Jesse Sumner: The Illinois Killer Who Murdered After Parole
Early Life and Criminal Background
Jesse Donald Sumner was born on January 9, 1937, in McLean County, Illinois. He became involved in serious criminal activity as a young adult and developed a history of robbery, violence, deception, and repeated attempts to escape custody. Sumner eventually became responsible for the deaths of four people between 1963 and 1973, including three young women connected to the Illinois State University community.
His first known victim was a criminal associate named Herschel Williams Jr. Sumner and Williams had reportedly participated in robberies together, including attacks on financial institutions in central Illinois. Their relationship deteriorated after Sumner claimed that Williams had threatened his wife and children. The conflict ended in a carefully concealed killing that demonstrated Sumner's willingness to use extreme violence and hide evidence.
The Murder of Herschel Williams Jr.
On March 25, 1963, 40-year-old Herschel Williams Jr. went to Sumner's barber shop. According to the prosecution's reconstruction of the crime, the men argued after Williams attempted to persuade Sumner to participate in another robbery. Williams then reportedly asked Sumner to cut his hair.
While Williams was seated in the barber chair, Sumner used a razor to slash his throat. After the killing, Sumner placed Williams's body inside a 55-gallon barrel, surrounded or covered it with concrete, and disposed of the barrel at a landfill in the Bloomington area. The concealment kept the murder undiscovered for more than a year.
Authorities recovered the barrel containing Williams's remains on June 1, 1964. Investigators connected Sumner to the crime through evidence that he had purchased barrels, the identification of Williams's personal property, and statements Sumner allegedly made to other inmates. Sumner denied responsibility but was convicted of murder in November 1964 and later sentenced to 35 to 75 years in prison.
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