Charles Edward Terry

Serial Killer

Charles Edward Terry: Convicted Murderer and Suspected Serial Killer

Overview

Charles Edward Terry was an American murderer, rapist and violent offender whose movements through Maine, Massachusetts, Louisiana and New York placed him near several unresolved killings of women. He was convicted of only one murderthe 1963 strangulation of Zenovia Clegg in Manhattanbut investigators later examined him as a possible serial killer responsible for additional deaths between 1951 and 1963. Terry was born on May 26, 1930, in Waterville, Maine. He grew into an unusually tall man, reportedly approximately six feet five inches in height, and developed a lengthy criminal record involving theft, rape and severe assaults against women. His confirmed murder displayed features that investigators believed resembled other sexually motivated strangulations, including several killings associated with the unidentified or disputed perpetrators collectively known as the Boston Strangler. Because most of the killings linked to Terry were never prosecuted, he should more accurately be described as a convicted murderer and suspected serial killer. His responsibility for the deaths of Shirley Coolen, Patricia Wing, Donna Kimmey or any Boston-area victim was never established in court.

Early Life and Military Service

Terry was raised in the Waterville and Winslow areas of Maine. People who remembered him from his youth later described him as a socially isolated boy who frequently stole and had difficulty following rules. He left Winslow High School before graduating and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1947. His military service ended in disgrace. While absent without leave, Terry stole a vehicle and was arrested. He was convicted and dishonorably discharged from the Marine Corps in 1949. His later accounts of his incarceration included allegations that he had been sexually assaulted by other prisoners, although those claims did not excuse the escalating violence he subsequently directed at women. ...

Confirmed Victims: (1)

Zenovia Clegg Age: (62), Date of Death: 1963-05-30

Suspected Victims:

Shirley Coolen Age: (24), Date of Death: 1951-05-26

Patricia Wing Age: (29), Date of Death: 1958-06-13

Donna Kimmey Age: (22), Date of Death: 1962-12-17

Charles E. Terry - Wikipedia