Robert Wayne Danielson: A Detailed Account of His Crimes
Early Life and Initial Crime
Robert Wayne Danielson Jr. was born on August 25, 1946, in Iowa. Little is known about his early life, but he had a history of depression and drug use. In 1970, he was involved in a fatal altercation:
- Thomas Elroy Davis (21) - June 23, 1970, near Marcola, Oregon: Danielson shot Davis after a roadside argument. He claimed self-defense but was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Parole and Subsequent Killing Spree
After serving eleven years, Danielson was paroled in 1981. Shortly after, he embarked on a series of murders across multiple states:
- Harold Pratt (60) and Betty Pratt (55) - December 9, 1981, at a desert campsite in Arizona: The couple was found bound and shot in the head. Their truck was later discovered abandoned in Yuma.
- Arthur Gray (62) - June 25, 1982: Details about this crime are limited, but Gray was among Danielson's victims during his spree.
- Benjamin Shaffer (69) and Edith Shaffer (62) - July 1982: The elderly couple was murdered, further extending Danielson's trail of violence.
- Ernest Corral (38) - November 1982: Corral became another victim in Danielson's series of killings.
Investigation and Arrest
Danielson's crimes spanned several states, complicating the investigation. However, authorities eventually linked the murders through ballistic evidence and patterns in the crimes. He was apprehended on April 6, 1984.
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