#william bonin

[criminol]

William Bonin, The Freeway Killer

William George Bonin, also known as the Freeway Killer, was an American serial killer and rapist. Bonin raped, tortured and murder a minimum of 21 boys and young men betwen 1979 and 1980 in California although he is suspected to have killed many more.

Born to alcoholic parents, Bonin’s father was abusive and a compulsive gambler. Bonin and his siblings were often placed in the care of their grandfather, a convicted child molester. In 1953, Bonin’s mother sent her sons to an orphanage in an attempt to protect them from their father’s physical violence towards them. The orphanage was known for its severe discipline and abusive punishments. At age 10, Bonin was arrested for stealing license plates and sent to a detention centre, he was physically and sexually abused there before moving back home to his parents’ address. While living with them, Bonin is known to have molested his younger brother and other neighbourhood children. After graduating from high school Bonin served as an aerial gunner in the Vietnam war, an experience he claimed led him to believe that human life is overvalued. Bonin was honourably discharged from the Air Force in 1968.

In 1968 Bonin began to sexually assault youths, bounding and restraining them before raping them and torturing them. In 1969, Bonin was arrested and charged with 5 counts of kidnapping four counts of sodomy, one count of oral copulation, and one count of child molestation against the five youths he had abducted and assaulted. He was sent to a mental hospital and then later sent to prison, declared unsuitable for treatment due to raping other inmates. In June 1974 he was released from prison.

In September 1974, Bonin raped and beat and 14-year-old boy, he began to strangle the boy before apologising and driving him home. Bonin was arrested again and released in 1978.

In 1979 Bonin began murdering his victims. Bonin’s usual victims were hitchhikers or schoolboys aged 12 to 19 who he forced into his van and overpowered. The victims would then be bound, raped and beaten before being tortured, and usually, strangled although some victims were stabbed or battered to death. Some victims had their genitals removed. One victim was forced to drink hydrochloric acid and three had ice picks driven into their ears. Victims were brutalised and beaten horrifically, often showing extensive trauma to their faces and genitals. Their bodies were then discarded along various freeways leading to the killer being known as the ‘Freeway Killer.’ Bonin was known to have had four known accomplices.

Detectives became suspicious of Bonin and put him under surveillance. On the same day the surveillance began, Bonin bound, raped, beat and murdered an 18 year old shop worker and discarded the body. 9 days later Bonin was seen attempting to lure victims into his van before successfully picking up one. Police followed the van until it parked in a desolate parking lot close to a freeway, officers approached the van and forced their way in, discovering Bonin in the act of raping the bound and handcuffed teenager. Bonin was charged with rape and held on suspicious of murder. Inspection of his vehicle showed restraining devices and extensive bloodstains. Inside the glovebox investigators found a scrapbook of newspaper clippings related to the murders.

Although initially denying involvement, after reviewing a letter from a victim’s mother Bonin began to confess to abducting, raping and murdering 21 boys and young men. He did not express remorse but did claim to be embarrassed and regret being caught, he later claimed when asked if he would still be doing it if un-apprehended, "I'd still be killing, I couldn't stop killing. It got easier with each one we did." Bonin was linked to many of the murders by semen stains, carpet fibers, hair samples and blood work. Bonin’s method of strangulation was also referred to as unique and a signature.

Bonin was sentenced to death, with the judge commenting that ‘He (Bonin) had a total disregard for the sanctity of human life and a civilised society. Sadistic, unbelievably cruel, senseless and deliberately premeditated. Guilty beyond any possible or imaginary doubt

Bonin spent 14 years on death row before being executed by lethal injection in 1996.

[vervedoff]

Without Remption ~ Vonda Pelto & Michael B.Butler

[calendarofanxiety]

February 23, 1996 BONIN William George Bonin also known as The Freeway Killer was an American serial killer and twice-paroled sex offender who committed the rape, torture and murder of a minimum of 21 boys and young men in a series of killings in 1979 and 1980 in southern California. He became known as The Freeway Killer due to the fact that the majority of his victims' bodies were discovered alongside numerous freeways in southern California. Bonin is also suspected of committing a further 15 murders. Described by the prosecutor at his first trial as "the most arch-evil person who ever existed" Bonin was convicted of 14 of the murders in 2 separate trials in 1982 and 1983.  He spent 14 years on death row before he was executed by lethal injection inside the gas chamber at San Quentin State Prison on February 23, 1996. He was the first person to be executed by lethal injection in the history of California. In a final interview given to a local radio station less than 24 hours before he was executed Bonin claimed he had "made peace" with the fact he was about to die. He added that his only real regret was that he hadn't pursued his teenage passion of bowling long enough to have turned professional. When asked whether there was anything he had to say to the families of his victims Bonin stated "They feel my death will bring closure, but that's not the case. They're going to find out". On the day he was executed Bonin was moved from his cell to a death watch cell where he ordered his last meal: 2 large pizzas, 3 pints of ice cream and 3 six-packs of Coke. His final hours were spent in the company of 5 individuals whom he had chosen for this occasion. These included his attorney, chaplain and a prospective biographer. Each later stated that Bonin seemed resigned to his fate. His attorney also added that he hadn't detected any remorse in his client. In his final statement given to the prison warden one hour prior to his scheduled execution Bonin again expressed no remorse for his crimes and left a note that stated "I feel the death penalty is not an answer to the problems at hand. I feel it sends the wrong message to the people of this country. Young people act as they see other people acting instead of as people tell them to act. I would advise that when a person has a thought of doing anything serious against the law, that before they did, they should go to a quiet place and think about it seriously". At the time of his execution he was 49 years old. No family member of Bonin chose to witness his execution. The event was witnessed by several relatives of his victims (many of whom wept and embraced when his death was officially confirmed). According to several of these witnesses Bonin's execution passed without complications and he was heavily sedated throughout the latter stages of the procedure. On this subject then-Governor Pete Wilson - who had rejected a submitted plea for clemency from Bonin's attorneys 3 days prior to the execution - referred to William Bonin as the "poster boy for capital punishment" before adding that California's method of execution ensured Bonin's death was infinitely more pleasant than that endured by his victims.