Joseph Paul Franklin
American Serial Killer Spree
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
United States
TIME PERIOD
1977-1980
VICTIMS
8 confirmed
Joseph Paul Franklin, an American serial killer and white supremacist, engaged in a murder spree from August 7, 1977, to August 20, 1980, across multiple states including Missouri, Wisconsin, and Tennessee, resulting in eight confirmed murders and over twenty suspected victims. He was apprehended on October 28, 1980, and subsequently convicted of multiple murders, receiving seven life sentences and one death sentence for the 1977 murder of Gerald Gordon. Franklin also confessed to the attempted murders of Larry Flynt and civil rights activist Vernon Jordan, both of whom survived. After spending 15 years on death row, he was executed by lethal injection on November 20, 2013. Significant evidence included his own confessions and ballistic evidence linking him to several of the murders, highlighting his motive to incite a race war.
Joseph Paul Franklin is believed to have been motivated by a desire to incite a race war, which fueled his spree of racially motivated murders across multiple states. There is speculation that his confessions to high-profile attacks on Larry Flynt and Vernon Jordan were attempts to gain notoriety rather than genuine admissions of guilt, as he was never convicted in those cases. Additionally, some theorize that his violent ideology and history of white supremacist beliefs played a significant role in his selection of victims.
Joseph Paul Franklin: A Legacy of Hate and Violence
Early Life and Path to Extremism
James Clayton Vaughn Jr. entered the world on April 13, 1950, in Mobile, Alabama. Born into a tumultuous household, Vaughn, who would later rename himself Joseph Paul Franklin, was the elder son of James Clayton Vaughn Sr. and Helen Rau Vaughn. His father, a World War II veteran and butcher, abandoned the family when Vaughn was only eight. The memories of his father's visits were marred by violence, as his sister Carolyn recalled, "Whenever [Vaughn Sr.] came to visit he'd beat us." Vaughn's mother, described as a strict perfectionist, was accused of neglect, leaving Vaughn to fend for himself in a harsh environment. This upbringing, he later claimed, stunted his emotional development, leaving him feeling perpetually ten years behind his peers.
As he matured, Vaughn's interests took a dark turn. Initially drawn to evangelical Christianity, he soon found himself captivated by Nazism. By the 1960s, he was a member of both the National Socialist White People's Party and the Ku Klux Klan. He idolized figures like Paul Joseph Goebbels and Benjamin Franklin, a reverence that inspired his name change. Vaughn's extremist views were further fueled by Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf," which he claimed profoundly impacted him.
The Deadly Campaign Begins
Franklin's life transformed into a violent crusade as he drifted across America, targeting those he deemed inferior—primarily black and Jewish individuals. His activities were funded through bank robberies and blood bank donations, the latter eventually leading to his capture.
1977: The Carnage Commences
On July 29, 1977, Franklin firebombed Beth Shalom Synagogue in Chattanooga, Tennessee, mercifully sparing lives as congregants left early. Less than two weeks later, he fatally shot an interracial couple, Alphorance "Alphonce" Manning and Toni Lynn Schwenn, in Wisconsin. Convicted of their murders, he received a life sentence.
In October, he struck again, lurking in the shadows near a Missouri synagogue and opening fire, killing Gerald "Gerry" Gordon and wounding two others. The year marked the beginning of his horrific spree.
1978: The Nationwide Rampage
Franklin's violence escalated in 1978. Armed with a Ruger .44 caliber rifle, he ambushed Hustler publisher Larry Flynt in Georgia, leaving Flynt paralyzed. Despite his confession, no charges were filed. In July, he killed William Bryant Tatum, a black man, and wounded his white girlfriend in Tennessee, earning another life sentence.
1979: The Bloodshed Continues
In July 1979, Franklin murdered Taco Bell manager Harold Bruce McIver in Georgia, a crime for which he was never tried. He continued his killing spree in Virginia and Oklahoma, targeting black men and interracial couples. His hatred knew no bounds.
1980: A Year of Brutality
In 1980, Franklin's depravity reached new heights. He shot civil rights activist Vernon Jordan in Indiana, although he was acquitted at trial. In Ohio, he murdered two young cousins, Darrell Anthony Lane and Dante Evans Brown, which later earned him two life sentences. His homicidal path took him to Pennsylvania, where he claimed the lives of Arthur Dale Smothers and Kathleen Mikula.
In West Virginia, Franklin confessed to killing hitchhikers Nancy Santomero and Victoria Ann Durian. His confession exonerated Jacob Beard, who had been wrongfully convicted. Franklin's final known murders occurred in Utah, where he was convicted of killing two black men, Theodore Tracy "Ted" Fields and David Lemar Martin III, receiving another life sentence.
Capture and Legal Battles
Franklin's downfall began after the Utah murders. Fleeing through Kentucky, he was detained but managed to escape, leaving behind evidence linking him to his crimes. His distinctive racist tattoos and frequent blood bank visits led to his capture in Florida on October 28, 1980.
Over the following two decades, Franklin was tried and convicted in numerous states, accumulating multiple life sentences and a death penalty. During a 1997 trial for Gerald Gordon's murder, psychiatrist Dorothy Otnow Lewis testified that Franklin was a paranoid schizophrenic, but he was found fit to stand trial.
Execution and Final Days
Joseph Paul Franklin's execution was fraught with controversy. Scheduled for November 20, 2013, Missouri faced challenges due to a European Union export ban on lethal injection drugs. The state resorted to using pentobarbital from an unnamed source. Despite last-minute attempts to halt the execution, including claims of mental incompetency, the courts denied appeals.
In his final days, Franklin claimed to have renounced his racist views, attributing his past actions to an abusive upbringing. On the morning of November 20, 2013, he was executed by lethal injection, marking the first use of pentobarbital alone in Missouri. Witnesses reported a calm death, with Franklin making no final statements.
Legacy
Joseph Paul Franklin's life and crimes left an indelible mark on American history. His story inspired literature and film, including the novel "Hunter" by William L. Pierce and the film "The People vs. Larry Flynt." Franklin's legacy is a chilling reminder of the destructive power of hate.
Sources
For further reading, you can find the original Wikipedia article here.
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Synagogue Firebombing
Franklin firebombed Beth Shalom Synagogue in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
First Murders Committed
Franklin shot and killed interracial couple Alphorance Manning and Toni Lynn Schwenn in Madison, Wisconsin.
Gerald Gordon Murder
Franklin killed Gerald Gordon outside a synagogue in St. Louis, Missouri.
Arrested by FBI
Franklin was arrested in Lakeland, Florida, after a blood bank worker recognized his tattoos.
Death Sentence
Franklin was sentenced to death for the murder of Gerald Gordon in Missouri.
Execution Date Set
Missouri Supreme Court announced Franklin's execution date for November 20, 2013.
Execution Stays Granted
Two stays of execution were granted but later overturned, allowing the execution to proceed.
Executed
Franklin was executed by lethal injection at the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Missouri.
Joseph Paul Franklin, an American serial killer and white supremacist, engaged in a murder spree from August 7, 1977, to August 20, 1980, across multiple states including Missouri, Wisconsin, and Tennessee, resulting in eight confirmed murders and over twenty suspected victims. He was apprehended on October 28, 1980, and subsequently convicted of multiple murders, receiving seven life sentences and one death sentence for the 1977 murder of Gerald Gordon. Franklin also confessed to the attempted murders of Larry Flynt and civil rights activist Vernon Jordan, both of whom survived. After spending 15 years on death row, he was executed by lethal injection on November 20, 2013. Significant evidence included his own confessions and ballistic evidence linking him to several of the murders, highlighting his motive to incite a race war.
Joseph Paul Franklin is believed to have been motivated by a desire to incite a race war, which fueled his spree of racially motivated murders across multiple states. There is speculation that his confessions to high-profile attacks on Larry Flynt and Vernon Jordan were attempts to gain notoriety rather than genuine admissions of guilt, as he was never convicted in those cases. Additionally, some theorize that his violent ideology and history of white supremacist beliefs played a significant role in his selection of victims.
Joseph Paul Franklin: A Legacy of Hate and Violence
Early Life and Path to Extremism
James Clayton Vaughn Jr. entered the world on April 13, 1950, in Mobile, Alabama. Born into a tumultuous household, Vaughn, who would later rename himself Joseph Paul Franklin, was the elder son of James Clayton Vaughn Sr. and Helen Rau Vaughn. His father, a World War II veteran and butcher, abandoned the family when Vaughn was only eight. The memories of his father's visits were marred by violence, as his sister Carolyn recalled, "Whenever [Vaughn Sr.] came to visit he'd beat us." Vaughn's mother, described as a strict perfectionist, was accused of neglect, leaving Vaughn to fend for himself in a harsh environment. This upbringing, he later claimed, stunted his emotional development, leaving him feeling perpetually ten years behind his peers.
As he matured, Vaughn's interests took a dark turn. Initially drawn to evangelical Christianity, he soon found himself captivated by Nazism. By the 1960s, he was a member of both the National Socialist White People's Party and the Ku Klux Klan. He idolized figures like Paul Joseph Goebbels and Benjamin Franklin, a reverence that inspired his name change. Vaughn's extremist views were further fueled by Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf," which he claimed profoundly impacted him.
The Deadly Campaign Begins
Franklin's life transformed into a violent crusade as he drifted across America, targeting those he deemed inferior—primarily black and Jewish individuals. His activities were funded through bank robberies and blood bank donations, the latter eventually leading to his capture.
1977: The Carnage Commences
On July 29, 1977, Franklin firebombed Beth Shalom Synagogue in Chattanooga, Tennessee, mercifully sparing lives as congregants left early. Less than two weeks later, he fatally shot an interracial couple, Alphorance "Alphonce" Manning and Toni Lynn Schwenn, in Wisconsin. Convicted of their murders, he received a life sentence.
In October, he struck again, lurking in the shadows near a Missouri synagogue and opening fire, killing Gerald "Gerry" Gordon and wounding two others. The year marked the beginning of his horrific spree.
1978: The Nationwide Rampage
Franklin's violence escalated in 1978. Armed with a Ruger .44 caliber rifle, he ambushed Hustler publisher Larry Flynt in Georgia, leaving Flynt paralyzed. Despite his confession, no charges were filed. In July, he killed William Bryant Tatum, a black man, and wounded his white girlfriend in Tennessee, earning another life sentence.
1979: The Bloodshed Continues
In July 1979, Franklin murdered Taco Bell manager Harold Bruce McIver in Georgia, a crime for which he was never tried. He continued his killing spree in Virginia and Oklahoma, targeting black men and interracial couples. His hatred knew no bounds.
1980: A Year of Brutality
In 1980, Franklin's depravity reached new heights. He shot civil rights activist Vernon Jordan in Indiana, although he was acquitted at trial. In Ohio, he murdered two young cousins, Darrell Anthony Lane and Dante Evans Brown, which later earned him two life sentences. His homicidal path took him to Pennsylvania, where he claimed the lives of Arthur Dale Smothers and Kathleen Mikula.
In West Virginia, Franklin confessed to killing hitchhikers Nancy Santomero and Victoria Ann Durian. His confession exonerated Jacob Beard, who had been wrongfully convicted. Franklin's final known murders occurred in Utah, where he was convicted of killing two black men, Theodore Tracy "Ted" Fields and David Lemar Martin III, receiving another life sentence.
Capture and Legal Battles
Franklin's downfall began after the Utah murders. Fleeing through Kentucky, he was detained but managed to escape, leaving behind evidence linking him to his crimes. His distinctive racist tattoos and frequent blood bank visits led to his capture in Florida on October 28, 1980.
Over the following two decades, Franklin was tried and convicted in numerous states, accumulating multiple life sentences and a death penalty. During a 1997 trial for Gerald Gordon's murder, psychiatrist Dorothy Otnow Lewis testified that Franklin was a paranoid schizophrenic, but he was found fit to stand trial.
Execution and Final Days
Joseph Paul Franklin's execution was fraught with controversy. Scheduled for November 20, 2013, Missouri faced challenges due to a European Union export ban on lethal injection drugs. The state resorted to using pentobarbital from an unnamed source. Despite last-minute attempts to halt the execution, including claims of mental incompetency, the courts denied appeals.
In his final days, Franklin claimed to have renounced his racist views, attributing his past actions to an abusive upbringing. On the morning of November 20, 2013, he was executed by lethal injection, marking the first use of pentobarbital alone in Missouri. Witnesses reported a calm death, with Franklin making no final statements.
Legacy
Joseph Paul Franklin's life and crimes left an indelible mark on American history. His story inspired literature and film, including the novel "Hunter" by William L. Pierce and the film "The People vs. Larry Flynt." Franklin's legacy is a chilling reminder of the destructive power of hate.
Sources
For further reading, you can find the original Wikipedia article here.
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...
Synagogue Firebombing
Franklin firebombed Beth Shalom Synagogue in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
First Murders Committed
Franklin shot and killed interracial couple Alphorance Manning and Toni Lynn Schwenn in Madison, Wisconsin.
Gerald Gordon Murder
Franklin killed Gerald Gordon outside a synagogue in St. Louis, Missouri.
Arrested by FBI
Franklin was arrested in Lakeland, Florida, after a blood bank worker recognized his tattoos.
Death Sentence
Franklin was sentenced to death for the murder of Gerald Gordon in Missouri.
Execution Date Set
Missouri Supreme Court announced Franklin's execution date for November 20, 2013.
Execution Stays Granted
Two stays of execution were granted but later overturned, allowing the execution to proceed.
Executed
Franklin was executed by lethal injection at the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Missouri.