Today’s Suspicious Yet Truly Morbid Fact!
Jeffrey MacDonald was a captain in the U.S. Army, living with his wife and two young daughters at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Military police responding to an emergency telephone call in the small hours of the morning found the wife and daughters dead from numerous stab wounds. MacDonald was alive, and claimed he had been stabbed and knocked unconscious by three men and a woman: all “hippies,” and apparently acting under the influence of drugs. He explained how he had warded off their frenzied blows by wrapping his blue pajama jacket around his hands, and how, after the attackers fled, he had first tried to revive his daughters with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, then placed the jacket over his dead wife’s body.
Jeffrey and some of the family that he slaughtered (allegedly!)
MacDonald gave detailed descriptions of all four attackers, but no evidence of their presence could be found. Officers were suspicious of MacDonald’s story because the room had been in darkness at the time of the attack, and MacDonald had very poor eyesight. He needed glasses to read and to drive, so without them, his vision would have been blurred. When a forensic team searched the scene, they found blue fibers from his pajama jacket beneath his wife’s body, in the children’s bedrooms, and under the fingernail of one of the victims. But none was found in the living room where MacDonald claimed to have been fighting for his life, and where there was in fact very little disorder. The bloodstains in the different rooms were all identified, and MacDonald’s blood was found in the kitchen, in the bathroom, and on a pair of eyeglasses. No traces were found in the living room where he claimed to have been stabbed, or on either of the telephones he had used to call the police.
Nevertheless, many pieces of evidence had been lost by the time his trial was due, and charges were dropped. But when MacDonald subsequently appeared on a television chat show, his callous attitude and the flippant remarks he made regarding his family’s tragic deaths revived suspicions as to his part in the drama, and his pajama jacket was sent to the FBI laboratory in Washington D.C. for analysis. Investigators found that all forty-eight holes said to have been made by the attackers’ ice pick were smooth and round, rather as if the jacket had been held still while the holes had been made. There was also a large stain of Mrs. MacDonald’s blood on both sides of a tear said to have been made during the attack. This suggested that the stain had been produced before the jacket was torn, although MacDonald claimed to have laid the jacket across his wife’s body only after the attack was over and he had found her dead.
Finally in 1979 MacDonald was tried for the murders of his wife and children. During the course of the trial, forensic examiners demonstrated a simulated attack in the courtroom with an ice-pick and a pajama jacket. They showed that the pattern of cuts made in the pajama jacket was not consistent with the pattern of cuts that would have been made had the incident unfolded as MacDonald originally claimed. As a result, MacDonald was found guilty and ordered to serve three consecutive live sentences. A succession of appeals, staring in October 1997, are still going on.
Culled from: Hidden Evidence
Sex Deviant Du Jour!
The Sexual Criminal is a 1949 criminology textbook written by infamous Los Angeles County criminal psychiatrist J. Paul De River that is jam-packed with all the sexism and homophobia common to its era. I thought I’d share some of the case studies with you.
Fair warning: this one is horrible!
Case W.
Case Study 108. W., age thirty-two, white male, occupation: school guard. His education consists of about the fourth grade of common schooling and training as a barber, which he did not entirely complete.
Family History: He says his real father is deceased, but that his mother is alive and he thinks in good health. He was raised by a foster-mother and father, who live in another city. He has one brother alive, but he is in poor health due to exposure suffered while hunting. He has one older sister married, and in good health. She resides in another state. There is a negative family history of syphilis, insanity, epilepsy, cleft palate, premature graying of the hair, all nervous diseases. There is a negative history of chronic alcoholism, pauperism, vagabondage, and moral degeneracy.
Past History: He states that his family life was not unusual, and that he used to attend church each Sunday, when a child. He had gonorrhea about five months ago. For this condition he received treatment at a county hospital. He has never had syphilis. He had the usual diseases of childhood. There has been no serious illness or accident other than a blow on the head received about two months ago. He does not know who struck him or what struck him but but says it stunned him; he did not consult a doctor, and did not go to a hospital or clinic for medical care. He says that the skin was not broken and that there was no loss of blood; but that since this blow on the head he has had an occasional attack of headache with black spots before his eyes. He drinks alcoholic beverages, especially wine, but does not drink to excess. He smokes tobacco but does not use narcotics. He states that he has always had the desire to travel about the country and has never desired to stay in any one place very long. W. has been married for two years and there are no children. He states that his wife is unable to have children because of an operation that has rendered her sterile. This is his only marriage. He married at the age of thirty years, his wife being about twenty-four years of age. He admits occasional quarrels, but states that he has only occasionally struck his wife, and that was during the heat of an argument. He has been previously arrested for vagrancy. His present arrest is for the rape and murder of three little girls age seven, eight, and nine years.
Somatic Examination: He is well-developed and well-nourished — rather small in stature, measuring about 5’4″, weighs 122 pounds. The heart, lungs, and kidneys are negative. His glandular type is that of adrenal and gonadal; there is good distribution of hair over the extremities, but lack of hair over anterior chest wall.
There are no abnormalities noted about the body; his sexual organs are well-developed, the foreskin is retracted, exposing the corona glans penis, revealing evidence of subacute inflammation directly in the center on the dorsal surface of the penis, the mucous membrane above the sulcus; there is evidence of a very recent tear in the mucous membrane; the base of the glans penis is inflamed showing more redness at the base of the glans than normal, with a scar of a very recent tear. The base of the corona glandis appears not only inflamed but distinctly swollen; the foreskin is retracted and shows inflamed mottling, apparently from recent trauma. The urinary meatus shows a pouting of the mucous lining and redness (subacute irritation). The testicles and scrotum appear normal.
Psychic Examination: He is well orientated as to time, places, dates, and persons. His association tests are normal; his insight is fair, judgment hazy and rather poor. He cooperates very well. He answers questions clearly, although his reaction time is rather slow, and he sometimes ponders over questions, but this is due to lack of education rather than to the clouding of the fields of higher mentation. He states he does not dream. He has no illusions, delusions, or hallucinations. He knows the difference between right and wrong, but apparently does not feel it. His emotional reactions to happiness are normal; fear normal; anger normal; tenderness normal. He is very curious. In sociability he is normal. His powers of concentration are poor unless he is interested in the subject, such as love, sex, and travel; then he concentrates with ease. He performs the forward and backward tests slowly but correctly. He performs the test for abstract terms fairly well for one of his limited education, and in testing by analogy, judging right from wrong, he is straightforward and correct in his answers. The subject should not be considered feeble-minded, but rather a borderline deficiency case, with a low I.Q. He is emotionally unstable and at times sullen and moody, and at other time excitable (hyperthymic).
Statements Relative to His Present Offense: His sexual life began about the age of eleven or twelve years with the act of masturbation. W. states, however, that he did not continue this practice for any length of time because he had heard that it would make him crazy. At about the age of eighteen years he had his first sexual intercourse with a girl about the age of twenty years. He always liked girls and never cared for older women. He has never had any desire for homosexual relationships with boys and men. He says that he has practiced numerous forms of sexual acts of perverse nature, especially since he has been married. He has assumed various postures and positions during sexual intercourse, from the normal method of coitus in the bed to standing, his sexual partner also standing. He states that he has never performed this act before a mirror, but has frequently had a desire to watch himself perform the act of coitus; but did not have a large enough mirror (narcism) (spectacular complex). He says that he has frequently performed the act of coitus from the posterior position, with his sexual partner lying on her stomach, and that on numerous occasions he has induced in the act of sodomy on his sexual partner. He further states that intercourse has been performed on numerous occasions during the time that his wife was menstruating, and that during this time he enjoyed it more because of the knowledge that she was menstruating, and that she seemed to be more passionate. He also says that he has performed the act of cunnilingus upon his wife. His explanation as to why he picked on young female children was as follows:
He states that he had always wanted something tight and young — something younger than he had ever been used to having, and that he wanted to try out the act of coitus on very young girls, and to take his time and undress them as this made him extremely excited, and that he desired to inspect their sexual organs, but he knew he would never have this opportunity unless he killed his victims as he lacked the nerve and did not know how to go about getting a girl very young for fear she would be scared of him and tell what he had tried to do. He says he knew that it would rip and tear them, if he had sexual intercourse with them, but that he would rather they be dead so that he would not hurt them, and then the girls would not resist him.
W. states that the figure and odor of small female children caused him intense sexual excitement. He further states that he has had sexual intercourse with a Mrs. F., a former neighbor and friend, and that Mr. F. had had sexual relations with his wife, Mrs. W.
W. was then asked when he made up his mind to get some young female children, and he said that for years the idea had been going through his mind (pedophilia), and that it has been getting worse of late — that he has had a strong urge for younger sexual partners — something very tight (masochistic element). About one month ago he visited a ravine in some nearby hills and he then thought what a great place it would be to take some girls for sexual intercourse, and on Wednesday preceding the crime, he definitely made up his mind to get these three children, and laid his plans by securing the necessary rope, etc.
W. states that on the day of the crime, when he reached the ravine in the hills, he wasted very little time before he started his attack. He says that he thinks it might have been ten or fifteen minutes but not more, because he was so anxious for intercourse that he wanted to hurry and get busy at once, and that he killed his victims by placing a rope around their necks from behind, strangling each one separately, while the others waited nearby in some bushes as he told them he could only take one at a time to show them the bunnies. Only one of the victims made any protest and begged him not to do this to her, but he was so sexually excited that he paid no heed to her protestations. He was then asked if in killing them he became more sexually excited, and W. states that with each killing he became more and more passionate, and that their suffering only served to excite him sexually. He says that during the killing of his victims he had an erection, and states that he pulled down their underclothing and performed the act of coitus on each victim, and sodomy on two of his victims.
In reply to the question as to which act he performed first, he has been slightly contradictory — on one occasion he said coitus, but later contradicted himself and was very sure that he had performed the act of sodomy first on two of the victims, and then he raped them all. W. states that he did not leave one victim and go to another, but finished the sexual act on each before going to the other. He says he fulfilled his sexual desire on each child, on two of them from both the anal and the vaginal route.
When asked if he had ejaculated in the performance of the act of sodomy, he stated definitely no; but says that he tried sodomy first, because the buttocks of the female has always had an attraction for him (fetishism), and that this made him more passionate (intersexuality).
When asked if it did not hurt him to perform these acts on the bodies of such young victims, he states that it did, but that the experiencing of pain he did not mind — the fact that it hurt him made him more passionate, and excited him sexually, that he frequently wet his penis with blood, which excited him and produced the greatest of sexual pleasure, because he realized he was having his desire fulfilled and that his victims were young and tight, and that he felt their flesh tear (calling attention to the fact that he frequently has had intercourse with his wife, placing her in a posterior position with her back toward him).
W. says that he had to use great force in inserting his organ into the small orifices (vagina and anus) of his victims (sadistic will to power — the forcing of his ego and personality — the will to power multiplied to the nth degree — the complete loss of the “thou” element, but the egocentricity — the preservation of the “I” element.)
W. says that, after attacking and inspecting his victims, he spoke to them, but that they did not answer him (the remorse of the masochist). He says that he then pulled up the panties of the victims and wiped off his penis with a handkerchief and pulled up his own trousers. He then arranged his victims’ shoes in a neat fashion (exhibitionism, masochistic sorrow), and said that he arranged the shoes neatly so that when and if they were found, he wanted whoever found them to think that the children had been orderly to the last (spectacular element). He then said that he knelt beside each little child and said a prayer, and he insisted on repeating the prayer to the author (masochism, spectacular complex). He said the following prayer: “God please save the soul of this child, and save my soul, and forgive me for what I have done” (remorse of the sado-masochist). He was then asked if he did not realize that he had done wrong, and he replied that he knew that he had done wrong and that was the reason that he had prayed. (He knew that, but he also concluded the “I” element in his prayer, which shows the condition of his insight and judgment.)
W. then was asked to continue, and he replied that he then decided to make a fire, but when he reached in his pocket for a match he became greatly alarmed as he found had only one match, and he worried for fear something might happen to the match and he would be unable to make a fire. He however states that he gathered some dry grass and shrubs and succeeded in making a fire. He was then asked what he placed in the fire, and he stated that he burned a handkerchief he had used to wipe the blood and semen off his penis. He said after burning the handkerchief he made sure that the fire was out, and that he was very shaky and nervous, and hurried carefully out of the ravine (flight complex) and went home. He was asked how he felt after committing such a crime, and he replied that he felt very much easier and sexually satisfied; that he had accomplished what had long been desired, and that now he must be clever enough to get away without being seen or discovered. He states that during his attack on the bodies of the victims, he felt that he was very powerful and that they were but his slaves, he being master (sadistic complex).
He was then asked if he ate and slept well the night following these crimes, and said that he ate a fairly good dinner and had a very good night’s sleep.
The following day, he states that he read the papers and got quite a thrill when he thought about what he had done, and he thought himself very clever in getting away with such a crime (spectacular element).
He states that he had sexual intercourse the next night following the crime; that he had several glasses of wine and indulged in sexual intercourse with his wife. When asked what was in his mind during the performance of sexual intercourse with his wife, he replied that he thought of the killing of the girls and what he did to each of them; and when asked if the thought of what he had done had increased his passion Sunday night when he was having intercourse with his wife, W. states that the thought of the children at that time made him terribly passionate. The author then asked him what mental picture he formerly had before the commission of the crime when he was having sexual relationship with his wife, and he replied that he always thought of some little girl that he had seen or met, and thought it would be awfully nice and tight. When asked which one of the three victims appealed to him the most, he replied that S. was the one that aroused him the most sexually (as evidence of his judgment, she probably being the best developed because of her age).
The author then asked W. if the fact that there were three children involved in the attack was a coincidence, or if he would have only taken one or two if he could not have gotten three, or would he have taken four if there had been a fourth., and he replied that he wanted at least three and had prepared for three, but would have taken a fourth had there been another in company with his victims (triloism — form of exhibitionism).
Analysis and Conclusion: This subject should be considered sane and premeditated the aforesaid crime. The story of his sexual behavior has been related in detail under the title of “Sexual History.” He demonstrated his insight and judgment in planning the abduction of his victims and in his method of preparation for the crime. I would call your attention to the fact that he kept the rope in his pockets until the appointed time when he was to use same on each of his victims. This point would show that he knew right from wrong, and knew that if the children saw the rope it might cause them to be greatly frightened. He stated to the author that he enjoyed the uniqueness of the experience in killing his victims and attacking them. He also stated that he burned the handkerchief that he used to remove the blood from his penis, showing that he was cognizant of the fact that if he was seen in such a condition he would be arrested and suspicion cast upon him. He experienced a thrill when he saw his victims die, and admitted that the sight and the odor of blood of young females had satisfied his lustful nature. He has always been more or less of a sexual gymnast, indulging in various forms of sexual exercises and performances.
The day following the crime, he was drunk with his own importance, and gloated to his own ego that he had fooled the public. He kept a scrapbook as a memento of crime, and one day prepared to place the news clippings of his perfect crime in this book. There was already a page set aside for the pasting of such pictures and press notices that might deal with this crime. This shows his egocentricity, with extreme exhibitionism. He is happy in his suffering (the masochistic side of his nature). He is sorry and cries easily, so he says. He is true to the cowardly sado-masochist type, which has the hysterical and spectacular personality in its make-up. He knows right from wrong, but lacks depth of feeling. His feelings lack profoundness and resonance. He punished his victims by leading them to their death, walking them all the way, being clever not to arouse suspicion, but by doing this he also weakened them physically and rendered them less apt and able to cope with his superior strength. It is well to remember that he led three children, aged seven, eight, and nine years respectively, to their death, and was able to convince them of his honesty and sincerity, although they had been previously warned not to associate with men. These children were considered normal in every way, both mentally and physically; but he demonstrated his mental ability by convincing these little ones that his motives were sincere and honest. Although he apparently breaks and cries and puts on an act, and at times almost appears sensitive, he lacks depth of feeling and never demonstrates real feeling when telling of strangling his victims. The author observed this man when he was supposed to have fainted on the night he was questioned in the office of the District Attorney. The subject never lost consciousness in any of his supposed faints, and his pulse was always even and of good quality. The whole motive in his fainting was nothing more than to hold the spotlight and hold the sympathy of the crowd, and this was true to his sado-masochistic nature, representing the spectacular element in his complexes.
W. is a super-egoist, who would seek and obtain prestige at the expense of his victims. He can multiply the spectacular element to the nth degree.
On the evening he was questioned in the District Attorney’s office, he told his story in a clear and straightforward manner, and when asked by the author if he did not feel better now that he had told his truth, he assured the author he did. In concluding, it should be noted that it would be perfectly possible for W. to have had three ejaculations in the period of two hours which he gave as the approximate time that he spent with his victims. He assured the author that he had never had a complete fulfillment of his sexual desires; that he for many years had held this pent-up sex urge, and he only completed the fulfillment of this urge and desire with the relief of his sexual tensions when he gratified his sado-masochistic nature by killing and raping the bodies of his victims. He assured the author that when he ejaculated it was in a one-two fashion, and if this were the case, it is quite possible that there had been a spasm of the common ejaculatory duct, retaining a certain amount of semen, and that when he has an ejaculation it does not completely empty the common ejaculatory duct. If this is true, it would be very easy to explain the fact that he had successive ejaculations with his victims. We must remember here that we are dealing with a sexual psychopath, who has at last achieved his end and fulfilled his sexual desire, and in this case of the first time his sexual tension has been reduced to the normal limits.
(This subject was tried and convicted of first degree murder and executed for his crime.)
******
I did an image search to find the name of the monster: Albert Dyer. He did his atrocious deeds in 1937 and was hanged on September 16, 1938. Here are some photos from newspapers. His loyal wife is particularly problematic.
“Exhausted Slayer Booked At Jail – Near collapse following prolonged questioning, Albert Dyer is shown here being booked at the County Jail for the murder of three Inglewood schoolgirls. Holding him are Capt. Winn (left) and Investigator Higgins of the District Attorney’s staff.”
”
“Steadfastly maintaining that his appalling confession of the Inglewood schoolgirl murders is true, Albert Dyer is shown being requestioned by Sheriff Biscailuz. Dist.-Atty. Fitts stands on the other side of the prisoner.”
“Mrs. Isabelle Dyer, who refuses to believe her husband is guilty of the girl murders despite his confession, is shown here embracing Albert Dyer in jail booking room.”
“Dyer in Sullen Mood – Sullen and uncommunicative, Albert Dyer is shown as he appeared yesterday in court, where defense and prosecution are engaged in selecting a jury to try the former W.P.A. crossing guard for the murder of three Inglewood children.”
And here’s a headline I didn’t expect!
“Girl Killer Chickenhearted, Declares Foster Mother – Albert, the chickenhearted, was the way his foster mother, Mrs. Etta May Young of 413 Emerald street, Redondo Beach, described Albert Dyer, confessed murderer of three Inglewood schoolgirls. ‘Why, one time I stepped on a nest of baby mice and killed some of them,’ Mrs. Young told investigators yesterday, ‘and Albert set up such a wail I thought I never would calm him down. He always cried like a baby every time anything like that got killed.'”
Andersonville Prisoner Diary Entry Du Jour!
This is the continuation of the 1864 diary of Andersonville prisoner Private George A. Hitchcock (see the archived version for all entries up until now).
Here’s today’s entry:
November 25th. Clear. The kind-hearted people of Savannah continued to bring in food and clothing all day. I got some rice, which kept me till the rations of hard-tack and molasses came at dark. A train came along at nine in the evening, and we were hurried on board the cars. A rebel officer told us we were going to Charleston to be exchanged.
Culled from: Andersonville: Giving Up the Ghost
Most notably, Jeffrey MacDonald gifted us with the immortal phrase, “Acid is groovy, kill the pigs!”