5 Facts About An Infamous Texas Serial Killer You Might Not Know About
True Crime has seen a surge in popularity over the past several years. Serial killers, unsolved and strange cases, and the details on some of the biggest court cases in history have all become fodder for a massive audience.
All of this got me to wondering.....just who was the worst serial killer in Texas' history?
The answer to that question may vary from person to person, but for me? By far and away, I vote for Kenneth McDuff, or "The Broomstick Killer."
Heard of him? If you're a True Crime junkie, you probably have. If it doesn't ring a bell, oh boy-buckle up! This one is a doozy. I'll give you a little context before we dive into to the five insane facts that I've found out about this Lone Star-based bloody serial killer.
According to Wikipedia, McDuff was convicted in 1966 for the murders of 16-year-old Edna Sullivan, her boyfriend, 17-year-old Robert Brand, and Brand's cousin, 15-year-old Mark Dunnam, who was visiting from California. They were all strangers whom McDuff abducted after noticing Sullivan.
Now, get ready. It gets a lot worse. Here are 5 mind-blowing facts about McDuff:
1. McDuff is suspected to have at least 14 victims
McDuff's first murders were in 1966. He and an accomplice murdered three teenagers. He received three death sentences for his crimes, but this punishment was reduced to life imprisonment in 1972 and he was released on parole in 1989. Once on parole, he racked up more victims, bringing the estimated total to 14.
2. The "Broomstick Killer" is a reference to the first murders
During the first murders in 1966, McDuff used part of a broomstick to strangle the female victim.
3. He tried bribing a member of the parole board
McDuff had been sentenced to death by electric chair for the 1966 murders, which was later reduced to life imprisonment due to changes in legislature. When his parole hearing came up, McDuff brazenly tried bribing one of the board members during a one-on-one interview. They added 2 years to his sentence for the gaffe. But either way, he was released on parole in 1989.
4. It is believed he started killing again three days after his release
Three. Measly. Days. That's how long it took for him to start killing again. It's questionable, though, because that third day is when the body of victim Sarafia Parker was discovered. McDuff was never charged for the murder of Parker. But there were more bodies afterwards.
5. He was executed in 1998
After leaving a bloody trail of victims in his wake, Kenneth McDuff fled out of the state of Texas. After an interstate manhunt, police finally captured McDuff in 1992. He had made it to Kansas City, where he was working under an alias at a refuse collection company. He was tried and once again sentenced to death in 1993 and was (at long last) executed in November of 1998 in the state of Texas.
Want more tidbits on the only Texan to receive the death penalty three times? You can get more details here.