Emanuel Lovell Webb

Introduction

Emanuel Lovell Webb, born on April 9, 1966, and infamously known as The East End Killer, is an American serial killer whose heinous acts shocked the communities of Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Vidalia, Georgia. Between 1990 and 1994, Webb was linked to the brutal rapes and murders of four women in Bridgeport, before relocating to Georgia, where he committed another murder. His criminal journey is a chilling tale of violence that intertwines with forensic breakthroughs and the grim realities of law enforcement's pursuit of justice.

Quick Facts

• Born: April 9, 1966 (age 59)
• Other names: The East End Killer, The Bridgeport Killer, The Bridgeport Strangler
• Criminal status: Incarcerated
• Convictions:
  • Georgia: Involuntary manslaughter, robbery, theft of a motor vehicle
  • Connecticut: Murder (3 counts)
• Criminal penalties:
  • Georgia: 20 years imprisonment (1994)
  • Connecticut: 60 years imprisonment (2008)
• Details:
  • Victims: 5 (4 convictions)
  • Span of crimes: April 1, 1990 – July 11, 1994
  • Country: United States
  • States: Connecticut and Georgia
  • Date apprehended: November 2005
  • Imprisoned at: MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution

Murders

The East End Killer Strikes

Webb's dark legacy began on April 1, 1990, when Bridgeport police responded to an alarming report of a sports car engulfed in flames. After extinguishing the fire, the fire department made a grim discovery—the charred remains of Sharon Cunningham, a 30-year-old woman, were found in the passenger seat. The investigation revealed that Cunningham had been strangled with a strand of cloth, and DNA evidence suggested she had also been raped. This brutal crime marked the beginning of Webb’s reign of terror.

The killer's next victim was Minnie Sutton, a 29-year-old woman whose body was discovered on March 28, 1992, in her home on Webster Street. Police found her partially clothed and covered in stab wounds—she had been stabbed multiple times in the forehead, neck, chest, and abdomen, and her neck bore signs of strangulation. Disturbingly, Sutton's 3-year-old son was present in the home but unharmed. A cigarette butt found near her body contained male DNA, linking the attacker to the scene.

On Easter Sunday in 1993, Elizabeth "Maxine" Gandy, a 33-year-old mother, went missing. Her body was discovered shortly thereafter in an abandoned pool hall, lying topless with her pants unfastened—evidence of a sexual assault. Blood spatters on the walls indicated a violent struggle, and DNA from a male was found under her fingernails, suggesting she fought back against her assailant.

The killer's final confirmed victim in Connecticut was Sheila Etheridge, a 29-year-old woman. Her lifeless body was found on June 28, 1993, in her apartment by her father and a friend. An autopsy indicated that she had likely been sexually assaulted, and a beer can found near her body also contained male DNA, further tying the crimes together.

The Murder in Georgia

After the chilling murders in Bridgeport, Webb relocated to Georgia, where his violent spree continued. On July 11, 1994, Evelyn Charity, a 36-year-old woman, was discovered dead in her Vidalia home. She had been brutally strangled and stabbed, and her home had been ransacked with her Chevrolet Camaro missing. Webb, then 28 and working as a construction worker, was arrested shortly after when police found him in possession of Charity's vehicle. In a twisted confession, Webb claimed that Charity had died accidentally during a consensual sexual encounter, and he had only stabbed her to stage the scene as a robbery gone wrong. He ultimately pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, robbery, and motor vehicle theft and received a 20-year sentence.

Investigation and Arrest

While the Bridgeport authorities linked Webb to the four murders, they were also investigating up to fifteen other cases, dating back to the 1980s, for potential connections. In the late 1990s, a cold case unit took over the investigation, sending physical evidence to the Connecticut State Police Forensic Science Laboratory, but initially found no results. However, in 2000, DNA from Gandy's murder was submitted to the FBI, aiming to match it with profiles of convicted felons nationwide.

In November 2005, Webb was detained in Georgia for drug possession and for failing to report his change of residency, violating his parole conditions. This led to a brief imprisonment in Charlton County and the requirement to submit a DNA sample for the database. What investigators discovered next would change everything—his DNA matched the samples associated with the East End Killer case.

With Webb's DNA linking him to Gandy's murder, authorities also uncovered circumstantial evidence that tied him to the other victims. Notably, he lived just a short distance from where the murders had taken place, and during the time of the East End murders, he worked as a security guard in the nearby town of Fairfield. After Webb moved to Georgia in 1993, the murders ceased.

Detectives found hospital records showing that Webb had checked into a hospital for serious cuts to his hand on April 20, 1993—the day after Gandy was murdered. This suggested that he had sustained injuries during the violent attack, potentially at the hands of Gandy herself.

Convictions

Webb was extradited to Connecticut in February 2007 and charged with Gandy's murder. At his initial court appearance, his bail was set at a staggering $4 million, and efforts by his attorney to reduce it to $1 million were denied. As authorities continued their investigation, they matched Webb's DNA to forensic evidence from the other three murder scenes, leading to additional charges for those murders.

Initially, Webb was tight-lipped with investigators but eventually offered to plead no contest to all charges. This plea allowed him to avoid directly admitting guilt. In May 2008, charges against him in the Etheridge case were dropped, but the case remained closed due to the DNA evidence. Later that month, Webb was convicted and sentenced to 60 years in prison for his crimes. Following his conviction, he was sent back to Georgia, where he served time until 2014 for parole violations. As of 2025, Webb is incarcerated at the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution, with a scheduled release set for November 18, 2058.

Sources

1. Christoffersen, John (May 23, 2008). Suspect pleads no contest to 3 murder charges, The Day.
2. No suspects in Bridgeport strangling, Record-Journal. April 3, 1990.
3. STATE v. WEBB, May 24, 2011.
4. Bridgeport woman, 29, found stabbed, Hartford Courant. March 29, 1992.
5. DNA evidence links man to Bridgeport's 'East End' killings, The Day. June 8, 2006.
6. Body may be that of missing woman, Hartford Courant. April 21, 1993.
7. Folsom, Chandra Niles (February 16, 2007). 'East End Killer' Extradited, Charged with Four Deaths, Justice Journal.
8. DNA testing leads to arrest of Georgia man, The Atlanta Constitution. June 8, 2006.
9. Suspect in four Bridgeport deaths extradited from Georgia, The Day. February 15, 2007.
10. Police Suspect Man In Killing Spree, Hartford Courant. June 8, 2006.
11. Yardley, William (June 8, 2006). DNA Samples Link 4 Murders in Connecticut, The New York Times.
12. Christoffersen, John (February 16, 2007). Slaying suspect extradited to Conn., held on $4 million bond, The Times.
13. Suspect in Bridgeport Strangulations Is Being Extradited From Georgia, Hartford Courant. February 15, 2007.
14. 60 YEARS IN PRISON FOR KILLING SPREE, The Day. June 25, 2008.
15. Man gets 60 years in prison for Bridgeport murder spree, Record-Journal.
16. "Department of Correction Inmate Information Search", www.ctinmateinfo.state.ct.us. Retrieved April 21, 2025.

Wikipedia URL