Russell Miner Anderson

Serial Killer

Russell Miner Anderson: The 1987 Utah Murders

Overview

Russell Miner Anderson was responsible for the murders of three people in Utah during the summer of 1987. The killings occurred in two separate incidents approximately five weeks apart and involved people Anderson knew personally. His victims were married couple Norman B. Armstrong and Janet Marie Armstrong, followed by Frank R. Boulton. All three victims were shot, and investigators determined that the same .22-caliber handgun was connected to the killings. The crimes were notable for their apparently senseless nature. Anderson did not describe robbery, financial gain, or a long-standing dispute as a motive. Years later, when questioned about the murders during a parole hearing, he repeatedly attributed his behavior to heavy drinking and his disturbed mental condition at the time, while admitting that he could not adequately explain why he had turned against people he considered friends.

The Murders of Norman and Janet Armstrong

On July 22, 1987, Anderson was with Norman B. Armstrong, 39, and Norman's wife, Janet Marie Armstrong, 38. Anderson knew the couple and later described Norman as a friend. The three went target shooting, with Anderson later acknowledging that he had been drinking heavily. The outing ended in violence near the Interstate 80 overpass at approximately 6000 West in Salt Lake County. Anderson shot Norman and Janet multiple times with a .22-caliber pistol. Their bodies were discovered near the overpass on July 22. Contemporary reports described Norman and Janet as a South Salt Lake couple. An especially disturbing aspect of the double murder was the origin of the weapon. Anderson later told the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole that the gun he used to kill all three of his victims had originally come from Norman Armstrong. Thus, a firearm obtained from a man Anderson regarded as a friend was ultimately turned against Norman, his wife, and later another acquaintance. Anderson never provided a coherent motive for suddenly attacking the Armstrongs. At a parole hearing decades later, he said he had been intoxicated and claimed that events simply got out of control. He described having essentially lost control of himself during the shootings. According to Anderson, after killing the couple he remained at the scene for a period of time, stunned by what he had done. Anderson later said that the following day he was at home while his mother watched television coverage of the Armstrong murders. He claimed that he then admitted to her that he was responsible. Despite that admission within his family, Anderson was not immediately arrested, and several weeks passed before he was taken into custody. ...

Confirmed Victims: (3)

Norman B. Armstrong , Date of Death: 1987-07-22

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