On May 6, 1940, William Speer, aged 52, was tragically murdered in South Pasadena, California. Speer, who served as the Business Manager for South Pasadena Schools, was one of the victims in a deadly shooting spree carried out by Verlin Spencer, the principal of South Pasadena Junior High School. The incident occurred during a meeting of school administrators, which included Superintendent George C. Bush, high school principal John Alman, and Speer himself.
The meeting took place in a second-floor boardroom of the school district administration building. During the meeting, Spencer suddenly became agitated and opened fire, killing Speer and several others.
The shooting spree did not end there. After leaving the administration building, Spencer drove to the junior high school where he was the principal. There, he continued his rampage, ultimately killing a total of five people and injuring others. Among the victims were George C. Bush, John E. Alman, Ruth Bennett, and Verner V. Vanderlip. One of the injured victims, Dorothea Talbert, was left paralyzed for life. Spencer attempted to take his own life by shooting himself in the basement cafeteria of the junior high school, but he survived the self-inflicted wound.
Following the massacre, Spencer was arrested and charged with multiple counts of murder and attempted murder. He pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to five consecutive life sentences, plus an additional 20 years for the injuries inflicted on the surviving victims. The case drew significant media attention, and Spencer became known as the "maniac principal" due to the shocking nature of his crimes and his apparent lack of remorse. During his trial, it was revealed that Spencer had been experiencing severe paranoia and had feared for his life for over a year prior to the shootings.
The tragic events of May 6, 1940, left a lasting impact on the South Pasadena community. Schools were closed for a period of time as authorities investigated the incident and worked to understand the motives behind Spencer's actions. The massacre highlighted the need for better mental health support and intervention for individuals showing signs of severe distress. William Speer and the other victims were remembered for their contributions to the education system and their dedication to the students and staff of South Pasadena.
