William Suff
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William Lester Suff (born Bill Lee Suff; August 20, 1950), also known as The Riverside Prostitute Killer and The Lake Elsinore Killer, is an American
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 ...
.


Early crimes

In 1974, a
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
jury convicted Suff and his then-wife, Teryl, of beating their two-month-old daughter to death. The
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (CCA) is the court of last resort for all criminal matters in Texas. The Court, which is based in the Supreme Court Building in Downtown Austin, is composed of a Presiding Judge and eight judges. Article V of ...
later reversed Teryl's conviction but upheld Suff's in ''Suff v. State'' (Tex. 1976) 531 S.W.2d 814, finding insufficient evidence to convict her as either the primary actor or a principal in their baby's murder. Though Suff was sentenced to 70 years in a Texas
prison A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correc ...
, he served only ten years before his 1984 release on
parole Parole (also known as provisional release or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...
. He is currently incarcerated at
San Quentin San Quentin State Prison (SQ) is a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation state prison for men, located north of San Francisco in the unincorporated place of San Quentin in Marin County. Opened in July 1852, San Quentin is the o ...
after having been convicted of killing twelve women in
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
and receiving the
death penalty Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is the state-sanctioned practice of deliberately killing a person as a punishment for an actual or supposed crime, usually following an authorized, rule-governed process to conclude that t ...
in 1995.


Murders

Suff was convicted of twelve counts of murders and one count of attempted murder. Rhonda Jetmore
On January 10, 1989, Rhonda Jetmore, 27, a prostitute, entered into a sexual transaction with Suff. The agreement turned violent when he began choking her. She struck him with a flashlight she had in her hand, causing Suff to lose his grip, allowing her to briefly escape. Suff tackled her to the ground and began ripping off her clothes. He stuck his finger in her mouth and she bit down, causing one of her teeth to break. Suff pulled back and Jetmore was able to run to the door, but was tackled again. As she pleaded with Suff to let her go, he lost track of his glasses. She used her flashlight to shine a light on them and when Suff went to pick them up, she ran out the door and flagged down a car. The passenger, who she happened to know, pulled out a gun and fired at Suff, and she was able to escape.
Kimberly Lyttle
On June 28, 1989, Kimberly Lyttle, 28, was found manually strangled to death on the side of the road in
Lake Elsinore Lake Elsinore is a natural freshwater lake in Riverside County, California, located east of the Santa Ana Mountains and fed by the San Jacinto River. Originally named ''Laguna Grande'' by Spanish explorers, it was renamed for the town of Elsino ...
. Her autopsy revealed that she had been hit in the head, and she had cigarette burns on her arms and other areas of her body; all injuries occurring prior to her death. She was covered with a blue bath towel, which was found to have red, white, and blue fibers that were matched to a sleeping bag in Suff's van.
Christina Leal
On December 13, 1989, the body of Christina Leal, 23, was found strangled and stabbed to death on a Quail Valley hillside; she was last seen the night before. Her autopsy revealed marks around her wrists and ankles, indicating she was bound, scratch marks on her face, a black eye, four stab wounds in the middle of her chest, at least two knife wounds on her genitalia, and one of her nipples was partially removed; all antemortem. A lightbulb had been inserted into her uterus and was recovered intact.
Darla Jane Ferguson
On January 18, 1990, Darla Ferguson, 23, was found strangled in
Riverside Riverside may refer to: Places Australia * Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania Canada * Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon * Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta * Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural m ...
, just half a mile from the body of Kimberly Lyttle. She was found with her legs propped up and a trash bag pulled over the top half of her body, tied at the waist with a rope. Her wrists had been bound and she suffered blunt force trauma before death.
Carol Lynn Miller
On February 9, 1990, Carol Miller, 35, was found nude, with the exception of a shirt pulled over her head, in a grapefruit orchard in Highgrove. The
frenulum A frenulum (or frenum, plural: frenula or frena, from the Latin ''frēnulum'', "little bridle", the diminutive of ''frēnum'') is a small fold of tissue that secures the motion of a mobile organ in the body. In human anatomy Frenula on the h ...
connecting her upper lip to her gums was torn, indicating she was struggling while being smothered. She had no trauma to her neck. She was stabbed 5 times prior to death. Next to her body was a peeled and eaten grapefruit.
Cheryl Coker
On November 6, 1990, the body of Cheryl Coker, 33, was found in
Riverside Riverside may refer to: Places Australia * Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania Canada * Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon * Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta * Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural m ...
, partially inside a dumpster. She was found strangled to death, possibly with a wire, with such great force it cut the skin of her neck. Her right breast had been severed post-mortem and was found on a dirt road 30 feet away. A shoe print matching the size, shape, pattern, and wear of shoes belonging to Suff were found at the scene.
Susan Melissa Sternfeld
On December 21, 1990, Susan Sternfeld, 27, was found strangled, nude, and intentionally posed, near a dumpster in
Riverside Riverside may refer to: Places Australia * Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania Canada * Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon * Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta * Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural m ...
.
Kathleen Leslie Milne
On January 19, 1991, the body of Kathleen Milne, also known as Kathy Puckett, 42, was found nude, lying on a red robe, near a pile of trash, north of
Lake Elsinore Lake Elsinore is a natural freshwater lake in Riverside County, California, located east of the Santa Ana Mountains and fed by the San Jacinto River. Originally named ''Laguna Grande'' by Spanish explorers, it was renamed for the town of Elsino ...
. A white sock had been stuffed in the back of her throat. Her death was ruled asphyxiation due to the combination of strangulation and the sock blocking her airway.
Sherry Ann Latham
On July 4, 1991, Sherry Latham, 37, was found nude, face down, in
Lake Elsinore Lake Elsinore is a natural freshwater lake in Riverside County, California, located east of the Santa Ana Mountains and fed by the San Jacinto River. Originally named ''Laguna Grande'' by Spanish explorers, it was renamed for the town of Elsino ...
. Her cause of death was determined to be strangulation, but due to decomposition, no determination could be made on the method.
Kelly Marie Hammond
On August 16, 1991, Kelly Hammond, 27, of
Rubidoux Rubidoux ( ) was a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Riverside County, California, until July 1, 2011, when it became a neighborhood of the newly formed city of Jurupa Valley. The city is located within Southern California's ...
, was found strangled in an alley in
Corona Corona (from the Latin for 'crown') most commonly refers to: * Stellar corona, the outer atmosphere of the Sun or another star * Corona (beer), a Mexican beer * Corona, informal term for the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes the COVID-19 di ...
. Her nude body appeared to be posed; her right arm was bent and tucked under her abdomen, her left arm was bent with her hand on the ground and palm facing upward, her left leg was drawn to her chest, and her right leg was extended outward. She had two lacerations, which occurred prior to death, on her forehead. Her autopsy revealed her death to be caused by strangulation, with acute opiate intoxication a possible contributing factor.
Catherine McDonald
On September 13, 1991, Catherine McDonald, 30, the only black victim attributed to Suff, was found in
Lake Elsinore Lake Elsinore is a natural freshwater lake in Riverside County, California, located east of the Santa Ana Mountains and fed by the San Jacinto River. Originally named ''Laguna Grande'' by Spanish explorers, it was renamed for the town of Elsino ...
. Her body was also posed; her legs were spread apart but her feet were together, her arms outstretched to the top of her head. She was four months pregnant. Before she died, she was stabbed in the chest three times. She also had a gaping cut on the left side of her neck. Her right breast was removed post-mortem, and she suffered a stab wound, as well as other lacerations, to her genitals, some before and some after death. Her official cause of death was multiple stab wounds to the neck as well as compression. Shoe prints of the same pattern as the other murders were also near McDonald's body.
Delliah Zamora
On October 30, 1991, the body of Delliah Zamora, 35, was found strangled in
Glen Avon Glen Avon is a neighborhood and former census-designated place (CDP) in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 20,199 at the 2010 census, up from 14,853 at the 2000 census. On July 1, 2011, the CDP became part of the newly ...
. She had fingernail injuries consistent with clawing at a ligature, though method was unable to be determined. Her larynx was crushed and broken down the middle, which would require an extreme amount of pressure.
Eleanor Casares
On December 23, 1991, Eleanor Casares, 39, was found in an orange grove in
Riverside Riverside may refer to: Places Australia * Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania Canada * Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon * Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta * Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural m ...
. She was stabbed in the chest and strangled. Her breast was removed post-mortem.

A number of additional murders were attributed to Suff, though he was never charged, with the exception of Cherie Payseur.: Michelle Yvette Gutierrez
On October 29, 1986, Michelle Gutierrez, 26, was found in a drainage ditch in the
Riverside Riverside may refer to: Places Australia * Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania Canada * Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon * Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta * Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural m ...
area.
Charlotte Jean Palmer
On December 10, 1986, Charlotte Palmer, 25, was found near Romoland. Though cause of death could not be determined, authorities believe she was smothered.
Linda Ann Ortega
On April 29, 1988, the nude body of Linda Ortega, 37, was found stabbed to death near the rodeo grounds in
Lake Elsinore Lake Elsinore is a natural freshwater lake in Riverside County, California, located east of the Santa Ana Mountains and fed by the San Jacinto River. Originally named ''Laguna Grande'' by Spanish explorers, it was renamed for the town of Elsino ...
.
Martha Bess Young
On May 2, 1988, the nude body of Martha Young, 27, of
Albuquerque Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...
, was found just a few miles away from Linda Ortega. Her cause of death was determined to be a combination of strangulation and overdose of amphetamines. She was previously reported missing, first by her boyfriend, Joseph Shiflitt, who called her mother on April 10, 1988, and then officially by her mother, 17 days later.
Diane Mae Talavera
On January 17, 1989, Diana Talavera, 37, was found strangled on the beach in
Lake Elsinore Lake Elsinore is a natural freshwater lake in Riverside County, California, located east of the Santa Ana Mountains and fed by the San Jacinto River. Originally named ''Laguna Grande'' by Spanish explorers, it was renamed for the town of Elsino ...
.
Julie Lynn Angel
On November 11, 1989, the body of Julie Angel, 36, was found bludgeoned to death in
Alberhill Alberhill (formerly, Alberhil) is an unincorporated community in Riverside County, California. Alberhill is located northwest of Lake Elsinore. It lies at an elevation of 1234 feet (376 m). Alberhill was named after C.H. Albers and James and Ge ...
, on a street her mother drove every day for work.
Cherie Michelle Payseur
On April 27, 1991, Cherie Payseur, 24, was found on a flower bed behind a bowling alley in
Riverside Riverside may refer to: Places Australia * Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania Canada * Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon * Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta * Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural m ...
. She was initially found nude, but a patron covered the body with a jean jacket before police arrived. She had been hit in the face, and though no official cause of death could be determined, she was thought to have been suffocated. A number of shoe prints were left at the scene, including a partial shoe print on the small of Payseur's back. The analyzed shoe impressions were thought to be the same as the prints from the scene of Cheryl Coker's murder. The semen collected from Payseur's body revealed two donors, ultimately requiring the results to be deemed inconclusive, though the most intensive bands matched that of Suff; as such he could not be excluded as a donor. Suff was charged with Payseur's murder, however, the jury remained deadlocked and he was not convicted.


Arrest

Suff subsequently
rape Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ag ...
d, tortured, stabbed, strangled, and sometimes mutilated 12 or more women in
Riverside County Riverside County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,418,185, making it the fourth-most populous county in California and the 10th-most populous in the Unit ...
between June 28, 1989, and December 23, 1991. On January 9, 1992, Suff was arrested after a routine traffic stop when a police officer found a bloody knife and objects believed to be related to the killings. Suff worked as a warehouse clerk for Riverside County when he was arrested, having been hired while still on parole from Texas. During his time in this job, Suff delivered office furniture to the officers on the task force investigating his killing spree.


Trial

On July 19, 1995, a Riverside County jury found Suff guilty of killing 12 women and attempting to kill another, though police suspected him of being responsible for as many as 22 deaths. Suff did not testify in his defense. During the penalty phase that followed, the prosecutor presented evidence linking Suff to the 1988 murder of a
San Bernardino San Bernardino (; Spanish language, Spanish for Bernardino of Siena, "Saint Bernardino") is a city and county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States. Located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, the city had a ...
woman, as well as evidence that despite his prior Texas prison term for murdering his first daughter, he abused and violently shook his three-month-old daughter by his second wife. On August 17, 1995, after deliberating for only 10 minutes, the jury returned verdicts of guilty on 12 murder counts and on one count of attempted murder. The jury could not
unanimously Unanimity is agreement by all people in a given situation. Groups may consider unanimous decisions as a sign of social, political or procedural agreement, solidarity, and unity. Unanimity may be assumed explicitly after a unanimous vote or impl ...
agree to find him guilty on a 13th count of murder. On October 26, 1995, the trial court followed the jury's verdict and ordered Suff
condemned to death ''Condemned to Death'' is a 1932 British crime film directed by Walter Forde and starring Arthur Wontner, Gillian Lind and Gordon Harker. It was adapted from the play ''Jack O'Lantern'' by James Dawson which was itself based on a 1929 novel by ...
. Suff resides on death row at
San Quentin State Prison San Quentin State Prison (SQ) is a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation state prison for men, located north of San Francisco in the unincorporated place of San Quentin in Marin County. Opened in July 1852, San Quentin is the ...
. His 2014 appeal of the sentence was rejected by the
California Supreme Court The Supreme Court of California is the highest and final court of appeals in the courts of the U.S. state of California. It is headquartered in San Francisco at the Earl Warren Building, but it regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sacra ...
, which upheld the death penalty.


Victims


Book and TV

''The Riverside Killer'' by Christine Keers and Dennis St Pierre was published in 1996 by Pinnacle True Crime. In 1997 ''Cat and Mouse - Mind Games with a Serial Killer'' was published by Dove Books. Suff met with author Brian Alan Lane and told his story. The book includes short stories and poems written by Suff and photos of several of his victims. Suff is the subject of the television program "Real Detective," season 2, episode 2. The 40-minute program includes dramatic recreations and interviews with the lead detective of the Riverside Taskforce, Det. Bob Creed. The episode first aired on March 9, 2017. He is also profiled as part of the Amazon Prime 2013 Documentary "Serial Killers Defined." The case was the subject of an episode of
The New Detectives ''The New Detectives: Case Studies in Forensic Science'' (or simply ''The New Detectives'', formally "Forensic Detectives") is a documentary true crime television show that aired two to three different cases in forensic science per episode from ...
,
Born to Kill? ''Born to Kill?'' is a British true crime television series, made by Twofour Productions. Each episode is an in-depth look at the childhood, and formative years of serial killers in an attempt to find out whether the individuals were born kille ...
and the
Most Evil Killers Britain's Most Evil Killers and World's Most Evil Killers are British crime television programmes on Pick (TV channel). First aired in 2017, the series are narrated by Fred Dinenage, and focus on the most notorious and depraved serial killers th ...
.


See also

*
List of serial killers in the United States A serial killer is typically a person who kills three or more people, with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines serial murder a ...
*
List of serial killers by number of victims A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more people, in two or more separate events over a period of time, for primarily psychological reasons.A serial killer is most commonly defined as a person who kills three or more peop ...


References


External links


"19th Victim Is Linked to a Killer,"
New York Times, December 26, 1991.

New York Times, January 15, 1992.

New York Times, July 29, 1992.

New York Times, July 30, 1992.

New York Times, July 20, 1995. * ttps://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CEEDC113DF933A1575BC0A963958260 "Jury Asks for Death Penalty for Convicted Killer of 12 Women,"New York Times, August 20, 1995.
"Killer of Prostitutes Gets Death Sentence,"
New York Times, October 29, 1995. {{DEFAULTSORT:Suff, William 1950 births 20th-century American criminals American male criminals American murderers of children American people convicted of murder American prisoners sentenced to death American rapists American serial killers Crimes against sex workers in the United States Criminals from Los Angeles Filicides in Texas Living people Male serial killers Murder in Riverside County, California People convicted of murder by California People from Riverside, California Prisoners sentenced to death by California