Martha Bradford Thurmond, a 69-year-old woman, was tragically murdered on October 25, 1977, in Columbus, Georgia. She was one of the victims of Carlton Michael Gary, a serial killer known as 'The Stocking Strangler'. Gary was responsible for a series of brutal attacks on elderly women in the Columbus area between 1977 and 1978, during which he raped and strangled his victims.
Thurmond's murder was part of a larger pattern of crimes committed by Gary, who targeted elderly women living alone. His modus operandi involved breaking into their homes, assaulting them, and ultimately strangling them, often using stockings or other fabric. The case remained unsolved for several years until Gary was arrested in 1984 for a series of armed robberies. Investigators later connected him to the murders through fingerprint evidence found at multiple crime scenes, including Thurmond's.
Gary was tried and convicted for the murders of Thurmond, Florence Scheible, and Kathleen Woodruff in 1986. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence linking him to the crimes, including witness testimony and forensic analysis. He was sentenced to death and spent over three decades on death row before being executed by lethal injection on March 15, 2018. His execution marked the conclusion of a long and complex legal battle, during which he attempted multiple appeals and even tried to escape from prison.
The case of Martha Thurmond and the other victims of the Stocking Strangler remains one of the most infamous serial murder cases in Georgia's history. It highlighted the vulnerabilities of elderly individuals living alone and led to increased awareness and security measures in the community. The resolution of the case brought some closure to the families of the victims, though the horrors of Gary's crimes continue to be remembered.
