Serial Killer: William Bonin
He was convicted of 14 murders, but he confessed to 21 and is suspected of even more. Here is the story of William Bonin...
His first known murder victim was killed in May 1979. Bonin operated by luring his victims into his van under the pretense of having consensual sex.
He became known as the "Freeway Killer" because most of his victims bodies were discovered beside freeways.
On many occasions he was helped by one of his four known accomplices.
Childhood
William George Bonin was born in Willimantic, Connecticut, on January 8, 1947, the second of three sons to Robert Leonard Bonin Sr. and Alice Dorothy Cote.
Both parents were alcoholics and his father was an ill-tempered World War II veteran who physically abused his wife and children.
His mother suffered from severe mood swings and frequented a bingo parlor while her sons remained alone.
In January 1950 Bonin's father – a compulsive gambler – gambled away their home forcing the family to reside with Bonin's maternal grandmother in Willimantic.
In spite of this dysfunctional environment Bonin and his brothers were actively raised Catholic by their parents and baptized according to the church.
They attended St. Mary's Catholic School where staff repeatedly made complaints of Bonin's aggression toward other students and other misbehavior. After riding his bike into a group of young girls he was briefly placed in juvenile hall.
After returning home he was reportedly more uncooperative toward his parents than before.
In 1959 Bonin attended middle school. Despite showing a strong liking for math and science he had otherwise mediocre grades.
In late 1960 the family faced foreclosure, and Bonin's mother kicked their father out of the home, winning custody of their children.
The parents reconciled however after their father was offered lucrative employment as a machinist in Downey, California. In early 1962 they purchased a home in nearby Torrance.
Bonin attended North High School in Torrance where he was regarded as a social outcast. Bonin was uncomfortable around his peers and is not known to have formed any friendships throughout his adolescence.
He spent his time frequenting a local bowling alley.
By his teenage years Bonin held an interest in pedophilia, but kept his feelings a secret.
After dropping out of high school in 1966 Bonin molested several neighborhood children. His mother reportedly refused to acknowledge these acts, or his escalating antisocial behavior but worried he would be arrested.
She prayed for him and warned him often much to his frustration.
Eventually, she evicted him from their house. Lacking motivation and frequently borrowing money from his parents, Bonin joined the United States Air Force in December 1966.
He became engaged to Linda a decision largely determined by Bonin's mother, who felt it would stop his attraction to young boys. During the engagement, he repeatedly told Linda that he had recurring nightmares about the sexual assault and murder of a young woman.
The Start
On November 17, 1968 Bonin picked up 14-year-old Billy Jones in Arcadia, while driving his mother's car. Bonin offered to take him home but he attempted to flee the vehicle in response to Bonin's repeated questions regarding homosexuality.
Driving him to a nearby shopping center Bonin handcuffed and raped him, knocking him unconscious in the process.
On November 26 Bonin picked up 17-year-old hitchhiker John Treadwell of Torrance. Bonin began asking him about "fags" and homosexuality before accelerating the vehicle and pulling a handgun.
Bonin parked in a secluded area. He then raped Treadwell and blugeoned him with a tire iron. Bonin threatened that he had friends who would aid in avenging him if Treadwell told "The Man" of what had happened.
On December 4 it was reported to the Torrance Police Department by 17-year-old Allen Pruitt that a man with medium-length dark hair and olive complexion had offered him a ride before leaving the highway and handcuffing the boy, who was sexually assaulted in the vehicle.
On January 1, 1969 Bonin offered a ride to 12-year-old Lawrence Brettman in Hermosa Beach. Ignoring the boy's pleas to let him go, Bonin began threatening Brettman.
He parked and forced Brettman to perform oral sex on him, molesting and robbing him at gun point. He then threatened to kill Brettman if he ever reported the incident.
On January 12 Bonin reportedly picked up 18-year-old hitchhiker Jesus Monge, asking him about homosexuality before offering him twenty dollars to perform oral sex.
When Monge attempted to leave Bonin physically and sexually assaulted him.
He was then handcuffed and raped. Bonin threatened Monge, stating, "I'll rip your nuts off if you don't cool it."
By this point extensive efforts were being made by local police to locate a potential serial rapist that fit Bonin's description.
On the 28th an El Segundo policewoman confronted Bonin who had frightened a 16-year-old runaway who was present with him in his mother's vehicle.
Noting Bonin's frantic state and similar profile to the rapist, she searched and handcuffed him.
Bonin repeatedly advised her to incarcerate him before insisting he was not responsible for his actions.
He was indicted on five counts of kidnapping, four counts of sodomy, one count of oral copulation, and one count of child molestation against the five individuals he had abducted and assaulted (or attempted to assault) since the previous November.
In March, Bonin underwent two psychiatric examinations. He was determined to be a sexual psychopath, who had little control over his impulses and showed signs of depression and inappropriate emotional responses.
Initially denying childhood abuse Bonin confessed to being molested at age eight, and suspected he was molested on various occasions between 9 and 12 years old.
In May Bonin recounted to a probation officer his recent stressful separation, and admitted his guilt in molesting male youths, although he also expressed desire to start a family and become a pilot upon his release.
What a bunch of crap.
He said that his Vietnam service contributed to his criminal behavior, emphasizing his difficulties in seducing female partners since his return.
He was evaluated to be "seriously lacking insight and responsibility" for crimes committed since his childhood. He pleaded guilty to molestation and forced oral copulation.
His Release
On November 1 Bonin moved to an apartment in the Kingswood Village complex, located approximately one mile from his parents house.
He became acquainted with his 43-year-old neighbor, Everett Scott Fraser. Bonin became a regular attendee at Fraser's parties, where young men, drugs, and alcohol were running wild.
Fraser considered him respectful and a decent individual, and frequently introduced Bonin to his young male friends. The two also talked about their homosexuality.
The following month Bonin established a relationship with a married mother who held a criminal record for child cruelty. He would take trips to Anaheim with her and her kids.
In April 1979 Bonin's parole supervision ended.
An incident occurred involving Bonin reportedly locking a 16-year-old runaway in a room of the building and threatening at knife-point to bury his body in the hills.
Murders
1979-
The first murder for which Bonin was charged was that of 13-year-old Thomas Glen Lundgren.
Lundgren was last seen leaving his parents house in Reseda on May 28, 1979.
Shortly before his abduction Lundgren had reportedly told friends a man had offered to meet him at a skatepark to take photos of him for a skateboarding magazine.
Lundgren's partially-clothed body was found the same afternoon in Agoura. His clothes and severed genitals were discovered in a nearby field.
An autopsy revealed that Lundgren had suffered emasculation and extensive bludgeoning. In addition he had been slashed across the throat, stabbed, and strangled to death.
An expert postulated that Bonin's brutality was likely an attempt to "silence" his homosexual attraction to Lundgren. Bonin was assisted by Butts.
On September 9, Bonin and Butts encountered a 17-year-old boy from La Mirada, David Louis Murillo who was cycling.
After Murillo entered the van Bonin offered him money for sex, which was refused.
He then attempted to fondle Murillo before binding him and driving to Butts' residence.
As Butts drove Bonin sexually assaulted and raped him. He then traded places with Butts, who performed oral sex on and beat Murillo.
They then parked the vehicle, bound him, and raped him more.
He was extensively bludgeoned and then strangled. His body was discovered alongside Highway 101 on the 12th.
Bonin is not known to have killed again until about November 1.
He and Butts abducted and murdered an unidentified young man with brown hair, whom Bonin claimed to be 5 ft 6 in tall, and 18 years old.
At some point Bonin allegedly said to the man to die because "your folks paid us to find you and kill you".
The two beat him and Bonin strangled him to death before inserting an ice pick into his head. His body was thrown alongside State Route 99, south of Bakersfield.
On November 30 an unassisted Bonin abducted 17-year-old Frank Dennis Fox, from Bellflower.
Bonin sodomized him and strangled him until he died. His body was found two days later alongside the Ortega Highway, five miles east of San Juan Capistrano.
The body bore signs of binding and blunt force trauma. No clothing or other identifying evidence was discovered at the scene.
Ten days later a 15-year-old boy from Long Beach, John Fredrick Kilpatrick, left his home and was offered money for sexual services by Bonin.
After engaging in mutual oral sex Kilpatrick was bound and raped by Bonin before being transported to his parents house, where he was strangled to death.
His body was discarded near Rialto. It was found on December 13, but Kilpatrick remained known as a John Doe until August 5, 1980.
Because of his troubled background, which caused him to disappear for days at a time, his mother hesitated to report the disappearance. His friends also mistakenly reported seeing him at the mall. As a result he was not reported missing until February.
On January 1, 1980 Bonin encountered 16-year-old Ontario boy Michael Francis McDonald near the Chino Airport. Under the guise of providing drugs for him to sell, Bonin parked behind an apartment building.
In the van Bonin bound, beat, and raped him.
His body was found alongside Highway 71 in the outskirts of Chino and his body was not identified until March 24.
On the morning of February 3 Bonin invited a 16-year-old boy into his parents house to drink and have sex.
Bonin allegedly caught him stealing $100 from his billfold, and killed him. Later that evening he drove to Hollywood with Gregory Miley with the specific intention of committing a murder with him.
They encountered 15-year-old Charles Miranda nearby the Starwood nightclub along Santa Monica Boulevard.
According to Miley Bonin and Miranda had consensual sex in the van as he drove. Bonin then told Miley that Miranda was going to die.
Miley asked why Bonin would not just let him go. Bonin replied, "because he'll know us and know the van."
Bonin beat, bound, and gagged Miranda and informed him that he had to be killed due to his earlier robbery.
Miranda began begging for his life.
Bonin began sexually assaulting Miranda and Miley unsuccessfully attempted to rape him.
In frustration the two started physically assaulting him and Bonin strangled him to death. His body was later dumped in a Los Angeles alleyway.
Five minutes after discarding the body Bonin suggested to Miley to "do another one".
Miley initially protested and stated he wanted to go home, but eventually complied.
A few hours later the two encountered 12-year-old James Macabe.
Macabe had been dropped off at a corner bus stop by his older brother, who had given him money to take the bus to Disneyland.
Ugh. So sad.
He was lured into Bonin's van on the promise he would be driven to his intended destination, and that he would be given marijuana.
According to Miley Macabe got in the van, and Bonin drove to a grocery store.
Bonin parked the van and began hugging and kissing Macebe before binding him, and telling him he was being kidnapped for ransom.
Bonin began punching him and as Miley drove around, Bonin raped him and bludgeoned him with a tire iron.
Bonin then forced him to sleep in his arms.
Upon Macabe's waking up Miley and Bonin beat him into unconsciousness, and Bonin crushed his neck with a tire iron.
Bonin then strangled Macabe to death, and he and Miley dumped the corpse at a construction site in Walnut. Macabe's body was discovered three days later.
The next day, Bonin was arrested for violating the conditions of his parole; he was remanded in custody at the Orange County Jail until March 4.
March
Following his release (WHY WAS HE RELEASED) he was hired as a truck driver at Dependable Drive-Away.
Bonin angered his boss (who was unaware of his status as a sex offender) by picking up hitchikers in his presence on one occasion, and by taking long, unnecessary routes.
On March 14 Bonin abducted 18-year-old man Ronald Gatlin. Bonin beat and sodomized him, and hacked at him with an ice pick.
The following day his bound body was found behind an industrial building.
On March 21 Bonin offered a ride to 14-year-old hitchhiker Glenn Norman Barker.
Barker was beaten and raped with objects and then strangled with a ligature, burned with a cigarette and had his rectum distended.
Later that day 15-year-old Russell Duane Rugh was abducted in Garden Grove.
He was bound, beaten, and strangled to death, after an estimated eight hours of captivity.
The two boys bodies were discarded in Cleveland National Forest, close to the Ortega Highway, and found on the 23rd.
Arrest
After nine days of uneventful surveillance on June 11, plainclothes police observed Bonin driving throughout Hollywood, unsuccessfully attempting to lure five separate boys into his van before succeeding in luring one.
The police followed Bonin until he parked at a service station close to the Hollywood Freeway, then approached the vehicle.
Upon hearing screams and banging sounds coming from inside the van the officers forced their way inside.
They discovered Bonin raping 17-year-old Orange County runaway Harold Eugene Tate, whom he had handcuffed and bound.
Bonin was initially charged with the rape of a minor and held on suspicion of Miranda's murder.
He was detained in lieu of $250,000 bond. Later Bonin's girlfriend notified his boss of his arrest adding that the arrest was in connection to the Freeway Killer case.
This caused Munro (who was already pissed at Bonin's absence from work that day) to become frantic.
The next day Munro stole Bonin's car and fled back to Michigan where he temporarily resided before being arrested.
Inside Bonin's van investigators discovered numerous artifacts which proved his guilt in the Freeway Killer murders.
These included various restraining devices, knives, and a tire iron.
They also noted the removed door handles. A forensic examination of the van and Bonin's home revealed extensive traces of bloodstains.
Inside the glove box investigators discovered a scrapbook of newspaper clippings related to the murders.
His Confession
Although initially alleging his innocence in the murders, Bonin confessed his guilt to St. John after reading a letter from Sean King's mother.
Bonin made sure to clarify that it was not to ease the mother's pain but on the knowledge that police would likely buy him a hamburger for lunch on the extensive trip.
What a scumbag!
Over the course of several evenings Bonin confessed to abducting, raping, and killing 21 young men and boys in graphic detail.
He expressed no remorse for his actions, but showed extreme embarrassment and regret over being caught.
An Orange County investigator recalled that there "was not a policeman in that room that did not want to kill Bonin" for his confession.
Bonin stated that his primary accomplice in the murders had been Butts, while Miley and Munro were accomplices in other murders.
Bonin was physically linked to many of the murders by blood and semen stains.
Numerous carpet fibers found upon seven of the victims bodies were a precise match with the carpeting in Bonin's van.
On three bodies investigators found hair samples which were a precise match with Bonin.
Medical evidence revealed that six of the murders for which he was charged were committed by a unique windlass strangulation method, which was later referred to by Bonin's prosecutor as "a signature" or "a trademark".
On October 19, Bonin was brought to trial in Los Angeles County, charged with the murder of 12 of his victims whose bodies had been found within this constituency.
He was tried before Superior Court Judge William Keene. The trial commenced on November 5.
On December 28, the jury formally began their deliberations.
On January 6, 1982 they convicted Bonin of ten of the murders for which he was tried.
He was found not guilty of the murders of Lundgren and King, of committing sodomy upon Grabs, of committing mayhem upon Lundgren and of robbing one other victim.
Later the prosecution and defense made alternate pleas for the actual sentence the jury should decide, with Norris requesting the death penalty and Charvet requesting life imprisonment.
The jury further found that the special circumstances required within California state law (multiple murders and robbery) had been met in the cases for which Bonin was found guilty, and thus unanimously recommended he receive the death penalty.
In February Charvet argued against imposition of the death verdict returned by the jury.
Despite his appeal Keene formally sentenced Bonin to death for the ten murders, and ordered that if his death sentence were commuted to one of life imprisonment, the sentences should run consecutively.
Bonin was executed by lethal injection inside the gas chamber at San Quentin State Prison on February 23 14 years after his first death sentence had been imposed.
He was the first person to be executed by lethal injection in the history of California.
In his final interview, given to a local radio station less than 24 hours before his death, Bonin said that he had "made peace" with the fact he was about to die, adding that his only major regret in life was that he had not pursued his teenage passion of bowling long enough to turn professional.
Again, what a piece of sh*t.
He expressed his disagreement with the State's decision to execute him, saying he thought the death penalty is wrong. He denied responsibility for his actions saying that he had no control over his actions.
He also said he would not be able to live a normal life outside prison.
There is the story of William Bonin. Truly one of the more messed up individuals to ever walk this earth. Thank you for reading!