David Edward Maust

Serial Killer

David Edward Maust: The Murders and the Bodies Beneath the Basement

Early Life and a Pattern of Violence

David Edward Maust was an American serial killer whose violent history extended across three decades and several locations, including Germany, Illinois and Indiana. Born on April 5, 1954, in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, Maust spent much of his childhood and adult life in institutions, hospitals, jails and prisons. His known victims were boys and young men, many of whom were vulnerable teenagers who trusted him or accepted offers of friendship, employment or shelter. Maust had a severely troubled childhood. His father left the family when Maust was young, and his mother reportedly suffered from serious mental illness. At approximately nine years old, Maust was placed in a psychiatric institution after his mother accused him of dangerous behavior. Records later suggested that employees did not observe all the conduct she described, but Maust nevertheless remained separated from a stable family environment. He eventually lived in a children's home and later claimed that he was sexually abused there. As he grew older, Maust displayed increasingly violent behavior. He joined the United States Army in the early 1970s and was stationed in Frankfurt, West Germany. While serving there, he became responsible for the first known death associated with him. Although the military court did not convict him of murder, the case demonstrated that Maust was already capable of causing the death of a child and attempting to minimize his responsibility.

The Death of James McClister in Germany

In 1974, Maust killed 13-year-old James McClister, sometimes identified in reports as Jimmy or Jamie McClister. James was the child of Americans living in Germany. Maust was approximately 20 years old and serving in the Army when the boy died near Frankfurt. Maust maintained that James died accidentally in connection with a stolen moped. Military prosecutors treated the circumstances seriously, and Maust was court-martialed. He was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and larceny rather than intentional murder. He received a four-year sentence and was imprisoned at the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Maust reportedly resisted the prospect of being paroled, expressing fear about returning to society. Despite his reluctance, he was released in May 1977. His later crimes demonstrated that the death in Germany was not an isolated incident. ...

Confirmed Victims: (4)

James McClister , Date of Death: 1974

David Edward Maust - Wikipedia