In March of 1978, the body of 32-year-old Irene Thirkield, a Black woman, was discovered on the grounds of the Fort Benning military reservation. Her death was the result of a brutal beating that was so severe, her head was reportedly missing from her body. The investigation into her murder would unravel a bizarre and tragic story involving a soldier stationed at the base.
Irene Thirkield was last seen on March 15, 1978, at a local establishment called Vice Mitchell's Bar, where she
asked a soldier for a ride. That soldier was later identified as William Henry Hance. According to Hance's subsequent confession, after Thirkield solicited him, he became enraged and attacked her in a manner similar to a previous murder he had committed. He then hid her body behind a pile of logs on the military installation.
The discovery of Thirkield's body came after a series of strange letters and phone calls were made to local law enforcement and military police. The anonymous caller, who identified himself as representing a group called the 'Forces of Evil,' directed authorities to the location of another murder victim, Gail Faison. In subsequent communications, the caller added Irene's name, threatening that she would also die if their demands were not met. These communications were a deceptive tactic employed by Hance to mislead investigators.
Military police questioned Hance after learning he was the last person seen with Thirkield. During questioning, he confessed to the murders of both Irene Thirkield and Gail Faison. Hance, a Specialist Four in the Army, was also linked to the murder of another woman, Karen Hickman, in 1977.
William Henry Hance was convicted for the murder of Irene Thirkield in a military court and was also convicted in a civilian court for the murder of Gail Faison, for which he received a death sentence. He was ultimately executed by the state of Georgia on March 31, 1994.
