In the winter of 1957, a wave of fear had descended upon Hartford, Connecticut, as a string of violent robberies and murders plagued the community. On January 5th of that year, Bernard Buster Speyer, a 47-year-old White male, and his wife Ruth, became tragic victims of this terrifying crime spree. The couple was in a shoe store in East Hartford when two men entered, not as customers, but as heralds of death.
Bernard and his wife were both shot in the head, their lives abruptly ended in a senseless act of violence.
The men responsible for this brutal act were Joseph "Mad Dog" Taborsky and his accomplice, Arthur "Meatball" Culombe. The duo had been cutting a bloody path through Connecticut, targeting small businesses in a series of robberies that often escalated to murder. Their method was ruthless, and their victims were numerous. The Speyers were just two of the six people who lost their lives during what the press would dub the "Mad Dog Killings."
The investigation into the string of homicides led authorities to focus on a peculiar clue left behind at one of the crime scenes: a request for a pair of size 12 shoes. This detail, seemingly minor, became a pivotal point in the case. Cross-referencing this information with the records of recently released convicts, the police zeroed in on Joseph Taborsky. He and Culombe were arrested in February 1957, bringing an end to their reign of terror.
Following their arrests, Arthur Culombe confessed to his involvement in the crimes but pointed to Taborsky as the triggerman in the murders. The subsequent trial brought to light the full extent of their violent spree. Taborsky, who had previously been sentenced to death for a 1950 murder only to be released on a technicality, was once again facing capital punishment. This time, there would be no reprieve. Joseph Taborsky was found guilty and was executed in 1960. His partner in crime, Arthur Culombe, received a life sentence for his role in the murders.
