The Sinister Legacy of Charles Albanese

Overview

Charles Michael Albanese, born on June 13, 1937, in Chicago, Illinois, became one of America's most notorious serial killers. A man driven by greed, he orchestrated the poisoning of three relatives in McHenry, Illinois, between 1980 and 1981, all in a ruthless bid to inherit their wealth. His heinous crimes ultimately led him to the death chamber, where he was executed on September 20, 1995.

Quick Facts

• Born: June 13, 1937, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
• Died: September 20, 1995 (aged 58), Stateville Correctional Center, Crest Hill, Illinois, U.S.
• Cause of Death: Execution by lethal injection
• Other Names: Charles Romaine
• Motive: Financial gain
• Convictions: Murder (3 counts), Attempted murder, Armed robbery, Theft (2 counts)
• Criminal Penalty: Death
• Victims: 3
• Span of Crimes: 1980–1981
• Country: United States
• State: Illinois
• Date Apprehended: November 18, 1981

Early Life

Charles Albanese was the eldest son of entrepreneur Michael Albanese Sr. and his wife Clara. Little is known about his formative years, but those who crossed his path described him as a "spoiled brat" who harbored aspirations of wealth without the accompanying labor. In the mid-1960s, he found employment as a car salesman at Norwood Motors Inc. in Morton Grove, but his criminal inclinations soon surfaced.

His first brush with the law came on February 1, 1965, when Albanese and an accomplice, masquerading as detectives, broke into the home of 61-year-old Emmett Farrell, robbing him of $160. Caught a week later, he faced a grand jury indictment for armed robbery and auto theft, ultimately receiving five years of probation. This misstep marked the beginning of a tumultuous life filled with legal troubles and broken relationships. His first wife left him after six years, taking their three daughters to Wisconsin.

Albanese's second marriage also crumbled amid accusations of financial neglect, yet he carried on, marrying Virginia Mueller in Las Vegas over Labor Day weekend in 1972. This union would become pivotal in his sinister plans.

The Murders

In the summer of 1980, Albanese began frequenting the Leisure Village retirement community in Fox Lake, where his mother-in-law, 69-year-old Marion Mueller, resided alongside her own mother, 89-year-old Mary Lambert. These visits were laced with charm as he brought gifts and shared meals, all the while scheming to have Lambert transfer her financial assets to her daughter—bypassing her other children.

Unbeknownst to his family, Albanese sought advice from a metal plating company operator in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, on eliminating "pests" in his home. The operator unwittingly supplied him with arsenic, and Albanese began administering the poison in small doses to Mueller's meals.

The first victim fell ill on August 6, 1980, suffering from violent vomiting and diarrhea before dying at McHenry Hospital. Initially, her death was attributed to a heart attack. Just twelve days later, Lambert succumbed to a similar fate, her passing also deemed "natural causes." The sudden deaths ignited panic in the community, leading to a thorough investigation of the village's food and water supply, which yielded no signs of contamination.

With both women gone, their combined estates of approximately $150,000 were transferred to Albanese's wife, Virginia. The grim reality of his actions began to unfold.

The Downfall

On September 4, 1980, a heated argument erupted between Charles and his father, who had demoted him from his position in the family business. In a twisted display of gratitude, Albanese began delivering homemade cookies to his father. Just days later, Michael Sr. was hospitalized due to severe nausea and vomiting. Tragedy struck again when he died on May 16, 1981, leaving Albanese a substantial inheritance of $267,373, alongside greater control over the family business.

However, during the autopsy of Michael Sr., McHenry County Coroner Alvin Querhammer discovered traces of arsenic in his serum. A connection was made to the earlier mysterious deaths of Mueller and Lambert. Task forces from both counties launched an investigation, leading to the exhumation of all three bodies, which revealed alarming levels of arsenic.

As the investigation deepened, detectives uncovered Albanese's criminal history and his purchase of arsenic. They soon learned of a planned Thanksgiving trip to Jamaica, which would include his mother, Clara—an alarming prospect given her wealth. Fearing for her safety, they arrested Albanese at his office in McHenry on November 18, 1981, charging him with three counts of murder, attempted murder of his brother, and theft.

Trials, Imprisonment, and Execution

Albanese's shocking case was divided into two trials due to jurisdictional issues. The first trial in Lake County covered the murders of Lambert and his father, along with the attempted murder of his brother. Pleading innocent, Albanese's case moved to Bloomington due to pre-trial publicity. After a mere seven hours of deliberation, the jury found him guilty on all counts on May 18, 1982.

The prosecution sought the death penalty, arguing that Albanese showed no remorse for his actions. On May 20, 1982, he was sentenced to die in the electric chair. A few months later, he faced a second trial in McHenry County for Mueller's murder, where he was again convicted and sentenced to death.

Over the following years, Albanese attempted to appeal his convictions, but his pleas were met with rejection. On September 20, 1995, he was executed by lethal injection at the Stateville Correctional Center, continuing to profess his innocence until the end. For his last meal, he requested prime rib, baked potato, garlic bread, coffee, Coca-Cola, and pistachio ice cream. As the final moments approached, he offered a simple, "Thank you," to the warden before facing his fate.

Sources

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