In the hot summer of 1995, a wave of terror gripped the city of Gary, Indiana, as a serial killer later dubbed "The Gary Strangler" preyed on vulnerable women. Among his victims was Deborah McHenry, a 41-year-old female resident of the city. Her life was tragically cut short in July of that year, one of at least seven confirmed murders committed by a man she had known since childhood.
Her family remembered her as being mentally challenged, a gentle soul who had once played with her future killer when they were neighbors.
Deborah was last seen by her family on the evening of July 18, 1995. A short time later, her nude body was discovered by a homeowner in a weedy, overgrown area behind a garage. An investigation revealed she had been brutally beaten and strangled. The discovery sent another shockwave of fear through a community already on edge from a series of unsolved killings that had begun that May.
The investigation into the string of murders intensified, with law enforcement agencies working to connect the dots between the victims. The breakthrough came in November 1995 with the arrest of Eugene Victor Britt for the murder of 8-year-old Sarah Paulsen of nearby Portage. During an eight-hour interrogation, Britt not only confessed to killing the young girl but also admitted to a horrifying killing spree that included at least ten other victims, including Deborah McHenry.
Britt provided a chilling account of Deborah's last moments. He told police he had followed her as she walked down the street, then grabbed her by the neck and dragged her into a grassy area beside a house. He raped and strangled her, later telling investigators he killed her because she saw his face and could identify him. After the murder, he moved her body behind the house to conceal it. His confession brought a name and a face to the shadow that had haunted Gary for months.
Eugene Victor Britt's reign of terror was extensive. Between May and September 1995, he targeted and killed at least seven women and girls, with police suspecting him in up to ten murders. His victims were often left in abandoned buildings or secluded, wooded areas throughout Gary. Britt, who had a prior conviction for rape and had been released from prison in 1993, was living in a homeless shelter during the time of the murders.
In October 2006, Britt pleaded guilty but mentally ill to the murders of three of his victims and the rape of a 13-year-old girl as part of a plea agreement. While charges in Deborah's death were dropped as part of this deal, he had already confessed to her murder. Previously, he had been sentenced to life without parole plus 100 years for the murder of Sarah Paulsen. For the additional convictions, he received another 245 years in prison, ensuring he would never be free again. A judge had earlier ruled that Britt was mentally disabled, making him ineligible for the death penalty. During his sentencing, Britt, confined to a wheelchair from a failed suicide attempt, expressed remorse, stating, "I'm truly sorry for my sins and I take full responsibility for my actions."
