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Description
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Serial Killer Maury Troy Travis

Overview of His Crimes

Maury Troy Travis was an American serial killer active primarily between 2000 and 2002. Known for his brutality and calculated cruelty, Travis targeted women involved in prostitution and drug addiction in the St. Louis, Missouri area. His crimes gained notoriety for their viciousness, the discovery of torture chambers in his home, and video footage documenting the atrocities.

Discovery and Capture

Travis's reign of terror ended in June 2002 when he was arrested following an investigation prompted by an anonymous letter Travis himself sent to a local newspaper, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The letter included a printed map leading investigators directly to his home. Police uncovered disturbing videotapes showing Travis torturing and abusing multiple women, some of whom have never been identified.

Confirmed Victims and Details

  • Alycia Greenwade: Last seen in April 2001. Her body was found in Washington Park, Illinois, on April 1, 2001.
  • Betty James: Her body was discovered on August 25, 2001, in St. Clair County, Illinois.
  • Yvonne Crues: Found deceased in East St. Louis, Illinois, on August 26, 2001.
  • Brenda Beasley: Her body was discovered on October 8, 2001, near East St. Louis, Illinois.
  • Verona Thompson: Found deceased on June 27, 2001, near West Alton, Missouri.
  • Unidentified victims: Several other unidentified female victims were shown on Travis’s torture tapes, indicating that the true number of his victims is likely higher than officially confirmed.
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Victims
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Confirmed Victims: (12)
  • Alysia Greenwade Age: (34), Date of Death: 2001-04-01
  •     ...View 11 additional victims
    Links to Additional Sources (15)
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    Killer's Details

    Maury Troy

    Travis

    October 25, 1965 St. Louis, Missouri, United States

    June 10, 2002 (aged 36) Clayton, Missouri, United States

    Suicide by hanging

    Male

    Black

    The Video Strangler, The St. Louis Video Strangler, The Bi-State Strangler

    Travis modus operandi involved abducting, assaulting, and murdering his victims. He would then dispose of their bodies in remote areas. The exact number of his victims remains uncertain, with estimates ranging from 12 to 20.

    12-17+

    2000 - 2002

    Missouri

    June 7, 2002

    Farmington Correctional Center (March 1989-June 1994), St. Louis County Jail

    07/12/2025