In the predawn hours of October 24, 1994, the city of Trenton, New Jersey, was stalked by a predator who would come to be known as 'The Trenton Strangler'. It was on this day that 41-year-old Karen Denise Patterson, an African American woman, tragically crossed paths with this serial killer. Her life was cut short in a secluded area after being lured into a vehicle with the promise of drugs.
Patterson's body was later discovered in a vacant parking lot, the first known victim in a string of brutal murders that would hold the city in a grip of fear.
The investigation into Patterson's death eventually led police to Anthony Balaam, a man whose unassuming appearance belied the violence he was capable of. Balaam's method was chillingly consistent: he targeted vulnerable women, often those struggling with drug addiction, in the early morning hours. He would offer them crack cocaine in exchange for sex, then drive them to isolated locations where he would sexually assault and strangle them. Over a period of 22 months, Balaam claimed the lives of three other women after Patterson: Valentina Cuyler, 29, Concetta Hayward, 27, and Debra Ann Walker, 37. The discovery of Walker's body, left near Balaam's own residence, was a critical mistake that helped lead investigators to their prime suspect.
The reign of terror came to an end on August 8, 1996, when a fifth intended victim managed to escape after being sexually assaulted and bravely led the police to her attacker. Upon his arrest, Anthony Balaam, then 30 years old, calmly confessed to the four murders. He spoke of the rage and power he felt while committing his crimes. DNA evidence from the victims further solidified the case against him. In January 2001, Balaam was convicted of four counts of murder and aggravated sexual assault. He was sentenced to life in prison, ensuring he would never again pose a threat to the community he had terrorized.
