Petrie Kimbrough

Serial Killer

Petrie Kimbrough, Also Known as Will Lockett

Background and Identity

Petrie Kimbrough, better known under the alias Will Lockett, was an American murderer whose crimes occurred across Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky during the 1910s and early 1920. He was born in May 1888 in or near Pembroke, Kentucky. During his travels, he also reportedly used the names Will Hamilton and Will Hampton, making it more difficult for authorities to trace his movements and earlier offenses. Kimbrough reportedly began using the name Will Lockett after fleeing his home region following an attempted sexual assault in Kentucky. He later worked as a laborer and served in the United States Army during the First World War. His criminal history became widely known only after his arrest for the murder of a child in Fayette County, Kentucky. While awaiting execution, he confessed to three earlier killings, leading later writers to classify him as a serial killer.

Pattern of Crimes

Kimbrough's known and confessed offenses involved women or girls who were attacked in isolated locations. His victims were assaulted near railroad property, city streets, military grounds, and rural farmland. Strangulation was associated with the three adult victims described in his confession, while his final victim was killed by repeated blows with a stone. The three earlier murders were not prosecuted separately. Kimbrough supplied their names, locations, and approximate dates shortly before his execution, but surviving accounts differ regarding how extensively investigators confirmed each confession. Authorities reportedly attempted to compare his statements with local records, although the investigation ended after his execution. For that reason, the murder of Geneva Hardman is the only killing for which he was tried and convicted, while the other three remain attributed to him primarily through his own admissions. ...

Confirmed Victims: (4)

Mrs. George Rogers , Date of Death: 1912

Will Lockett - Wikipedia