Mary Eleanor Smith

Serial Killer

Mary Eleanor Smith: The "Shoebox Annie" Serial Killer

Background

Mary Eleanor Smith, also known as "Shoebox Annie," was born in 1866 in New York, United States. She earned her nickname due to her habit of carrying a shoebox filled with various items, including soap and shoelaces, which she sold door-to-door. However, beneath this unassuming facade lay a more sinister reality. Smith, along with her son, Decasto Eugene Mayer, was implicated in a series of gruesome crimes during the 1920s.

Criminal Activities

Smith and Mayer were transient criminals, moving across various states, including Washington, Idaho, and Montana. Their modus operandi often involved luring unsuspecting individuals with the intent to rob and subsequently murder them. The duo's crimes were marked by extreme brutality, including dismemberment and disposal of bodies in secluded areas.

Notable Crimes

• James Eugene Bassett
  • Date: September 5, 1928
  • Location: Seattle, Washington
  • Details: Bassett, a 34-year-old civilian employee of the U.S. Navy from Annapolis, Maryland, disappeared while attempting to sell his 1929 Chrysler 75 roadster. Smith and Mayer lured Bassett to a rented house under the pretense of purchasing the vehicle. Once there, Mayer attacked Bassett with a hammer, resulting in his death. The duo dismembered his body in the bathtub, burned his clothes, and disposed of the remains in various secluded locations between Cathcart and Bothell, Washington. They were later apprehended in Oakland, California, in possession of Bassett's car and personal belongings.
• Unidentified Victims
  • Date: 1920s
  • Location: Anaconda, Montana
  • Details: While residing in Anaconda, Smith and Mayer were suspected of involvement in the disappearances of two individuals. Neighbors reported foul odors emanating from their residence, leading authorities to believe that the duo dismembered bodies in their bathtub and attempted to dispose of them using acid. However, due to the lack of concrete evidence, they were not convicted for these suspected murders.

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Confirmed Victims: (0)

Decasto Eugene Mayer and Mary Eleanor Smith are charged with ...

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