Robert Shulman (Serial Killer)
New York Serial Killer Case
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Hicksville, New York
TIME PERIOD
1991-1995
VICTIMS
5 confirmed
From 1991 to 1995, Robert Yale Shulman, an American serial killer, murdered at least five young women in Hicksville, New York. His criminal activities came to an end when he was apprehended on April 6, 1996, following an extensive investigation into the disappearances of the victims. Shulman was convicted of first-degree murder for one of the killings and received life imprisonment for the others, with his death sentence later commuted. He died in prison on April 13, 2006. Significant evidence included forensic links between Shulman and the crime scenes, as well as witness testimonies that placed him near the victims prior to their disappearances.
Robert Shulman is theorized to have targeted young women due to a combination of deep-seated psychological issues stemming from his indifferent upbringing and possible anti-social behavior developed during his childhood. Some speculate that his choice of victims was influenced by a desire for control and dominance, reflecting patterns often seen in serial killers. Additionally, there are beliefs that Shulman's criminal activities may have escalated due to a lack of early intervention in his troubling behavior.
The Grim Path of Robert Shulman
Early Life and Troubled Beginnings
Robert Yale Shulman entered the world on March 28, 1954, in New York, as one of four sons born to Jules and Mildred Shulman. Growing up on Long Island, in the middle-class neighborhoods of Long Beach and Westbury, Robert's childhood was marked by a peculiar indifference from his parents, despite their outwardly law-abiding nature. This lack of parental warmth seemingly contributed to antisocial tendencies in Robert and his brothers, save for the eldest, Shelly, who later thrived in the educational field.
The mid-1960s brought a shadow over the Shulman household when Jules was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. His death in 1967 deeply impacted Robert and his older brother Steven, particularly leaving Robert with suicidal thoughts. Raised amidst this emotional turmoil, Robert graduated from W. T. Clarke High School in 1972, a shy and withdrawn figure who failed to engage in high school activities or forge meaningful friendships.
Both Robert and Steven turned to drugs, exacerbating their temperamental outbursts. Counseling efforts in the 1970s proved ineffective. Meanwhile, Mildred Shulman remarried quickly after becoming a widow, prioritizing social engagements over household responsibilities, which spiraled into neglect. Rumors circulated about her peculiar behavior with her youngest son Barry, although these were never substantiated.
A Life Descending into Darkness
After a brief stint at Hofstra University, Robert dropped out and joined the United States Postal Service in 1974. His life was again punctuated by tragedy with the death of his mother in 1976 and Steven's suicide the following year. By the mid-1980s, Robert and Barry relocated to Hicksville, New York, where they occupied separate apartments in the same building on 10 Glow Lane. There, Robert maintained a reclusive lifestyle, working shifts at the local postal service and becoming a ghostly figure in the community.
Unmarried and unpopular with women, Robert often frequented Hicksville's red-light district. This pattern of solitude and anonymity set the stage for a series of heinous acts, as Hicksville would come to learn.
Uncovering the Horrors
From August 1991 to December 1995, Robert Shulman unleashed a reign of terror, murdering at least five prostitutes. His method was chillingly systematic: he procured his victims from Queens, lured them to his apartment, partook in drugs and sex, and then brutally bludgeoned them to death with items like barbells and hammers. He meticulously dismembered the bodies and discarded them in plastic bags across neighboring areas, ensuring anonymity by severing their hands to thwart identification.
The Victims
Lori Vasquez, a 24-year-old from Brooklyn, was found in a Yonkers dumpster on August 31, 1991. Robert's brother Barry was convicted for aiding in disposing of her remains.
Meresa Hammonds, a 31-year-old New Jersey resident and former fashion model, was discovered in a Yonkers dumpster on June 27, 1992. She remained unidentified until December 2021.
Medford Jane Doe, discovered along Long Island Avenue on December 7, 1994, bore a tattoo of a heart and the name "Adrian." Her body was beaten and dismembered.
Lisa Ann Warner, an 18-year-old from Jamaica, Queens, was found at a Brooklyn recycling plant on April 6, 1995, similarly beaten and dismembered.
Kelly Sue Bunting, known as "Melani," was last seen on December 8, 1995. Her body was found in Melville, wrapped in a sleeping bag with her hands removed.
The Investigation Unfolds
The investigation that ensued was as complex as Robert's crimes were gruesome. Detectives canvassed hotels for leads when a blue Cadillac came into focus. Women in the area pointed to a residence, not a hotel, where the vehicle was spotted. This blue Cadillac was registered to Barry Shulman, drawing investigators closer to Robert.
Detectives traced a sleeping bag found with Bunting's body to Sears, learning it was purchased with Robert's credit card. They then identified Robert as the man seen driving the Cadillac, with cadaver dogs detecting traces of human remains in the vehicle. Forensic evidence at his workplace matched that found on the victims, leading to his arrest near his home on April 6, 1996.
During interrogation, Robert succumbed to a nervous breakdown, confessing to three of the murders. It was only later that he admitted to the earlier two. A search of his apartment revealed a scene of horror, with bloodstains scattered on nearly every surface.
Barry Shulman, when questioned, confessed to knowing about his brother's crimes and assisting in disposing of bodies, though he denied direct involvement in the murders. On April 26, 1996, he was indicted for aiding and abetting a felony.
The Trials and Aftermath
Suffolk County
Robert faced charges for the Suffolk County murders first. Despite his deteriorating mental state and accusations of coercion in obtaining his confession, the court found him guilty. On March 5, 1999, he was sentenced to death for the murders of Medford Jane Doe, Bunting, and Warner. The death sentence was postponed pending appeals.
Westchester County
Later transferred to Westchester County, Robert pleaded guilty to the murders of Hammonds and Vasquez on January 4, 2000, receiving a 25-years-to-life sentence for each, as they occurred before the state's death penalty statute.
Barry's Conviction
Barry Shulman was convicted of aiding his brother, receiving a sentence of two years, which many deemed too lenient given his complicity.
Imprisonment and Death
In 2004, following a New York Court of Appeals ruling, Robert's death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. He spent his remaining years at Clinton Correctional Facility. In April 2006, his health declined, leading to his death from natural causes at Albany Medical Center on April 13, 2006, at age 52.
Sources
For further details on Robert Shulman's crimes and trial, please refer to the complete Wikipedia article: Robert Shulman (serial killer)
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First Victim Found
Lori Vasquez's body discovered in a dumpster in Yonkers.
Second Victim Identified
Meresa Hammonds' body found in a dumpster, initially unidentified.
Medford Jane Doe Found
An unidentified woman discovered dismembered on Long Island Avenue.
Fourth Victim Discovered
Lisa Ann Warner's body found at a recycling plant in Brooklyn.
Fifth Victim Last Seen
Kelly Sue Bunting last seen alive; her body found later.
Shulman Arrested
Robert Shulman arrested after evidence links him to the murders.
Guilty Verdict
Shulman found guilty of three murders in Suffolk County.
Death Sentence Imposed
Shulman sentenced to death by lethal injection.
Guilty Plea in Westchester
Shulman pleads guilty to two additional murders.
Shulman Dies in Prison
Robert Shulman dies of natural causes in Albany Medical Center.
From 1991 to 1995, Robert Yale Shulman, an American serial killer, murdered at least five young women in Hicksville, New York. His criminal activities came to an end when he was apprehended on April 6, 1996, following an extensive investigation into the disappearances of the victims. Shulman was convicted of first-degree murder for one of the killings and received life imprisonment for the others, with his death sentence later commuted. He died in prison on April 13, 2006. Significant evidence included forensic links between Shulman and the crime scenes, as well as witness testimonies that placed him near the victims prior to their disappearances.
Robert Shulman is theorized to have targeted young women due to a combination of deep-seated psychological issues stemming from his indifferent upbringing and possible anti-social behavior developed during his childhood. Some speculate that his choice of victims was influenced by a desire for control and dominance, reflecting patterns often seen in serial killers. Additionally, there are beliefs that Shulman's criminal activities may have escalated due to a lack of early intervention in his troubling behavior.
The Grim Path of Robert Shulman
Early Life and Troubled Beginnings
Robert Yale Shulman entered the world on March 28, 1954, in New York, as one of four sons born to Jules and Mildred Shulman. Growing up on Long Island, in the middle-class neighborhoods of Long Beach and Westbury, Robert's childhood was marked by a peculiar indifference from his parents, despite their outwardly law-abiding nature. This lack of parental warmth seemingly contributed to antisocial tendencies in Robert and his brothers, save for the eldest, Shelly, who later thrived in the educational field.
The mid-1960s brought a shadow over the Shulman household when Jules was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. His death in 1967 deeply impacted Robert and his older brother Steven, particularly leaving Robert with suicidal thoughts. Raised amidst this emotional turmoil, Robert graduated from W. T. Clarke High School in 1972, a shy and withdrawn figure who failed to engage in high school activities or forge meaningful friendships.
Both Robert and Steven turned to drugs, exacerbating their temperamental outbursts. Counseling efforts in the 1970s proved ineffective. Meanwhile, Mildred Shulman remarried quickly after becoming a widow, prioritizing social engagements over household responsibilities, which spiraled into neglect. Rumors circulated about her peculiar behavior with her youngest son Barry, although these were never substantiated.
A Life Descending into Darkness
After a brief stint at Hofstra University, Robert dropped out and joined the United States Postal Service in 1974. His life was again punctuated by tragedy with the death of his mother in 1976 and Steven's suicide the following year. By the mid-1980s, Robert and Barry relocated to Hicksville, New York, where they occupied separate apartments in the same building on 10 Glow Lane. There, Robert maintained a reclusive lifestyle, working shifts at the local postal service and becoming a ghostly figure in the community.
Unmarried and unpopular with women, Robert often frequented Hicksville's red-light district. This pattern of solitude and anonymity set the stage for a series of heinous acts, as Hicksville would come to learn.
Uncovering the Horrors
From August 1991 to December 1995, Robert Shulman unleashed a reign of terror, murdering at least five prostitutes. His method was chillingly systematic: he procured his victims from Queens, lured them to his apartment, partook in drugs and sex, and then brutally bludgeoned them to death with items like barbells and hammers. He meticulously dismembered the bodies and discarded them in plastic bags across neighboring areas, ensuring anonymity by severing their hands to thwart identification.
The Victims
Lori Vasquez, a 24-year-old from Brooklyn, was found in a Yonkers dumpster on August 31, 1991. Robert's brother Barry was convicted for aiding in disposing of her remains.
Meresa Hammonds, a 31-year-old New Jersey resident and former fashion model, was discovered in a Yonkers dumpster on June 27, 1992. She remained unidentified until December 2021.
Medford Jane Doe, discovered along Long Island Avenue on December 7, 1994, bore a tattoo of a heart and the name "Adrian." Her body was beaten and dismembered.
Lisa Ann Warner, an 18-year-old from Jamaica, Queens, was found at a Brooklyn recycling plant on April 6, 1995, similarly beaten and dismembered.
Kelly Sue Bunting, known as "Melani," was last seen on December 8, 1995. Her body was found in Melville, wrapped in a sleeping bag with her hands removed.
The Investigation Unfolds
The investigation that ensued was as complex as Robert's crimes were gruesome. Detectives canvassed hotels for leads when a blue Cadillac came into focus. Women in the area pointed to a residence, not a hotel, where the vehicle was spotted. This blue Cadillac was registered to Barry Shulman, drawing investigators closer to Robert.
Detectives traced a sleeping bag found with Bunting's body to Sears, learning it was purchased with Robert's credit card. They then identified Robert as the man seen driving the Cadillac, with cadaver dogs detecting traces of human remains in the vehicle. Forensic evidence at his workplace matched that found on the victims, leading to his arrest near his home on April 6, 1996.
During interrogation, Robert succumbed to a nervous breakdown, confessing to three of the murders. It was only later that he admitted to the earlier two. A search of his apartment revealed a scene of horror, with bloodstains scattered on nearly every surface.
Barry Shulman, when questioned, confessed to knowing about his brother's crimes and assisting in disposing of bodies, though he denied direct involvement in the murders. On April 26, 1996, he was indicted for aiding and abetting a felony.
The Trials and Aftermath
Suffolk County
Robert faced charges for the Suffolk County murders first. Despite his deteriorating mental state and accusations of coercion in obtaining his confession, the court found him guilty. On March 5, 1999, he was sentenced to death for the murders of Medford Jane Doe, Bunting, and Warner. The death sentence was postponed pending appeals.
Westchester County
Later transferred to Westchester County, Robert pleaded guilty to the murders of Hammonds and Vasquez on January 4, 2000, receiving a 25-years-to-life sentence for each, as they occurred before the state's death penalty statute.
Barry's Conviction
Barry Shulman was convicted of aiding his brother, receiving a sentence of two years, which many deemed too lenient given his complicity.
Imprisonment and Death
In 2004, following a New York Court of Appeals ruling, Robert's death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. He spent his remaining years at Clinton Correctional Facility. In April 2006, his health declined, leading to his death from natural causes at Albany Medical Center on April 13, 2006, at age 52.
Sources
For further details on Robert Shulman's crimes and trial, please refer to the complete Wikipedia article: Robert Shulman (serial killer)
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 Victim Found
Lori Vasquez's body discovered in a dumpster in Yonkers.
Second Victim Identified
Meresa Hammonds' body found in a dumpster, initially unidentified.
Medford Jane Doe Found
An unidentified woman discovered dismembered on Long Island Avenue.
Fourth Victim Discovered
Lisa Ann Warner's body found at a recycling plant in Brooklyn.
Fifth Victim Last Seen
Kelly Sue Bunting last seen alive; her body found later.
Shulman Arrested
Robert Shulman arrested after evidence links him to the murders.
Guilty Verdict
Shulman found guilty of three murders in Suffolk County.
Death Sentence Imposed
Shulman sentenced to death by lethal injection.
Guilty Plea in Westchester
Shulman pleads guilty to two additional murders.
Shulman Dies in Prison
Robert Shulman dies of natural causes in Albany Medical Center.