Thaddeus Charles Lewingdon

Serial Killer

Thaddeus Charles Lewingdon: One of Ohio's ".22-Caliber Killers"

Background

Thaddeus Charles Lewingdon was an American serial killer who, along with his younger brother Gary James Lewingdon, carried out a series of robbery-related murders across central Ohio in 1977 and 1978. The brothers became known as the ".22-Caliber Killers" because they repeatedly used .22-caliber handguns to shoot their victims. Their crimes occurred in several communities, including Newark, Granville, Fairfield County and Columbus, creating fear throughout the region as investigators struggled to connect the seemingly unrelated attacks. Thaddeus was born in Ohio on December 22, 1936. He studied electronics and later worked as a technical specialist and maintenance employee for the Columbus Steel Drum Company. He had been married and was the father of three children. His outwardly ordinary life contrasted sharply with the violent crimes he later committed. By 1977, Thaddeus had gone through a divorce and was reportedly experiencing emotional and personal difficulties. Gary, who had financial problems and a history of minor criminal offenses, persuaded his older brother to participate in robberies.

The Beginning of the Murder Series

The brothers' first known murders occurred during the early morning hours of December 10, 1977, outside Forker's Cafe on Union Street in Newark, Ohio. Joyce Vermillion, an employee of the cafe, and Karen Dodrill, a customer and friend, were leaving the business when they were attacked. Karen had been celebrating her birthday before the shooting. Both women were repeatedly shot with a .22-caliber firearm, and their bodies were discovered outside the cafe. The attack initially appeared to have no clear motive. There were no surviving eyewitnesses who could identify the gunmen, and investigators had little physical evidence other than the bullets and cartridge cases. The extreme number of shots fired suggested that the assailants intended to leave no witnesses. The murders would later be connected through ballistics to additional killings committed by the Lewingdon brothers. ...

Confirmed Victims: (9)

Joyce Vermillion Age: (38), Date of Death: 1977-12-10

Gary and Thaddeus Lewingdon — The .22-Caliber Killings