Larry Bright

Serial Killer

Larry Bright: The Peoria Serial Killer

A Fifteen-Month Killing Spree in Central Illinois

Larry Dean Bright was an American serial killer who murdered eight women in the Peoria, Illinois, area during a killing spree that stretched from July 2003 through October 2004. Bright, born July 8, 1966, became known as the "Bonecrusher" because of the method he used to destroy evidence after several of the murders. Four victims were left along isolated rural roads, while Bright burned the bodies of four others and disposed of their fragmented remains at different locations around Peoria County. All eight of Bright's known victims were Black women. Several had struggled with drug addiction or were involved in sex work, circumstances Bright exploited when approaching women in Peoria. He frequently offered cocaine, alcohol, money, or a combination of them to persuade women to accompany him to a residence owned by his mother. After his second known killing, Bright later told investigators that his behavior changed from spontaneous violence to deliberately searching for women he intended to kill.

The Beginning of the Murders

Bright's first confirmed victim was Sabrina Payne, a 36-year-old woman who was last known to be alive on July 25, 2003. Bright was then living at a house on McClure Avenue in Peoria. He later told detectives that he picked Payne up on the south side of the city and brought her to the residence, where they consumed drugs and alcohol. Bright claimed he became enraged because he believed Payne was taking money from him. He killed her and placed her body in his vehicle. Payne's body was discovered on July 27, 2003, in a cornfield south of Augustin Road near Mud Creek Bridge in Tremont Township, Tazewell County. Bright later directed detectives to the same location and described disposing of some of her clothing in a nearby creek. Although Bright confessed to strangling Payne, the original autopsy could not establish her precise medical cause of death with certainty. The next known death occurred approximately six months later. Barbara Williams, 36, was last seen alive during the evening of February 4, 2004. Her body was discovered the following day along North Valley View Road near Edwards, Illinois. Williams had suffered injuries, and evidence suggested that her body had been transported to the roadside after her death. The forensic pathologist determined that cocaine toxicity was the cause of death rather than strangulation. Bright subsequently admitted that he had supplied Williams with crack cocaine at his Starr Court residence. He claimed he believed she was attempting to take his money and said that he struck her in the throat before she began choking. Williams' death ultimately became the basis for Bright's drug-induced homicide conviction. Bright told investigators that after Williams died, he realized future encounters with women would be different. He described himself as deliberately "hunting" for additional victims. ...

Confirmed Victims: (8)

Sabrina Payne Age: (36), Date of Death: 2004-07-25

Larry Bright - Wikipedia