Richard Fran Biegenwald

Serial Killer

Richard Fran Biegenwald: The Thrill Killer of New Jersey

Early Life and Troubled Beginnings

Richard Fran Biegenwald was born on August 24, 1940, in Staten Island, New York. His childhood was marred by severe abuse from his alcoholic father. At the tender age of five, he exhibited alarming behavior by setting his family's home on fire, leading to his observation at a psychiatric center. By eight, he had developed habits of drinking and gambling. At nine, he underwent electroshock therapy at Bellevue Hospital in New York. His adolescence was turbulent, marked by thefts and inciting other inmates to escape during his time at the State Training School for Boys in Warwick, New York. These early experiences foreshadowed a life steeped in criminal activities.

Escalation to Murder

Biegenwald's transition from petty crimes to murder began in his late teens. On December 18, 1958, after stealing a car and traveling to Bayonne, New Jersey, he committed his first known murder. During a robbery at a grocery store, he shot and killed the proprietor, Stephen Sladowski. Fleeing the scene, he was captured two days later in Salisbury, Maryland, after a confrontation with police. Convicted of murder, he received a life sentence but was paroled in 1975 after serving 17 years. ...

Confirmed Victims: (7)

Stephen Sladowski , Date of Death: 1958-12-18

Richard Biegenwald - Wikipedia