John William Agrue: A Detailed Account of His Crimes
Early Life and First Murder
John William Agrue was born on September 11, 1947, in El Paso, Texas. On July 21, 1966, at the age of 18, he committed his first known murder. Agrue met his 15-year-old sister-in-law, Suzanne "Susan" Marino, in downtown Joliet, Illinois, and persuaded her to accompany him to the nearby Hammel Woods forest preserve. There, after Marino rejected his romantic advances, Agrue stabbed her approximately a dozen times, resulting in her death. He later confessed the crime to his wife and a local priest, leading to his arrest two days after the murder. Agrue was subsequently convicted and sentenced to a 20-to-50-year prison term.
Imprisonment, Escape, and Recapture
During his incarceration, Agrue attempted to escape custody. In December 1975, he was transported to the University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago to donate a kidney to his sister, Kathleen. On May 11, 1976, Agrue escaped by sneaking out of a bathroom window and stealing a car. He was recaptured about a week later in Central City, Nebraska, after a stolen car was reported. Agrue was then extradited back to Illinois to continue serving his sentence.
Parole and Subsequent Murders in Colorado
In January 1982, Agrue was paroled and moved to Colorado, initially residing in Boulder before relocating to Longmont. Shortly after his relocation, he committed two additional murders:
- Susan Becker: On June 20, 1982, 20-year-old Susan Becker was last seen in Boulder. Agrue stabbed her 13 times in the chest, clavicle, and neck, and disposed of her body in Boulder Canyon. Fishermen discovered her remains on July 1, 1982.
- Orma B. Smith: On July 8, 1982, Agrue murdered his 94-year-old neighbor, Orma B. Smith, in Longmont. He discarded her body in Big Elk Creek Meadows, where it was found the following day.
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