Gerald Pizzuto
Serial Killer Conviction Case
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Seattle, Washington
TIME PERIOD
1985
VICTIMS
4 confirmed
Gerald Ross Pizzuto Jr., an American serial killer, was convicted of four murders across Idaho and Washington after previously serving time for a rape conviction in Michigan. The crimes occurred between March and July 1985, beginning with the strangulation of 51-year-old Rita Drury in Seattle, Washington, followed by the shooting of 31-year-old John Jones weeks later. In July 1985, Pizzuto committed a double murder in Marsing, Idaho, killing 58-year-old Alberta Herndon and her 37-year-old nephew Delbert Herndon. He was apprehended shortly after the double murder and has since been sentenced to death in Idaho for the Herndon murders, while receiving a 69-year and seven-month sentence in Washington for the other two murders. Currently, Pizzuto is on death row in Idaho, with his execution pending due to ongoing legal challenges.
Investigators and the public speculate that Gerald Pizzuto may have committed additional undiscovered murders, given the violent nature of his crimes and the time period in which they occurred. Some believe that his history of violent behavior and prior convictions indicate a pattern that could extend beyond the four known victims. There are also theories regarding potential accomplices or influences that may have contributed to his criminal activities during that time.
The Chilling Tale of Gerald Pizzuto: A Life of Violence and the Struggle Against Fate
Childhood Shadows
Gerald Ross Pizzuto Jr., born on January 11, 1956, in Orland, California, grew up amidst harrowing circumstances that would cast a long shadow over his life. Raised in a dysfunctional family, he endured unspeakable abuse at the hands of his stepfather. Starting at the tender age of five or six, Pizzuto was subjected to brutal physical and sexual abuse. His stepfather would wake him with a flashlight and hunting knife, drag him to a garage, tie him up with extension cords, and rape him. Shockingly, this abuse was not a secret; Pizzuto's stepfather even charged other men up to $20 to partake in the horror. His sisters, who were witnesses to his torment, recounted how their mother never intervened.
The abuse left its mark on Pizzuto, causing brain damage and contributing to a history of violence that would follow him into adulthood. He was abusive towards his ex-wife, infamously knocking out her teeth and, on a particularly brutal occasion, causing the loss of their unborn child.
Path to Violence
In 1975, at the age of 19, Pizzuto was convicted of kidnapping and raping a woman at gunpoint in Michigan, which resulted in a sentence of 20 to 40 years in prison. After serving nine years, he was released on parole in 1984. However, he violated this parole and fled to Seattle, Washington, setting off a chain of events that would lead to multiple murders.
A String of Murders
In March 1985, Pizzuto embarked on a killing spree that would claim four lives across Washington and Idaho. His first known murder occurred in Seattle on March 16 or 17, when he and accomplice John Rodewald invaded the home of 51-year-old Rita Drury. As Drury babysat her granddaughter, the men strangled her to death after robbing her of $200.
Two weeks later, on March 30, Pizzuto shot and killed 31-year-old John Roy Jones in Seattle during an altercation over cocaine. The prosecution later disputed Pizzuto's claim that the shooting was accidental.
The violence escalated on July 25, 1985, in Idaho. Pizzuto, with accomplices William Odom and James Rice, attacked 58-year-old Alberta Herndon and her 37-year-old nephew Delbert Herndon at their cabin near McCall. The trio tied the victims, stole their money, and then Pizzuto bludgeoned them to death with a hammer. Rice fired a shot into Delbert's head, and Odom assisted in burying the bodies.
Manhunt and Capture
Pizzuto's reign of terror ended following a manhunt that spanned several states. After the Herndon murders, he fled Idaho, stealing a tourist's truck and forcing another man to drive him to Montana. On July 29, 1985, police and FBI agents apprehended him at his sister's house in Montana. Initially using the alias "Jerry Gilbertson," his true identity was soon uncovered.
Trials and Sentences
Pizzuto faced murder charges in both Idaho and Washington. A legal decision allowed Idaho to try him first. On March 27, 1986, he was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder, felony murder, robbery, and grand theft, earning two death sentences, a 14-year sentence for grand theft, and life imprisonment for robbery. His accomplices received lesser charges and were released after serving 12 years.
Back in Washington, Pizzuto was tried for the murders of Drury and Jones. By October 1987, he had been convicted of first-degree murder for Drury and second-degree murder for Jones, receiving a combined sentence of over 69 years.
The Long Road of Appeals
Pizzuto's execution was initially set for May 27, 1988, but was postponed due to legal appeals. Despite numerous attempts to overturn his death sentence, citing ineffective counsel and intellectual disability, courts consistently rejected his appeals. In 2008, the Idaho Supreme Court dismissed his arguments regarding mental retardation, and subsequent appeals to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2020 were also denied.
The Battle for Clemency
In a dramatic turn in 2021, Pizzuto's execution was again stayed as he petitioned for clemency, citing severe health conditions, including terminal bladder cancer. By then, Idaho had not conducted an execution since 2012 due to drug shortages. The parole board, considering his failing health and diminished intellectual capacity, recommended commuting his death sentence to life without parole. However, Idaho Governor Brad Little rejected this recommendation, emphasizing the brutality of Pizzuto's crimes.
A Final Plea
In January 2022, Pizzuto appealed the method of his execution, arguing that the lethal injection could cause undue pain due to his health conditions. Judge Jay Gaskill allowed this appeal to proceed, leading to yet another stay of execution.
The saga of Gerald Ross Pizzuto Jr. is a haunting reflection of a life marred by violence from childhood to adulthood, with the legal system grappling with the complexities of justice, mercy, and punishment.
Sources
For more detailed information, visit the Wikipedia page on Gerald Pizzuto.
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First Conviction
Gerald Pizzuto is convicted of kidnapping and raping a woman in Michigan.
First Murder
Pizzuto strangles Rita Drury to death in Seattle, Washington.
Second Murder
Pizzuto fatally shoots John Jones in Seattle after an argument.
Double Murder
Pizzuto murders Alberta and Delbert Herndon in Idaho.
Arrest
Pizzuto is arrested in Montana after a manhunt following the Herndon murders.
Death Sentence in Idaho
Pizzuto is sentenced to death for the murders of the Herndons.
Sentencing in Washington
Pizzuto receives a total of 69 years and seven months for the murders of Drury and Jones.
Death Warrant Signed
Pizzuto's death warrant is signed, scheduling his execution for June 2021.
Death Sentence Commuted
Pizzuto's death sentence is commuted to life without parole by a district judge.
Death Sentence Reinstated
Idaho Supreme Court reinstates Pizzuto's death sentence after ruling on clemency authority.
Gerald Ross Pizzuto Jr., an American serial killer, was convicted of four murders across Idaho and Washington after previously serving time for a rape conviction in Michigan. The crimes occurred between March and July 1985, beginning with the strangulation of 51-year-old Rita Drury in Seattle, Washington, followed by the shooting of 31-year-old John Jones weeks later. In July 1985, Pizzuto committed a double murder in Marsing, Idaho, killing 58-year-old Alberta Herndon and her 37-year-old nephew Delbert Herndon. He was apprehended shortly after the double murder and has since been sentenced to death in Idaho for the Herndon murders, while receiving a 69-year and seven-month sentence in Washington for the other two murders. Currently, Pizzuto is on death row in Idaho, with his execution pending due to ongoing legal challenges.
Investigators and the public speculate that Gerald Pizzuto may have committed additional undiscovered murders, given the violent nature of his crimes and the time period in which they occurred. Some believe that his history of violent behavior and prior convictions indicate a pattern that could extend beyond the four known victims. There are also theories regarding potential accomplices or influences that may have contributed to his criminal activities during that time.
The Chilling Tale of Gerald Pizzuto: A Life of Violence and the Struggle Against Fate
Childhood Shadows
Gerald Ross Pizzuto Jr., born on January 11, 1956, in Orland, California, grew up amidst harrowing circumstances that would cast a long shadow over his life. Raised in a dysfunctional family, he endured unspeakable abuse at the hands of his stepfather. Starting at the tender age of five or six, Pizzuto was subjected to brutal physical and sexual abuse. His stepfather would wake him with a flashlight and hunting knife, drag him to a garage, tie him up with extension cords, and rape him. Shockingly, this abuse was not a secret; Pizzuto's stepfather even charged other men up to $20 to partake in the horror. His sisters, who were witnesses to his torment, recounted how their mother never intervened.
The abuse left its mark on Pizzuto, causing brain damage and contributing to a history of violence that would follow him into adulthood. He was abusive towards his ex-wife, infamously knocking out her teeth and, on a particularly brutal occasion, causing the loss of their unborn child.
Path to Violence
In 1975, at the age of 19, Pizzuto was convicted of kidnapping and raping a woman at gunpoint in Michigan, which resulted in a sentence of 20 to 40 years in prison. After serving nine years, he was released on parole in 1984. However, he violated this parole and fled to Seattle, Washington, setting off a chain of events that would lead to multiple murders.
A String of Murders
In March 1985, Pizzuto embarked on a killing spree that would claim four lives across Washington and Idaho. His first known murder occurred in Seattle on March 16 or 17, when he and accomplice John Rodewald invaded the home of 51-year-old Rita Drury. As Drury babysat her granddaughter, the men strangled her to death after robbing her of $200.
Two weeks later, on March 30, Pizzuto shot and killed 31-year-old John Roy Jones in Seattle during an altercation over cocaine. The prosecution later disputed Pizzuto's claim that the shooting was accidental.
The violence escalated on July 25, 1985, in Idaho. Pizzuto, with accomplices William Odom and James Rice, attacked 58-year-old Alberta Herndon and her 37-year-old nephew Delbert Herndon at their cabin near McCall. The trio tied the victims, stole their money, and then Pizzuto bludgeoned them to death with a hammer. Rice fired a shot into Delbert's head, and Odom assisted in burying the bodies.
Manhunt and Capture
Pizzuto's reign of terror ended following a manhunt that spanned several states. After the Herndon murders, he fled Idaho, stealing a tourist's truck and forcing another man to drive him to Montana. On July 29, 1985, police and FBI agents apprehended him at his sister's house in Montana. Initially using the alias "Jerry Gilbertson," his true identity was soon uncovered.
Trials and Sentences
Pizzuto faced murder charges in both Idaho and Washington. A legal decision allowed Idaho to try him first. On March 27, 1986, he was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder, felony murder, robbery, and grand theft, earning two death sentences, a 14-year sentence for grand theft, and life imprisonment for robbery. His accomplices received lesser charges and were released after serving 12 years.
Back in Washington, Pizzuto was tried for the murders of Drury and Jones. By October 1987, he had been convicted of first-degree murder for Drury and second-degree murder for Jones, receiving a combined sentence of over 69 years.
The Long Road of Appeals
Pizzuto's execution was initially set for May 27, 1988, but was postponed due to legal appeals. Despite numerous attempts to overturn his death sentence, citing ineffective counsel and intellectual disability, courts consistently rejected his appeals. In 2008, the Idaho Supreme Court dismissed his arguments regarding mental retardation, and subsequent appeals to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2020 were also denied.
The Battle for Clemency
In a dramatic turn in 2021, Pizzuto's execution was again stayed as he petitioned for clemency, citing severe health conditions, including terminal bladder cancer. By then, Idaho had not conducted an execution since 2012 due to drug shortages. The parole board, considering his failing health and diminished intellectual capacity, recommended commuting his death sentence to life without parole. However, Idaho Governor Brad Little rejected this recommendation, emphasizing the brutality of Pizzuto's crimes.
A Final Plea
In January 2022, Pizzuto appealed the method of his execution, arguing that the lethal injection could cause undue pain due to his health conditions. Judge Jay Gaskill allowed this appeal to proceed, leading to yet another stay of execution.
The saga of Gerald Ross Pizzuto Jr. is a haunting reflection of a life marred by violence from childhood to adulthood, with the legal system grappling with the complexities of justice, mercy, and punishment.
Sources
For more detailed information, visit the Wikipedia page on Gerald Pizzuto.
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
Loading comments...
First Conviction
Gerald Pizzuto is convicted of kidnapping and raping a woman in Michigan.
First Murder
Pizzuto strangles Rita Drury to death in Seattle, Washington.
Second Murder
Pizzuto fatally shoots John Jones in Seattle after an argument.
Double Murder
Pizzuto murders Alberta and Delbert Herndon in Idaho.
Arrest
Pizzuto is arrested in Montana after a manhunt following the Herndon murders.
Death Sentence in Idaho
Pizzuto is sentenced to death for the murders of the Herndons.
Sentencing in Washington
Pizzuto receives a total of 69 years and seven months for the murders of Drury and Jones.
Death Warrant Signed
Pizzuto's death warrant is signed, scheduling his execution for June 2021.
Death Sentence Commuted
Pizzuto's death sentence is commuted to life without parole by a district judge.
Death Sentence Reinstated
Idaho Supreme Court reinstates Pizzuto's death sentence after ruling on clemency authority.