In the quiet, affluent Country Club neighborhood of Lincoln, Nebraska, the lives of the Ward family were irrevocably shattered on January 28, 1958. Chester Lauer Ward, a 47-year-old Caucasian male and a prominent local businessman, returned to his stately home that evening, unaware of the horror that had unfolded within its walls. Earlier that day, a 19-year-old former garbage collector named Charles Starkweather and his 14-year-old girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate, had forced their way into the
residence.
The couple's reign of terror inside the Ward home began with the murder of the family's maid, Lillian Fencl. When Chester's wife, Clara, arrived home, she too was brutally killed by the intruders. Starkweather and Fugate then lay in wait for Chester. Upon his arrival, he was shot and killed. The couple then ransacked the house, stealing valuables before fleeing in the Wards' Packard.
The murders of Chester and Clara Ward, and Lillian Fencl, were part of a larger, violent crime spree that terrorized Nebraska and Wyoming, resulting in the deaths of ten people. The community of Lincoln was gripped by fear as a massive manhunt for Starkweather and Fugate ensued. The duo's murderous journey came to an end on January 29, 1958, near Douglas, Wyoming, where they were apprehended after a high-speed chase.
Following their capture, Charles Starkweather was charged with multiple counts of murder, including those of the Ward family. He was subsequently convicted and executed by electric chair on June 25, 1959. Caril Ann Fugate was also tried and convicted for her role in the crimes and was sentenced to life in prison. She was later paroled in 1976 after serving seventeen years of her sentence.
