Patrick Wayne Kearney

Serial Killer

Patrick Wayne Kearney: The Trash Bag Killer

Early Life

Patrick Wayne Kearney was born on September 24, 1939, in East Los Angeles, California. As the youngest of three sons, he endured a frail and sickly childhood, making him a frequent target for bullies. This early mistreatment led him to develop violent fantasies during his teenage years. After a brief marriage that ended in divorce, Kearney moved to California and secured employment as an engineer at Hughes Aircraft. In 1967, he began living with David Hill, who became his partner.

Modus Operandi

Kearney's killing spree spanned from 1962 to 1977, during which he targeted young male hitchhikers or individuals he met at gay bars. He would typically shoot his victims in the head with a .22 caliber pistol, often while driving. After the murder, Kearney engaged in necrophilic acts with the corpses. He then meticulously dismembered the bodies, placing the remains in industrial trash bags, which he disposed of along freeways or in remote areas, earning him the monikers "The Trash Bag Killer" and "The Freeway Killer."

Detailed List of Known Victims

• Unknown Male (19) – Spring 1962: Shot in the head and sexually assaulted post-mortem.
• Unknown Male (16) – 1962: Cousin of the first victim; shot in the head and sexually assaulted post-mortem.
• George – December 1968: Lured from San Diego to Kearney's Culver City residence; shot in the head, sodomized post-mortem, skinned, and dismembered.
• John Demchik (13) – June 26, 1971: Shot to death.
• James Fletcher Barwick (17) – September 22, 1973: Shot in the back of the head.
• Ronald Dean Smith Jr. (5) – August 24, 1974: Suffocated; body discovered on October 12, 1974.
• Albert Rivera (21) – April 13, 1975: Shot in the head, sodomized post-mortem, dismembered, and disposed of in trash bags.
• Larry Gene Walters (20) – October 31, 1975: Shot, sodomized post-mortem, dismembered, and disposed of in trash bags.
• Kenneth Eugene Buchanan (17) – March 1, 1976: Shot in the back of the head, sodomized, then shot three more times.
• Oliver Peter Molitor (13) – March 21, 1976: Picked up while hitchhiking, sexually assaulted, shot, dismembered, and buried in the Palos Verdes landfill.
• Larry Armendariz (15) – April 18, 1976: Shot in the back of the head, sodomized post-mortem, and dismembered.
• Michael Craig McGhee (13) – June 11, 1976: Shot in the back of the head, sodomized post-mortem, and dismembered.
• John Woods (23) – June 20, 1976: Shot to death.
• Larry Espy (17) – 1976: Shot in the back of the head, sodomized post-mortem, and dismembered; body discovered on August 23, 1976.
• Wilfrid Lawrence Faherty (20) – August 1976: Shot in the back of the head; body discovered on August 28, 1976.
• Randall Lawrence Moore (16) – August 1976: Shot in the head; body discovered on October 10, 1976.
• Timothy Brian Ingham (19) – September 15, 1976: Shot in the back of the head while asleep; remains were thrown down a ravine; body discovered on September 24, 1976.
• Robert Benniefiel (17) – Fall 1976: Picked up while hitchhiking, shot in the back of the head, sodomized post-mortem, dismembered, and dumped in various locations.
• David Allen (27) – Fall 1976: Shot in the head and left on the side of the road; body discovered on October 9, 1976.
• Mark Andrew Orach (20) – October 5, 1976: Shot in the head; body discovered on October 6, 1976.
• Nicolas Hernandez-Jimenez (28) – January 1977: Shot, dismembered, and wrapped in trash bags for disposal; body discovered on January 23, 1977. ...Read More

Confirmed Victims: (18)

John Demchik Age: (13), Date of Death: 1971-06-26

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Patrick Kearney - Wikipedia

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