Though her body had similar injuries as the ones found on Catherine DiMauro and Shirley Ellis, a cause of death couldn't be determined as she was found submerged in the water. The second victim was 31-year-old divorced prostitute Catherine A. DiMauro. It was November 1996, and Grossberg had hidden her pregnancy from her parents before moving to Newark to attend the University of Delaware. For more on this case and others like it, watch"Mark Of A Serial Killer," airing Monday, April 12 through Friday, April 16 at 8/7c as part ofSerial Killer Week,a special nine-night event on Oxygen. But Friday night and early today, state and To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Steven Brian Pennell abducted most of his victims off Route 40 in Delaware. The Ellis had been visiting a friend at a local hospital on that fateful evening before heading home. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. "The hardest part is seeing how much pain Christopher Rivers has caused my father, my mother, my brother, my children. He decided to enact his right to remain silent. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Menu. Steven Brian Pennell was born on 22 November, 1957 in Glasgow, Delaware, United States, is an American serial killer. On September 20th, her body was found on the rocks in the Chesapeake-Delaware Canal. Shortly after the decision, a bouquet of flowers was sent to the prosecutor's office, with a note reading: "You made us feel human again, from the women of Route 40.". Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Duct tape was found in her hair, and she was killed in the same fashion. Her body was discovered partially clothed with remnants of duct tape in her hair. committed. On the rainy night of Nov. 29, 1987, a couple driving through an industrial park in Newark, Delaware, thought they saw a mannequin at the side of the road. ", But a judge in New Castle a whip, handcuffs, needles, knives, and other types of restraints. an "irrational act and one which Mrs. Pennell For Capano was convicted. Kelly Connell talks about brother Joe Connell and his wife, Olga, who were killed allegedly by two hit men hired by his business partner. Investigators took carpet fibers, fabric swatches and photos of the interior and exterior of his van. more. Kathleen Meyer's body was never found, but a police officer wrote down the license plate of a car that Meyer got into, which happened to be Pennell's car. Working the Route 40 corridor in 1987 and 1988, Pennell would pick up his victims and brutally murder them, disposing of their bodies along the route (via Murderpedia). Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Try again later. When police arrived, they noticed black duct tape in Ellis' hair and evidence of ligature marks around her neck. On March 14, 1992, the sentence was carried out. Re-indicted in 1991, for the murders of Gordon and Meyer, Pennell himself requested that he be executed, and eventually pleaded no contest to the murders. The other four people survived. Capano died in prison in 2011. In November of 1987, Steven Pennell began what was to become the most appalling case of murder in the history of Small Wonder It was a candy boxcontaining a handkerchief, chocolate creams and a small slip of paper that said: With love to yourself and baby. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. experience with other serial killers, the FBI was able to make an With a lifelong dream of becoming a police officer, he applied to the Wilmington Police cadet program but failed the physical testing. Bey admitted he'd been the middleman in the plot. maintained innocence to the end, he fought his Failed to delete memorial. Pennell purchased his van on June 3, 1988, installing the blue carpet following his first victim. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Her naked body was found the next morning on a construction site, bearing the same torture marks as Ellis. Her death was caused by a combination of strangulation and blunt force trauma after being hit in the head repeatedly by a hammer-like instrument (via Justia). Pennell's wife, Kathy, made desperate efforts to Route 40 Killer Steven Brian Pennells mugshot. this morning, the United States Supreme Court A friend hadlast seen her get into a blue Ford van. Although he Det. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Both were imprisoned. Yet it's never quite been able to shake off its macabre past. On Nov. 29, 1987, a young couple looking for some privacy drove to a construction site off Route 40. I was very new, very keen. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. At 35 years old, Steven Brian Pennell height not available right now. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. He stuffed Fahey's 5-foot-10-inch body into an ice chest and, with the help of brotherGerry Capano, took his young girlfriend out to sea aboard a boat to dispose of her, evidence revealed. he cried. (AP) _ Serial killer Steven Brian Pennell was executed by injection today for the torture murders of two women, the first time a death sentence has executed in Delaware since 1976 when the death penalty Gordon and Meyer killings and was sentenced to Edit. He was the only serial killer in the US to ever ask to be executed for his crimes. His execution cost the state a grand total of $47,085, a Shirley Ellis and Catherine DiMauro were both strangled and bludgeoned to death with a hammer to the head. was the chief suspect in the murder of a fifth Local officers were aware they were ill-equipped to handle a massive hunt for a serial killer, so they created a task force and On March 14, 1992, at 9:49 PM, Steven Brian Pennell was executed by lethal injection, becoming the first person executed in Delaware in 46 years, and the 165th person to be executed in the United States since the death sentence was reinstated in 1976. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! On September 23rd, 26-year-old Kathleen Anne Meyer, of Brookmont Farms, disappeared. With the programming going into excruciating detail as the killer himself speaks, it's hard to imagine the outward faade he played at the time - especially with such a strange and grim home. The 23-year-old cop "worked" as a sex worker along Route 40 in hopes that she could make contact with the person responsible for the recent murders in the area (per Delaware Today). It includes a twisted torture kit, Don't miss a thing! Steven Brian Pennell, aka "The Corridor Killer," was a monster. In this article, we covered Steven Brian Pennell's net curtain, and a Roman Catholic priest standing Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware, USA. John P.Dunning married Mary Pennington, the daughter of a former Delaware congressman, in February 1891. Learn How rich is She in this year and how She spends money? was causing his family anguish. Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware, USA. When police arrived, they realized the case bore similarities to the Ellis murder. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Cohen then headed downstairs calling for his mother, Ethel. 14 Mar 1992 (aged 34) Smyrna, Kent County, Delaware, USA. Ultimately, a jury convicted him for killing Ellis and DiMauro but acquitted him for Gordon's murder for lack of evidence. He was executed by lethal injection on March 14, 1992. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. She is a member of famous Killer with the age 35 years old group. "The medical examiner indicated that the actual acts of violence and torture literally frightened her death," Jennings explained. found. Please enter your email and password to sign in. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. tortured and killed at least four women. Margaret Lynn Finner's body was so badly decomposed when found it was found that the cause of death was undetermined. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Thanks for your help! You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. The jury decided not to recommend the death penalty, but two life sentences. Mrs. C.. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. I'd never really seen that type ofdamage to a victim," Swiski told producers. They were gunned down by killers for hire doing the grisly bidding of Chris Rivers. Marlene Simm, the mother of still alive), and in another case he used the pliers to squeeze the On September 14, Taschner took note of a blue van that drove by her seven times and radioed in the license plates. Last October, already Still maintaining his innocence, he asked for the death penalty so New Castle County, Delaware women and suspected of three Famous Killer Steven Brian Pennell was born on November 22, 1957 in Glasgow. Investigators knew they needed to find their culprit before he struck again. On September 14, 1988, Rene Tashner, an undercover cop posing as a prostitute, roamed Route 40 in an attempt to capture the killer. Search above to list available cemeteries. Sometimes he would simply bind his victim by the hands and ankles while Seven months later, workers at a different construction site off Route 40 found the body of 31-year-old Catherine DiMauro (via Justia). maintaining that he was determined to be She said she was pleased by the execution. death. Several women in the late '80sShirley Ellis, Catherine DiMauro, Michele Gordon and Kathleen Anne Meyer then were abducted, tortured and killed. The house of horrors in Des Plaines, Illinois, was torn down in 1979 and now an entirely new home stands in its stead. Mary Elizabeth's sister, Ida Deane, died two days later. , money, salary, income, and assets. The blue fibers were sent to a lab for testing. executed in the United States since the Supreme appalling case of murder in the history of Small Wonder (Delaware). WebAnother Documentary on The Ominous Files, Subscribe and enjoy 0% Complete. mutilated. Authorities ran the plate number, and learned their suspect was Steven Brian Pennell, a married man with two children and no real criminal history. Steven Brian Proudly created with. Although Finner was eventually found murdered in a field, they initially didn't charge him with the crime as they didn't have the physical evidence linking him to her death. All Saints Cemetery. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. be automatically appealed to the Delaware We have many He says, 'Oh,somebody threw a mannequin out there,'"Joseph A.Swiski, a Newark, Delaware detective told "Mark Of A Serial Killer," airing Monday, April 12 through Friday, April 16 at 8/7c on Oxygen as part ofSerial Killer Week,a special nine-night event. and simple. Pennell argued for the death penalty in front of this five-person court, which granted his wishes. Federal courts turned her down. hunt down their suspect, forming a task force of over 100 officers and Penalty Litigation Project, who argued that Mr. and sadistically tortured. In the autopsy, it was discovered that she had been drugged with cocaine, which had caused her heart to stop before the torture had begun. Eventually he would show mercy So I ask that the sentence be death as said by the states laws and Gods laws. Her bravery and guile resulted in a prime suspect in the killings, as well as an eventual arrest and conviction. The violent murder of Shirley Ellis on November 29, 1987, marked the However, Pennell left later that night for another cruise along Route 40. He received two life sentences for the crime. Steven Brian Pennell, also known as the "Route 40Killer," picked women up off the highwaybefore torturing andkilling them. by strangling them to death, then bashing in their skulls with a blunt hooker, Pennell would coerce the unsuspecting woman into his van and Police created a huge task force with an unlimited budget, and Pennell was placed under 24-hour surveillance. A number of witnesses had seen her enter a blue Ford driven by a white male near Route 13. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. However,a blood sample taken fromPennell's van was subsequently found to be a match for yet another missing woman, Kathleen Meyer, who had last been seen entering a blue Ford van on Route 40. The only known serial killer to work in Delaware, Steven Brian Pennell began his killing spree on November 29, 1987. Thomas Capano was a well-known political operative, Fahey's lover and the primary suspect in her disappearance. However, he plead not guilty to the murders, and spoke of all crime as a third party, saying that the killer was enjoying the process of the murder, but not the murder itself. So, how much is Steven Brian Pennell worth at the age of 35 years old? This browser does not support getting your location. On June 28, 1988, about seven months after the first murder, around 11:30 PM, she was seen walking down Route 40, but it was unclear if she was prostituting herself. Pennell was injecting him with lethal drugs. of women that he could torture and rape. On Four nights later, as reported by Delaware Online undercover cop, Renee Lano, noticed a blue van passing her seven times near Route 40, the van making U-turns at each pass. The first victim was 23-year-old Shirley Anna Ellis, a nurse. Three 34 years old. The victims, all women, bore disturbing marks of torture and police strongly suspected they were up against a serial killer and a ticking clock. Route 40 Serial Killer Remains an Enigma After Convicted 30 Years Ago, 'Every Woman's Worst Nightmare': Serial Killer Stalks Delaware Highway And Mutilates His Victims For Pleasure, Death Row killer Steven Brian Pennell's sick torture kit used to kill sex workers, Steven Brian Pennell: The Route 40 Killer, 2022 by True Crime Archive. Joseph and Olga Connell died in front of theirPaladin Club condominium in the Fox Point area on Sept. 22, 2013. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. But according toDelaware Today, their attention was captured by the discovery of what would later be referred to as a "torture kit," containing "pliers, a whip, handcuffs, needles, knives and restraints." There were no ligature marks on her body or blows to the head, although she had been tortured. Subscribe There were no signs of sexual assault, but she had been seriously abused, with her killer tying a string around her neck and hitting her head with a hammer before she died. his new captive to unspeakable amounts of torture and rape. To keep creating Steven Brian Pennell abducted most of his victims off Route 40 in Delaware. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. The motions for a "The Route 40 Killer" Steven Brian Pennell Pt. A fifth victimbelieved to have been his work decomposed too badly to offer evidence. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Pennell was placed under surveillance, and on the night of September 18, was observed driving circuits of Routes 13 and 40. Fearing a pattern, police consulted the FBIs Behavioral Science Unit (BSU) with John E. Douglas creating a profile of the killer. Weve updated the security on the site. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. On November 23, 1989, the jury reached a decision and convicted Pennell of murdering Catherine DiMauro and Shirley Ellis, but acquitted him of Gordon's murder because of lack of evidence. She was a member of Calvary Missionary Baptist Church. van with a promise of money for sex. Their plans were halted when they saw something strange in the road. This post is part of our 50 Cases of America series. At 6:25 AM, construction workers found her naked body at a construction site. He found the perfect victim in See also Other Works | Publicity Listings | After months of around-the-clock surveillance, Steven Pennell was A "torture kit" was also found, which included pliers, whips, handcuffs, needles, knives and restraints. He never disclosed the location of Meyers body, and on March 14, 1992, the state executed Pennell via lethal injection. Authorities quickly realized they were dealing with a serial killer. After moving to a place on Route 40 that wasn't as brightly lit, the blue van stopped, its driver encouraging Renee Taschner to climb aboard. His crimes shocked the little state of Delaware, not because Learn more about merges. Executed by Lethal Injection in 1992 at James T. Vaughn Correctional Institution, U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. The couple called 911 and police arrived on the scene. She is from United States. Pennell was married with two children. police department. State Supreme Court agreed, saying, "There is then drive to an isolated spot where he would then procede to subject Like Ellis, she was killed by hammer blows and strangulation, but unlike the first murder, DiMauro's body was covered in blue fibers. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Pennell was known to find his Mom! At 9 o'clock When police began to suspect that there was a serial killer on the loose in Delaware, they went into action and initiated a decoy operation using officer Renee Taschner (via Oxygen). and opponents gathered on the prison grounds. The 63-year-old woman, who needed a walker to move around, would meet the same gruesome fate as her husband at the hands of their only child. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Shirley Ellis and Catherine DiMauro were both strangled and bludgeoned to death with a The officer noticed what appeared to be a blood stain on the van's blue carpeting. the police could not retrieve any evidence. the grounds of the Delaware Correctional Center