Stanley Adams

Serial Killer

Stanley Theodore Adams: A Detailed Account of His Crimes

Background

Stanley Theodore Adams, born in 1966, had a tumultuous upbringing marked by severe abuse from his father, which led to his placement in multiple foster homes. As an adult, Adams struggled with substance abuse and lacked steady employment, often relying on social security and performing odd jobs.

The Murder of Roslyn Taylor

On August 6, 1999, Adams committed his first known murder. He brutally attacked 40-year-old Roslyn Taylor, stabbing and strangling her to death. For this crime, Adams was convicted and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.

The Murders of Esther and Ashley Cook

From December 1998 to March 1999, Adams and his girlfriend, Janelle Hartle, resided with Janelle's half-sister, 43-year-old Esther Cook, and her 12-year-old daughter, Ashley Cook, at their home on Dickey Avenue in Warren, Ohio. On October 11, 1999, Adams borrowed a blue 1991 Chevrolet Cavalier from neighbors and attended a drug party that evening. He left the party, stating he needed to obtain more money. Around 11:45 p.m., a neighbor observed a dark-colored car, resembling a Chevrolet Cavalier, pull into the Cook residence's driveway. The vehicle departed approximately 30 minutes later. Adams returned to the party with blood on his hands, clothing, and a roll of money stained with blood. Later that night, at around 2:00 a.m. on October 12, 1999, police officers stopped Adams for a traffic violation and noticed he had blood on his pants and hands. He claimed the blood resulted from a cut, but officers found no such injury. Later that day, a friend discovered Esther Cook's body inside her home. Police found Esther face-down in a pool of blood at the bottom of the stairs, having suffered multiple blunt force and sharp force injuries, including at least four stab wounds to the neck and head. Upstairs, Ashley's nude body was found posed on a bedroom floor, with an electric cord wrapped around her neck. She had been beaten, raped, and strangled. ...Read More

Confirmed Victims: (3)

Roslyn Taylor Age: (40), Date of Death: 1999-08-06

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Execution of Stanley Adams Rescheduled in Ohio

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