But Friday night and early today, state and Birth. Blue fiber evidence in the Steven Pennell case. "We noticed there was mutilation in the breastarea partial nipple removal.". Once again there was no evidence of sexual assault; her body had been tortured and bludgeoned with work tools, and there was evidence of strangulation by ligature. according to a 2020 Delaware Today article. Pennell maintained his innocence until deathbut said he wanted to spare his family the pain of his imprisonment. He confirmed polices worst fears, Delaware had its first serial killer. to keep expanding and making Murderpedia a better site, but we really Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. New Castle County, Delaware women and suspected of three object for good measure. Under the Delaware State Constitution, every death penalty judgment requires further hearing from the Supreme Court, and on February 11, 1992, Pennell appeared before them, demanding that he be sentenced to death. The torture is the satisfaction. Re-indicted in 1991, for the murders of Gordon and Meyer, Pennell himself requested that he be executed, and eventually pleaded no contest to the murders. Fortunately, the Pennells had no children. Pennell had not shown that her husband was There is a problem with your email/password. Supreme Court, where Mr. Pennell represented On August 22, sex worker Margaret Lynn Finner vanished from Route 13. It can be said that the world's oldest profession is also one of the most dangerous (per The Conversation). The house of horrors in Des Plaines, Illinois, was torn down in 1979 and now an entirely new home stands in its stead. Most disturbing, though, was what had happened to her chest. obtain a stay, arguing that her husband's wife's efforts to appeal his sentence, saying he They sent the fibers to the lab to see if they were a match to the ones found on DiMauro. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Police created a huge task force with an unlimited budget, and Pennell was placed under 24-hour surveillance. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. body was never found. Thanks to one tiny bit of evidence, the reign of one of modern historys most disturbing predators finally came to an end. Try again later. Tragically, yet another victimthen turned up in the meantime. It takes a very, very extreme crime for us now to recover that.. It includes a twisted torture kit, Don't miss a thing! WebSteven Brian Pennell (19571992), was an American serial killer. Pennell was pulled over for a routine traffic violation on September 30. killing two others before his capture. After months of around-the-clock surveillance, Steven Pennell was Penalty Litigation Project, who argued that Mr. In this article, we covered Steven Brian Pennell's net Witnesses saw her enter a blue Ford, identified as a panel car. It was November 1996, and Grossberg had hidden her pregnancy from her parents before moving to Newark to attend the University of Delaware. So, how much is Steven Brian Pennell worth at the age of 35 years old? Wikimedia CommonsRoute 40 entering Glasgow, Delaware. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Pennell, graduating in 1976, spent two semesters studying criminology at a now defunct college. vinyl-covered gurney. appalling case of murder in the history of Small Wonder (Delaware). Minutes later, inside the witnesses, Mr. Pennell was strapped down on a 22 Nov 1957. Like Ellis, she was killed by hammer blows and strangulation, but unlike the first murder, DiMauro's body was covered in blue fibers. Add a caption. Family members claimed that Ellis was used to hitchhiking, and they believed that she was doing this near Route 40. reign as the state of Delaware's first convicted serial killer. spending about one million dollars. Due to the police's inexperience with serial murder, the FBI had agreed Steven Brian Pennell was a Killer. Still maintaining his innocence, he asked for the death penalty so John P.Dunning married Mary Pennington, the daughter of a former Delaware congressman, in February 1891. County Superior Court ruled Friday that Mrs. Explore Steven Brian Pennell net worth, bio, age, height, family, wiki, birthday, career, salary [Last Update 2021]! Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. wanted to die because his continued imprisonment "I had only graduated from the Academy, what, four months before this. Her body was later found by the roadside by two boys. Steven Brian Pennell was Delaware's only known serial killer, suspected of five murders in the late eighties and convicted of two. Dunning recognized Botkin's handwriting. he cried. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Through their knowledge and The killer's case has long since been a source of morbid curiosity after the depraved killer was found to have hidden 29 of his victims beneath its floor. To catch him, police would need to lure the killer. Capano brought Fahey to his home and shot her with a gun purchased by another of his mistresses, Deborah MacIntyre, whom Capano later would blame for Fahey's murder. committed. "The Route 40 Killer" Steven Brian Pennell Pt. Murder reveals the darkest part of our imaginations. The work of Cordelia Botkin would go down in the Dover annals asthe "Chocolate Candy Murders," the first murders in the United States committed through the mail. There were ligature marks on her and a bloody wound on her head. He was handed two life sentences. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 22 November. He was executed on March 14, 1992. Contact Adam Duvernay at (302) 319-1855 or aduvernay@delawareonline.com, Claymont homicide suspect arrested day of shooting, Fatal shooting ends longest 2018 gap without a Wilmington shooting, 20 years later Capano arrest, trial still captivates Delaware, 20 years ago this month, Thomas J. Capano was arrested in connection to disappearance and murder of Anne Marie Fahey. Indiana UniversityPurdue University Indianapolis professor of criminology Kenna Quinet told USA Today that as many as one-third of "repeat killers" will have preyed upon a sex worker at least once. Capano was convicted. Mrs. C.. According to anAmerican Journal of Public Healthstudy published in 2014 that claimed sex workers have a 45 to 75% chance of being a victim of violence on the job. The couple called 911 and police arrived on the scene. Discover Steven Brian Pennell's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Her net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. The violent murder of Shirley Ellis on November 29, 1987, marked the On November 23, 1989, the jury reached a decision and convicted Pennell of murdering Catherine DiMauro and Shirley Ellis, but acquitted him of Gordon's murder because of lack of evidence. was reinstated. Asked by the acting WebWhen Steven Bryan Pennell was born on 22 November 1957, in Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware, United States, his father, William S. Pennell, was 23 and his mother, Elaine modus operandi varied in every murder which through the police off track. Most, Delaware. Court in 1976 allowed resumption of capital She was sentenced to life in prison on Feb. 4, 1899. Also, Cohen said, he saw the murder of his parents profiled on the television show America's Most Wanted and feared Lutz would recognize him. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! His execution was scheduled for March 14, 1992. Menu. Botkin didn't take it well she mailed Mrs. John P. Dunning a package. Once inside, The explorer, who posts as @places_forgotten said: "I do a lot of photography of abandoned houses in the States. She is not dating anyone. I think it's been left alone because people don't want to think about history. She did note that the inside of the van was covered in blue carpeting, and she even managed to swipe some samples of it before she walked away. The trial still captivates Delawareans. Steven Brian Pennell (November 22, 1957 March 14, 1992), aka The Route 40 Killer, was Delaware's only known serial killer, convicted of the murders of two New Castle County, Delaware women and suspected of killing three others. Pennell was accused of luring women into his van with the promise of money in exchange for sex. Finally Try again later. curtain, and a Roman Catholic priest standing Steven Brian Pennell would travel up and down the Route 40 highway in Delaware for victims to torture and kill using a twisted torture kit he kept in his car. We don't have much information about She's past relationship and any previous engaged. Stay in the loop with all the latest Daily Star news by signing up to one of our free newsletters here. He had no final words and left no answers for the chaos he induced. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. "We observed cylindrical blows to the head, there was evidence she had been bound at the wristsand ankles." be automatically appealed to the Delaware fibers from Pennell's van and submit them to the FBI laboratory for Pennell was placed under surveillance, and on the night of September 18, was observed driving circuits of Routes 13 and 40. WebSteven Brian Pennell was born on November 22, 1957 in Glasgow, Delaware, USA. One was A video, which has gone viral on Instagram, shows inside the abandoned murder house of Steven Brian Pennell, otherwise known as the Route 40 killer. Upon examination of several license plates, it emerged that the vehicle belonged to Stephen Brian Pennell, a 31-year-old electrician, married and father of two, with no criminal record. By June 1988, Steven Brian Pennell was suffering from insomnia and arguing regularly with his wife, so took long drives in his beloved blue Ford van. Suspicious enough to note the license plate, he didnt share the information at the time and Meyers body was never found. half a century, putting to death a man who had He found the perfect victim in Failed to report flower. Shirley Ellis and Catherine DiMauro were both strangled and bludgeoned to death with a hammer to the head. Finner had been last seen getting into a blue Ford van. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Two days later, on September 20, Gordons nude, mutilated, and beaten body was discovered washed up on the rocks of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. Afterward, heslit Martin Cohen's throat. His first victim was 23-year-old Shirley Ellis, a former sex worker who was, according to her family, out of the business and now studying to become a nurse (via Oxygen). A friend hadlast seen her get into a blue Ford van. mentally impaired, and later in the day the Steven Brian Pennell was born on 22 November, 1957 in Glasgow, Delaware, United States, is an American serial killer. Then, learn about the mysterious Chicago Strangler., The Disturbing Crimes Of Steven Brian Pennell, The Only Serial Killer In Delaware History. Showing all 0 items Jump to: Certification; Certification. We have set your language to There was one key difference between the victims, however: DiMauro was covered head to toe in blue carpet fibers. Pennell broke his wifes arm once, which was never reported to the police. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. and settled in New Castle. Witnesses say the driver was a white male. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. They were released in 2000. Her body was discovered partially clothed with remnants of duct tape in her hair. He was the only one in Delaware's legal history to represent himself before the Supreme Court, and the only convicted to willingly seek the death penalty. The body of a fifth woman has never been Steven Brian Pennell was charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Catherine DiMauro, Shirley Ellis, and Michelle Gordon (per Justia). Steven Brian Pennell, aka "The Corridor Killer," was a monster. Lano saw blue carpeting covering the vans interior panels. Capano died in prison in 2011. Once engaging in a conversation with a local But his conviction doesn't end here. The wallpaper has begun peeling away from the wall from mould as rubbish has been left all over the floor. "The boyfriend was driving. We have many Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Pennell was 34 years old and he was the first man in more than fourty-five years to be executed in Delaware. He was able to write down the identification plate, which turned out to belong to Pennell's car. based on information from your browser. Inside the There had been no executions Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware, USA. executed in the United States since the Supreme After learning about Steven Pennell, read about Alaskan serial killer Robert Hansen. Try again later. It belonged to Steven Brian Pennell. To keep creating Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. most pleasant, since her husband took incredible pleasure in controlling her life and acting as the dominant presence in the household. Hair and blood from his victims were also recovered from his van. Gordon and Meyer killings and was sentenced to Pennell was found guilty of two murders, with the jury unable to find guilt for the third, and received two life sentences. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. A fifth victimbelieved to have been his work decomposed too badly to offer evidence. Two months later, another sex worker was reported missing Margaret Finner was last seen getting into a blue van near Route 40. Delaware Department Of JusticeBlue fiber evidence in the Steven Pennell case. Authorities ran the plate number, and learned their suspect was Steven Brian Pennell, a married man with two children and no real criminal history. Pennell pleaded guilty to killing two of the women and pleaded no contest in two other cases. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. I'd never really seen that type ofdamage to a victim," Swiski told producers. They've spawned books, made-for-TV movies and, in one case, even a walking tour through parts of Dover. Steven Brian Pennells decision to install the blue carpet led to fiber evidence that ultimately ended his terrifying spree of serial killing. A peek inside a serial killer's house left untouched after the murderer was caught shows creepy dolls lining the walls. Det. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Steven Brian Pennellwas charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths ofCatherine DiMauro, Shirley Ellis, andMichelle Gordon (per Justia). Police extracted red fibers from her face and blue fibers from her body, clues that would eventually help lead to the arrest of her killer. "Then, as I was leaving the neighbour and local sheriff came over and said that this was once the house of Steven Pennell.