fairly tough environment, you're more likely to know someone who committed or was a victim of murder.

In my case, I have known a couple of people whose family members have been either the victims or perpetrators of murder; that's as close as it's come (and as close as I want it, naturally). I do have a high-school classmate who has spent most of his adult life serving one prison sentence or another, but I never knew him well; even back then, he was a person to keep your distance from.

Rich

Originally Posted by Whatsthe2ndDfor

If that's not murder, then I also knew a guy who was shot to death in Chicago, and died on the floor of a Chinese food restaurant calling for his mom.

that's awful. what was the motive of the shooting [or was it random]?

I'm 21, I have met many murderers, at least 8 that I knew well. Mostly gang related stuff, I try to stay far away from these people. I've found that I can often tell that someone has murdered someone else in their life long before anyone tells me.

As for victims, I've only actually known 1, and 1 suicide "victim".

Originally Posted by Kanahmal

I'm 21, I have met many murderers, at least 8 that I knew well. Mostly gang related stuff, I try to stay far away from these people. I've found that I can often tell that someone has murdered someone else in their life long before anyone tells me.

That's the wisest thing I've heard all day.

Chris L

My best friend was a victim of an attempted murder by his wife. She hired a guy to knife him to death from behind as he dozed in his easy chair. Not only did she let the guy in but then proceeded to watch the scene unfold at the front window. He barely survived with 14 wounds. When he came out of his coma the first person he asked (couldn't talk his windpipe and larynx had been severed) for was his wife. Now THAT is f--d up.

This after he took in her 7 kids and adopted her youngest. So, I guess I can say I have known both, unfortunately. All I can say is its a very, very, sad thing to go through.

I can feel for anyone who has lost or been a victim of such savagery.

On the plus side, I can say he is a frequent lurker here and has taught himself to use a straight razor with his one good hand. (something I take great pride in being a part of)

TZ if you read this I love you man!!

Originally Posted by jjpharris

My best friend was a victim of an attempted murder by his wife. She hired a guy to knife him to death from behind as he dozed in his easy chair. Not only did she let the guy in but then proceeded to watch the scene unfold at the front window. He barely survived with 14 wounds. When he came out of his coma the first person he asked (couldn't talk his windpipe and larynx had been severed) for was his wife. Now THAT is f--d up.

Did he know what happened when he came out of the coma?

I lost a good school chum when he was hitchhiking and was killed by a hit and run.

I hung around for a while with Stanley who was released from Elmira for manslaughter. At a general admission concert some fool pulled a knife and told Stan to give up his seat. Stan took the guy's knife and stabbed him seventeen times with it. Stan got really good at ping pong in lockdown.

An ex-girlfriend's brother is in forever after killing two guys in a drug deal gone wrong. They called it premeditated.

A great uncle was a Bridgeport cop who was gunned down before I was born.