this day in crime history: may 18, 1927

On this date in 1927, Bath, MI became the scene of the largest school mass-murder in U.S. history. The massacre began when school board member Andrew Kehoe became upset over an increase in the school tax that he blamed for his financial ruination.

Kehoe began by killing his wife and detonating fire bombs in his farm buildings. While firefighters worked to put out the fires on Kehoe’s property, Kehoe went to the Bath Consolidated School, where he detonated bombs he had previously planted in the school.

Kehoe left the scene after the explosion, but returned a short while later. He saw the school superintendent standing outside the school watching rescue and recovery efforts and called to him. As the superintendent approached the car, Kehoe detonated a bomb inside the car. The blast killed Kehoe, the superintendent, two local men, and an 8 year old boy who had managed to escape the school bombing.

The Bath School Disaster resulted in 45 dead and 58 injured. In 1975, a park dedicated to the victims was built on the former site of the school.

Further reading:

truTV – Hell Comes to Bath

The Bath School Disaster

Wikipedia – Bath School Disaster

friday movie quote

“Those of you lucky enough to have your lives, take them with you. However, leave the limbs you’ve lost. They belong to me now.”

-The Bride (Uma Thurman), Kill Bill:Vol. 1 (2003)

morning wood… at wholesale prices!

You never know what you’re going to see when you go shopping at the local lumber store.

 A naked Saratoga Springs woman walks into two local stores, could face 90 days in jail

BALLSTON — A Saratoga Springs woman wasn’t wearing any clothes when she walked into two businesses along Route 67 on Tuesday, authorities said Wednesday.

Barbara LaFleur of Lake Avenue allegedly walked into Curtis Lumber and a nearby Stewart’s Shops on Tuesday completely naked as a form of “free expression,” according to District Attorney James A. Murphy III.

Aside from her absence of clothing, Murphy said the 49-year-old engaged in otherwise natural conversation with employees at both businesses before she left.

Curtis Lumber manager Bob Eakin said a woman entered the store naked and the incident was captured on the store’s video surveillance system, but referred further questions to the company president.

She was arrested a short while after leaving Stewart’s and charged with public lewdness. She faces up to 90 days in jail for the offense. Call me soft on crime, but that sentence seems a little stiff to me.

pass me my armor-plated cup

I’m no fan of shopping for clothes. But when I have to do it, I’ve found Kohl’s is a pretty good bet. After seeing this, I’m wondering if I should avoid that place from now on. Maybe I’ll be okay if I just stay away from the one in Midtowne Park.

this day in crime history: may 17, 1974

On this date in 1974, six members of the Symbionese Liberation Army were cornered by police in a house in Los Angeles. The police announced their presence via bullhorn. An older man and a small child walked out of the house. The man told police that no one else was inside. After several attempts to communicate with the remaining occupants, police fired tear gas into the building. SLA members responded with automatic gunfire. In the ensuing battle, the building caught fire. All six SLA members, the group’s leader, Donald “Cinque” Defreeze, Nancy Ling Perry, Angela Atwood, Willie Wolfe, Patricia Soltysik and Camilla Hall, were killed in the shootout.

Further reading:

Crime Library – HEARST, SOLIAH AND THE S.L.A.

CNN.com – Patty Hearst Profile

wicked weasel wednesday

This being a particularly crappy week (again), I thought we might need a double dose of Wicked Weasel.

coolness fail

Sometimes you have to fight the temptation to show off. Unfortunately for this Lamborghini driver, it was a fight he lost. But his loss was our gain, as we get to enjoy his wanton display of jackassery.

this day in crime history: may 15, 1981

On this date in 1981, Donna Payant became the first female corrections officer in New York State to be killed in the line of duty. Payant, 31, was assigned to the Green Haven Correctional Facility in Dutchess County, NY.

At the end of her scheduled shift, Payant had turned up missing. An exhaustive search was conducted of the prison and the surrounding grounds, but there was no sign of her. Officials expanded their search to a local landfill where trash from the prison had been dumped earlier in the day. They found her mutilated body buried in the trash.

Police and prison officials began an investigation into the murder of Officer Payant. Bite marks had been left, and the medical examiner thought that the pattern looked familiar. As it turns out, he had seen the same pattern on a previous case he had worked: one of the victims of rapist and serial killer Lemuel Smith. Smith was an inmate at Green Haven CF when Officer Payant was murdered.

Once the case was built, Smith was tried for murdering Officer Payant. He was represented by C. Vernon Mason (of Tawana Brawley fame/infamy) and William “Black Rage” Kuntsler. In spite of such big-name legal representation , Smith was convicted of 1st degree murder and given the mandatory death sentence. In 1984, his death sentence was overturned as unconstitutional.

Lemuel Smith is currently incarcerated at Five Points Correctional Facility in central New York. He is eligible for parole in 2029, when he is 87 years old.

Further reading:

Crime Library – Murder Within the Walls

The Officer Down Memorial Page – Corrections Officer Donna A. Payant

Find-a-Grave – Donna Payant

babe of the week

This week’s babe is model and self-described “total nerd at heart”, LeeAnna Vamp. LeeAnna is a big fan of sci-fi, horror, and fantasy movies. If you’re a fan of LeeAnna, you can see more of her at her official website and on her Facebook page.

Hat tip: Q103, Albany’s #1 Rock Station.

this day in crime history: may 13, 1977

On this date in 1977, mob boss Michael “Mickey” Spillane (no relation to the guy who created fictional P.I. Mike Hammer) had a run of very bad luck on Friday the 13th; he was shot and killed outside his apartment in Queens, NY. Spillane, who headed the Westies gang, had moved to Queens from Hell’s Kitchen out of fear for his safety. The previous year, his three top lieutenants had been taken out on orders from Genovese crime family boss Fat Tony Salerno. Salerno coveted control of construction contracts for the Jacob Javits Civic Center, which was being built in Spillane’s territory. Spillane’s killing was rumored to have been carried out by Gambino crime family associates Roy DeMeo and Danny Grillo. After Spillane’s demise, mobster Jimmy Coonan took over as head of the Westies. Coonan had previously challenged Spillane for control of the group. After he took control, Coonan formed an alliance with the Gambino family, in a deal brokered by the newly-”made” Roy DeMeo. Coincidence? Um… probably not.

Further reading:

The Westies, by T.J. English

The Serial Killer Calender – Roy DeMeo

Wikipedia – Mickey Spillane (gangster)