Gerard John Schaefer
American murderer and suspected serial killer / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Gerard John Schaefer?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Gerard John Schaefer Jr. (March 26, 1946 – December 3, 1995) was an American murderer and suspected serial killer, known as the Killer Cop, the Hangman and the Butcher of Blind Creek, who was convicted of the 1972 murder and mutilation of two teenage girls in Port St. Lucie, Florida. He is suspected of up to twenty-six further murders.[3]
Gerard John Schaefer | |
|---|---|
 Wilton Manors police applicant photo of Schaefer, September 16, 1970 | |
| Born | Gerard John Schaefer Jr. March 26, 1946 |
| Died | December 3, 1995(1995-12-03) (aged 49) |
| Cause of death | Multiple stab wounds to the face, head, neck, and body |
| Other names | Jerry Shepherd The Killer Cop The Hangman The Butcher of Blind Creek[1] |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Spouses |
|
| Motive |
|
| Conviction(s) | First degree murder (2 counts) |
| Criminal penalty | Life imprisonment |
| Details | |
| Victims | 2–28+ |
Span of crimes | September 27, 1972 (confirmed) October 2, 1966 – January 11, 1973 (suspected) |
| Country | United States |
| State(s) | Florida |
Date apprehended | April 7, 1973 |
| Imprisoned at | Florida State Prison[2] |
Described by prosecutor Robert Stone as "the most sexually deviant person" he had ever encountered,[4] Schaefer was sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment at his 1973 trial, to be served at Florida State Prison. He was stabbed to death by a fellow inmate while incarcerated at this facility in December 1995.[4][5]
Schaefer became known as the "Killer Cop" as he was a sheriff's deputy in Martin County, Florida, at the time of his initial arrest.[6] He also became known as the "Hangman" due to his favored practice of binding restrained women to trees with a hangman's noose around their neck prior to their torture and murder.[7]