Charles Sullivan

Serial Killer

Charles Sullivan

Background

Charles Gary Sullivan was born on December 28, 1945, in Missoula, Montana, and later became known as a convicted murderer and suspected serial killer whose crimes were linked to Nevada and Montana between 1978 and 1985. Investigators came to suspect that he was responsible for multiple attacks on women, and later evidence tied him to additional lethal violence beyond the Reno-area cases that first drew public attention. His known criminal history, the span of years associated with the murders, and the number of women and men linked to him led authorities to regard him as more than a one-time offender.

The Julia Woodward Murder

The murder most closely associated with Sullivan in Nevada was the killing of Julia Woodward. Woodward was 21 years old, and her date of death is listed as February 1, 1979. Her body was later found in a remote area north of Reno, Nevada. Investigators described the crime as especially violent and disturbing. She had been restrained and attacked with extreme force, and the scene suggested a sexually motivated assault marked by control and cruelty. For years, the case remained unsolved, but preserved evidence was later reexamined with modern forensic methods, and that process helped identify Sullivan as the man tied to the crime. ...

Confirmed Victims: (2)

Julia Woodward Age: (21), Date of Death: 1979-02-01

Suspected Victims:

Jeannie Smith Age: (17), Date of Death: 1978-10-28

Linda Taylor Age: (23), Date of Death: 1979-03

Barbara Louise Cotton Age: (15), Date of Death: 1981-04

Murderer Charles Gary Sullivan Denied Parole in 1979 Reno Killing