The Mad Fayette Butcher

Serial Killer

The Mad Butcher of Fayette County: A Detailed Account of His Crimes

Overview

Between 1962 and 1964, Fayette County, West Virginia, was gripped by fear due to a series of gruesome murders attributed to an unidentified individual dubbed the "Mad Butcher of Fayette County." The perpetrator was suspected of targeting at least seven men, many of whom were last seen in or around Oak Hill. The victims' disappearances and subsequent discoveries of dismembered remains left the community in a state of terror and uncertainty.

Suspected Victims

• Bob Mack Agee
  • Date of Disappearance: February 1962
  • Details: Agee was returning from visiting his mother in a nursing home and was believed to be hitchhiking back to Kingston. He never arrived at his destination, and his whereabouts remain unknown. His age at the time of disappearance is not specified.
• Ernest Gwinn
  • Date of Disappearance: July 3, 1962
  • Details: The 76-year-old retiree was last seen at the Four Minute Lunch diner after cashing his pension check. He was in the company of three young men that evening. In May 1963, a skull with a bullet hole was found and believed to be his.
• Sammy Smith
  • Date of Disappearance: October 20, 1962
  • Details: Smith, aged 33, was last seen walking home from the Four Minute Lunch diner. Some reports also mention he was seen at the Top Hat Drive-In. He was heading towards his parents' home but never arrived.
• Mike Rogers
  • Date of Disappearance: December 19, 1962
  • Details: The 19-year-old, who had a mental disability, was last seen in a black station wagon with Ohio license plates. A friend reported that Rogers seemed distressed and sought help but was unable to assist him. Later, body parts, including his head, were found in a Navy duffel bag on a hillside at Chimney Corner. His body was dismembered into 13 pieces, and there were indications of post-mortem mutilation.
• Lou Louis Bennett
  • Date of Disappearance: July 27, 1963
  • Details: Bennett, 40, was last seen at the Four Minute Lunch. His remains were found in September 1965 along railroad tracks, believed to have been destroyed by dynamite. While some theories suggest suicide due to his illness and depression, family members dispute this claim.
• Shirley Gene Arthur
  • Date of Disappearance: November 22, 1963
  • Details: Arthur, 33, was last seen hitchhiking after visiting his girlfriend's house. A young boy later discovered a torso wrapped in a tarp with mining explosive wire in Wyoming County. The head, arms, and legs were never located.
• Sgt. James Lee Haynes
  • Date of Disappearance: December 7, 1963
  • Details: Haynes was last seen hitchhiking to his parents' home to deliver Christmas presents. Police suspected he might have been killed by three men he had an altercation with at a tavern. His wallet and army dog tags were found during a search, but his body was never recovered.

Investigation and Suspects

The investigation into these disappearances and murders faced numerous challenges, primarily due to the lack of concrete evidence and the transient nature of some victims. One notable suspect was Hugh Montgomery, arrested in 1964 after causing a disturbance at a local hospital. Found in possession of weapons and a meat grinder, Montgomery had a background in medical training and admitted to several murders but denied being the Mad Butcher. He was diagnosed as paranoid and homicidal with homosexual tendencies and was confined to mental institutions for several years. Despite suspicions, no charges were filed against him for the murders, and he later committed suicide. ...Read More

Confirmed Victims: (0)
Suspected Victims:

Bob Mack Agee , Date of Death: February 1962

Ernest Gwinn Age: (76), Date of Death: July 3, 1962

Sammy Smith Age: (33), Date of Death: October 20, 1962

Mike Rogers Age: (18), Date of Death: December 19, 1962

Lou Louis Bennett Age: (40), Date of Death: July 17, 1963

Shirley Gene Arthur Age: (33), Date of Death: November 22, 1963

James Lee Haynes , Date of Death: December 7, 1963

The Mad Butcher of Fayette County by Crime in the Coalfields

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