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Do Not Hitchhike - The Freeway Killer (America's Most Evil Serial Killers)

The Infographics Show・2 minutes read

William Bonin, the Freeway Killer, committed brutal and sadistic crimes, targeting teenage boys for torture, rape, and murder. His violent tendencies were shaped by a traumatic childhood, military service during the Vietnam War, and a lack of empathy or guilt, culminating in his execution in 1996 after being sentenced to death.

Insights

  • William Bonin's traumatic childhood experiences, including severe abuse and neglect, significantly contributed to shaping his twisted psyche, leading to his violent tendencies and mental disorders.
  • The Freeway Killer's modus operandi of picking up hitchhikers, torturing them, and inflicting extreme pain before killing them, showcased his lack of remorse, casual attitude towards violence, and the normalization of brutality in his crimes, which was deeply unsettling to investigators and witnesses.

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  • Who was the Freeway Killer?

    William Bonin

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Summary

00:00

Freeway Killer: Torture, Trauma, and Murder

  • The Freeway Killer, William Bonin, emphasized the importance of torture in his crimes, devoid of emotion or guilt.
  • Bonin picked up 17-year-old William "Billy" Pugh after a party in March 1980 in Southern California.
  • Pugh initially trusted Bonin, but soon realized his sinister intentions when Bonin made sexual advances.
  • Bonin revealed his modus operandi of picking up hitchhikers, torturing, and killing them, strangled with their own t-shirts.
  • Bonin spared Pugh due to being seen together at the party, claiming they would be friends.
  • Bonin's childhood in poverty and abuse in Willimantic, Connecticut, shaped his twisted psyche.
  • Bonin suffered severe abuse from his father and grandfather, as well as in an orphanage and juvenile hall.
  • Bonin's time in the Air Force during the Vietnam War influenced his violent tendencies and mental disorders.
  • Many Vietnam War veterans, including Bonin, became serial killers, possibly due to the normalization of killing in combat.
  • Bonin's return to civilian life in California led him to continue his violent acts, targeting hitchhikers for torture and murder.

10:42

"Freeway Killers: Terror in Southern California"

  • In 1968, Bonin picked up three teenage boys while hitchhiking, took them to secluded places, handcuffed them, and sexually assaulted them, deriving pleasure from their fear.
  • Arrested in 1969 for kidnapping and sexual misconduct, Bonin was diagnosed as a sexual psychopath and sent to Atascadero State Hospital for treatment.
  • Despite being labeled as "extremely disturbed," Bonin convinced doctors he was no longer a danger to society and was released in 1974.
  • After release, Bonin resumed his crimes, picking up and assaulting teenage boys, escalating to torture and murder.
  • Bonin's crimes intensified, with victims being brutally tortured, leading to suspicions of a serial killer in the area.
  • Bonin's modus operandi involved picking up teenage boys, torturing them, and inflicting extreme pain before killing them.
  • Bonin's crimes were part of a series of killings by three serial killers in the same area, known as the Freeway Killers.
  • Randy Kraft, another Freeway Killer, was a friend of Bonin's and also committed brutal murders, possibly more than 50.
  • Patrick Kearney, the third Freeway Killer, was responsible for at least 21 murders of boys and young men in southern California.
  • The chaos and fear caused by the Freeway Killers in southern California during the 1970s and 1980s were immense, with their brutal crimes shocking the community.

21:21

California Serial Murders: Bonin and Kraft

  • Serial murders in California in 1977 by sadists Bonin and Kraft, with no overlap.
  • Randy Kraft had an unidentified accomplice during his tortures.
  • Bonin also had partners in crime, including Vernon Butts, a low-IQ individual.
  • Butts, obsessed with magic and the occult, became Bonin's lover and accomplice.
  • Butts was present during multiple murders, engaging in extreme depravity.
  • Gregory Miley, with an IQ of an 11-year-old, was involved in assaults with Bonin.
  • Billy Pugh, an accomplice, revealed details to a counselor, leading to Bonin's arrest.
  • Bonin involved James Michael Munro in torturing and murdering victims.
  • Bonin's arrest came after Munro's involvement in a murder, leading to the discovery of Bonin's crimes.
  • Bonin's lack of remorse and casual attitude towards torture and murder shocked investigators and witnesses.

31:48

Bonin's brutal crimes and final execution.

  • Bonin was involved in the kidnapping, torture, and murder of at least 21 young males between May 1979 and June 1980.
  • Munro fled from Bonin's house and hitchhiked to Michigan to escape, where he was later arrested in July.
  • Miley was arrested in Texas in August, while Butts refused to admit to the charges and was found dead in his cell in January 1981.
  • Miley and Munro testified against Bonin, receiving life sentences, with Miley showing signs of mental retardation due to severe parental neglect.
  • Pugh pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter and testified against Bonin, serving only four years.
  • Munro has been unsuccessful in his attempts to be released from prison, facing public outrage and a petition against his release.
  • Bonin was sentenced to death, showing no remorse for his crimes, and was executed in 1996 after a final statement advising against criminal actions.
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