Darren Deon Vann: A Detailed Account of His Crimes
Background
Darren Deon Vann, born on March 21, 1971, in Indiana, is an American serial killer who terrorized the communities of Gary and Hammond, Indiana, between 2013 and 2014. Prior to his killing spree, Vann had a criminal history that included a 2009 conviction for sexual assault in Austin, Texas, for which he served five years in prison. He was released in July 2013 and returned to Indiana. Vann also received an "other than honorable" discharge from the United States Marine Corps in 1993 after joining in 1991.
Modus Operandi
Vann primarily targeted women involved in sex work, often contacting them through online platforms such as Backpage.com. After luring his victims, he would strangle them and dispose of their bodies in abandoned buildings throughout Gary, Indiana.
Arrest and Investigation
On October 17, 2014, 19-year-old Afrikka Hardy was found strangled in a Motel 6 in Hammond, Indiana. Hardy had recently moved to Chicago after graduating from high school. She met Vann at the motel after he hired her through an escort agency.
Authorities used Hardy's phone records to trace Vann, leading to his arrest on October 18, 2014. Upon apprehension, Vann was found in possession of several key pieces of potential evidence, including Hardy's phone. During police interrogation, he confessed to Hardy's murder and led investigators to the bodies of six other women in Gary.
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Account
