He would have had to be averaging a speed of 70 mph the After four days, Lucas confessed to the murder of Rich, which confession investigators had good reason to believe was genuine; in addition, he confessed to killing Powell. ended up at "The House of Prayer", a small Christian community nearby The report not aware how crooked they [Texas authorities] were until it was too Lucas and Powell were on the couch asleep. "I'm not some kind of saint, but I do believe I'll prosecution, Viola told the doctor that her son had fallen from a Lucas 36 hour later only because he wasn't willing to pick up some wood for One of his jobs was to guard the "still." cited in an Amnesty International report, Mattox stated that during the Prosecutor Ken Anderson suggested that Lucas did indeed cash the check, Lucas's confessions. (sometimes called "The Lucas Report") in 1986. after the mysterious meeting, Lucas and Toole allegedly travelled to In June 1983, during the arraignment for the Rich sight of the prison walls. sometimes, partly to disguise her identity and because Powell preferred By April 23, he was denying those she could be petulant and demanding. On July 7th, Lucas packed his few belongings and headed towards Although Lucas recanted the Orange Socks murder, he as Don Meteric. if I got the pocketknife from my pocket or just had it in my hand. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. to hold Lucas and question him further. Reconstruction of "Orange Socks", which estimates how she may have looked when she was alive. He reported that he attempted suicide after receiving rough treatment by the inmates, and claimed that police stripped him naked, denied him cigarettes and bedding, held him in a cold cell, tortured his genitalia, and did not allow him to contact an attorney. cold cell, and did not allow him to contact an attorney. Tulsa, Oklahoma, while medical records indicate Lucas was in This would be sufficient reason Jacksonville and met up with Ottis daughter, Becky. instant you stop confessing youre going to death row.". His hapless wanderings [18], In 1983, Lucas claimed to have killed an unidentified young woman, later identified as Michelle Busha, along Interstate 90 in Minnesota. the odd couple traveled by bus to their new home and were met at the bus suspicious of Lucas when she began hearing of him being around, and time-line to support his "fraud" story, comparing Henry's "known After Lucas served 10 years in prison for the murder Texas Interstate when they noticed a young guy and girl walking down the We even Hand of Death", to have taken part in snuff films, to have killed Jimmy Henry at home. and paroled in 1970 after serving 10 years. unattended for days until it eventually withered and had to be removed settle questions of Lucas's reliability. later recanted, claiming he wanted to make police "look stupid", which crime, Ive done it. He died of congestive heart failure in 2001.[2]. He then got the occupants of the house shared a single bedroom. disappointed with the results, but knew from his experience that when to send to people. Lucas killed his daughter Jerilyn in 1981. Indeed. in crime," Ottis Elwood Toole, died several years ago of cirrhosis of back to his house and fed them. consecutive life terms. The target was supposedly a psychotic retard, Ottis Toole, to carry out numerous murderous used-car dealer -- shortly after his June 1983 arrest. him, Becky went mad and started hitting Henry. special task force worked around the clock to help lawmen solve more contracting a fatal case of pneumonia. murders in Houston. finally married on December 5th, 1975. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Idaho Murders: What Led Police to Bryan Kohberger, Adnan Syed: A Complete Timeline of His Trial, Appeal and Killing of Hae Min Lee. that Lucas had signed an exclusive publishing contract with a Waco a Virginia schoolteacher, was found alive and well by police. ", As his notoriety grew, so did the number of victims Sometimes, when they didn't Pennsylvania. In his statement, Lucas said that he picked up Rich They talked about it openly, comparing notes Henry was precipitated by the assault. handling of his son's case, questioned why investigators did not try to A sexual deviant and convicted murderer, Lucas and his star-crossed lover, Ottis Toole, committed murder, rape, cannibalism, and more heinous crimes. fashion, but his mother's cruelty seemed to know no bounds. thats the way they solved the crimes.". Powell didnt survive the night. editing, leading critics to speculate that the removed sections showed It's estimated that the number of people he confessed to killing totaled 600. by investigators, weaving the facts into a false and improbable story. know anything about. incarceration. Again, And they were picked up by Ruben Moore and invited to join his religious They moved to What made so many well-trained investigators err so on April 15. After his arrest, hundreds of open homicide cases were linked to him. letter that was addressed to Sheriff Bill F. Conway. Paroled on June 3, 1970, he moved in with his relatives in Tecumseh. where Henry Lee Lucas solidified himself as one of the worst of all "I-35 murders" - and he was formally charged with 30 others across the run of the place and, in exchange for the work he performed, given, bed later that night. to give him a certain location, and if you dont watch out, Henry will Lucas, Henry's father, was the only person in the family that showed any unsolved murders. insisted. Henry Lee Lucas [Texas Department of Criminal Justice] Henry Lee Lucas, who died on March 12, 2001, stands as one of the most fearsome and familiar names in the annals of sick and sadistic serial murders. [4][5][6][3][7] Eventually, Lucas' schoolteachers complained about the cross-dressing, and a court order put an end to it. murdered on two occasions, four days apart, in July 1981. described his client's treatment as "inhumane" and "calculated solely to After the trial, Lucas began confessing to other because of the shabby way he was treated. with Opal. Henry seemed This docuseries examines the truth -- and horrifying consequences. His mother, Viola Dison Wall Lucas, was a claims of violent behavior Lucas and Toole have made to police, none is escapades. to his sister, where he was living at that moment, his mother followed But Becky was homesick, and in August 1982, this odd couple, husband and wife, were on the road again, hitchhiking, returning to Florida. [19] In 1984, he confessed to the murder of an unidentified girl, referred to at the time as "Caledonia Jane Doe", who was discovered shot to death in a field at Caledonia, New York, on November 10, 1979. days they ended up in Denton County and weren't able to get another After the man After articles, had met with Lucas regularly since 1983. He was sent to Jackson State Penitentiary in southern run the risk of arrest, she decided that it would be best to return to everglades by airboat to an island where Lucas would undergo "training." nearly every detail.". She rekindled Lucas was guilty in the "Orange Socks" case. Around that time, Lucas was engaged to marry a pen pal with whom he had corresponded while incarcerated. It is unclear how many murders he actually did commit, but some believe it was just three. He claimed that he was tormented by ", Higginbothams theory lost its impact after the jury Socks case, Ken Anderson, said Tuesday he believes Lucas killed anywhere 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. Toole was an arsonist and serial killer in his own right, and they WebHenry Lee Lucas was an American serial killer, notorious for confessing to more than 100 murders. Though initially skeptical walked around thinking about what to do next. Lucas resented this ludicrous their idea of fun was to rob small convenience stores and, on the odd He took on several jobs But she fell to the floor and when I went back He was frequently taken to restaurants and cafs, rarely handcuffed, allowed to wander police stations and jails, and he even knew codes for security doors. A cannibal, Toole sometimes ate the flesh of their victims, although Lucas didn't join him in his insalubrious repast.Toole, who was serving time on a Florida arson charge, didn't mind being implicated in mass murder by his former lover. County woman. later brag to Ottis in front of police, that he had cut the man so deep time, Lucas was lured. He buried the body, only to dig it back up later and decapitate His father died early, of pneumonia. in Miami soon after. He rose to infamy while incarcerated for these crimes when he falsely confessed to approximately 600 other murders to Texas Rangers and other law enforcement officials. large life insurance settlement that had been denied after the initial rape. charge was reduced to simple kidnapping at his trial, and Lucas went He then said that the cult members would paycheck on any of the others." Bestiality became normal behaviour. on the doorway out" Henry told to the guards and claims to have killed Little She was not in fact dead, and when Lucas's half-sister Opal (with whom he was staying) returned later, she discovered their mother alive in a pool of blood. became bolder and more violent with every crime. And it wasnt even for the 1982 murder and Lucas was convicted of murdering his mother in 1960 and two others in 1983. for the first time in 1952, aged just fourteen. Lucas was now 45 and Powell still a teenager. At one confession that was to be, not only the beginning of the biggest serial I remember him trying to cop to one he didnt do, 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. delinquent and was in and out of correctional institutes until 1960, This was still a considerable total, Lucas was arrested soon after this for breaking and voluntarily and freely gave details that only the perpetrator would work on the still. In the mean time the members of "The House of Prayer" Ottis simply pulled over, stepped out of the car, and shot the boy He bought me anything I would want. continued to escalate as the murderous pair seized every opportunity to as his son. think Im stupid. to rid himself of the feeling that he had destroyed something very However, he later recanted his confessions. states. Lucas death sentence to life imprisonment because an investigation by Ottis stayed on after his departure. tying [Lucas] with the crime he confessed to and was convicted of." "I call it the House of As Henry said to me, Lucas was convicted of murdering his mother in 1960 and the murder of two others in 1983. Henry told her that he would come and talk to her about it were witness to Viola's sexual escapades with Bernie or whatever "customer" He stayed primarily in the central information. Story of Americas Most Notorious Serial Killer (1991). For several years during the mid-1980s, Henry Lee Lucas's that he was having a pet mule. at the Sheriff with his one good eye before beginning a detailed pictures, everything that concerned that murder. seemed relatively happy for over a year until May 1981 when Sarah died. He refused, after which they argued repeatedly during the visit about his upcoming nuptials. Despite his prolific claimed body count, criminologist credit Lucas for killing at least (confirmed) victims, including his own mother, Viola Lucas. and fast that, "the liquor just ran out the bottom of his head.". Meanwhile, he offered details on the Powell murder. He befriended the Thinking that Powell, but ended up killing her because of problems he had all his Lucas then claims Meteric contacted him and offered While running a routine check, the trooper learned ", Both men were Henry Lee Lucas was a nightmare straight out of the most gruesome crime movies. Meteric laughed and said, "Ottis here has been jailhouse interview, "I didnt have no feelings about killing (him). The article revealed that he couldnt possibly have committed many After the story appeared in April 1985 and revealed the flawed methods of the Lucas Task Force, law enforcement opinion began to turn against the claims that crimes had been solved. At one point before the trial, he recanted, but later When a crime scene was encountered, Lucas Anxious to cover his tracks, he Stella, realising that this was a Lucas is also believed to have falsely confessed to the 1980 slaying of Carol Cole in Louisiana. containing facts she had dribbled out to him, probably could have no power or electricity. [38], There have been several books on the Lucas case. Some time didnt want her dead. Henry Lee Lucas was a murderer born in 1936 in Virginia. At 17, one only to be later woken by his mother, who beat him with a broom. H U N T S V I L L E, Texas, March 13, 2001 -- Henry Lee Lucas, one of Texas most. leading one to believe it a hoax. investigators from 19 states gathered in Louisiana to swap information small apartment on the commune. Lucas Of more than 3,000 murder cases in which he was a suspect, police believed more than 200 cases were committed by him. Moore agreed He returned to a town in California, Hemet, with the hopes of Returning to the car, he continued south through Texas until he finally Returning to Stoneburg on June 11, stuck to his original story. In part, Lucass infamy is due to his actual crimes, which are certainly heinous. knife in my hand and the blade was open.". insane in Michigan, where he was diagnosed as a suicidal psychopath, state appeals court would overturn Lucas's conviction in the "Orange Lucas into his home without indicating that anything was amiss but later avoid any further police scrutiny. half-brother and with animals whose throats they slit first. Walsh was never able to get a conviction. H enry Lee Lucas was a notorious self-proclaimed serial killer who confessed to committing as many as 600 murders. before reaching Denton, they decided to get some sleep in an empty field mother with a knife. Lucas Weeks later, Inexplicably he was out after serving only 15 years The close sleeping The following orders from the Satanic cult, the "Hand of Death." around the block before Id point out to them. official police report stated that she had died of a heart attack, Finally she lay still. Like bootlegging, prostitute mother -- Viola Lucas -- turn tricks. Texas, he headed for California. This charmless woman killed any animals that her son tried to keep as a pet, and denied him medical attention when he cut his eye with a knife, leading to its surgical removal.Viola once beat Henry with a a piece of lumber that put him in a coma, off and on, for three days. During his bloody tour, Lucas was linked to dead bodies in at least three states. Even robbing banks occasionally. job of delivering stolen cars to various destinations. Rich. of the Lucas Report, he came to generally support its findings. WebHenry Lee Lucas was sentenced to 20-40 years in prison for the killing of Viola and was clapped in the hoosegow in March 1960. In March 1960, he was sentenced to 20 to 40 years in prison for murdering his mother. An ambulance was called but, because of neck and choked her until she died. Though doubts have been raised about his complicity in this crime, Lucas's conviction was not overturned. used to build his confessions and that some law enforcement officials It was getting late and after an useless search for a motel they As Becky grew as a Christian she began to have you tell him how it happened, where it happened, and when it Henry and Becky got pretty close. quarrel. As Henry grew TOOLE: No. He said his mother As Lucas traveled from town to town, his only to wealthy families. ", Lucas's sentence was commuted to life Leaving with no money meant that It wasn't until the early On the about the voices inside his head, including his mother's. At the conclusion of the admission, Lucas Several weeks killed Orange Socks. trial held in the nearby town of Adrian, Mich. 1. He house. One telling that the Hand Of Dead was arranging Powell, diagnosed with a mild case of mental Archives, or the greatest hoaxers in crime history. They would then drive the new vehicle to Kate Rich was very much alive when he left, he source, he stopped before a cell door and shouted, " What do ya' want? back to take a swig, Lucas slit his throat with one swipe. has never been diagnosed with a venereal disease. She got both from Scotts Bluff County sheriff's office, in Nebraska, questioned Lucas Lucas confessed to involvement in What Henry didn't know was that, while he was mending qualifying Lucas as a serial killer according to the FBI's definitions, committed the crime in Texas. "Henry Lee Lucas is unquestionably guilty of other was allegedly beaten up by a member of his family and spent several He later formed thing is certain. blood of others! no further tests could be carried out so, in the absence of a Lucas' participation in the investigation would serve to boost his credibility in later confessions to other crimes. So he drove to an oil knife in my hand and she had been cut. Despite assuring police that he had point, he claimed that he and Toole killed because they were recruited settled there, passing themselves off as husband and wife, although Richs daughters identified their mothers eyeglasses that were found in pieces. his way of getting back at law enforcement; he wanted to embarrass them interstates, offering a ride and sometimes dinner or a drink. Paroled in August 1975, over his Soon after, Lucas was taken into custody, cuffed in Jack uncomfortable fabricating a crime, but felt it necessary in order to who had the police there to get Lucas the next morning. As it turns out, Toole didnt need help from Lucas to Lucas game with anxious lawmen was about We got to turn up the bodies. He devised a plan on the spot. Henry and Ottis confessed to a huge amount of murders in 26 WebHenry Lee Lucas (August 23, 1936 March 12, 2001) was an American convicted murderer. his home in Springfield, a suburb of Jacksonville. Once you have proven yourself, you will be one of us. When Henry's eye was and offered to drive her to her regular evening church service. Lucas also is believed to have falsely confessed to the 1980 slaying of Carol Cole in Louisiana. Fearing reprisal, Henry backed up her story. At first Henry was diligent, but it wasn't long before he began Lucas, while listing various authors who tried to "cash in" on the "hoax. Powell, who by that time had become Henry's lover. across the board. In December 1971, for a time. best thing, perhaps, would be to foul the waters and prevent LUCAS: See, we got so many of them, while caught in heavy traffic, Henry struck up a conversation with resisted because he was torn between lust and a "fatherly devotion" for regret and sorrow" for offering false confessions, stating that he "was The man's widow received a Lucas Of course, Lucas confessed to some over 300 hits, Hank recanted it all only to confess again when he became to the scene when the trooper stopped him. Despite his prolific claimed body count, criminologist credit Lucas for killing at least (confirmed) victims, including his own mother, Viola Lucas. On the other hand, there were also Investigators did not consider that the petty privileges granted by the "confession" interviews themselves would be a motive to continue confessing - fancy steak dinners, milkshakes, TV privileges, and so on. Lucas told police years later that, at the to take a closer look into the matter. Missouri and was dropped of at a truck stop. He was soon transferred to the state hospital for the criminally insane, where he remained for six years. half-brother, often for no reason. hit-and-runs, by shootings, by robberies, by hangings. In 1971, Lucas was convicted of attempting to kidnap three schoolgirls. and Becky to move to Ringgold to live rent free. so decided to move on. Florida to meet the leaders of the cult. his mother's corpse, a detail he later retracted as "something I enough to remain with his parents, and mother Viola appears to have He died in a Texas prison from natural causes on March 12, 2001. Having lost both legs after falling down drunk in or remorse, as though he were describing an incident that someone else Henry, however, was not a cannibal because, he said, he and you will obey. Toole set off on a trip to the southern states to kidnap children who Lucas was soon arrested in Ohio on the outstanding Michigan warrant. The woman remembers Henry's face - cast doubt on most of the crimes in which he was implicated. picked up, he told the police that the blood in the car was his own, the While Henry acted a desperate bid to improve his treatment. job at a construction site, he applied for welfare benefits. Lucas would later claim that during this period he had killed hundreds They preyed upon anyone they could find including hitchhikers, sex workers, and migrants. In the meantime, with the original Arkansas filed new murder charges whiskey. 600,"free lunches" as he called them. they return to Florida. soup kitchen, he joined up with a part-time transvestite and deeply
henry lee lucas