Edward Joseph Leonski (December 12, 1917 – November 9, 1942) was a

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

soldier and

serial killer A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more persons,A * * * * with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them. While most authorities set a threshold of three ...

responsible for the strangling murders of three women in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

in 1942. Leonski was dubbed The Brownout Strangler, after Melbourne's wartime practice of dropping the electricity voltage to conserve energy. His self-confessed motive for the killings was a twisted fascination with female voices, especially when they were singing, and his claim that he killed the women to "get their voices". Leonski was court-martialed for murder under American military law, found guilty, and executed. He was the first and only citizen of another country to have been tried and sentenced to death in Australia under the law of their own country.

Early life

The sixth child of Russian-Jewish immigrants John Leonski, laborer, and his wife Amelia, née Harkavitz, in

Kenvil, New Jersey Kenvil is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Roxbury Township, in Morris County, New Jersey, United States, that had been part of the Succasunna-Kenvil CDP as part of the 2000 United States Census, at wh ...

, Leonski grew up in an

abusive Abuse is the improper usage or treatment of a thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, crimes, or other t ...

, alcoholic family. One of his brothers was committed to a mental institution. According to a psychologist who interviewed Leonski during his trial, his mother had been overprotective and controlling. Leonski had been bullied by other neighborhood kids and called a

mama's boy Mother's boy, also commonly and informally mummy's boy or mama's boy, is a term for a man seen as having an unhealthy dependence on his mother at an age at which he is expected to be self-reliant (e.g. live on his own, be economically independent) ...

. Accordingly, the psychologist ruled that Leonski's crimes were born of his resentment and hatred of his mother and thus constituted "symbolic matricide." Leonski worked for a time as a delivery boy.

Military service

He was called up for the U.S. Army in February 1941 and arrived in

, on February 2, 1942, after the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

had entered

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. The Army had set up a temporary base (Camp Pell) in Royal Park just north of the city and the

university A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

Murders

On May 3, 1942, Ivy Violet McLeod, 40, was found dead in Albert Park, Melbourne. She had been beaten and

strangled Strangling is compression of the neck that may lead to unconsciousness or death by causing an increasingly hypoxic state in the brain. Fatal strangling typically occurs in cases of violence, accidents, and is one of two main ways that hanging ...

, and because she was found to be in possession of her purse it was evident that

robbery Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take anything of value by force, threat of force, or by use of fear. According to common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the perso ...

was not the motive. Six days later 31-year-old Pauline Thompson was strangled after a night out. She was last seen in the company of a young man who was described as having an American accent. Gladys Hosking, 40, was the next victim, murdered on May 18 while walking home from work at the Chemistry Department at the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...

. That same night, another woman said that a dishevelled American man had approached her asking for directions, seemingly out of breath and covered with mud. This description matched the individual Thompson was seen with on the night of her murder, as well as the descriptions given by several women who had survived recent attacks. These survivors and other witnesses were able to pick 24-year-old Leonski out of a line-up of American servicemen who were stationed in Melbourne. Leonski, a private in the 52nd Signal Battalion, was arrested and charged with three murders.

Trial and execution

Although Leonski's crimes were committed in Australia, the trial was conducted under American military law. Leonski confessed to the crimes and was convicted and sentenced to death at a

general court-martial A court-martial or court martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of memb ...

on July 17, 1942. American general

Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was C ...

confirmed the sentence on October 14, and a board of review, appointed by MacArthur, upheld the findings and sentence on October 28. General Court-Martial Order 1 promulgated Leonski's death sentence on November 1. In a departure from normal procedure, on November 4, MacArthur personally signed the order of execution (in subsequent executions this administrative task was entrusted to MacArthur's Chief of Staff,

Richard Sutherland Lieutenant General Richard Kerens Sutherland (27 November 1893 – 25 June 1966) was a United States Army officer during World War II. He served as General of the Army Douglas MacArthur's Chief of Staff in the South West Pacific Area during th ...

). Leonski was

hanged Hanging is the suspension of a person by a noose or ligature around the neck.Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed. Hanging as method of execution is unknown, as method of suicide from 1325. The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' states that hanging in ...

at HM Prison Pentridge on November 9. Leonski's defence attorney, former Colorado lawyer Lieutenant Ira C. Rothgerber, Jr. (1913–1993), attempted to win an external review, even from the

U.S. Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...

, but was unable to do so. Rothgerber was likewise court-martialled on MacArthur’s orders for insubordination in questioning the Army’s handling of the case. Leonski was temporarily interred at several cemeteries in Australia. His remains were eventually permanently interred in Section 9, Row B, Site 8 at Schofield Barracks Post Cemetery on the island of O'ahu,

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

. His grave is located in a section of the facility reserved for prisoners who died in military custody.

Media portrayals

In the 1950s, the case was the subject of a two-episode radio dramatization titled "A Strong Man", which was part of a series titled ''D24''. In keeping with usual practice on the series, some names and details were changed, although the dramatization otherwise followed events faithfully. A 1986 feature film, ''

Death of a Soldier ''Death of a Soldier'' is a 1986 Australian film based on the life of American serial killer Eddie Leonski. The film was shot using locations around Melbourne, Victoria. The film is directed by Philippe Mora and stars James Coburn, Bill Hunte ...

'', directed by Philippe Mora, was based on Leonski, who was played by American actor Reb Brown. It is believed that the Australian

painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...

Albert Tucker's ''Images of Modern Evil'' series was somewhat influenced by Leonski's murders. The 2015 television program ''Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer'' (series one, episode one) focused on Leonski..

Footnotes

References

* Chapman, Ivan D., ''Private Eddie Leonski, the Brownout Strangler'', Hale & Iremonger, (Sydney), 1982.
Dower, Alan, "Women sang for this strangler", ''The (Melbourne) Herald'', (Saturday, 11 April 1953), p.14.

Killed to show his Strength, ''The (Perth) Mirror'', (Saturday, 19 April 1952), p.8.

Leonski, Enigma In Life And In Death, Carries His Secret To Grave: Singlet Vital Clue, ''The (Sydney) Truth'', (Sunday, 15 November 1942), p.14.
* Mallon, Andrew, ''Leonski: The Brown-Out Murders'', Outback Press, (Collingwood), 1979.
Mathews, Jack, "When the Whole Truth is Not Enough", ''The Age'', (Tuesday, 15 October 1985), p.14.

Mann, Harry, "'So Long Pal, They're Gonna Give Me A Face Lift!': Brutal Slayer Of 3 Women Joked On His Execution Day", ''The (Perth) Mirror'', (Saturday, 19 April 1952), p.8.
* Shaw, Ian W., ''Murder at Dusk: How US Soldier and Psychopath Eddie Leonski Terrorised Wartime Melbourne'', Hachette Australia, (Sydney), 2018.

National Archives of Australia

A472: W7493: Part 1: "''Court Martial of Edward J. Leonski Pages 10-338 excepting pp 192 & 193 which numbers were missed by the typist, and 240 which is missing''."

A472: W7493: Part 2: "''Transcript of Evidence - Leonski Murder Trial - U.S. Military Forces Pages 1-388 and covering letter''."
* A472: W7493: Part 3: "''Records of Trial Leonski, Edward J. U.S. ARMY Prosecution Exhibits Nos 1 and 51''." (NAA catalog entry)
A472: W7493: Part 4: "''Record of trial of Leonski, Edward J. Supplement A (Exhibits)''."
* A472: W7493: Part 5: "''Court Martial of Edward J. Leonski''." (NAA catalog entry) * A816: 1/301/542: "''Private E.J. Leonski''." (NAA catalog entry)
MP508/1: 4/702/943: "''Trials of American Servicemen for Crimes under Aust. Law Case of Pte E J Leonski''."

A5954: 287/6: "''Leonski Case. Representations to Commander in Chief, Southwest Pacific Area. October 1942''."

Australian National Maritime Museum

* 00017254: ''Three page handwritten letter by United States soldier Private Edward Leonski'': page one of a letter, apparently addressed to "Rene", written while Leonski was in custody in Melbourne.
ANMM catalog entry
* 00017255: ''Three page handwritten letter by United States soldier Private Edward Leonski'': page two of a letter, apparently addressed to "Rene", written while Leonski was in custody in Melbourne.
ANMM catalog entry
* 00017256: ''Three page handwritten letter by United States soldier Private Edward Leonski'': page three of a letter, apparently addressed to "Rene", written while Leonski was in custody in Melbourne.
ANMM catalog entry

External links

* ttp://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A150105b.htm?hilite=leonski Australian Dictionary of Biography Online {{DEFAULTSORT:Leonski, Eddie 1917 births 1942 deaths 20th-century executions of American people Executed people from New Jersey American people of Polish descent American people of Russian descent American people of Russian-Jewish descent Executed American serial killers Male serial killers Murder in Melbourne United States Army soldiers United States Army personnel of World War II United States Army personnel who were court-martialed People convicted of murder by the United States military People executed by the United States military by hanging People from Morris County, New Jersey