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Description
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Leonard Thomas Lake: A Detailed Account of His Crimes

Early Life and Background

Leonard Thomas Lake was born on October 29, 1945, in San Francisco, California. After his parents' separation when he was six, Lake and his siblings were sent to live with their maternal grandmother. Reports suggest that during his childhood, Lake developed an obsession with pornography, which was allegedly encouraged by his grandmother. He also exhibited early signs of violent behavior, such as dissolving mice in chemicals, a method he would later use on human victims. After attending Balboa High School, Lake enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1964, serving two tours in the Vietnam War as a radar electronics technician. During this period, he was diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder and was medically discharged in 1971.

Partnership with Charles Ng

In 1981, Lake met Charles Ng through a war gamer magazine advertisement he had placed. Ng, a fellow former Marine, had a history of criminal behavior, including weapons theft. After Ng's release from prison in 1984, he reunited with Lake. The duo shared common interests in survivalism and violent fantasies, leading them to embark on a series of heinous crimes.

Modus Operandi

Between 1983 and 1985, Lake and Ng kidnapped, tortured, and murdered numerous individuals at a remote cabin in Wilseyville, California. Their typical approach involved abducting entire families, killing the men and children immediately, and subjecting the women to prolonged periods of sexual assault and torture before murdering them. They meticulously documented some of these atrocities through videotapes and journals, revealing the extent of their sadistic acts. ...Read More
Victims
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Confirmed Victims: (11)
  • Charles Gunnar Age: (34), Date of Death: 1983-05-22
  •     ...View 10 additional victims
    Suspected Victims:
  • Donald Lake Age: (31), Date of Death: 1982-12
  • Jeffrey Askren Age: (30), Date of Death: 1984-04
  • Donald Giulietti Age: (36), Date of Death: 1984-07-12
  • Maurice Rock Age: (37), Date of Death: 1984-07
  • Paul Cosner Age: (39), Date of Death: 1984-11-02
  • Sheryl Okoro Age: (25), Date of Death: 1984-11-16
  • Clifford Parenteau Age: (23), Date of Death: 1985-01-20
  • Jeffrey Gerald Age: (25), Date of Death: 1985-02-24
  • Links to Additional Sources (13)
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    Killer's Details

    Leonard Thomas

    Lake

    October 29, 1945 San Francisco, California, United States

    June 6, 1985 (aged 39) South San Francisco, California, United States

    Suicide by cyanide poisoning

    Leonard J. Hill, Alan Drey, Randy Jacobsen, Robin Stapley, Leonard Hill, Charles Gunnar, Paul Cosner

    Male

    White

    Lake and Ngs modus operandi involved abducting individuals, often couples or families, at gunpoint. Once taken to the cabin, victims were subjected to sexual assault, torture, and eventually murder. Some of their horrific acts were recorded on videotapes that surfaced after their arrest.

    Previously convicted of vehicle theft to one year of probation. Never convicted for the murders.

    11 confirmed, suspect to be 25

    1983 - 1985

    California

    June 2, 1985

    07/03/2025