Charles Albright
“Eyeball Killer, Dallas Ripper and Dallas Slasher”
Serial killer researched and summarized by
Victoria Bedford, Maryann Bishop, Jillian Lee Allen, Lauren Blanks,
Annemarie Bartholomew, & Ann Spangler
Department of Psychology
Radford University
Radford, VA 24142-6946
Date
Age
Life Event
Aug 10, 1933
0
Born in Amarillo Texas, adopted as the only child of Fred and Delle Albright
No specific dates
As a child he was doted upon and would be dressed in girl’s clothes and given a doll at times when his aunt was present. He was an impulsive child and would always manage to get out of the yard behind where his mother worked. She searched the fence and found no openings, but later learned he would wait for people passing by and simply would ask them to lift him over. Della ended up tying him to the porch to keep him away from the fence.
No specific dates
As soon as he received his first gun, he began shooting small animals like squirrels and rabbits, etc, and wanted to become a taxidermist and with Delle’s help, learned to skin and stuff them but grew bored of small animals.
As a teen he helped his mother in her real estate business
1946
13
Convicted of aggravated assault, mother goes to bat for him, as she always will.
1947
14
Owned property that his adoptive parents bought for him
1948
15
Had sex with local prostitute and received “crabs.”
1949
16
Stole $380.00 from a cash register, and after a police investigation, they found 2 handguns, and a rifle worth over $111.00.
April 21, 1951
17
Sentenced to prison for theft and receiving stolen goods, served 6 months of a 2 year term, and this began his fate of the 10’s… he has trouble with the law approximately every 10 years, but was apparently a successful thief and conman in between!
1951?
17
Went to Arkansas State Teacher’s College. Broke into a girl’s dorm and stole nude pictures, and also broke into a professor’s office.
1952?
18
Cut out the eyes of a friend’s ex-girlfriend and pasted them on the walls and onto another girl’s face (her picture).
1952-53?
19
Dated Bettye Nestor, an excellent prim and proper young lady, who worked in the president’s office and then he tricked her into stealing keys for all over the college and used them unethically to aid his schemes.
Dec 27, 1954
20
Married 2 days after Christmas, to Bettye Nestor, a teacher at Kimball HS. Rarely keeps a job more than 3 months and became a bullfighter to show friends he could, styled hair, manufactured baseball bats, became and illustrator, and was a designer for a company that made airplanes.
1954
20
Stole a bunch of equipment from the college and was ready to take it away at end of semester, but caught, which leads to expulsion from school, but did not lead to criminal prosecution.
1961
27
Arrested for receiving and concealing stolen goods. Charges didn’t stick so he was released and suffered no consequences.
1968
34
Forged papers from Arkansas State Teacher’s college, changing grades to A’s and B’s, and giving himself a Bachelor’s Degree, and then a Masters.
1970
36
Sentenced to 3 years probation in Hunt County for forgery and altering official records (to change his grades and get undeserved academic recognition for jobs).
1971
37
Arrested for forging cashiers checks. Only received probation.
1975
41
Separated from wife, Bettye.
April 1979
46
Was sentenced to a year’s probation after stealing 2 perfume atomizers from a Dallas store (he always loved giving gifts, even when unemployed, so assumed most were stolen).
1980
47
Sent back to prison after pleading guilty to stealing a miter saw and other items openly from a Dallas store ( Cut back door chain, shopped and took cart outside, was ready to load and leave when managers stopped him).
1981
48
Mother, Delle, dies. He travels and meets his birth mother.
1981
48
Is accused of molesting a 9 year old girl, and claims innocence and not understand why his friends and the girl would say such things, but accepted a guilty plea not to cause further problems.
1984 -87
51-54
Dated Mary White, who came back long after he was convicted and insisted she was afraid of him and knew he killed Pratt because of astrological tables he followed and knew he would kill again.
1885
52
Went to trial for sexual molestation case and received probation.
1986
53
Father, Fred, dies. Albright moves in with Dixie Austin. He inherits almost $100,000 from the savings and efforts of his parents. Even with his inheritance, Dixie worked at a gift shop and fully supported Albright and paid all the household expenses.
1987
54
Divorced Bettye Nestor, they had one daughter.
1988
55
Rhonda Bowie, 30, another Dallas prostitute, found dead from stab wounds, eyes not removed.
1990
57
He tries to start a romantic relationship with Glenda Durham until she learns about Dixie.
Note:
1990
57
Starts drawing pictures of mutilated women, -- the prostitutes he murdered? But not sure if it was before or after the first murder. Also, is beginning to display odd behaviors, such as mowing lawn in underwear and collecting serial killer books.
1990-91?
57-8
Albright has an early morning shift delivering newspapers around which questions as well as alibis arose.
Dec 13 1990
57
Date of first slaying and eyeball removal, Mary Lou Pratt (age 35), prostitute, shot in the back of the head, eyes cut out and her body dumped in southern Dallas County. In about 3 mos, there was an encyclopedia think file on Albright, but by then, 2 others were killed in the same manner.
Feb.10, 1991
58
Second slaying- Susan Beth Peterson, 27, shot in the back of the head, eyes cut out and her bodies dumped in southern Dallas County.
Mar 19, 1991
58
Third slaying- Shirley Elizabeth Williams, 41-year-old black prostitute was found shot in the back of head, eyeballs removed, her body dumped in southern Dallas County, found in the 2800 block of Bently Ave. [Albright lived nearby at 1000 block of El Dorado Ave, Oak Cliff, TX.]
March 22, 1991
58
Albright’s home in the 1000 block of El Dorado Avenue is raided by police and searched where they found a pick-up truck that had been stolen from Chevrolet in 1988, and he is taken in for questioning, he is questioned for 7 hours.
March 23, 1991
58
He was not charged then, as the evidence from his home didn’t link him to the case, however it pushed the investigations further.
April18, 1991
58
Albright, indicted in the third of the three slayings on April 18, is in solitary confinement at the Lew Sterrett Justice Center. Before his March arrest in connection with the gruesome killings, murky undertows of vice, deceit and sexual depravity tugged quietly against the public persona of the amiable 57-year-old whom neighbors adored.
June 25, 1991
58
Albright’s lawyer, Brad Lollar, “challenged the state's right to hold Mr. Albright pending an indictment in the October 1988 death of Rhonda Bowie.”
Aug. 21, 1991
58
Albright is “charged with murdering four Dallas-area prostitutes, also has become the chief suspect in two Arkansas killings” and many other unsolved murders try to find their way to Albright as killer.
Nov.2, 1991
58
Prosecutors are consider dropping one of four murder cases against Albright (Rhonda Bowie) because witnesses say he was at a softball tournament in New Mexico when the 1988 killing occurred in Dallas, which had the same fiber or hair evidence as in the three other cases currently under way. Police said that hairs or fibers found on the body of 30-year-old prostitute Rhonda Bowie implicated Albright.
Dec.7, 1991
In more than 20 years of studying serial killers, FBI Agent Judson M. Ray testified Friday, he has never seen anything like the "precision cutting' used to mutilate three Dallas prostitutes. "What was interesting to us was the method in which these victims, these body parts, were taken,' the FBI agent said. "In my professional opinion, it's doubtful that you would have more than one person that deranged living in this city.'
Dec.11, 1991
58
Neighbor testified that Albright was a very pleasant neighbor who often gave gifts and did free electrical work.
Dec 12 1991
58
Defense Forensic expert, Samuel J. Palenik, a small particles expert, testified that hair samples representing much of the evidence against Albright may not belong to him, Charles Albright’s girlfriend Dixie also testified saying that Albright was not capable of committing such violent crimes and also insists he was with her for at least one murder time. Palenik also questioned if the evidence from Albright’s vacuum cleaner even came from the victims, while the prosecution expert, Charles Linch of Dallas, listened
Dec.17, 1001
58
Case goes to jury.
Dec ?1991
58
Jury convicts Albright on one murder, Shirley Williams, due to strongest evidence (also her yellow raincoat) and he is sentenced to life in prison.
Dec, 10, 1995
62
More multiple prostitute slayings in Dallas
Nov.17, 2004
71
After reading the book, and reading all the news articles, we feel Mr. Albright may have been wrongly convicted of Shirley William’s murder, and that whoever killed her likely killed the other two as well. We cannot guess if he has ever killed others, but lean towards his innocence in these three that qualify him as a serial killer. He does not seem to be a nice man, but maybe not a serial killer either.
General Information
Sex
Male
Race
White
Number of victims
3 (only convicted of one)
Country where killing occurred
United States
States where killing occurred
Texas
Childhood Information
Date of birth
August 10, 1933
Location
Amarillo, Texas
Birth order
An adopted only child
Number of siblings
None in adoptee family, 1 sister? birth mother
XYY?
Unknown but not specifically mentioned
Raised by
Both parents, Fred and Delle, Delle was doting and over-protective and controlling
Birth category
Only child
Parent’s marital status
Married
Family event
Nothing notable until mother’s death, then later, father’s
Age of family event
48/53
Problems in school?
Grades varied, bright, in trouble mostly in college.
Teased while in school?
Not mentioned, other than mother and aunt dressing him like a girl at home while very young
Physically attractive?
Fairly so, very charming
Physical defect?
No
Speech defect?
No
Head injury?
No (none known)
Physically abused?
No
Psychologically abused?
No, but Mother was always in his life trying to control him, and she and his aunt sometimes dressed him as a girl
Sexually abused?
No,
Father’s occupation
Not noted, but saved and bought land
Age of first sexual experience
15
Age when first had intercourse
15 with a prostitute, and acquired lice
Mother’s occupation
Mother/wife and in real estate
Father abused drugs/alcohol
No
Mother abused drugs/alcohol
No
Cognitive Ability
Highest grade in school
12, graduated from Adamson HS in Oak Cliff (15)
Highest degree
Diploma, GED, associates, bachelors… some he forged
Grades in school
Not noted either way, but spoken of as smart
IQ
Not noted
Work History
Served in the military?
No
Applied for job as a cop?
No
Worked in law enforcement?
No
Fired from jobs?
Seems more he got bored and quit.
Types of jobs worked
Baseball bat designer, H.S, biology teacher, Football coach…
Employment status during series
Delivering morning newspapers for Dallas Morning News? But didn’t seem to need to work very often due to funds from his parents, left to him when they died and Dixie worked in a gift shop to pay all the household bills.
Relationships
Sexual preference
Seemed hetero, not stated, but rarely had sex with the prostitutes, more into sadistic demeaning and beatings.
Marital status
Married, divorced, remarried
Number of children
3 by first wife, Bettye
Living with
Girl friend, Dixie at time of murders
Triad
Animal torture
No
Fire setting
No
Bed wetting
No
Killer Psychological Information
Abused drugs?
No
Abused alcohol?
No
Been to a psychologist?
Not noted
Time in forensic hospital?
No
Diagnosis
None, may be Axis II but personality, NPD, etc.
Killer Criminal History
Committed previous crimes?
Yes, long history of petty theft, burglary, and cons
Spend time in jail?
Yes, on and off, but frequently paroled
Spend time in prison?
Yes “ “
Killed prior to series? Age?
No killings before these 3, 1988 suspicious was unfounded even w/ same evidence as that which convicted him, and evidence is shaky for his one conviction and he has requested “Project Innocence” to test the sparse evidence to prove his innocence.
Serial Killing
Number of victims
3
Victim type
Prostitutes (3)
Killer age at start of series
58
Gender of victims
Female
Race of victims
2 white, one black
Age of victims
27, 35 & 41 yrs old
Method of killing
Shot with 44 magnum with silver tips
Type of serial killer
Not noted, as he insists innocence, but precision and posing bodies seemed to be of a pre-planned organized thinker.
How close did killer live?
Lived in same city, drove to outside town to do killings, and brought bodies back in town where they could easily be found.
Killing occurred in home of victim?
None, possibly property he owned, rented by Speedy, another suspect once, who has dropped off face of earth before trial.
Killing occurred in home of killer?
No, in field or his rental property
Weapon
Killer brought with him
Behavior During Crimes
Rape?
Unknown, victims were prostitutes, and it was before DNA testing.
Tortured victims?
No torture, but liked aggressive, rough sex anyway, and seemed to hate prostitutes so much he refused to admit he had been with them, even though that would have set him free.
Stalked victims?
Trolled for prostitutes regularly so they trusted him
Overkill?
No
Quick & efficient?
Yes, seemingly so.
Used blindfold?
No
Bound the victims?
Not during the kill, used surprise and trust
After Death Behavior
Sex with the body?
No, not noted but for one source that claims he removed the eyeballs to have intercourse in the sockets.
Mutilated body?
Yes, skillfully removed their eyes such that it was not noticed till the coroner opened the lids to observe their eyes and was shocked they were not there.
Ate part of the body?
No, unless he ate the eyeballs, which were never found
Drank victim’s blood?
No
Posed the body?
After death
Took totem – body part
Eyes
Took totem – personal item
Not mentioned
Robbed victim or location
No
Disposal of Body
Left at scene, no attempt to hide
No
Left at scene, hidden
No
Left at scene, buried
No
Moved, no attempt to hide
Moved after murder and eye removal, so were easy to find, and posed them lewdly.
Moved, buried
No
Cut-up and disposed of
No
Moved, to home
No
Sentencing
Date killer arrested
March 1991
Date convicted
Dec 18, 1991 by a jury of 9 women and 3 men
Sentence
Life in prison
Killer executed?
No
Name and state of prison
Amarillo, Texas
Killer committed suicide?
No
Killer killed in prison?
No
Date of death
N/A
References
- “The Eyeball Killer” John Matthews and Christine Wicker
Pinnacle Books, Kennsigton Publishing Corp. 1996
- Websites (listed in procedures documents)
http://www.crimezzz.net/serialkiller_index/serienkiller_a.htm
http://www.bunnybass.com/e-zine/mimi/ebay_eyeballkiller.html
http://www.hbo.com/autopsy/episode/episode_5_the_eyeball_killer.html
http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,666850,00.html
http://ijo.sagepub.com/cgi/content/refs/45/1/6
Page 49 http://www.fastceus.com/psychosex6.pdf
Trace-evidence Analyst Left Psychiatric Care To Testify In Murder Trials
(Dallas (TX) Morning News-Metro )
http://www.abolishadoption.com/AdoptedKillers.html
- Dallas Morning News
Houston Chronical Publishing Co, Houston TX
Web.lexis-nexus.com/universe/printdoc
- PeachTree Professional Education, Inc.
Richard K. Nongard, MA, LMFT, CPFT
PO BOX 121 ANDOVER, KS 67002
http://www.fastceus.com/