William Dale Archerd: A Detailed Account of His Crimes
Early Life and Background
William Dale Archerd was born on May 5, 1912, in Dardanelle, Arkansas. Despite a keen interest in medicine, he lacked the resources and discipline to pursue formal medical education. In 1940 and 1941, Archerd worked as an assistant at Camarillo State Mental Hospital in California, specifically in wards where insulin shock therapy was administered to patients with mental illnesses. This experience provided him with knowledge about the effects of insulin on the human body.
Criminal Activities and Early Offenses
In 1950, Archerd was convicted for possession of morphine in San Francisco and received a five-year probation sentence. Following a subsequent offense, his probation was revoked, leading to his incarceration. After escaping from a minimum-security prison in Chino in 1951, he was recaptured and transferred to San Quentin State Prison. He was released on parole in 1953. Residing in the Alhambra region of the San Gabriel Valley in Los Angeles County, California, Archerd's personal life was marked by multiple marriages and a series of mysterious deaths among his close associates.
Confirmed Victims
- Zella Archerd: Archerd's fourth wife, Zella, died on July 25, 1956, just two months after their marriage. Archerd claimed that two burglars had broken into their home, injecting both him and Zella with a substance. While he remained unaffected, Zella experienced convulsions, slipped into a coma, and died. The initial cause of death was listed as bronchopneumonia.
- Burney Archerd: On September 2, 1961, Archerd's 15-year-old nephew, Burney, died in Long Beach, California. Burney had been hospitalized after reporting a vehicular accident, which investigations later revealed did not occur. During his hospital stay, he was visited by Archerd and subsequently died, exhibiting symptoms consistent with insulin overdose.
- Mary Brinker Arden: Archerd's seventh wife, Mary, a successful author, died on November 3, 1966. She was admitted to Pomona Valley Community Hospital in a coma and died the following day. Her death was attributed to hypoglycemia, a condition characterized by abnormally low blood sugar levels.
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