In the late summer of 1970, the community of Renton, Washington, a suburb of Seattle, was gripped by a growing sense of unease. This feeling would intensify in September with the death of 17-year-old Joanne Mary Zulauf, a White female whose disappearance and subsequent discovery sent shockwaves through the small town. Her family had reported her missing, and their worst fears were realized when her nude body was found on September 22, 1970. The investigation into her death would uncover a brutal crime and a link to other disturbing events in the area.
The search for answers in Joanne's case led investigators down a dark path that revealed she was not the only victim. In December of the previous year, another young woman, 19-year-old Carol Erickson, had been found murdered in a similar fashion. The parallels between the two cases were alarming to law enforcement and terrifying for residents. Both young women were found in wooded areas, and the nature of their deaths suggested a predator was in their midst. The community was on edge, with the terrifying realization that a killer was stalking their quiet neighborhoods.
The investigation into these murders eventually led to a suspect named Gary Gene Grant. Grant, who was only 18 at the time of the killings, would later confess to the murders of both Joanne Zulauf and Carol Erickson. His reign of terror also included the murders of two six-year-old boys, Bradley Lyons and Scott Andrews, in April 1971. Grant's confession detailed the horrific last moments of his victims. In Joanne's case, he admitted to attacking her in the middle of the day, striking her with a stone before dragging her into the woods where he raped and strangled her. In a chilling detail, it was discovered that four days after murdering Joanne, Grant gifted her wristwatch to his girlfriend for her birthday.
Gary Gene Grant was arrested on April 30, 1971. In the presence of his father and his lawyer, he confessed to all four murders, providing details of how each crime was committed. Following his confession, he was tried and, on August 25, 1971, a jury found him guilty on all counts. He was sentenced to four life terms. During his trial, Grant claimed he was insane, a defense that was ultimately rejected by the court. His conviction brought an end to the string of brutal murders that had held the town of Renton in a state of fear.
