Syvasky Lafayette Poyner

Serial Killer

Syvasky Lafayette Poyner: The 1984 Tidewater Murder Spree

Overview

Syvasky Lafayette Poyner was an American murderer responsible for killing five women during an eleven-day robbery spree in southeastern Virginia. The crimes occurred between January 23 and February 2, 1984, in Hampton, Williamsburg and Newport News. Although Poyner is sometimes described as a serial killer, the brief and uninterrupted nature of the murders more closely fits the modern definition of a spree killer. Poyner selected female employees and business operators who appeared to be alone and vulnerable. He entered their workplaces or approached them in public, displayed a .38-caliber revolver and demanded money. Even when the victims cooperated and offered no resistance, he shot them to prevent them from identifying him. Four of the victims were adult women, while the fifth was a 17-year-old store clerk.

Early Life and Criminal Background

Syvasky Lafayette Poyner was born on April 7, 1956, in Newport News, Virginia. He grew up in the city's East End and began having serious legal problems during adolescence. By the age of 14, he had entered the juvenile justice system for theft-related offenses. Evaluations conducted during his teenage years described emotional insecurity, depression, suspicious behavior and difficulty functioning socially. Poyner's criminal behavior continued into adulthood. His record included automobile theft, burglary and forgery. He served nearly three years in prison for burglary and forgery convictions before being released. By early 1984, he was living in Newport News and working at a fast-food restaurant. The five murders were driven primarily by robbery and witness elimination. Poyner frequently stole automobiles before searching for a business or individual to rob. He later told investigators that he deliberately chose women because he believed they would be frightened by a gun and easier to control. He also said that he killed the victims because inmates he had met during earlier prison terms had told him that robbers should eliminate witnesses. ...

Confirmed Victims: (4)

Joyce Baldwin Age: (45), Date of Death: 1984-01-23

Syvasky Poyner - Wikipedia