William J. Guatney

Serial Killer

William J. Guatney: Suspected Serial Killer Known as "Freight Train"

William J. Guatney, born February 14, 1922, in Pekin, Illinois, was an American drifter and habitual offender who became a major suspect in a series of child murders during the 1970s. Often called "Freight Train," Guatney traveled extensively, frequently using railroads and moving between fairs and temporary jobs. Investigators ultimately examined him in connection with as many as fifteen killings in Nebraska, Kansas, Illinois, Arizona, and other locations. Although he was formally charged with several murders and reportedly confessed to three killings, he was never convicted of murder. His alleged confessions were disputed, and his severe mental illness complicated both the investigation and the criminal proceedings against him.

Background and Life as a Drifter

Guatney spent much of his adult life moving from place to place. He had a long history of arrests for offenses including theft, public intoxication, passing bad checks, and indecent exposure. He had also served in the United States Army during World War II and suffered a serious head injury. In later years, he experienced significant psychiatric problems and was repeatedly hospitalized. His wandering lifestyle eventually became important to homicide investigators. Guatney sometimes worked around livestock at state and county fairs, and he traveled through communities connected by railroad lines. Investigators noticed that several murdered children had disappeared near fairs, railroad property, or locations where Guatney might have been present. He was also known for imitating train whistles, animals, and other sounds with his voice, an unusual talent that reportedly made him popular with children and helped produce his "Freight Train" nickname.

The Nebraska State Fair Murders

Two of the most important cases connected to Guatney involved 12-year-old Jacob "Jake" Surber and 13-year-old Jon Harding Simpson. Both boys disappeared in Lincoln, Nebraska, on August 30, 1975, after attending the Nebraska State Fair. Surber's body was discovered approximately nine days after his disappearance in an area south of the fairgrounds. He had suffered multiple stab wounds. Simpson remained missing longer. His badly decomposed body was eventually discovered on September 22, 1975, inside a closed railroad hopper car. The railroad car had traveled outside Lincoln before returning to the area. Because of decomposition, authorities could not establish Simpson's cause of death with complete certainty, although investigators believed injuries to his bones were consistent with stabbing. Guatney was questioned about the two murders in 1976. Investigators reportedly became particularly interested in a letter opener associated with him because its dimensions were considered consistent with wounds found on Surber. There was not enough evidence to charge him at that time, however, and Guatney denied responsibility. ...

Confirmed Victims: (0)
Suspected Victims:

Jacob Surber Age: (12), Date of Death: August 30, 1975

Jon Simpson Age: (13), Date of Death: August 30, 1975

Mark Helmig Age: (9), Date of Death: August 1976

Marty Lancaster Age: (14), Date of Death: June 1978

John Hanrahan Jr. Age: (12), Date of Death: May 10, 1979

Survivors:

Jay Durnil Age: (11), Date of Attack: 1976-04-29

William Guatney - Wikipedia