1996 Raleigh Murders

Overview

The 1996 Raleigh murders refer to a chilling series of six murders and multiple rapes that targeted female residents in Raleigh, North Carolina, throughout 1996. From January to December, these heinous crimes created a climate of fear as investigators believed they were dealing with a serial killer. The grim nature of the cases prompted a major investigation, which ultimately revealed a more complex web of violence and crime.

Quick Facts

• Location: Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina
• Date: January 7 – December 23, 1996
• Victims: Patricia Ashe, Dewanna Burt, Patricia Woods, Dawn Grandy, Cynthia Brown, and Deborah Elliot
• Target: Prostitutes
• Attack Type: Serial killings
• Deaths: 6
• Perpetrators: Multiple
  • Confirmed Perpetrators: Leman Evans, John Williams Jr.
• Convictions:
  • Williams: First-degree murder (2 counts)
  • Evans: Voluntary manslaughter
• Sentence:
  • Williams: Death
  • Evans: 23-27 months imprisonment

The Murders

Patricia Ashe

The nightmare began on January 7, 1996, when the body of 33-year-old Patricia Ashe, a known crack cocaine user and suspected prostitute, was discovered by local resident Rodney Bass. Ashe was found nude, lying on a bench, with a pair of jeans and a long-sleeve t-shirt underneath her. An autopsy revealed she had been strangled, and her body bore signs of a struggle—scratches and scrapes indicating she fought her attacker.

Dewanna Burt

Just ten days later, on January 17, the lifeless body of 36-year-old Dewanna Burt was found in a parking lot on Poole Road. She had suffered a single gunshot wound to the back of her head, a brutal and abrupt end to her life.

Patricia Woods

The darkness continued to spread when, on June 13, the body of 38-year-old Patricia Gwendolyn Woods was discovered inside Oakwood Cemetery—eerily close to where she had lived, amplifying the community's fear.

Dawn Grandy

On July 13, another victim surfaced. A transient found 30-year-old Dawn Marie Grandy dead in a homeless camp beneath the Morgan Street bridge. This case highlighted the vulnerability of those living on the fringes of society.

Cynthia Brown

In a haunting twist, an unidentified woman was found dead in August, only to be identified on January 9, 1997, as 32-year-old Cynthia Louise Brown. The murders went quiet for several months, only to erupt again as the year drew to a close.

Deborah Elliot

On December 23, 1996, Deborah Jean Elliot, a dedicated mother of three, spoke with her sisters about Christmas plans before she left home late that night to meet one of them. Tragically, she never arrived. Her body was found on December 26, completely nude except for her socks and shoes. The shocking nature of her murder left family members reeling, as they struggled to comprehend who would want to harm her.

Investigation

In the wake of Elliot's murder, Raleigh police began investigating the six killings as potentially connected, suspecting a serial killer was at large. With help from the FBI, they created a psychological profile of the killer. The investigation was extensive, employing 54 detectives and offering a $6,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

The authorities conducted over 6,000 interviews and increased surveillance. Investigators linked the killer to numerous rapes in the area dating back to October 1995, revealing a pattern of predatory behavior that deepened the urgency of the investigation.

Suspects

Leman Evans

In January 1997, 60-year-old Leman Evans was arrested in connection with Dewanna Burt's murder. Evans had previously been known to Burt's family and ultimately confessed to killing her. In August 1997, he pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and received a sentence of 23 to 27 months in prison.

John Williams Jr.

Meanwhile, the case took an even darker turn with the arrest of John Williams Jr. Born on February 20, 1961, in Augusta, Georgia, Williams was homeless at the time of his crimes and had a criminal history that included convictions for attempted rape and aggravated assault.

On February 4, 1997, Williams approached a woman named Shelly Jackson while she was drinking near Moore Square. After inviting her to use cocaine with him, he attacked her in an abandoned truck, threatening her life. In a dramatic turn of events, Jackson fought back and managed to escape, alerting nearby police. When officers arrived, they found Williams wandering with blood on his shirt and arrested him.

As investigators looked into his background, they noted striking similarities between his attack on Jackson and the unsolved murders. While awaiting trial for attempted murder, Williams was charged in March with the first-degree murder of Patricia Ashe and later, the murder of Deborah Elliot. DNA evidence linked him to both crime scenes and matched evidence from four rape investigations, painting a damning picture.

Trial

The trial for John Williams began in late January 1998. Prosecutors sought the death penalty, presenting a strong case against him. Williams' defense attempted to argue that his mental state was compromised due to a traumatic childhood, marked by abuse and witnessing horrific events. They also questioned the reliability of the DNA evidence, suggesting that it only proved he had been with the victims at some point.

Despite these efforts, the jury, consisting of seven men and five women, found Williams guilty. He received the death penalty for both murders and was also convicted of raping two other women, though he was acquitted in one attempted rape case. An attempt to have his sentence changed to life imprisonment was denied by the North Carolina Supreme Court in 2002. As of 2023, Williams remains on death row, awaiting execution.

Conclusion

The 1996 Raleigh murders remain a haunting chapter in the history of North Carolina. While two perpetrators have been convicted, the unresolved murders of Dawn Grandy, Cynthia Brown, and Patricia Woods continue to cast a long shadow over the community. The investigation into these brutal crimes not only unearthed the depths of human depravity but also raised critical questions about the vulnerabilities of marginalized individuals in society.

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Sources

• "Police Charge Man in One of Six Raleigh Slayings" . WRAL-TV . February 6, 1997.
• "This serial rapist and killer who sparked fear among Raleigh women in the 1990s remains on death row" . WTVD . March 15, 2019.
• "Man Charged with Second Raleigh Murder, Suspect in Two Other 1996 Slayings" . WRAL-TV . March 18, 1997.
• Sukey Stephens & Angela Paik (July 8, 1996). "Woman's body found near tracks" . The News & Observer.
• "UNSOLVED" . The News & Observer . July 13, 1996.
• "Six who died" . The News & Observer . January 26, 1997.
• "Murder Victim Knew Suspect" . WRAL-TV . January 9, 1997.
• "Leman Evans confessed to killing Dewanna Burt" . WRAL-TV . January 10, 1997.
• Anne Saker (August 28, 1997). "Still no arrests in 3 of 6 murders that shook Raleigh" . The News & Observer.
• "North Carolina Offender Public Information" . North Carolina Department of Correction.
• Ann Saker (March 4, 1998). "Deliberations begin today over killer's fate" . The News & Observer.
• "Accused in Two Murders, Williams May Be Linked to Others" . WRAL-TV . March 19, 1997.
• "Williams Double Murder Trial Begins" . WRAL-TV . January 27, 1998.
• Ann Saker (February 26, 1998). "Murder trial winds down" . The News & Observer.
• Murder convictions, sentences of six upheld . The News Herald . Associated Press . June 30, 2002.