Three John P.Dunning married Mary Pennington, the daughter of a former Delaware congressman, in February 1891. Listen to Anthony Todt, Gary Betzner, and Steven Brian Pennell by Bizarre & Fascinating Details instantly on your tablet, phone or browser - no downloads needed. Add a caption. A map presented as evidence at the trial of Steven Pennell shows where the body of Catherine Anne DiMauro was found in 1988. Family members linked to this person will appear here. There was a problem getting your location. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. wanted to die because his continued imprisonment 'Route 40 Killer' Steven Brian Pennell Murders Woman Off Del killer who prosecutors say lured women into his They saw that the van contained further disturbing evidence: pliers, a whip, handcuffs, needles, knives, and restraints. death chamber and, over an intercom, announced "This offender is every womans worst nightmare. By June 1988, Steven Brian Pennell was suffering from insomnia and arguing regularly with his wife, so took long drives in his beloved blue Ford van. The torture is the satisfaction. Capano retrieved the cooler, wrapped anchor chains around Fahey's body, puked and sent Fahey back into the sea. Wired for evidential audio, the officers had instructions not to enter any vehicles stopping for them. efforts to have him spared. Pennell was He ran up credit card bills which put a strain on his marriage, causing incidents of domestic violence. At 9 o'clock curtain, and a Roman Catholic priest standing death chamber and an adjoining room for He was arrested and charged with three counts of murder for the killings of Ellis, DiMauro, and Gordon. Edit. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? She did note that the inside of the van was covered in blue carpeting, and she even managed to swipe some samples of it before she walked away. appalling case of murder in the history of Small Wonder (Delaware). However, Pennell left later that night for another cruise along Route 40. They sent the fibers to the lab to see if they were a match to the ones found on DiMauro. Discover Steven Brian Pennells Biography, Age, Height, a whip, handcuffs, needles, knives, and other types of restraints. They decided to create a trap: They hadRenee Taschner, an officer with theNew Castle County Police Department, go undercover, wear a wire, and wander along Route 40 to see if the killer would stop for her. Minutes later, inside the He was the last known person to see Fahey alive. Sorry! 2 (2023 Podcast Episode) Parents Guide Add to guide . She had been known to hitchhike along Route 40, just like the other victims. Pennell was committing "a foolish suicide" and Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Pennell was 34 years old and he was the first man in more than fourty-five years to be executed in Delaware. It was unclear if Dimauro, a sex worker, was working that night when approached by a blue van. Fortunately, the Pennells had no children. A couple seeking privacy off the highway found her body lying on a road near a construction site. Family members claimed that Ellis was used to hitchhiking, and they believed that she was doing this near Route 40. There had been no executions 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 is not dating anyone. On November 12, a hunter discovered skeletal remains near the canal, and the autopsy revealed it was Margaret Finner, missing since August 22. Also, Cohen said, he saw the murder of his parents profiled on the television show America's Most Wanted and feared Lutz would recognize him. In addition to his electrical jobs, Pennell worked part time as a bouncer. 2 (Podcast Episode 2023) Parents Guide and Certifications from around the world. Capano was convicted. Weve updated the security on the site. When police arrived, they noticed black duct tape in Ellis' hair and evidence of ligature marks around her neck. Brutalized and discarded in a dumpster, the victim ofAmy Grossberg and Brian Peterson was their unnamed, newborn child. Most of his victims were abducted from U.S. Route 40, near Bear. one of Mr. Pennell's victims, Michelle Gordon, Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? woman, whose body was found so decomposed that As he was taken to court to pay his fine, a listening device was installed in his van. Now married with two sons and a daughter from his wifes previous marriage, they lived in a Glasgow trailer home near Route 40. WebWhen Steven Bryan Pennell was born on 22 November 1957, in Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware, United States, his father, William S. Pennell, was 23 and his mother, Elaine She and the other female officers involved dressed like sex workers and were instructed to engage in conversations with any men who might stop. he cried. Verify and try again. Det. 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). injection aftering have been convicted of two of the five murders he who had disappeared 10 days earlier but whose Thomas Capano was a well-known political operative, Fahey's lover and the primary suspect in her disappearance. 2 (Podcast Episode 2023) Parents Guide and Certifications from around the world. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? He favored routes along Routes 40 and 13, and returning home, he often crashed out on the couch, awoke in the early hours, and went out again. body was never found. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. "The Route 40 Killer" Steven Brian Pennell "Then, as I was leaving the neighbour and local sheriff came over and said that this was once the house of Steven Pennell. Delaware. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. The usually sedate state of Delaware was experiencing its first active serial killer. In the late 1980s in Delaware, a string of bodies started piling up offRoute 40. 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. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Discover Steven Brian Pennell's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Steven Brian Pennell, also known as the "Route 40Killer," picked women up off the highwaybefore torturing andkilling them. would hit them with a hammer until they were battered and bloody (and But his conviction doesn't end here. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Seven months later, workers at a different construction site off Route 40 found the body of 31-year-old Catherine DiMauro (via Justia). She was partially nude, her legs spread out, hands and feet tied with adhesive tape. if not all of Delaware was happy to get rid of Mr. Pennell when he he ended up in Delaware and applied for numerous positions in the state In a video shared on Instagram, which has over 5,100 likes, video clips showed the rundown care and the rotting house which was been discovered frozen in time and filled with creepy kids' dolls. Most disturbing, though, was what had happened to her chest. Pennell was known to find his The driver wanted her to get in, but instead she feigned interest in his van, asking him to turn on the interior light. To catch him, police would need to lure the killer. form of a prostitute. Investigators found rolls of duct tape and a buck knife. He became the first person to be Gerry Capano testified he saw her foot sink below the waves. They identified the victim as Catherine DiMauro, a 31-year-old divorced mom of two who was known to hitchhike and frequent establishments along Route 40. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. It was the first state execution in 45 years. He also plead no contest to the murder of Kathleen Neil Patmore is a former police officer, and private investigator. Upon examination of several license plates, it emerged that the vehicle belonged to Stephen Brian Pennell, a 31-year-old electrician, married and father of two, with no criminal record. SMYRNA, Del. Instead, it was the beaten and mutilated body of Shirley A. Ellis. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. It belonged to Steven Brian Pennell. In the meantime, another woman,Margaret Lynn Finner, a 27-year-old mom trying to secretly make ends meet with sex work, also vanished off Route 40. Her net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. Explore Steven Brian Pennell net worth, bio, age, height, family, wiki, birthday, career, salary [Last Update 2021]! Jim Hedrick with the New Castle County Police Department told producers. But when the killing is ghastly, cruel or inhuman,American ears and eyes turn to it. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 22 November. Federal courts turned her down. Both were imprisoned. was the chief suspect in the murder of a fifth In the late 1980s, New Castle County, Delawares residents came face-to-face with evil when someone began murdering women in their small county. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. He died on March 14, 1992 in Smyrna, Delaware, USA. Ellis had been strangled and suffered repeated hammer blows to her head but had not been sexually assaulted. plans and enthusiasm This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. 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. Generally considered a good family man, Pennell played sports with his children, gave neighboring kids rides to school and even dressed as Santa Claus for the holidays. On March 14, 1992, Steven Brian Pennell was the first man executed in Delaware in 46 years. Mrs. C.. Oops, we were unable to send the email. himself and urged the court to hasten his A jury found Rivers guiltyof two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, first-degree conspiracy and first-degree criminal solicitation after a three-week trial. "The hardest part is seeing how much pain Christopher Rivers has caused my father, my mother, my brother, my children. Pennell's wife, Kathy, made desperate efforts to fibers from Pennell's van and submit them to the FBI laboratory for 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. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. The work of Cordelia Botkin would go down in the Dover annals asthe "Chocolate Candy Murders," the first murders in the United States committed through the mail. Pennell broke his wifes arm once, which was never reported to the police. half a century, putting to death a man who had When somebody is delivering pain that far exceeds what is necessary to kill the person, theyre getting pleasured based on the pain inand of itself. This report is great to share with family and friends. Two days later, on September 20, Gordons nude, mutilated, and beaten body was discovered washed up on the rocks of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. Blue fiber evidence in the Steven Pennell case. The first victim was 23-year-old Shirley Anna Ellis, a nurse. I think it's been left alone because people don't want to think about history. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. State law requires that a death sentence Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Authorities ran the plate number, and learned their suspect was Steven Brian Pennell, a married man with two children and no real criminal history. Stay in the loop with all the latest Daily Star news by signing up to one of our free newsletters here. I was very new, very keen. Witnesses saw her enter a blue Ford, identified as a panel car. Anyone who might have taken a precursory look into notorious serial killers in the U.S. might not be surprised that those who work in this trade are also often stalked by murderers. Learn How rich is She in this year and how She spends money? After his attorney filed for an appeal, Delaware Today reports that prosecutors charged Pennell with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Gordon (citing new evidence) and a fourth woman, Kathleen Meyer. Steven Brian Pennell abducted most of his victims off Route 40 in Delaware. Last October, already maintained innocence to the end, he fought his She was used to hitchhiking, though, and herfamily believed that's how she met her killer. Within days, This account has been disabled. Delaware and federal authorities found blue carpet fibers on a dead woman's body. Tragically, yet another victimthen turned up in the meantime. It was a candy boxcontaining a handkerchief, chocolate creams and a small slip of paper that said: With love to yourself and baby. incompetent.". This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. The driver appeared sullen, un-talkative, and very different from the drivers she had previously encountered. A peek inside a serial killer's house left untouched after the murderer was caught shows creepy dolls lining the walls. In childhood, Pennell seemed a good, shy and timid kid, always helpful toward neighbors. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Renee Taschner and other undercover officers had begun working an operation along Route 40 shortly after the discovery of DiMauro's body. Using photos of her tattoos, police were eventually able to identify the victim as Shirley Ellis, a sex worker who frequented the area. A fifth victimbelieved to have been his work decomposed too badly to offer evidence. He confirmed polices worst fears, Delaware had its first serial killer. I'd never really seen that type ofdamage to a victim," Swiski told producers. in Delaware since 1946, but the state had rarely Taschner was on the lookout now for a blue Ford van and one did eventually stop for her. Up until this point he had pursued a career in At 6:25 AM, construction workers found her naked body at a construction site. They discovered she was covered in tiny blue carpet fibers, indicating wherever she had been attacked and killed, there was a specific type of carpet. He wasthe Route 40 Killer, recognized as Delaware's only known serial killer. Mr. Pennell leaves five prisoners awaiting He was Web"The Route 40 Killer" Steven Brian Pennell Pt. Execution Since '46. that he could spare his family further agony. The publication points out that those in this industry are at a greater risk for violence and are often seen as targets by serial killers. 11/15/17, Damian Giletto & Daniel Sato/The News Journal. The driver asked her to come with him, but she feigned a bad headache. 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). On Halloween 1991, the court sentenced Pennell to death. The man appeared nervous, hardly looking her in the eyes, but still attempted to convince her to enter the car. Her body was later found by the roadside by two boys. Standing 65 and weighing around 300 pounds, Pennell appeared intimidating, but a former customer of his once said it was facade: He just didnt command respect.. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. They moved to San Francisco, but Dunning began an affair with another woman, Botkin, which caused Pennington to return to Dover. Thinking on her feet, Lano ran her hands along the passenger side doorjamb subtly grabbing a handful of blue fibers. They executed a search warrant on his home and car and found hair, blood, and skin belonging to some of the victims in there. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Wikimedia Commons Route 40 Killer Steven Brian Pennells mugshot. The victims, all women, bore disturbing marks of torture and police strongly suspected they were up against a serial killer and a ticking clock. by strangling them to death, then bashing in their skulls with a blunt Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. That is sexual sadism," Joni E.Johnston, a forensic psychologist, explained to producers. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. The other four people survived. Afterward, heslit Martin Cohen's throat. 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." Renee C. Lano posing as a prostitute on route 40, was able to gather "I had only graduated from the Academy, what, four months before this. Finally Victims: Shirley Ellis, Catherine DiMauro, Margaret Lynn Finner, Michele Gordon, and Kathleen Meyer. He checked them into the Comfort Inn, which later changed its name to the Roadway Inn before it closed its doors after being declared a nuisance property. but more so due to the twisted savagery of the crimes he committed. After getting into the vehicle on August 22, she was never seen again. According to anAmerican Journal of Public Healthstudy published in 2014 that claimed sex workers have a 45 to 75% chance of being a victim of violence on the job. WebSteven Brian Pennell was born on November 22, 1957 in Glasgow, Delaware, USA. Halloween of 1991, Steven Brian Pennell was sentenced to die by lethal Also learn how She earned most of networth at the age of 35 years old? Pennell was married with two children. While searching the vehicle, prints matching the blood and hair of the victims, as well as the same adhesive tape used in the DiMauro killing, were located. She cautions that this statistic might be even higher, claiming that the "missing missing" (a term she coined to refer to missing persons that are never reported missing) could certainly skew the number of sex workers who are murdered upward. Bey admitted he'd been the middleman in the plot. 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. After the Lutz killing, Cohen made his way back east hitching rides and jumping freight trains, eventually landing in New Orleans a few days before Mardi Gras in 1990. and sadistically tortured. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? "We noticed there was mutilation in the breastarea partial nipple removal.". 22 Nov 1957. WebSteven Brian Pennell (19571992), was an American serial killer. "The Route 40 Killer" Steven Brian Pennell Pt. Asked by the acting His wife then undertook her He testified against his co-defendants. 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). Murderpedia has thousands of hours of work behind it. WebSteven Brian Pennell was born on 22 November, 1957 in Glasgow, Delaware, United States, is an American serial killer. While they waited for weeks for the testing to be completed, investigators did spot surveillance of Steve Pennell, and found nothing interesting. Peterson was attending college in Pennsylvaniabut rushed to Newark when Grossberg's water broke. Memorial ID You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Days later, on September 20, the body of Michelle Gordon was discovered in a canal (via Justia). Pennell pleaded guilty to killing two of the women and pleaded no contest in two other cases. 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. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! However, her case was slightly different. On September 30, 1988, police pulled Pennell over for a traffic offense. Failed to report flower. A system error has occurred. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. 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. Two days later, 22-year-old Gordon, a local sex worker known for frequenting Route 40, disappeared. "Apparently it's been left like this for many years. wife's efforts to appeal his sentence, saying he more. 14, 1992), aka The Pennell was finally caught when an undercover state police officer named Cohen admitted killing Lutzbecause he said the man made sexual advances toward him. He had no final words and left no answers for the chaos he induced. the next eleven months, Pennell cruised Interstate 40 and 13 in search Steven Pennells blue van, in which he tortured and killed his victims. At some point On November 29, 1987, she left Wilmington Hospital around 6 PM, where she was aiding an AIDS patient, catching a lift on her way home on Route 40. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware, USA. DiMauro's autopsy did reveal more than just a similar murder method, though. We have largely lost our ability to be appalled, an experton America's true crime and celebrity killer obsessions, University at Buffalo associate professor David Schmid, told The Atlantic in 2014. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Mary Elizabeth followed her a day later on Aug. 12. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. He reopened the Her naked body was found the next morning on a construction site, bearing the same torture marks as Ellis. After further discussions and excuses from Lano, the van driver left. Want to more about Her? prison trailer, which was divided into a glass-enclosed Web1992: On March 14, Delaware carried out the execution of Steven Brian Pennell, the first execution in the state since 1946. Creepy dolls were kept near old prayer books in the murder house, The house has been left abandoned since Pennell was caught in 1988, Stephen Brian Pennell asked to be executed for his crimes. Pennell had not shown that her husband was Most of his victims were abducted from U.S. Route 40, near Bear. The second victim was 31-year-old divorced prostitute Catherine A. DiMauro. Try again later. On September 14, 1988, Rene Tashner, an undercover cop posing as a prostitute, roamed Route 40 in an attempt to capture the killer. Dunning recognized Botkin's handwriting. mentally impaired, and later in the day the killing two others before his capture. Then, learn about the mysterious Chicago Strangler., The Disturbing Crimes Of Steven Brian Pennell, The Only Serial Killer In Delaware History. An autopsy revealed no signs of sexual assault, surprising investigators. His one condition for the pleas was that Delaware execute him for the crimes. The death of van with a promise of money for sex. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. he raped them and beat their buttocks with his whip, other times he This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. It was the fate Pennell asked for himself. Dad fell down!" WebFortunately, the Pennells had no children. We have many executed by lethal injection on March 15, 1992. Ms. Gordon, 22, whose body was found on Sept. Thats all I have to say," he said, according to a 2020 Delaware Today article. Steven Brian Pennell was born on Nov. 22, 1957, in Wilmington, Delaware. than 45 years to be executed in Delaware. With the blue fibers being analyzed, the police began surveillance on Steven Brian Pennell. He was executed by lethal injection on March 14, 1992. With a lifelong dream of becoming a police officer, he applied to the Wilmington Police cadet program but failed the physical testing. He received two life sentences for the crime. 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. She was carrying a Thanksgiving food package for a patient staying there. Mr. Pennell was a serial GREAT NEWS! that Mr. Pennell was dead. of women that he could torture and rape. She had been studying to be a nurse, and the night she went missing, she was going to a hospital to visit a sick friend. Margaret Lynn Finner's body was so badly decomposed when found it was found that the cause of death was undetermined. She said she was pleased by the execution. van he carried a so-called "rape kit" that contained specially His first victim was 23-year-old Shirley Ellis, a former sex worker who was, according to her family, out of the business and now studying to become a nurse (via Oxygen). Steven Brian Pennell would travel up and down the Route 40 highway in Delaware for victims to torture and kill using a twisted torture kit he kept in his car. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. In any event, all of his applications were rejected for Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. tortured and killed at least four women. Steven Brian Pennell aka The Route 40 Killer, The Corridor Killer ; The Blue Fiber Killer ; The Route 13 Killer was Delaware's only known serial killer, convicted of the murders of two New Castle County, Delaware women and suspected of killing three others. 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. Mary Elizabeth's sister, Ida Deane, died two days later. Pennell was the first man in more The dolls were still dressed up, but now covered in dust and faded by the sun next to an aged Bible. On trial for three serial murders according to court records Pennell was convicted though his victims DNA blood and hair found inside his van, blue carpet fiber matches, and witness testimony. She was born in Glasgow on November 22, 1957. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. She went to a more isolated area, and the vehicle stopped next to her. Pennell purchased his van on June 3, 1988, installing the blue carpet following his first victim. A video, which has gone viral on Instagram, shows inside the abandoned murder house of Steven Brian Pennell, otherwise known as the Route 40 killer. executed in Delaware since 1976 when the death penalty then drive to an isolated spot where he would then procede to subject His execution cost the state a grand total of $47,085, a Steven Brian Pennell was Delaware's only known serial killer, suspected of five murders in the late eighties and convicted of two. committed. Make sure that the file is a photo. Pennell was found guilty of two murders, with the jury unable to find guilt for the third, and received two life sentences. 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. warden, Robert Snyder, whether he had any last We don't have much information about She's past relationship and any previous engaged. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. So I ask that the sentence be death as said by the states laws and Gods laws. Meyer once DNA evidence linked him to the case. Ellis, previously a sex worker, had walked along Route 40 a few hours earlier, as part of the 14-mile route to Wilmington hospital. Weeks passed without any viable leads from Taschner's operation. moments, Mr. Snyder closed a curtain to the Under the Delaware State Constitution, every death penalty judgment requires further hearing from the Supreme Court, and on February 11, 1992, Pennell appeared before them, demanding that he be sentenced to death. Resend Activation Email. Crime Spree 1987 1988. Thanks for your help! Corridor Killer, was convicted of the murders of two Police had little to go on, and the case went nowhere until June 29, 1988. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Lano saw blue carpeting covering the vans interior panels. it was the first and only case of serial murder in the state's history, He fled the state in the family's 1983 Ford LTD, ending up in San Francisco, where in February 1989 he was taken in by a 51-year-old banker named Conrad Lutz.
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