In the spring of 1966, a wave of terror gripped the city of Richmond, Virginia, culminating in the tragic death of Addison Wilkins. On the evening of May 21, the 20-year-old white male, who was reportedly a ministry student, was walking along Forest Hill Avenue. His path tragically crossed with that of two brothers, William Penn, 25, and Thomas Lee Penn, 18, who were in the midst of a violent crime spree that had already claimed multiple lives and instilled a deep fear within the community.
Wilkins was approached by one of the brothers under the guise of asking for directions. This innocent encounter quickly turned into a violent abduction. He was forced into their vehicle and driven to a nearby cemetery. There, his life was cut short when he was shot, and his body was callously left in a grave. On the same day, another man, 41-year-old Malcolm Norment, was also murdered by the brothers, his body discovered near Oakwood Cemetery.
The string of brutal and seemingly random killings, which targeted men and women of different races and ages, came to an end after a seventh victim miraculously survived. A 14-year-old girl, who had been sexually assaulted and shot twice, was able to identify Thomas Lee Penn as her attacker. During her testimony, she recounted that Penn had boasted about killing two white men on May 21, a direct reference to the murders of Addison Wilkins and Malcolm Norment.
Following this courageous testimony, both William and Thomas Penn were apprehended in May 1966, bringing an end to their six-week reign of terror. The brothers were subsequently tried and convicted for their roles in the series of murders, including the killing of Addison Wilkins. The case drew national attention due to the shocking nature of the crimes and the young age of one of the perpetrators.
