Garrett Adams
Sociology
Earle Nelson Criminal Profile
Name:
Earle Nelson (The Gorilla Killer) (The Dark Strangler)
Background:
- Lived May 12, 1897 - January 13, 1928
-Both of his parents died of the STD syphilis before he turned two.
- After his parents he lived with his maternal grandmother.
- After she passed he went to live with his aunt and her husband.
-When he was around ten, he was riding his bike when he collided with a car and became unconscious
for six days. After that his behavior became erratic and he suffered headaches and memory loss.
- Nelson became a daydreamer and a compulsive masturbator.
-Growing up Nelson was tormented by kids and often called an animal (due to the way he ate and lack
of manners)
- His aunt helped him get a job at a Catholic hospital.
- He was expelled from school at the age of seven for poor behavior.
- Growing up he often quoted scriptures from the bible but lacked morals and attempted burglaries
numerous times.
Were they in trouble with the law their whole life or first offense?
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He had trouble with the law his whole life.
He began his criminal behavior early, and he was sentenced to two years in San Quentin State
Prison in 1915 after breaking into a cabin he thought was abandoned.
After being put in the US Navy he was put into The Napa State Mental Hospital for behaving
horribly. (He escaped three times)
He began sex crimes at age 21 when he attempted to molest a 12 year old girl named, Mary
Summers. (She screamed and got attention for help)
He went back to the mental institution but was released in 1925.
He started his killing spree in 1926; he often attracted ladies, and gained their trust by keeping a
bible with him. Then he would lure them into rooms and strangle them. Afterwards he would
perform necrophilia with their bodies.
He would often mutilate their bodies and leave them under the nearest bed.
He used false names and avoided capture for 18 months. Many people were falsely arrested in
place of him.
He was arrested twice, ending his killing spree. The first time was in Canada in 1927, he was put
in the local prison under a fake alias. He escaped from the prison, but was recaptured on a train
the following morning.
What is their most recent crime?
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His most recent victim was Emily Patterson and her husband, they were both found strangled
and left underneath their bed. He did the crime right before he got arrested for the first time.
He was put on trial for these killings, and although his lawyers argued that he was mentally ill
and not responsible, the jury found him guilty and he was hanged on January 13 of 1928.
Evidence that pointed to him being guilty?
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Dozens of witnesses.
At the beginning of his trial he failed to deny any killings.
He was notorious for being crazy and immoral by his peers.
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What was their sentence?
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To be hanged and killed.
Quotes?
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There are no quotes by Earle Nelson.
Nicknames?
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He was nicknamed the Gorilla Killer and The Dark Strangler.
Sociological Theory:
I believe that the theory that best describes his behavior and deviance would be the conflict
theory proposed by Karl Marx. Earle Nelson grew up with very little opportunities to excel, although he
had some. It was apparent that society didn’t affect his morals or values. He lived his life the way he
wanted to live it despite approval from his peers and superiors. Ever since he was a kid he was prone to
break the rules, and this is a prime example of he let his personality conflict with what is expected of
him as a person. Even after he was put on trial he displayed a lack of remorse for his actions. He always
appeared adamant and legitimate in his actions. He committed horrible crimes that brought him severe
punishment, but he never once showed any signs of the potential to coexist with the society that he
lived in. He thought of himself as a 100% free man and he let his actions detail this train of thought.
He wouldn’t be included with the differential- association theory because he never had an
influence on him by a group of people. He was always independent with his actions and he didn’t get
along with others. There might be a little bit of labeling theory supported by his actions, because the
more he was criticized and abused by other people, then the more openly deviant his actions became. I
don’t, however, believe that this had a huge effect on his life as a whole. The best theory in this situation
is conflict theory.
Cultural References?
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He was on the television series criminal minds and the book “Bestial” is about him.