Terry Childs

Serial Killer

Terry Childs: A Detailed Account of His Crimes

Early Life and Criminal Beginnings

Terry Childs was born on September 22, 1955, in Santa Clara County, California. Growing up in Aptos, he was one of seven children in a family where his father worked as a bail bondsman. During his teenage years, Childs began using various drugs and alcohol, leading to his first arrest for robbery in the early 1970s. Over the years, he frequently found himself in jail for various offenses but often received light sentences. By 1985, Childs was known locally as a jobless drug addict exhibiting signs of mental illness.

Confirmed Victims

• Penny Rickenbaker, 30 Date: June 11, 1974 Location: Aptos, California Details: Initially reported as a suicide, Childs later confessed to her murder, stating he shot her in the head at their residence. At the time, Childs, his father, and two brothers were present in the house, all claiming to have been asleep during the incident.
• Rulan McGill, 32 Date: July 10, 1979 Location: Sparks, Nevada Details: McGill was kidnapped, raped, and stabbed to death while en route to a shopping trip in Reno. Her body was discovered in a ditch near her abandoned vehicle. Childs confessed to this murder in 1996, providing details only the perpetrator would know.
• Linda Ann Jozovich, 19 Date: November 7, 1979 Location: Santa Clara County, California Details: Jozovich disappeared during a break from her job at Mervyn's Department Store. Her remains were discovered years later in the Santa Cruz Mountains. In 2007, Childs confessed to her abduction, beating, strangulation, and stabbing, stating he was haunted by her ghost, which prompted his confession.
• Joan Leslie Mack, 28 Date: October 11, 1984 Location: Aptos, California Details: Mack was convinced to enter Childs' car, after which he took her to Seascape Beach, where he tied her up and beat her to death. Childs confessed to this murder in 2016.
• Christopher Hall Date: February 3, 1985 Location: San Lorenzo Park, California Details: Hall, a longtime associate of Childs, was found dead in San Lorenzo Park. Childs confessed to killing Hall over unpaid drug debts in 2016.
• Lois "Jeanine" Lynette Sigala, 17 Date: August 1985 Location: Scotts Valley, California Details: Sigala's body was found with multiple gunshot wounds. Childs was convicted of her murder in 1987, with evidence including witness testimonies and ballistic matches linking him to the crime.

Investigation and Convictions

Childs' criminal activities came to light following his arrest on August 22, 1985, for possession of a 10-inch artillery mortar simulator. During this time, he became the prime suspect in the murder of Lois Sigala. Witnesses reported seeing Sigala enter a car similar to Childs' vehicle, and ballistic evidence linked him to the murder weapon. Despite his claims of innocence and assertions of mental illness, Childs was found guilty on February 4, 1987, and sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 41 years. ...Read More

Confirmed Victims: (6)

Penny Rickenbaker Age: (30), Date of Death: 1974-06-11

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Terry Childs (serial killer) - Wikipedia

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