William Heirens, Chicago’s “Lipstick Killer”, has passed away at 83, after spending 65 years in prison.
Mr. Heirens’ notoriety stemmed from the separate killings of two women, Josephine Ross and Frances Brown, in 1945. At the scene of the second murder, that of Miss Brown, someone had used lipstick to scrawl on a wall: “For heaven’s sake catch me before I kill more. I cannot control myself.”
Heirens was also convicted of killing a six-year-old girl, Suzanne Degnan. He was arrested while committing a burglary in the girl’s neighborhood, and the police claimed his fingerprints were on a ransom note left at the scene of the Degnan kidnapping. While in custody, he allegedly confessed to the Degnan, Ross, and Brown murders, and pled guilty in order to get three life sentences rather than the death penalty.
When he did confess, his memory seemed ragged. Time after time during the plea bargaining, prosecutors brought up details from The Tribune article, which he then incorporated into his testimony. Mr. Heirens recanted his confession soon afterward and maintained his innocence for the rest of his life while being denied parole or clemency numerous times. He questioned the validity of the fingerprints and other evidence, as have public interest lawyers who supported him.
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