True Crime This Week: Death Row Serial Killers

Crime House Daily
Host: Vanessa Richardson
Date: October 5, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of True Crime This Week explores the chilling theme of "Death Row Serial Killers." Vanessa Richardson revisits two notorious cases that reached pivotal moments in the second week of October: the 2002 execution of Eileen Wuornos and the conviction and death sentence of Gregory McKnight. Both cases spotlight killers whose violent choices led to their own date with death—one by execution, the other still awaiting it on death row. Vanessa delves deeply into each killer's background, their disturbing crimes, and the aftermaths that shocked their communities, weaving in key moments, memorable quotes, and gripping details from these unforgettable true crime stories.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Eileen Wuornos: From the Highways to Death Row

Timestamps: 00:41–34:14

• Background and Early Life

  • Born Eileen Carol Pittman (Leap Day 1956) in Michigan; never met her imprisoned father, abandoned by her mother. Raised by abusive grandparents who concealed their true relationship to her.
  • Suffered intense neglect and abuse, leading to early delinquency—trading sex for cigarettes by age 12 and pregnancy by rape at 14.
  • Homeless at 15, spent years drifting, hitchhiking, and doing sex work to survive.

• Personal Relationships and Instability

  • Brief marriage in 1976 to 69-year-old Lewis Fell, which ended in violence and divorce within weeks.
  • After her brother’s death and a squandered inheritance, Eileen spiraled further into instability and crime.
  • In 1986, began a passionate four-and-a-half-year relationship with Tyra Moore, which added emotional stakes to her life on the margins.

• Murders and Modus Operandi

  • Murder Spree: November 1989 – November 1990. Used .22 caliber pistol. Lured men (often drivers) under the guise of needing help or offering sex, killed in secluded locations, robbed victims.
  • Victims: Seven men, including Richard Mallory (first, possibly accidental), David Spears, Charles Caradin, Peter Seems (body never found), Troy Burress, Dick Humphries, and Walter Antonio.
  • Crime Pattern: “All the victims were killed alone in secluded areas. Their bodies were found long after the Florida heat had destroyed valuable forensic evidence.” (14:53)

• The Investigation & Capture

  • Police realized a serial killer was at work when linking the murders by the .22 caliber bullet and stolen vehicles.
  • Key break via a crashed car (belonging to missing Peter Seems) and a sketch of “the angry blonde woman.”
  • Eventually arrested in a Daytona biker bar on January 5, 1991, via undercover operation (25:07).
  • Partner Tyra Moore cooperated with police, obtaining Eileen’s taped confession in exchange for immunity.

• Confession, Trial, and Execution

  • Wuornos confessed to all murders: “…over the course of a long conversation with two detectives, Eileen confessed to all of the murders. Her stories were rambling and often contradictory, but she stuck to two key points: Tyra had no involvement, and every killing had been done in self defense.” (25:43)
  • Convicted in January 1992; received six death sentences.
  • Notable Quote (Execution):
    • Before execution on October 9, 2002, Wuornos said:

      “I’d just like to say I’m sailing with the rock and I’ll be back. Like Independence Day with Jesus, June 6th. Like the movie Big Mothership and all, I’ll be back.”
      —Eileen Wuornos’ last words (04:22)

  • Persistent claims of self-defense contradicted by later letters:

    “I’m one who seriously hates human life and would kill again.”
    —Eileen Wuornos, letter to Governor Jeb Bush (33:15)

  • Her life and crimes continue to polarize, drawing attention to the intersection of trauma, choice, and capital punishment.

2. Gregory McKnight: The "Family Man" Turned Serial Killer

Timestamps: 35:04–45:29

• Background and Early Warning Signs

  • Grew up in Queens, NY; family moved to Ohio in his teens. Early criminal act—shot and killed a man at 15; served juvenile time.
  • Post-release in 1997, married a former youth center employee, started a family, and appeared to settle down—yet harbored “dark intentions.”

• The Murders

  • First Victim (May 2000): Gregory Julius, a friend. Julius’s girlfriend last spoke to him by phone, believing he was with McKnight in Columbus; he was never seen again.
  • Second Victim (November 2000): Emily Murray, 20-year-old Kenyon College student and colleague at Pirates Cove pizza restaurant. Vanished after last shift; her body found in McKnight’s trailer, shot in the head and wrapped in carpet.
  • Evidence: Emily’s car found at the trailer; Julius’s remains found on property—dismembered and partially burned (40:46).

• Investigation, Conviction, and Sentencing

  • McKnight’s time cards and blood evidence tied him to both disappearances.
  • On October 10, 2002, a jury convicted him for both murders and recommended the death penalty.
  • He’s never explained his motives, leaving families and community haunted by “how little we know about the darkness that can lurk inside our neighbors.” (35:09)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Wuornos’ Execution Meal:

  • “Eileen skipped the meal and just asked for a cup of black coffee.” —Vanessa Richardson (04:22)

• On Wuornos’ Victims:

  • “By now, word about the surge of .22 caliber highway shootings had spread from different parts of the state. And police across Florida finally realized they were dealing with a serial killer.” (23:55)

• On Tyra Moore’s Reluctance:

  • “If Tyra had reported Eileen after she told her about the first murder, she could have saved six more lives. Staying quiet for all that time made her an accessory. But police offered her a deal. They’d give her immunity if she could get Eileen to confess to the murders on tape.” (25:43)

• On Gregory McKnight’s Deception:

  • “A month went by with no sign of Emily Murray and her friends and family began to fear the worst. There was finally a break in the case on December 9, 2000, but it brought tragic news.” (39:23)

• Final Reflection:

  • “Looking back at this week in Crime history, we get a chilling look at the types of crimes that can lead to a death sentence. For Eileen Wuornos, it was the calculated killings of whoever was unlucky enough to pick her up along the side of a Florida highway. For Gregory McKnight, it was mercilessly targeting people he was close to. These crimes were barbaric, senseless and tragic, and for that, these criminals received the ultimate punishment.” —Vanessa Richardson (45:09)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:41: Introduction of episode theme and cases by Vanessa Richardson
• 04:22: Wuornos’ execution day and early life background
• 14:53: Wuornos meets Tyra Moore, murders begin
• 23:55: Break in the case—serial killer realization, car crash tip
• 25:07: Wuornos’ arrest, Tyra’s cooperation, taped confession
• 33:15: Wuornos' final letters and execution, significance
• 35:04: Gregory McKnight’s backstory and first signs of violence
• 39:23: Emily Murray’s disappearance and case breakthrough
• 45:09: Episode reflection on capital punishment and crime

Summary

Vanessa Richardson’s narrative offers a nuanced, meticulously detailed account of how Eileen Wuornos and Gregory McKnight’s lives unraveled into infamy and ultimately led them to death row. Told with empathy but uncompromising clarity, this episode explores the disastrous intersection of unresolved trauma, predatory violence, and the justice system—reminding listeners that some true crime stories, even decades later, echo with horror and sorrow.