David James Roberts

Serial Killer

David James Roberts: Murderer, Rapist and Escaped Fugitive

Background and Early Criminal History

David James Roberts was an Indiana murderer, rapist and career criminal whose crimes during 1974 resulted in the deaths of four people, including two young children. Although he is frequently described as a serial killer, his known murders consisted of a family annihilation followed by the killing of an infant during a separate kidnapping and sexual assault. His crimes were committed months apart and involved different motives and methods. Roberts was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, in January 1944. By his early adulthood, he had begun accumulating a serious criminal record. In 1966, he was accused of committing robberies and sexual assaults against women in Gary and Crown Point, Indiana. His later offenses revealed a willingness to use deception, intimidation and extreme violence against both adults and children.

The Patrick Family Murders

The events leading to Roberts's first known murders began with a relatively minor property crime. On October 10, 1973, Roberts brought a vehicle to a Sears Automobile Service Center in Indianapolis, where tires and exhaust work were performed. The vehicle was removed from the business before the bill was paid. Roberts reportedly used the false name Robert Johnson during the transaction. William Patrick, an employee at the service center, identified Roberts as the man connected to the unpaid work. On January 15, 1974, Patrick gave a deposition to Roberts's attorney and implicated him in the theft. Prosecutors later argued that Roberts decided to eliminate Patrick because he was an important witness against him. During the afternoon of January 19, Roberts's gold Buick Riviera was seen at a service station owned by William Patrick's brother in New Whiteland, Indiana. The driver purchased gasoline and asked for directions to Princeton Drive, where the Patrick family lived. Later that day, Roberts was seen at another station in Indianapolis purchasing gasoline for his car and filling a five-gallon container. In the early morning hours of January 20, 1974, police officers and firefighters were summoned to the Patrick residence on Princeton Drive. The home had been deliberately set on fire. Inside, investigators discovered the bodies of William Patrick, his wife, Elizabeth Ann Patrick, who was commonly called Ann, and their young daughter, Heidi. Evidence showed that a struggle had taken place inside the house. William and Ann had died from asphyxia before the fire consumed the residence, while Heidi died from carbon monoxide poisoning and smoke inhalation. Investigators found a five-gallon gasoline can and a nozzle inside the burned home. The container was identified as the same one Roberts had obtained from an Indianapolis service station only hours earlier. Witnesses also reported seeing a large gold Buick near the Patrick home during the night. The vehicle was gone by the time fire sirens awakened neighbors at approximately 4:30 in the morning. The gasoline container, Roberts's efforts to locate Princeton Drive and the presence of a car matching his vehicle near the residence formed a powerful body of circumstantial evidence against him. Roberts was charged in connection with the three deaths. Despite the seriousness of the accusations, he was able to obtain release on bond while the case was pending. His release gave him the opportunity to commit another exceptionally cruel crime later that year. ...

Confirmed Victims: (4)

Bill Patrick , Date of Death: January 20, 1974

409. David James Roberts - FBI