Hugh Morse: A Tale of Terror Across America

Hugh Bion Morse, an American serial killer, cast a long shadow over the United States during the 1950s and 1960s. Born on January 9, 1930, in Kansas City, Missouri, Morse's life spiraled into a series of heinous crimes that would eventually lead to his capture and conviction for murder in Minnesota. With an FBI manhunt tracking his movements, Morse left a trail of violence and fear across several states, including Alabama and Washington. Beyond murder, his criminal activities extended to rape, burglary, assault, attempted murder, and child molestation in at least four other states.

Early Life and Military Service

Hugh Bion Morse's early years remain largely shrouded in mystery. However, it is known that he joined the United States Army during the 1940s. His military career was marked by misconduct, as he went AWOL from the United States Air Force in 1946. In 1950, Morse repeated this behavior by deserting the Marines and subsequently traveled to North Carolina.

The Criminal Path Begins

Morse's descent into criminality became evident in May 1951 when he was arrested for indecent exposure and assault in Wilmington, North Carolina. This offense led to his dishonorable discharge from the military in December of the same year. Following this, Morse embarked on a journey to California, where he committed a series of burglaries in Los Angeles, earning him a six-month jail sentence and three years' probation.

In 1955, Morse's crimes took a more sinister turn. He lured two eight-year-old girls into an alleyway in Fairfield, promising them ice cream, only to sexually assault them. This vile act resulted in his arrest and subsequent transfer to the California State Hospital, where he was declared a sexual psychopath. After serving time there, he was released on January 4, 1957, under a one-year probation.

A Trail of Violence

Shortly after his release, Morse found his way to Spokane, Washington. In chilling future interviews with the FBI, he confessed to spying on unsuspecting women in their homes. This behavior escalated drastically on November 7, 1959, when he broke into the home of 28-year-old Glorie Brie, raping and murdering her. Ten months later, on September 26, 1960, 69-year-old Blanche Boggs fell victim to a similar fate. Shortly thereafter, on October 25, Beverly Myers, aged 23, was brutally beaten in her own home but narrowly survived.

Morse's violent spree continued unabated. On October 28, 1960, he traveled from Spokane to Reseda, California. Armed with a knife, he invaded the home of his ex-wife, Virginia, and attacked her. Unbeknownst to Morse, Virginia's mother was present and her screams forced him to flee Washington, leading him to crisscross the country.

In Atlanta, Georgia, during April 1961, Morse broke into an apartment, threatening a woman and her three daughters with a knife. He molested one of the daughters before leaving. A week later, he returned to the same building, this time raping an 18-year-old woman at knifepoint before fleeing the state.

Morse's next stop was Dayton, Ohio, where he entered a woman's apartment in April 1961. At knifepoint, he raped, beat, and stabbed her, leaving her for dead. Remarkably, she survived.

The FBI, now aware of the threat posed by Morse, placed him on their Ten Most Wanted list in August 1961. By this time, he had moved to Birmingham, Alabama. On July 11, 1961, he entered the home of 27-year-old Bobbi Ann Landini, where he raped and killed her with a pipe, then assaulted her corpse.

Capture and Conviction

Morse's reign of terror culminated in St. Paul, Minnesota. On September 18, 1961, he raped and murdered 34-year-old Carol Ronan. His luck ran out when, less than a month later, on October 13, 1961, a newlywed named Mrs. Harold L. Carlson recognized Morse from a photo and reported him to the police, leading to his arrest. Morse confessed to all four murders.

Incarceration and Later Life

Convicted of second-degree murder for Ronan's killing, Morse received a life sentence. In December 1963, he attempted suicide in his cell at the Minnesota Correctional Facility by slashing his wrists and neck. A prison officer discovered him in time, and he recovered fully.

In 1979, at age 49, Morse was extradited to Washington to plead guilty to the murders of Glorie Brie and Blanche Boggs, as well as the assault on Beverly Myers. He waived his rights and agreed never to return to Washington, receiving a lifetime probation for these crimes. Morse died in prison in April 2003 at the age of 73, having served 42 years behind bars.

Other Suspected Crimes

Throughout his criminal career, Morse was suspected of involvement in other unsolved cases. Upon his arrest, he became a suspect in the March 1959 murder of nine-year-old Cindy Rogers in Spokane, Washington, due to similar patterns in his movements. However, DNA evidence in 2001 ruled him out as the perpetrator, and in 2021, John Reigh Hoff was identified as her killer. Morse was also questioned about the disappearance of Ann Marie Burr, who vanished in Tacoma, Washington, in August 1961.

Sources

For more detailed information, please visit the original Wikipedia article on Hugh Morse.