Paul Michael Stephani
Minneapolis Serial Killer
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Minneapolis, Minnesota
TIME PERIOD
1980-1982
VICTIMS
3 confirmed
Paul Michael Stephani, known as the Weepy-Voiced Killer, committed a series of murders between 1980 and 1982 in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area, resulting in the deaths of three women and the attempted murder of two others. He was apprehended on August 21, 1982, after making multiple phone calls to police confessing to his crimes. The case is considered solved, with Stephani serving a 58-year prison sentence until his death in 1998.
The community theories surrounding Paul Michael Stephani, known as the Weepy-Voiced Killer, often speculate about the psychological motivations behind his remorseful phone calls to the police after committing his crimes. Some theorists suggest that his high-pitched voice and emotional outbursts indicate a deep-seated conflict between his violent actions and a desire for recognition or punishment. Additionally, discussions frequently focus on the impact of his troubled childhood and abusive upbringing as potential factors contributing to his violent behavior.
Paul Michael Stephani
Overview
Paul Michael Stephani (September 8, 1944 – June 12, 1998), infamously known as the Weepy-Voiced Killer, was an American serial killer who operated in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area. His chilling legacy was marked not only by the brutal murders of three women but also by the haunting phone calls he made to police, where he reported his own crimes in a remorseful, high-pitched voice that sent shivers down the spine of those who listened.
Quick Facts
- Born: September 8, 1944, Austin, Minnesota, U.S.
- Died: June 12, 1998 (aged 53), Oak Park Heights Prison, Oak Park Heights, Minnesota, U.S.
- Other Names: The Weepy-Voiced Killer / Weepy-Voiced Man
- Convictions: 2 counts of attempted murder, 3 counts of murder
- Criminal Penalty: 58 years in prison
- Details Victims: 5 (3 killed, 2 survived)
- Span of Crimes: 1980–1982
- Country: United States
- States: Minnesota, Wisconsin
- Date Apprehended: August 21, 1982
Background
Born into a large Catholic family as the second of ten children, Stephani's childhood was anything but stable. His mother remarried when he was just three years old, bringing into his life a stepfather known for his abusive tendencies. Reports indicate that he would beat his stepchildren and even throw them down the stairs, creating a chaotic environment for young Paul.
As an adult, Stephani married Beverly Lider and fathered a daughter, but their relationship soured, leading to a divorce. He struggled to hold down jobs, including a janitorial position at Malmberg Manufacturing Company, from which he was fired in 1977. It's worth noting that the body of his first victim would later be discovered not far from this workplace, hinting at the deep-seated issues that would ultimately culminate in violence.
The Killings
The dark chapter of Stephani's life began on December 31, 1980, when he brutally attacked Karen Potack in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He inflicted severe wounds, leaving her with a traumatic brain injury. In a bizarre twist, Stephani himself called police at 3 a.m., directing them to the scene of the attack with the chilling words, “There is a girl hurt there.”
The following year, on June 3, 1981, Stephani claimed his next victim: Kimberly Compton, an 18-year-old student from Pepin, Wisconsin. After the murder, he again took to the phone, pleading for police to find him, exclaiming in a panicked voice, “God damn, will you find me? I just stabbed somebody with an ice pick. I can't stop myself. I keep killing somebody.” Over the next few days, he made several calls, expressing remorse and inaccurately disputing media reports about the murder. On June 11, in a heart-wrenching call, he sobbed, “I'm sorry for what I did to Compton.”
Stephani's third victim was Kathleen Greening, who he confessed to drowning in her bathtub at her Roseville residence. While there were no subsequent calls after Greening’s death, he resurfaced following his fourth and final murder of Barbara Simons, a 40-year-old nurse. The two met at the Hexagon Bar, where Simons, charmed by Stephani, remarked to a waitress, “He's cute. I hope he's nice, since he’s giving me a ride home.” The next day, Simons was found brutally stabbed to death, with evidence showing she had been stabbed 40 times. After this murder, he called the police again, saying, “Please don't talk, just listen... I'm sorry I killed that girl. I stabbed her 40 times. Kimberly Compton was the first one over in Saint Paul.”
Capture
Stephani's reign of terror came to an end on August 21, 1982, when he picked up Denise Williams, a 19-year-old sex worker, in Minneapolis. Sensing danger as he drove her into a dark suburban area, Williams was horrified when he turned onto a dead-end road and began to stab her fifteen times with a screwdriver. In a display of incredible resilience, she managed to strike Stephani with a glass bottle, injuring him and drawing attention from a nearby resident.
The man intervened, wresting Williams away from Stephani and calling for an ambulance, ultimately leading to Stephani's identification. After fleeing the scene, Stephani returned home, realizing he was bleeding profusely. His subsequent visit to a medical facility confirmed his identity as the Weepy-Voiced Killer, as investigators pieced together his connection to Williams and the earlier murders.
In a shocking twist, Stephani confessed to all three murders—Kim Compton, Barbara Simons, and Kathleen Greening—during a hospital stay for skin cancer in 1997. Remarkably, he had not been a suspect in Greening's case, as he hadn’t made a call to police about it, consistent with his pattern in the other murders.
Trial and Death
During his trial for the murder of Barbara Simons, Stephani's ex-wife, sister, and a woman who lived with him testified that they believed the frantic caller responsible for reporting the murders was indeed Stephani. However, the distorted and weepy nature of his voice made it challenging to definitively identify him as the Weepy-Voiced Killer. Despite this, he was convicted of Simons' murder and the attempted murder of Denise Williams, receiving a lengthy sentence of 58 years in prison.
Stephani ultimately succumbed to skin cancer on June 12, 1998, while still incarcerated, leaving behind a chilling legacy that continues to haunt the communities affected by his crimes.
Media Coverage
The case of Paul Michael Stephani has been covered extensively in various true crime media. Notable mentions include:
- Casefile True Crime Podcast on April 16, 2016
- Murder Calls episode titled "Seeing Red" on January 15, 2017
- And That's Why We Drink episode 102 ("Quantum Madness and an Abundance of Icicles") on January 13, 2019
- My Favorite Murder episode "Rough Winds & High Waters" on May 23, 2019
- Morbid: A True Crime Podcast on January 9, 2021
- An episode titled "Der Mörder mit der weinerlichen Stimme" on "Mord auf Ex" by Leonie Bartsch and Linn Schütze on August 30, 2021
- The show Mark of a Killer, featuring the case on its seventh episode titled "Killer Caller"
See Also
- List of serial killers in the United States
Sources
- "Will You Find Me? the 'Weepy Voiced Killer' Asked Police While Reporting His Own Murders". April 9, 2020.
- "Paul Michael Stephani 'The Weepy-Voice Killer': 5 Fast Facts". April 9, 2020.
- "Mark of a Killer: Paul Michael Stephani, aka 'The Weepy-Voiced Killer', made chilling calls after every murder | MEAWW".
- Baird, Ronald (2016-08-11). "Weepy Voiced Killer Don't Talk Just Listen Paul Michael Stephani serial killer", retrieved January 22, 2018.
- Guillen, Tomas (2002). "Serial Killer Communiques: Helpful or Hurtful". Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture. Fort Worth, Texas: Texas Wesleyan University.
- Minnesota v. Stephani (Court of Appeals of Minnesota, June 11, 1985).
- Knapcik, Kristina M. (December 20, 1997). "'Weepy-voiced Killer' confesses to 1981 death of Pepin woman". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- Shah, Allie (June 12, 1998). "Obituary: 'Weepy-voiced killer' Paul Stephani, 53, dies in prison". Star Tribune.
- "The Weepy Voiced Killer". podcasts.apple.com.
- Dey, Kunal (August 9, 2020). "Mark of a Killer: Paul Michael Stephani, aka 'The Weepy-Voiced Killer', made chilling calls after every murder". MEAWW.
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First Attack
Paul Stephani severely injures Karen Potack in St. Paul.
Second Murder
Stephani kills Kimberly Compton and calls police to confess.
Third Murder
Stephani drowns Kathleen Greening in her bathtub.
Fourth Murder
Stephani stabs Barbara Simons to death after meeting her at a bar.
Capture
Stephani attacks Denise Williams, leading to his arrest.
Trial Begins
Stephani's trial for the murder of Barbara Simons starts.
Conviction
Stephani is convicted of murder and attempted murder.
Confession
Stephani confesses to the murders of Compton, Greening, and Simons.
Death
Paul Stephani dies in prison from skin cancer.
Paul Michael Stephani, known as the Weepy-Voiced Killer, committed a series of murders between 1980 and 1982 in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area, resulting in the deaths of three women and the attempted murder of two others. He was apprehended on August 21, 1982, after making multiple phone calls to police confessing to his crimes. The case is considered solved, with Stephani serving a 58-year prison sentence until his death in 1998.
The community theories surrounding Paul Michael Stephani, known as the Weepy-Voiced Killer, often speculate about the psychological motivations behind his remorseful phone calls to the police after committing his crimes. Some theorists suggest that his high-pitched voice and emotional outbursts indicate a deep-seated conflict between his violent actions and a desire for recognition or punishment. Additionally, discussions frequently focus on the impact of his troubled childhood and abusive upbringing as potential factors contributing to his violent behavior.
Paul Michael Stephani
Overview
Paul Michael Stephani (September 8, 1944 – June 12, 1998), infamously known as the Weepy-Voiced Killer, was an American serial killer who operated in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area. His chilling legacy was marked not only by the brutal murders of three women but also by the haunting phone calls he made to police, where he reported his own crimes in a remorseful, high-pitched voice that sent shivers down the spine of those who listened.
Quick Facts
- Born: September 8, 1944, Austin, Minnesota, U.S.
- Died: June 12, 1998 (aged 53), Oak Park Heights Prison, Oak Park Heights, Minnesota, U.S.
- Other Names: The Weepy-Voiced Killer / Weepy-Voiced Man
- Convictions: 2 counts of attempted murder, 3 counts of murder
- Criminal Penalty: 58 years in prison
- Details Victims: 5 (3 killed, 2 survived)
- Span of Crimes: 1980–1982
- Country: United States
- States: Minnesota, Wisconsin
- Date Apprehended: August 21, 1982
Background
Born into a large Catholic family as the second of ten children, Stephani's childhood was anything but stable. His mother remarried when he was just three years old, bringing into his life a stepfather known for his abusive tendencies. Reports indicate that he would beat his stepchildren and even throw them down the stairs, creating a chaotic environment for young Paul.
As an adult, Stephani married Beverly Lider and fathered a daughter, but their relationship soured, leading to a divorce. He struggled to hold down jobs, including a janitorial position at Malmberg Manufacturing Company, from which he was fired in 1977. It's worth noting that the body of his first victim would later be discovered not far from this workplace, hinting at the deep-seated issues that would ultimately culminate in violence.
The Killings
The dark chapter of Stephani's life began on December 31, 1980, when he brutally attacked Karen Potack in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He inflicted severe wounds, leaving her with a traumatic brain injury. In a bizarre twist, Stephani himself called police at 3 a.m., directing them to the scene of the attack with the chilling words, “There is a girl hurt there.”
The following year, on June 3, 1981, Stephani claimed his next victim: Kimberly Compton, an 18-year-old student from Pepin, Wisconsin. After the murder, he again took to the phone, pleading for police to find him, exclaiming in a panicked voice, “God damn, will you find me? I just stabbed somebody with an ice pick. I can't stop myself. I keep killing somebody.” Over the next few days, he made several calls, expressing remorse and inaccurately disputing media reports about the murder. On June 11, in a heart-wrenching call, he sobbed, “I'm sorry for what I did to Compton.”
Stephani's third victim was Kathleen Greening, who he confessed to drowning in her bathtub at her Roseville residence. While there were no subsequent calls after Greening’s death, he resurfaced following his fourth and final murder of Barbara Simons, a 40-year-old nurse. The two met at the Hexagon Bar, where Simons, charmed by Stephani, remarked to a waitress, “He's cute. I hope he's nice, since he’s giving me a ride home.” The next day, Simons was found brutally stabbed to death, with evidence showing she had been stabbed 40 times. After this murder, he called the police again, saying, “Please don't talk, just listen... I'm sorry I killed that girl. I stabbed her 40 times. Kimberly Compton was the first one over in Saint Paul.”
Capture
Stephani's reign of terror came to an end on August 21, 1982, when he picked up Denise Williams, a 19-year-old sex worker, in Minneapolis. Sensing danger as he drove her into a dark suburban area, Williams was horrified when he turned onto a dead-end road and began to stab her fifteen times with a screwdriver. In a display of incredible resilience, she managed to strike Stephani with a glass bottle, injuring him and drawing attention from a nearby resident.
The man intervened, wresting Williams away from Stephani and calling for an ambulance, ultimately leading to Stephani's identification. After fleeing the scene, Stephani returned home, realizing he was bleeding profusely. His subsequent visit to a medical facility confirmed his identity as the Weepy-Voiced Killer, as investigators pieced together his connection to Williams and the earlier murders.
In a shocking twist, Stephani confessed to all three murders—Kim Compton, Barbara Simons, and Kathleen Greening—during a hospital stay for skin cancer in 1997. Remarkably, he had not been a suspect in Greening's case, as he hadn’t made a call to police about it, consistent with his pattern in the other murders.
Trial and Death
During his trial for the murder of Barbara Simons, Stephani's ex-wife, sister, and a woman who lived with him testified that they believed the frantic caller responsible for reporting the murders was indeed Stephani. However, the distorted and weepy nature of his voice made it challenging to definitively identify him as the Weepy-Voiced Killer. Despite this, he was convicted of Simons' murder and the attempted murder of Denise Williams, receiving a lengthy sentence of 58 years in prison.
Stephani ultimately succumbed to skin cancer on June 12, 1998, while still incarcerated, leaving behind a chilling legacy that continues to haunt the communities affected by his crimes.
Media Coverage
The case of Paul Michael Stephani has been covered extensively in various true crime media. Notable mentions include:
- Casefile True Crime Podcast on April 16, 2016
- Murder Calls episode titled "Seeing Red" on January 15, 2017
- And That's Why We Drink episode 102 ("Quantum Madness and an Abundance of Icicles") on January 13, 2019
- My Favorite Murder episode "Rough Winds & High Waters" on May 23, 2019
- Morbid: A True Crime Podcast on January 9, 2021
- An episode titled "Der Mörder mit der weinerlichen Stimme" on "Mord auf Ex" by Leonie Bartsch and Linn Schütze on August 30, 2021
- The show Mark of a Killer, featuring the case on its seventh episode titled "Killer Caller"
See Also
- List of serial killers in the United States
Sources
- "Will You Find Me? the 'Weepy Voiced Killer' Asked Police While Reporting His Own Murders". April 9, 2020.
- "Paul Michael Stephani 'The Weepy-Voice Killer': 5 Fast Facts". April 9, 2020.
- "Mark of a Killer: Paul Michael Stephani, aka 'The Weepy-Voiced Killer', made chilling calls after every murder | MEAWW".
- Baird, Ronald (2016-08-11). "Weepy Voiced Killer Don't Talk Just Listen Paul Michael Stephani serial killer", retrieved January 22, 2018.
- Guillen, Tomas (2002). "Serial Killer Communiques: Helpful or Hurtful". Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture. Fort Worth, Texas: Texas Wesleyan University.
- Minnesota v. Stephani (Court of Appeals of Minnesota, June 11, 1985).
- Knapcik, Kristina M. (December 20, 1997). "'Weepy-voiced Killer' confesses to 1981 death of Pepin woman". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- Shah, Allie (June 12, 1998). "Obituary: 'Weepy-voiced killer' Paul Stephani, 53, dies in prison". Star Tribune.
- "The Weepy Voiced Killer". podcasts.apple.com.
- Dey, Kunal (August 9, 2020). "Mark of a Killer: Paul Michael Stephani, aka 'The Weepy-Voiced Killer', made chilling calls after every murder". MEAWW.
No Recent News
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No Evidence Submitted
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Join the discussion
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First Attack
Paul Stephani severely injures Karen Potack in St. Paul.
Second Murder
Stephani kills Kimberly Compton and calls police to confess.
Third Murder
Stephani drowns Kathleen Greening in her bathtub.
Fourth Murder
Stephani stabs Barbara Simons to death after meeting her at a bar.
Capture
Stephani attacks Denise Williams, leading to his arrest.
Trial Begins
Stephani's trial for the murder of Barbara Simons starts.
Conviction
Stephani is convicted of murder and attempted murder.
Confession
Stephani confesses to the murders of Compton, Greening, and Simons.
Death
Paul Stephani dies in prison from skin cancer.