Gary Addison Taylor

Serial Killer

Gary Addison Taylor: The 'Royal Oak Sniper'

Early Life and Initial Crimes

Born in Michigan in 1936, Gary Addison Taylor exhibited violent tendencies from a young age. During his teenage years in Florida, he began assaulting women near bus stops, attacking them with a hammer. These early crimes led to his confinement as a juvenile. Upon his release in 1957, Taylor returned to Michigan, where his violent behavior escalated. He became known as the "Royal Oak Sniper," shooting at women on the streets after dark. Although none of these early victims died, Taylor's actions resulted in an eleven-year period of confinement in various psychiatric hospitals. Despite his self-proclaimed "compulsion to hurt women," he was eventually deemed suitable for outpatient treatment, provided he reported regularly for medication. However, in late 1973, Taylor ceased his hospital visits, and authorities delayed fourteen months before listing his disappearance with the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) in Washington, D.C. By that time, he had committed multiple murders across several states.

Confirmed Victims

• Lee Fletcher, 25: Disappeared from Ohio; body discovered buried in Taylor's backyard in Onsted, Michigan.
• Deborah Heneman, 23: Also from Ohio; found buried alongside Fletcher in Taylor's Michigan property.
• Susan Jackson, 21: A Houston, Texas resident; murdered by Taylor.
• Vonnie Stuth: A young housewife from Seattle, Washington; abducted and killed on November 27, 1974.

Arrest and Conviction

On May 20, 1975, Taylor was arrested in Houston on a charge of sexual assault. He swiftly confessed to his involvement in four murders. Subsequent investigations led to the discovery of Fletcher and Heneman's bodies in Michigan on May 22. Taylor also provided written confessions for the murders of Susan Jackson and Vonnie Stuth, whose body was found buried near his former residence in Enumclaw, Washington. While further investigations cleared him of six other Washington murders, now attributed to Ted Bundy, authorities in Texas, Michigan, and California suspect Taylor's involvement in as many as 20 unsolved homicides. Ultimately, Taylor was convicted on the four counts he confessed to and was sentenced to life imprisonment. He is currently incarcerated at the Washington State Penitentiary. ...Read More

Confirmed Victims: (4)

Lee Fletcher Age: (25), Date of Death: 1974-03

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Gary Taylor | Criminal Minds Wiki | Fandom

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