Benjamin Thomas Atkins

Serial Killer

Benjamin Thomas Atkins: The Woodward Corridor Killer

Overview

Benjamin Thomas "Tony" Atkins was an American serial killer and sexual offender who murdered eleven women in Detroit and the neighboring enclave of Highland Park, Michigan, during the early 1990s. Born in Detroit on August 26, 1968, Atkins became known as the "Woodward Corridor Killer" because nearly all of the crimes were concentrated in or near a short stretch of Woodward Avenue. The victims were frequently found inside abandoned houses, vacant apartment buildings, and other deteriorating structures that were common in parts of the area at the time. Atkins preyed primarily upon women who were living in vulnerable circumstances. Several had histories of drug dependency, and some were involved in prostitution. Investigators concluded that he commonly approached women along the Woodward corridor and persuaded or lured them into vacant buildings, sometimes with promises involving drugs, money, or sex. Once isolated, the women were sexually assaulted and strangled. Atkins later admitted that he deliberately targeted women he believed would be easier to isolate and whose disappearances might not immediately attract attention. The eleven murders for which Atkins was convicted occurred during a remarkably concentrated period. Although the bodies were discovered between December 1991 and August 1992, several victims had disappeared weeks or months before they were found. For that reason, the discovery dates should not automatically be treated as their exact dates of death. Where an exact date of death was not established publicly, the verified date the victim was found is identified below rather than incorrectly presenting that date as the day she was killed.

Background

Information presented during Atkins's trial described an extremely troubled childhood. Jurors heard that he had been abandoned when he was approximately two years old and that he had suffered sexual abuse beginning during childhood. Testimony also described his exposure to his mother's prostitution. As an adult he struggled with homelessness and became heavily involved with crack cocaine. He supported himself intermittently through low-paying work, including employment as a cook, while spending significant periods living on the streets or in shelters. After his arrest, Atkins told investigators that he had developed an intense hatred toward women involved in prostitution. His explanations for the killings varied, however, and investigators regarded the crimes as involving far more than a simple stated grievance. The murders repeatedly involved sexual violence, domination, strangulation, and the selection of isolated locations where victims could be attacked without immediate interference. ...

Confirmed Victims: (11)

Debbie Ann Friday Age: (30), Date of Death: 1991-12-08

Survivors:

Darlene Saunders Age: (35)

Benjamin Atkins - Wikipedia