Donald Murphy

Serial Killer

Donald Murphy: A Detailed Account of His Crimes

Early Life and Criminal Beginnings

Donald Murphy was born in 1944 in Detroit, Michigan. His criminal activities began at a young age, marking the start of a series of offenses that would escalate over time:

• February 10, 1967: Convicted of "carnal knowledge of a female," resulting in a six-month imprisonment at the Detroit House of Correction and a $1,000 fine.
• July 28, 1969: Arrested for unarmed bank robbery and sentenced to eight years of federal imprisonment; paroled on October 10, 1972.
• February 13, 1974: Arrested for attempting to burgle a business place, leading to a one-to-five-year term at the Michigan State Prison; paroled ten months later.

Escalation to Murder

Between 1979 and 1980, Detroit experienced a series of murders targeting prostitutes. Murphy confessed to several of these crimes, though he was convicted for only two due to available evidence. The victims associated with Murphy include:

• April 18, 1980: Jeanette Woods, 24 – Left her mother's house around 9 PM; found the next morning on a sidewalk near I-375. She had been beaten, strangled, sexually abused, and had her throat slashed.
• June 15, 1980: Diane Burks, 22 – Last seen leaving her sister's boyfriend's home; found almost nude in a known lovers' lane area, hands tied behind her back, with her black high-heel sandals in nearby bushes.
• August 19, 1980: Cassandra Ann Johnson, 17 – Last seen entering a store after leaving her boyfriend's house; found nude and battered in a field by a 14-year-old neighbor. She had head injuries from a beating.
• October 8, 1980: Betty Jean Rembert, 26 – Found under hedges in a vacant lot on E. Boston Blvd. She died from crushing injuries to the head and a stab wound to the neck.
• October 23, 1980: Cynthia Angela Warren, 23 – A prostitute with a record dating back to 1977; found bludgeoned to death a few blocks away from the Eight Mile Road strip, where she usually worked. Murphy later confessed to picking her up, having sex in his car, and then stabbing and beating her with a pickaxe handle.
• November 7, 1980: Cecilia Marie Knott, 23 – Found nude with apparent stab wounds and a sweater around her neck. Murphy claimed to have solicited her services, then stabbed her in the chest and neck during the act, later dumping her body in Littlefield.

Wrongful Arrest of David Payton

In November 1980, David J. Payton, a 23-year-old basketball coach from Highland Park, was arrested for soliciting prostitution services from an undercover officer. He was publicly named as a suspect in four of the murders and an unrelated rape. Under intense interrogation, Payton falsely confessed to the murders. However, after Murphy's confessions and supporting physical evidence, Payton was acquitted of all charges. He later sued the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office and the Detroit and Highland Park Police Forces for $15 million, alleging slander and wrongful prosecution. ...Read More

Confirmed Victims: (6)

Jeanette Woods Age: (24), Date of Death: 1980-04-18

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Donald Murphy (serial killer) - Wikipedia

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