Carroll Edward Cole, an American serial killer, was convicted of murdering five women between 1947 and 1980, with confirmed killings occurring in Texas and Nevada. He was apprehended on November 30, 1980, and subsequently sentenced to death in Nevada for two counts of first-degree murder, with additional life sentences for three murders in Texas. Cole was executed by lethal injection on December 6, 1985, at the age of 47. Significant evidence included his confessions and a history of violent behavior, including an early childhood incident where he drowned a classmate, which he later admitted was a precursor to his later crimes. Cole claimed to have murdered up to thirty additional victims, though these claims remain unverified.
Carroll Cole is believed to have committed up to thirty murders between 1947 and 1980, with investigators suspecting that his early childhood experiences of emotional abuse and bullying contributed to his violent behavior. Some theorize that his first murder at the age of eight, which he later confessed to, marked the beginning of a pattern of escalating violence. Additionally, there is speculation that his choice of victims, predominantly women, was influenced by his troubled relationship with his mother and societal perceptions of gender.
The Dark Path of Carroll Cole: A True Crime Tale
Birth of a Serial Killer
Carroll Edward "Eddie" Cole, born on May 9, 1938, in Sioux City, Iowa, was not always the notorious serial killer executed in 1985. His early life laid a grim foundation for the horrors he would later unleash. As the younger of two sons born to LaVerne and Vesta Cole, he experienced a turbulent childhood. When his family relocated to California, his father took a job in a shipyard, only to later leave for World War II. During his father's absence, young Carroll became a pawn in his mother Vesta's extramarital affairs. She dressed him as a girl, subjected him to emotional abuse, and threatened him to silence. These experiences, coupled with the taunting from peers over his "girly name," sowed the seeds of a troubled mind.
The First Act of Violence
At just eight years old, Carroll committed his first murder, setting the stage for a life of crime. This first victim was a schoolmate named Duane, whom Carroll drowned in a lake in Richmond, California. At the time, authorities dismissed the death as an accident, a conclusion that would be proven tragically wrong when Carroll confessed years later in an autobiography written from prison. Reflecting on his actions, Carroll revealed a deep-seated desire to avenge his mother's betrayals, an obsession that would grow over the years.
Criminal Beginnings
Carroll's teenage years were marked by petty crimes and frequent arrests for drunkenness and minor thefts. After high school, he joined the U.S. Army but was dishonorably discharged in 1958 for stealing pistols. His violent tendencies emerged again in 1960 when he attacked couples parked in cars at a lover's lane. It was during this time that he reached out to police in Richmond, California, confessing to violent fantasies about strangling women.
A Troubled Mind
The next three years saw Carroll confined to various mental hospitals, culminating in a stay at Stockton State Hospital. Dr. Weiss, a psychiatrist there, noted Carroll's fear of women and his compulsion to kill them before engaging in intercourse. Despite a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder, Carroll was released in 1963. He moved to Dallas, Texas, where he briefly found stability living with his brother Richard. However, his marriage to an alcoholic stripper named Billie Whitworth quickly crumbled, ending with an arrest for arson after Carroll burned down a motel, convinced Whitworth was unfaithful.
The Descent into Murder
Released from prison, Carroll attempted to strangle an 11-year-old girl in Missouri, leading to a five-year prison sentence. Upon release, he moved to Nevada, where his murderous urges continued unchecked. Despite checking himself into a mental hospital, he was released again, and his dark path resumed in San Diego.
The year 1971 marked the beginning of his adult killing spree. Carroll strangled Essie Louise Buck after meeting her in a San Diego tavern, later disposing of her body. Over the next decade, he would claim many more lives, often targeting women he perceived as unfaithful, a reflection of his hatred toward his mother.
A Gruesome Pattern
Carroll's marriage to Diana Faye Younglove Pashal in 1973 did little to curb his violent impulses. Their volatile relationship saw Carroll disappearing for days, committing murders during these absences. In 1979, he strangled Pashal and, despite police finding her body wrapped in a blanket, they misattributed her death to alcoholism, allowing Carroll to go free.
His killing spree continued in Las Vegas, where he met Marie Cushman at a bar. After spending the night together in a motel, he strangled her. Back in Dallas, he killed three more women in November 1980. Although initially considered a suspect, Carroll was nearly exonerated until he confessed to a string of murders spanning nine years and multiple states.
Justice and Execution
Carroll's confession led to his conviction on April 9, 1981, for three Texas murders, earning him a life sentence at Huntsville Prison. In 1984, following his mother's death, he faced murder charges in Nevada, accepting the possibility of a death sentence. Convicted for two strangulations in 1977 and 1979, Carroll was sentenced to death in October 1984.
On December 6, 1985, Carroll Cole was executed by lethal injection at Nevada State Prison. Despite efforts from anti-death penalty advocates to commute his sentence, Carroll remained resolute, insisting on his punishment. His last meal consisted of jumbo fried shrimp, french fries, salad with French dressing, and clam chowder. His final hours saw him convert to Catholicism, and after his execution, his brain was studied for abnormalities at the University of Nevada-Reno.
Conclusion
Carroll Cole's life was a tragic tapestry of abuse, mental illness, and unrestrained violence. His story serves as a chilling reminder of the complexities of human psychology and the potential for darkness within.
Sources
For further reading, the original Wikipedia entry on Carroll Cole can be found here.
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First Murder
Carroll Cole drowns a classmate, Duane, in a lake.
First Adult Victim
Cole strangles Essie Louise Buck in his car.
Wife Murdered
Cole strangles his wife, Diana Pashal, and hides her body.
Arrested
Cole is arrested after being linked to multiple murders in Dallas.
Convicted in Texas
Cole is convicted of three murders in Texas and sentenced to life.
Extradited to Nevada
Cole is extradited to face murder charges in Nevada.
Death Sentence
Cole is sentenced to death for the strangulation of two women.
Executed
Carroll Cole is executed by lethal injection in Nevada.
Carroll Edward Cole, an American serial killer, was convicted of murdering five women between 1947 and 1980, with confirmed killings occurring in Texas and Nevada. He was apprehended on November 30, 1980, and subsequently sentenced to death in Nevada for two counts of first-degree murder, with additional life sentences for three murders in Texas. Cole was executed by lethal injection on December 6, 1985, at the age of 47. Significant evidence included his confessions and a history of violent behavior, including an early childhood incident where he drowned a classmate, which he later admitted was a precursor to his later crimes. Cole claimed to have murdered up to thirty additional victims, though these claims remain unverified.
Carroll Cole is believed to have committed up to thirty murders between 1947 and 1980, with investigators suspecting that his early childhood experiences of emotional abuse and bullying contributed to his violent behavior. Some theorize that his first murder at the age of eight, which he later confessed to, marked the beginning of a pattern of escalating violence. Additionally, there is speculation that his choice of victims, predominantly women, was influenced by his troubled relationship with his mother and societal perceptions of gender.
The Dark Path of Carroll Cole: A True Crime Tale
Birth of a Serial Killer
Carroll Edward "Eddie" Cole, born on May 9, 1938, in Sioux City, Iowa, was not always the notorious serial killer executed in 1985. His early life laid a grim foundation for the horrors he would later unleash. As the younger of two sons born to LaVerne and Vesta Cole, he experienced a turbulent childhood. When his family relocated to California, his father took a job in a shipyard, only to later leave for World War II. During his father's absence, young Carroll became a pawn in his mother Vesta's extramarital affairs. She dressed him as a girl, subjected him to emotional abuse, and threatened him to silence. These experiences, coupled with the taunting from peers over his "girly name," sowed the seeds of a troubled mind.
The First Act of Violence
At just eight years old, Carroll committed his first murder, setting the stage for a life of crime. This first victim was a schoolmate named Duane, whom Carroll drowned in a lake in Richmond, California. At the time, authorities dismissed the death as an accident, a conclusion that would be proven tragically wrong when Carroll confessed years later in an autobiography written from prison. Reflecting on his actions, Carroll revealed a deep-seated desire to avenge his mother's betrayals, an obsession that would grow over the years.
Criminal Beginnings
Carroll's teenage years were marked by petty crimes and frequent arrests for drunkenness and minor thefts. After high school, he joined the U.S. Army but was dishonorably discharged in 1958 for stealing pistols. His violent tendencies emerged again in 1960 when he attacked couples parked in cars at a lover's lane. It was during this time that he reached out to police in Richmond, California, confessing to violent fantasies about strangling women.
A Troubled Mind
The next three years saw Carroll confined to various mental hospitals, culminating in a stay at Stockton State Hospital. Dr. Weiss, a psychiatrist there, noted Carroll's fear of women and his compulsion to kill them before engaging in intercourse. Despite a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder, Carroll was released in 1963. He moved to Dallas, Texas, where he briefly found stability living with his brother Richard. However, his marriage to an alcoholic stripper named Billie Whitworth quickly crumbled, ending with an arrest for arson after Carroll burned down a motel, convinced Whitworth was unfaithful.
The Descent into Murder
Released from prison, Carroll attempted to strangle an 11-year-old girl in Missouri, leading to a five-year prison sentence. Upon release, he moved to Nevada, where his murderous urges continued unchecked. Despite checking himself into a mental hospital, he was released again, and his dark path resumed in San Diego.
The year 1971 marked the beginning of his adult killing spree. Carroll strangled Essie Louise Buck after meeting her in a San Diego tavern, later disposing of her body. Over the next decade, he would claim many more lives, often targeting women he perceived as unfaithful, a reflection of his hatred toward his mother.
A Gruesome Pattern
Carroll's marriage to Diana Faye Younglove Pashal in 1973 did little to curb his violent impulses. Their volatile relationship saw Carroll disappearing for days, committing murders during these absences. In 1979, he strangled Pashal and, despite police finding her body wrapped in a blanket, they misattributed her death to alcoholism, allowing Carroll to go free.
His killing spree continued in Las Vegas, where he met Marie Cushman at a bar. After spending the night together in a motel, he strangled her. Back in Dallas, he killed three more women in November 1980. Although initially considered a suspect, Carroll was nearly exonerated until he confessed to a string of murders spanning nine years and multiple states.
Justice and Execution
Carroll's confession led to his conviction on April 9, 1981, for three Texas murders, earning him a life sentence at Huntsville Prison. In 1984, following his mother's death, he faced murder charges in Nevada, accepting the possibility of a death sentence. Convicted for two strangulations in 1977 and 1979, Carroll was sentenced to death in October 1984.
On December 6, 1985, Carroll Cole was executed by lethal injection at Nevada State Prison. Despite efforts from anti-death penalty advocates to commute his sentence, Carroll remained resolute, insisting on his punishment. His last meal consisted of jumbo fried shrimp, french fries, salad with French dressing, and clam chowder. His final hours saw him convert to Catholicism, and after his execution, his brain was studied for abnormalities at the University of Nevada-Reno.
Conclusion
Carroll Cole's life was a tragic tapestry of abuse, mental illness, and unrestrained violence. His story serves as a chilling reminder of the complexities of human psychology and the potential for darkness within.
Sources
For further reading, the original Wikipedia entry on Carroll Cole can be found here.
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
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First Murder
Carroll Cole drowns a classmate, Duane, in a lake.
First Adult Victim
Cole strangles Essie Louise Buck in his car.
Wife Murdered
Cole strangles his wife, Diana Pashal, and hides her body.
Arrested
Cole is arrested after being linked to multiple murders in Dallas.
Convicted in Texas
Cole is convicted of three murders in Texas and sentenced to life.
Extradited to Nevada
Cole is extradited to face murder charges in Nevada.
Death Sentence
Cole is sentenced to death for the strangulation of two women.
Executed
Carroll Cole is executed by lethal injection in Nevada.