The Sinister Life of Harvey Carignan: The Want-Ad Killer

Harvey Louis Carignan's life story reads like a dark novel filled with violence, manipulation, and tragedy. Born on May 18, 1927, in Fargo, North Dakota, Carignan's life would spiral into a series of heinous crimes that earned him the ominous nickname "The Want-Ad Killer." He spent his final years imprisoned at the Minnesota Correctional Facility – Oak Park Heights, where he died on March 6, 2023, at the age of 95.

A Troubled Beginning

Carignan entered the world under difficult circumstances, born to an unmarried 20-year-old mother. His early years were marked by instability, as he lived with his aunt and uncle in North Dakota and Minnesota before returning to his mother at age 10. During his childhood, he struggled with academic challenges and medical issues, including childhood chorea and enuresis, which led to his time at a reform school in Mandan, North Dakota. At 18, he emerged from the reform school and enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he was stationed in Anchorage, Alaska.

The First Murder

On July 31, 1949, Harvey Carignan's violent tendencies first came to the forefront when he killed 58-year-old Laura Showalter during an attempted rape in Alaska. Soon after, on September 16, 1949, he tried to assault another woman, Christine Norton. His arrest followed swiftly, and he was charged with first-degree murder and assault with intent to commit rape. Initially sentenced to death by hanging, Carignan's fate took a turn in 1951 when his confession was deemed improperly obtained, leading to a dismissal of the murder charge. However, he continued to serve a 15-year sentence for the assault on Norton, spending time at Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary until his parole in 1960.

A Pattern of Crime

Despite his release, Carignan's criminal activities continued unabated. He and his brother, Clinton, also a parolee from Alcatraz, were arrested for burglary in Minnesota shortly after. Convicted of attempted third-degree burglary, Harvey returned to prison, serving four years at USP Leavenworth, and was finally paroled again on March 2, 1964. But his unlawful path persisted. In November 1964, he faced arrest for second-degree burglary in Washington and was sentenced to 15 years, though he was paroled in 1968. Another parole violation the following year resulted in yet another year of incarceration.

The Want-Ad Murders

The early 1970s saw Carignan's crimes escalate. On October 15, 1972, the body of 19-year-old Leslie Laura Brock was discovered in Washington, bludgeoned to death. Witnesses later recalled seeing her enter Carignan’s truck, but the lack of evidence meant he never faced charges for her murder. In 1973, a chilling pattern emerged. Kathy Sue Miller, aged 15, responded to a "help wanted" ad Carignan placed for his gas station. Instead of employment, she met a gruesome fate, raped and beaten with a hammer. Her body was found wrapped in plastic with hammer holes in her skull months later.

On September 9, 1973, Carignan picked up a 13-year-old hitchhiker, Jerri Billings, in Minnesota. He sexually assaulted her and beat her with a hammer, only to release her with a stern warning to remain silent. This act of violence did not deter his predatory behavior. In May 1974, Carignan began living with 29-year-old Eileen Hunley in Minnesota. She vanished on August 9, 1974, her body discovered weeks later, raped and her skull shattered by forceful blows.

Carignan's brutality continued unabated. On September 14, 1974, he attacked Gwen Burton, ripping off her clothes and assaulting her with a hammer, leaving her for dead. Remarkably, Burton survived and sought help. Days later, Carignan abducted teenage girls Sally Versoi and Diane Flynn, subjecting them to sexual assault and physical abuse. The girls managed to escape during a brief stop.

The Final Arrest and Trials

The relentless spree came to an end on September 24, 1974, with Carignan's arrest. He faced charges of attempted murder and aggravated sodomy. In a desperate plea, he claimed insanity, arguing that divine voices instructed him to "kill whores and harlots." His defense failed, and in 1975, he was found guilty of the charges. Diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder, Carignan was later convicted of indecent liberties, sodomy upon a child, and two additional counts of aggravated sodomy, leading to a 60-year prison sentence.

Carignan's murderous past caught up with him when he was indicted for the murders of Schultz and Hunley. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Schultz's case, receiving a 40-year sentence, and was convicted of first-degree murder for Hunley's death, resulting in a life sentence.

The End of a Violent Era

Harvey Carignan's reign of terror concluded with his death on March 6, 2023, in the confines of Oak Park Heights Prison. His life serves as a grim reminder of the darkness that can lurk within, leaving a trail of devastated lives and unanswered questions in its wake.

Sources

For further reading on Harvey Carignan, known as "The Want-Ad Killer," you can explore the following sources:

• Rule, Ann. The Want-Ad Killer. New York: Penguin Publishing Group, 1983. ISBN 9780451166883
• Larson, Troy. "Tales of True Crime, episode 3: The Murderer Who Escaped Execution to Become a Serial Killer." The Mighty 790 KFGO
• United States v. Carignan, 342 U.S. 36 | Casetext Search + Citator
• Krauss, Louis. "Serial killer Harvey Carignan dies in prison at 95." Star Tribune