Love Conquers All: The Women Who Marry Convicted Serial Killers Dr. Mike Aamodt, Radford University, maamodt@radford.edu

Why Marry a Convicted Killer? The Attraction Notoriety Celebrity status Being associated with the worst of the worst Being considered a rebel Attraction to the “bad boy” Need to nurture and save Need for control Intimate relationships Cons can show great sensitivity Lack of sex places focus on feelings and conversation Sacrifice makes the relationship more important Absence makes the heart grow fonder

Randall Woodfield Crime Dates Spouse Prison Policy I-5 Killer Killed 18, raped 60 Dates Convicted June 26, 1981 Married April 25, 2001 Spouse Previous marriage in prison that ended in divorce after 6 months Jennifer Lyn Coria in 2001 Prison Policy Weddings held twice a year Vows exchanged in warden’s office Got to honeymoon in the “conjugal trailer”

Angel Maturino Resendiz Crime Railroad Killer Killed 9 people Dates Convicted in May, 2000 Sentenced to death Engaged in 2001 Spouse Nancy Resendiz (age 50) Bachelor’s degree Prison Policy Resendiz is already married so it does not recognize marriage

Ilich Ramirez Sanchez Crime Dates Spouse Wedding Carlos the Jackal Killed 83 people Dates Convicted in Sentenced to life in France Engaged in 2001 Spouse Isabelle Coutant-Peyre Lawyer Wedding Both are currently married and waiting for their respective divorces

Ted Bundy Crime Dates Spouse Wedding Killed over 30 people Convicted 12-6-80 Sentenced to death Married on February 9, 1980 Executed 1/24/89 Spouse Carole Ann Boone (age 50) Former friend Wedding Exchanged “vows of intention” in the courtroom with a notary public present Gave birth to Bundy’s daughter in 10/82 By 1986 out of Bundy’s life

Henry Louis Wallace Crime Dates Spouse Wedding Killed 13 people Convicted on 1/29/97 Sentenced to death Married on June 5, 1998 Spouse Rebecca Torrijas Former prison nurse 23 years older than Wallace Wedding Married next to the execution chamber

Richard Ramirez Crime Dates Spouse Prison Policy Night Stalker Killed 13 people Dates Convicted September 20, 1989 Sentenced to life Married in 1996 Spouse Doreen Lioy Free-lance magazine editor B.A. in English Literature IQ of 152 Claims to be a virgin "He's kind, he's funny, he's charming. I think he's really a great person. He's my best friend; he's my buddy." Prison Policy

Angelo Buono Crime Dates Spouse Hillside Strangler Killed 7 people Convicted in 1983 Sentenced to life Married in 1986 Died in prison 9/21/2002 Spouse Christine Kizuka Mother of 3 Supervisor for the Employment Development Department for the State of California

Arthur Shawcross Crime Dates Spouse Wedding Genesee River Killer Killed 13 people Dates Convicted in 1991 Sentenced to 250 years Married in 7/10/97 Spouse Clara D. Neal Former girlfriend Wedding Visiting room of the prison Clara: “It was nice and all. It took 10 years to make the grade but I finally did it.”

Lemuel Warren Smith Crime Dates Spouse Wedding Killed at least 3 people in New York Dates Convicted in Sentenced to death, later changed to life Married in 1983 Spouse Dawn Pepita Hall Simmons (46) Famous writer (biographer of famous women) who earlier in life had changed sex from a male to a female Wedding

Kenneth Bianchi Crime Dates Spouse Wedding One of the Hillside Stranglers Killed 7 people in California & Washington Dates Convicted November, 1983 Sentenced to life Married September 21, 1989 Spouse Shirlee Book (36) Very unattractive Wanted Bundy, settled for Bianchi Wedding

Tex Watson Crime Dates Spouse Wedding Part of the Manson Family Convicted in 1969 Sentenced to life Married September 7, 1989 Spouse Kristin Joan Svege (20) Read that his previous relationship ended and then wrote him letters Wedding She wore an ankle-length white gown, matching white shoes, and carried a flower bouquet and Bible

James Earl Ray Crime Dates Spouse Wedding Not a serial killer, but shot Marin Luther King Dates Convicted in 1969 Sentenced to 99 years Married October 13, 1978 Spouse Anna Sandhu (32, he was 50) Was an artist for a TV station doing a documentary on him She proposed to him Wedding She wore an off-white pleated skirt with matching crocheted blouse Marriage lasted 12 years, he filed for divorce

John Wayne Gacy Crime Dates Fiancée Killed over 30 boys Convicted March, 1980 Sentenced to life Fiancée Sue Terry (43 in 1988) Mother of 8 Wrote to him after seeing him in the paper Relationship lasted a year until she was finally convinced of his guilt

Serial Killer His Age Her Age Spouse Art Shawcross 52 66 Clara Neal Maturino Resendiz 43 50 Nancy Resendiz Richard Ramirez 36 41 Doreen Lioy Angelo Buono 51 Christine Kizuka Henry Louis Wallace 33 56 Rebecca Torrijas Randall Woodfield Jennifer Lyn Coria Ted Bundy 34 Carole Ann Boone Tex Watson 20 Kristin Joan Svege Kenneth Bianchi Shirlee Book

How Do They Meet? Personal ads Pen pals Professional Services Lawyers Psychologists Prison guards Visiting other inmates Prison volunteers During the trial Jurors Groupies Bundy had an affair with Diana Weiner, one of his attorneys Jurors Elizabeth Bauch rell in love with preppie murderer Robert Chambers in 1988. Sandra Wix fell in love with Steven Erickson

Lovely Couple How They Met Angelo Buono & Christine Kizuka Introduced by first husband whose cell was next to Buono’s Carlos the Jackal & Isabelle Coutant-Peyre She was his attorney Ted Bundy & Carole Boone She was a former friend Henry Wallace & Rebecca Torrijas Art Shawcross & Clara Neal She was a former girlfriend Randy Woodfield & Jennifer Lyn Coria She began visiting the prison Kenneth Bianchi & Shirlee Book She saw him on TV and wrote to him Tex Watson & Kristin Svege She read about him in the paper Richard Ramirez & Doreen Lioy She sent him a birthday card after seeing him on TV. He asked her to visit

Lovely Couple Where They Got Married Angelo Buono & Christine Kizuka Angel & Nancy Resendiz Visitation room Ted Bundy & Carole Boone Courtroom during trial Henry Wallace & Rebecca Torrijas Next to the execution chamber Art Shawcross & Clara Neal Visiting room Randy Woodfield & Jennifer Lyn Coria Warden’s office Richard Ramirez & Doreen Lioy

Lovely Couple What They Wore Angelo Buono & Christine Kizuka Tex Watson & Kristin Joan Svege She war an ankle-length white gown, matching white shoes, and carried a flower bouquet and a Bible Henry Wallace & Rebecca Torrijas She wore a pale green dress covered with pink flowers and a pearl necklace. Henry wore red prison jumpsuit and black tennis shoes Art Shawcross & Clara Neal Kenneth Bianchi & Shirlee Book She wore a floor-length white satin gown, a veil, and white gloves Richard Ramirez & Doreen Lioy Doreen wore a white wedding dress with chiffon sleeves. Richard wore a blue prison outfit with no restraints.

Lovely Couple The Wedding Party Angelo Buono & Christine Kizuka Angel & Nancy Resendiz Ted Bundy & Carole Boone Henry Wallace & Rebecca Torrijas Wallace’s attorney, the manager of the death row unit, and a public defender served as witnesses Art Shawcross & Clara Neal Randy Woodfield & Jennifer Lyn Coria Richard Ramirez & Doreen Lioy Ramirez’s brother, sister, niece, his biographer, and 2 attorneys. No one from her family attended, but 60 inmates did.

Can they consummate the marriage? Lovely Couple Can they consummate the marriage? Angelo Buono & Christine Kizuka No, because he was not eligible for parole Tex Watson & Kristin Svege Yes, spent honeymoon in the conjugal trailer. They have 3 children. Ted Bundy & Carole Boone Not allowed to, but they did and Bundy fathered a daughter Henry Wallace & Rebecca Torrijas No Art Shawcross & Clara Neal Yes Randy Woodfield & Jennifer Lyn Coria Yes. They got to honeymoon in the “conjugal trailer” Kenneth Bianchi and Shirlee Book No, they were denied permission to use the conjugal trailer Richard Ramirez & Doreen Lioy No, and she was a virgin when she was married

States Allowing Conjugal Visits California Connecticut Mississippi New Mexico New York Washington