Lucas's connection to Toole may have been what got him arrestedtwo months after Toolein 1983, though that was only on a weapons charge. Password must be at least 8 characters and contain: As part of your account, youll receive occasional updates and offers from New York, which you can opt out of anytime. When he attempted to pick her up, he realized he "had a knife in [his] hand and she had been cut." This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google He went into a rage and stabbedthe 74-year-old woman in the neck, causing a fatal heart attack as she bled outon the kitchen floor of their home. In 1984, Henry Lee Lucas confessed to Thorntons murder. He is buried in an unmarked grave in Huntsville, Tex. He even drew detailed pictures of his alleged victims much like another prolific serial killer named Samuel Little. I made the police look stupid, Lucas later boasted. Jeffrey Dahmer was an alcoholic, you could apparently smell the booze on him. Convicted killer Henry Lee Lucas is escorted to his capital murder trial in San Angelo by Willliamson County Deputy Blake Wolbruek, left. He was bullied and sobbed while running back home. [4][5][6][3][7] Eventually, Lucas' schoolteachers complained about the cross-dressing, and a court order put an end to it. Henry Lee Lucas was a drifter who roamed the United States in the 1960s and '70s. And by the time they met, both were already murderers. How could this have happened? Born to alcoholic parents, including a mother who prostituted herself, Lucas' sexual deviancy formed in his teen I think these people ultimately grew to trust us and ultimately see us as perhaps helpful in getting more information and at least getting their cases reexamined. His date refused, so Henry had to figure out what or else meant. If you release me, I will leave a body on your doorstep, they reported him as saying to his psychiatrist. [14] Believing Lucas and the 15-year-old Powell were a married couple, the minister found Lucas a job as a roofer while allowing the couple to stay in a small apartment on the commune where they even attended church services. Family and friends of the victims believed they had closure only to discover years later that the real killer may never have been brought to justice. I only got three [murders], he claimed. But there was another murder case where Ill kiss your butt if he didnt lead us right to the deer stand where the murder took place. When Lucas' mother visited him for Christmas, she disapproved of her son's fiance and insisted he move back to Blacksburg to take care of her as she grew older. Sources are conflicted about when he was released but it's believed he served either ten or eleven years for her murder, per Digital Spy. Henry Lee Lucas (August 23, 1936 March 12, 2001) was an American convicted serial killer. Its one thing to make a mistake, but they made intentional decisions.Kenner: This was a tricky thing for us in making a series, because I dont think it was a conspiracy on their part. Journalist Hugh Aynesworth spent months fact-checking Lucas' confessions and ultimately determined "Henry Lee Lucas would have had to use his 13-year-old Ford station wagon to cover 11,000 miles in one month to have committed the crimes police attributed to him. Me personally, I think they smell like copper (blood) or they smell like cologne in order to seem more charming to gain people's trust. An excellent debut novel, a journalists memoir, and a romance told in verse. More to the point, there are potentially hundreds of people out there who are walking the streets free. Henry Lee Lucas is escorted to his capital murder trial by the police. Viola Lucas belittled her crippled husband and her children. Those early behaviors were not only foreboding, they turned out to offer a dire warning. [38], There have been several books on the Lucas case. He confessed to over 100 murders, though it was later believed he, too, lied about many of the crimes, according to Biography. 2023 Talk Murder To Me. I didnt mean that it was something they set out to do from the beginning, but the officers did provide Henry with leading information so he would confess and close their cases. A majority of the couple's victims were hitchhikers, sex workers, and migrant workers, who were easy prey for the career criminals. [5] After the story appeared in April 1985 and revealed the flawed methods of the Lucas Task Force, law enforcement opinion began to turn against their claims that crimes had been solved. He also hated the fact that she was a sex worker and forced him to watch as she serviced customers. Just say YES. The fathers somewhat comical reality was of his own doing, once working as a railroad man, but his excessive drinking led him to sleep on the tracks, one morning waking up with two severed legs. Another victim, Katherine Rich, had housed both Toole and Lucas for some time. In response, Lucas lured Powell to an isolated field. Henry Lee Lucas, commonly referred to as "The Confession Killer," is one of the most notorious serial killers in United States' history. Only 3 killings is necessary to qualify as a serial killer. I think Henry believed whatever he was saying at that moment. Details You Didn't Know About Henry Lee Lucas, Henry Lee Lucas and Ottis Toole met in 1976, a majority of Henry Lee Lucas' confessions were blatantly false. Here is [former district attorney] Vic Feazell, who wanted to prove Henry innocent. Most likely they will not smell any different from anyone else. After their arrests, police were eager to hear them confess to countless murders which helped them close a number of unsolved cases. Did you walk away feeling like he probably killed more than that?Oldham: Who knows, maybe. Often, they provided him with crime-scene photographs and other details related to the victims and the crime scenes, which Lucas used to take responsibility for the murders. [Texas Ranger] Bob Prince defends himself saying, We were just a clearing house. While w, Welcome to If You Know, You Know, the corner of the internet celebrating the most interesting people and dissecting phenomena within our rich diaspora. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. I know it is a weird question but what do you think? His body odor was repulsive, most likely a result of the poison-related illnesses. But within the folds of their falsehoods lie some terrible truths. All through his life those unfortunate enough to know Henry Lucas often complained about his stringent smell, which seeped from his filthy pores. WebHenry had no impulse control and Henry was a screwed up character who did bad things. I bet Ted Bundy smelled sexy. Henry Lee Lucas and Ottis Toole killed hundreds of people together. They quickly became lovers, jumpstarting a relationship that was based on mutual attraction and a mutual desire to kill. They went from feeling a sense of closure that Lucas and Toole were behind bars to questioning whether those men had even killed their loved ones in the first place. As there wasnt enough food for Henry, that or his mother refused to feed him, he would gnaw on the lead-based painted wood inside his chicken coop. He truly didnt deserve the amount of chances at reality he got by being released multiple times. After his 1983 arrest, however, Lucas was extremely cooperative with authorities from all over the U.S., and confessed to over 3,000 murders. I spoke to Robby about it and we saw that it had the potential to be way more than just a normal true-crime story. Arrest, confession to murders of Powell and Rich, The Times-News Oct 18, 1983, AP, Texas Ranger Unwilling Confidant Of Henry Lee Lucas, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Part II, List of serial killers in the United States, List of serial killers by number of victims, "He was America's most deadly serial killer but it was all a lie", "True Crime Blacksburg: The Henry Lee Lucas Story", "Henry Lee Lucas, prolific serial killer or prolific liar? WebHenry Lee Lucas was a man known for his spree of false murder confessions, most notably for that of Debra Jackson. Probably 160 or 170 were never re-investigated, which is an incredible number, said Kenner. Then I noticed that I had my knife in my hand and she had been cut.. Lucas murdered his mother in Januaryof 1960. By the time Lucas reached puberty, he channeled his rage into torturing animals and sexually assaulting his own brother. Bush really was getting ready to run for President in 1998. [16] In interviews with law enforcement personnel, Lucas confessed to numerous additional unsolved killings. The one difference is that Vic corrected his mistakes. This week I will be analyzing the sixth most well-known serial killer: Henry Lee Lucas. He escaped in 1957, was recaptured three days later, and was subsequently released on September 2, 1959.[8][9]. Henry Lee Lucas recalled having a number of seizures in the years following the head injuries, which could indicate he suffered a traumatic brain injury. He had been sentenced to death for one, a then-unidentified woman dubbed as "Orange Socks", whose body was found in Williamson County on Halloween 1979, despite a time sheet recording his presence at work in Jacksonville, Florida, on that day. In June 1998, then Texas Governor George W. Bush commuted Henry Lee Lucas' death sentence to life in prison. Four narrative films have been made based on his confessions: Confessions of a Serial Killer (1985); Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986), in which the title role is played by Michael Rooker; Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Part II (1996); and the 2009 film Drifter: Henry Lee Lucas. Henry Lee Lucas in prison in 1997. He also killed the girl, Becky Powell, and had served time in prison for killing his own mother in 1960. They preyed upon anyone they could find including hitchhikers, sex workers, and migrants. As if that werent bad enough, the serial killer couple also dabbled in cannibalism. Oldham: If youre a police agent and youve determined that Lucas is guilty of the crime, then prove it. Lucas was found dead in prison at 11 p.m. on March 12, 2001. Boutwell was a totally respected lawman at the time. Toolewas arrested in 1984 and ended up dying of liver failure in a Florida prison in 1996. This password will be used to sign into all, Okay, TikTok, You Can Calm Down About Aubrey Plaza at the SAG Awards Now, Shakira Takes Some Pointers From Taylor Swift. He was 64. Lucass confessions were so plentiful that they led the Texas Rangers to establish a Henry Lee Lucas Task Force, assigned to oversee his crimes. Lucas died in 2001 of a heart attack, and with him died the truth about the people he killed and the people he didnt. I feel sorry for little Bobby - uncared for and exploited, but the adult was a fucking horror show of smelling bad and lust-murdering children. Popsugar. All rights reserved. Unbelievable!Oldham: Oh my God, it was amazing. And that may be one of the worst parts of their horrific legacy. Sometimes she would make her son wear a dress and force him to watch up-close as the random man pushes inside of her. Lucas posed that question to the judge during an arraignment for the murder of an elderly woman, Kate Rich, whom he and his 15-year-old girlfriend were hired to care for. "Becky," as she was known, would occasionally travel with the men as well. [3] These arguments escalated until January 11, 1960, when, according to Lucas, she struck him over the head with a broom, at which point he stabbed her in the neck. WebDavid Parker Ray, Westley Allan Dodd, Donald Henry Gaskins. Henry popped out of his worn-out mother on August 23, 1936. She was known as Orange Socks because that was the only item of clothing found on her mutilated corpse. Has killed over 350 according to the Texas-based Lucas task force who investigated him. Netflixs five-part docuseries The Confession Killer compellingly tells the story of how Lucas was both a serial killer and a serial liar, and, more importantly, explores law enforcements fixation with closing cases and the toll it takes on the families of the victims. And on top of that, Lucas didnt offer much hard evidence to back up his increasingly farfetched tales. Given Lucass habit of lying, its impossible to know what his real body count was. It was here that Henry he met his lifelong partner standing directly behind him. Henry was a tricky character, so on some levels you have some sympathy for the Rangers because Henry is a very convincing character. Toole was so upset that he allegedly killed nine people just to blow off steam. During the delay, Lucas recanted his confession, one of dozens of his confessions that would prove He wrapped his fingers around her throat and squeezed. In fact, Lucas had already served 10 years in prison for the murder of his mother. We kind of believe Lucas believed everything he was saying to everybody. After decapitating the young boy with a machete, Toole drove around with the head in his car for so long that he forgot it was there. [17][14], Later attempts at determining Lucas' involvement in his confessed crimes were complicated when it was discovered he had been given access to information in the files of cases he was confessing to. A judge sentenced Henry Lee Lucas to 40 years at Southern Michigan State Prison. But there were people who came along who just wanted to clear their books. A little bird lit down on Henry Lee. Obviously, he was also prepped for them and he got too much information. Henry was the youngest out of a family of 9 children. Getty ImagesHenry Lee Lucas is escorted to his capital murder trial by the police. Information and news about serial killers. The other day I was watching something on the Milgram psychological experiment. Lucas had long despised his mother for abusing him. Most dates on his world tour have been canceled. Its an irony on that level just because we end up doing the wrong thing, it doesnt mean we meant to do it in the first place. [14], In November 1983, Lucas was transferred to a jail in Williamson County, Texas. I was thinking about how different their lifestyles are from our own and wondered if that would influence their scent. The same goes for Ottis Toole. Thus, they would go down in history as the Confession Killers.. She was known as Orange Socks because that was the only item of clothing found on her mutilated corpse. Lucas was convicted of murdering 11 people and condemned to death for a single case with a then-unidentified victim, later identified as Debra Jackson. 1981. How viewers can change the meaning of a great artists work. The chronically abusive Viola Lucas met her end after a drunken argument with her son. Oldham and co-director Robert Kenner, who was nominated for an Oscar for his documentary Food, Inc., began with a massive collection of old Lucas confessions and case files that a former investigator for Lucas defense was hoarding in a storage facility. He confessed to over 100 murders, though it was later believed he, As for Toole, his childhood was just as bad if not worse. When he refused, they argued repeatedly. WebIn 2001, Lucas died from heart failure at the age of 64 while serving a life sentence in prison. Henry Lee Lucas' father lost both of his legs in an accident while he was working for the railroad. Some cases, such as that of Debra Jackson, are known to be unrelated and were false confessions and should not be added to this category. He was what Sheriff [Jim] Boutwell needed. With Jude Law and Jim Gaffigan as Captain Hook and Mr. Smee. In 1959, Henry Lee Lucas was visiting his family for Christmas. In 1954, at age 17, he was arrested Taki had worked on it for a year and a half, then we worked on it for about a year and half, then Netflix came in and we spent another two years. It also stems in part, though, from his fantastical and unsubstantiated claims to be the most prolific slayer in American history. 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