Allan Patterson Newman

Serial Killer

Allan Patterson Newman: Serial Killer and Armed Robber

Early Life and History of Violence

Allan Patterson Newman was born on February 22, 1951, in Wheaton, Maryland. Before becoming a serial killer, he attended Virginia Tech but did not earn a degree and later supported himself through work that included house painting and insurance-claim adjusting. His documented history of instability and violence began years before the murders for which he became notorious. In 1978, following the end of a romantic relationship, Newman attempted suicide by shooting himself in the head and chest with a .22-caliber handgun. He survived. Several years later, another former girlfriend became the focus of increasingly obsessive behavior. Newman reportedly watched her movements and followed her after their relationship ended. On March 21, 1982, Newman secretly entered the woman's home while she was away with another man. He armed himself with two butcher knives and hid beneath a bed. When the couple returned and discovered him, Newman attacked. He attempted to choke his former girlfriend and repeatedly stabbed her companion in the back, face and chest. Both victims survived. Newman fled but was later arrested and charged with numerous offenses, including attempted murder. Through a plea agreement, he pleaded guilty to two battery charges and received probation, psychiatric counseling and a restraining order.

The Beginning of the Crime Spree

Newman's most destructive criminal period began in February 1991. His crimes were not limited to murder. They included shootings, automobile thefts, carjackings and approximately a dozen bank robberies committed across Maryland, Virginia and the surrounding region. Stolen vehicles were frequently used as transportation to and from robberies and then abandoned in an effort to prevent investigators from tracing them back to him. On February 20, 1991, Newman stole a 1987 Nissan Sentra in Rockville, Maryland. During the theft, he shot the vehicle's owner in the arm. The victim survived. The following day, a man using the stolen automobile robbed a bank in the Fairfax, Virginia, area. The incident demonstrated a pattern Newman would continue to follow: acquire a vehicle through violence or theft, use it while committing another crime and then dispose of it. ...

Confirmed Victims: (4)

Jose Escobar Age: (30), Date of Death: 1991-11-13

Survivors:

Nissan Sentra owner , Date of Attack: 1991-02-20

Allan Patterson Newman - Wikipedia