William Dean Christensen
Canadian-American Serial Killer
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Montreal, Canada
TIME PERIOD
1982-1983
VICTIMS
4 confirmed
William Dean Christensen, an American serial killer, was active between 1982 and 1983, committing at least four known murders in Canada and the United States, primarily in Pennsylvania and Montreal. He was apprehended on December 4, 1983, after a series of brutal killings that earned him the moniker "The American Jack the Ripper" due to the gruesome nature of his crimes and the uncertainty surrounding his total victim count. Key figures in the case include Christensen as the suspect and multiple victims, with two confirmed murders leading to his conviction in Pennsylvania, resulting in a life sentence plus an additional 40 years for rape in Maryland. Significant evidence collected during the investigation included physical evidence linking him to the crime scenes, as well as witness testimonies that corroborated the timeline and methods of his attacks. Christensen died in prison on October 31, 1990.
William Dean Christensen is believed to have killed and mutilated more victims than the four for which he was confirmed, with speculation suggesting a possible count of 24 or more. Investigators and the public have drawn parallels between Christensen and Jack the Ripper due to the brutality and mystery of his crimes. Some theories propose that he may have committed murders in other locations beyond Canada and the U.S., indicating a wider range of his criminal activities.
The Life and Crimes of William Dean Christensen
A Violent Legacy
William Dean Christensen, born on September 24, 1945, in Bethesda, Maryland, would later be infamously dubbed as the "American Jack the Ripper." His reign of terror spanned from 1982 to 1983, leaving at least four victims mutilated in both Canada and the United States. Though he was convicted of two murders in Pennsylvania and received a life sentence plus an additional 40 years for rape in Maryland, the true extent of his crimes remained shrouded in mystery.
Early Life and Initial Crimes
Christensen's criminal proclivities began to manifest in 1969 when he picked up a 19-year-old hitchhiker in the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C. He took her to a remote location, where he viciously raped her and inflicted 19 stab wounds across her arms, hands, and face. Miraculously, she survived, and Christensen was promptly apprehended. Although sentenced to five years in prison, he was instead sent to a state facility for delinquents and released the following year.
The violence continued in 1974 when Christensen, alongside another man, abducted a go-go dancer, subjecting her to a horrifying ordeal of rape and beatings, during which Christensen chillingly threatened her life with a hacksaw. They later took her to Christensen's parents' home to assault her once more. This time, Christensen was sentenced to 16 years in prison but found himself free by 1980.
In July of that year, Christensen struck again, abducting a woman from a bus stop in Washington, D.C., taking her to a relative's house to rape her before releasing her. This crime led to arrest warrants being issued. Attempting to flee, he tried relocating to Toronto in January 1981, but was detained for passport fraud and jailed for 21 days. Soon after, he adopted the alias Richard Owen, under which he committed further crimes, including the kidnapping and rape of a woman in Montreal. Despite pleading guilty and receiving a year and six months in prison, a clerical error led to Christensen's release and subsequent evasion of authorities.
A String of Murders
April 1982 marked the escalation of Christensen's heinous acts. He abducted 27-year-old Sylvie Trudel in Montreal, where he raped, brutalized, and strangled her before dismembering her body with a hacksaw. Soon after, he strangled 26-year-old Murielle Guay, dismembering her as well. Their remains were discovered on April 27, marking Trudel's time of death at approximately 20 to 30 hours prior, and Guay's at 10 days. Christensen quickly became the prime suspect; his ownership of the apartment where Trudel was found and eyewitness accounts linking him to Guay were damning. Fleeing to the United States, he left Canadian warrants in his wake.
Despite the efforts of Canadian detectives, who discovered Christensen's parents had aided him with $5,000, he managed to stay one step ahead. Over the following months, he was reportedly seen across six states: Florida, New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania. Living under the alias "John Robert Schrader," Christensen continued his spree. On September 23, 1982, he murdered a 23-year-old go-go dancer, Michelle Angiers, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, after raping her and stabbing her 30 times. His violence persisted with an attack on two men at an Amtrak station in Trenton on June 29, 1983, who survived despite the odds. By December 4, Christensen had adopted yet another alias, Jeffrey Shrader, and shot dead Joseph Connelly outside a bar after an argument, leading to his arrest shortly after witnesses came forward.
Trial and Demise
Initially, Christensen maintained his Shrader alias, and was convicted of Connelly's murder under this false identity. However, a fingerprint analysis by the FBI mistakenly failed to identify him, allowing his true identity to remain hidden until after his conviction. Authorities suspected his victim count could be much higher, possibly exceeding a dozen across his fugitive years. The brutality of his crimes earned him the grim nickname of "American Jack the Ripper," a moniker that seized media attention.
By early 1985, Pennsylvania investigators linked him to Angiers' murder through the discovery of a bloody knife and hacksaw in his possession. Convicted of her murder in 1990, he received an additional 10 to 20 years. His past crimes caught up with him as he was extradited to Maryland for the 1981 rape, leading to a 40-year sentence.
In a chilling confession to a cellmate, Christensen claimed responsibility for 24 murders: two in England, four in Canada, and 16 in the United States. These claims, though investigated, remained unverified.
Christensen's violent journey ended on October 31, 1990, when he succumbed to cancer while incarcerated at the State Correctional Institution – Huntingdon. His death, however, was not publicized until July 1991.
Sources
- Wikipedia: William Dean Christensen
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First Murder Committed
William Dean Christensen abducts and murders Sylvie Trudel in Montreal, decapitating her body.
Convicted for Murder
Christensen is convicted of the murder of Joseph Connelly and sentenced under the alias 'John Robert Schrader'.
Link to Angiers' Murder
Investigators link the murder of Michelle Angiers to Christensen after finding evidence in his home.
Convicted for Angiers' Murder
Christensen is convicted of the murder of Michelle Angiers and sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison.
Death of Christensen
William Dean Christensen dies of cancer while serving his sentence at State Correctional Institution – Huntingdon.
Second Murder Committed
Christensen strangles and dismembers Murielle Guay in Montreal, shortly after Trudel's murder.
Bodies Discovered
The remains of Sylvie Trudel and Murielle Guay are discovered, leading to Christensen being identified as a suspect.
Third Murder Committed
Christensen abducts and murders Michelle Angiers in Pennsylvania, stabbing her 30 times.
Arrest of Christensen
William Dean Christensen is arrested for the murder of Joseph Connelly after a shooting incident.
William Dean Christensen, an American serial killer, was active between 1982 and 1983, committing at least four known murders in Canada and the United States, primarily in Pennsylvania and Montreal. He was apprehended on December 4, 1983, after a series of brutal killings that earned him the moniker "The American Jack the Ripper" due to the gruesome nature of his crimes and the uncertainty surrounding his total victim count. Key figures in the case include Christensen as the suspect and multiple victims, with two confirmed murders leading to his conviction in Pennsylvania, resulting in a life sentence plus an additional 40 years for rape in Maryland. Significant evidence collected during the investigation included physical evidence linking him to the crime scenes, as well as witness testimonies that corroborated the timeline and methods of his attacks. Christensen died in prison on October 31, 1990.
William Dean Christensen is believed to have killed and mutilated more victims than the four for which he was confirmed, with speculation suggesting a possible count of 24 or more. Investigators and the public have drawn parallels between Christensen and Jack the Ripper due to the brutality and mystery of his crimes. Some theories propose that he may have committed murders in other locations beyond Canada and the U.S., indicating a wider range of his criminal activities.
The Life and Crimes of William Dean Christensen
A Violent Legacy
William Dean Christensen, born on September 24, 1945, in Bethesda, Maryland, would later be infamously dubbed as the "American Jack the Ripper." His reign of terror spanned from 1982 to 1983, leaving at least four victims mutilated in both Canada and the United States. Though he was convicted of two murders in Pennsylvania and received a life sentence plus an additional 40 years for rape in Maryland, the true extent of his crimes remained shrouded in mystery.
Early Life and Initial Crimes
Christensen's criminal proclivities began to manifest in 1969 when he picked up a 19-year-old hitchhiker in the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C. He took her to a remote location, where he viciously raped her and inflicted 19 stab wounds across her arms, hands, and face. Miraculously, she survived, and Christensen was promptly apprehended. Although sentenced to five years in prison, he was instead sent to a state facility for delinquents and released the following year.
The violence continued in 1974 when Christensen, alongside another man, abducted a go-go dancer, subjecting her to a horrifying ordeal of rape and beatings, during which Christensen chillingly threatened her life with a hacksaw. They later took her to Christensen's parents' home to assault her once more. This time, Christensen was sentenced to 16 years in prison but found himself free by 1980.
In July of that year, Christensen struck again, abducting a woman from a bus stop in Washington, D.C., taking her to a relative's house to rape her before releasing her. This crime led to arrest warrants being issued. Attempting to flee, he tried relocating to Toronto in January 1981, but was detained for passport fraud and jailed for 21 days. Soon after, he adopted the alias Richard Owen, under which he committed further crimes, including the kidnapping and rape of a woman in Montreal. Despite pleading guilty and receiving a year and six months in prison, a clerical error led to Christensen's release and subsequent evasion of authorities.
A String of Murders
April 1982 marked the escalation of Christensen's heinous acts. He abducted 27-year-old Sylvie Trudel in Montreal, where he raped, brutalized, and strangled her before dismembering her body with a hacksaw. Soon after, he strangled 26-year-old Murielle Guay, dismembering her as well. Their remains were discovered on April 27, marking Trudel's time of death at approximately 20 to 30 hours prior, and Guay's at 10 days. Christensen quickly became the prime suspect; his ownership of the apartment where Trudel was found and eyewitness accounts linking him to Guay were damning. Fleeing to the United States, he left Canadian warrants in his wake.
Despite the efforts of Canadian detectives, who discovered Christensen's parents had aided him with $5,000, he managed to stay one step ahead. Over the following months, he was reportedly seen across six states: Florida, New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania. Living under the alias "John Robert Schrader," Christensen continued his spree. On September 23, 1982, he murdered a 23-year-old go-go dancer, Michelle Angiers, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, after raping her and stabbing her 30 times. His violence persisted with an attack on two men at an Amtrak station in Trenton on June 29, 1983, who survived despite the odds. By December 4, Christensen had adopted yet another alias, Jeffrey Shrader, and shot dead Joseph Connelly outside a bar after an argument, leading to his arrest shortly after witnesses came forward.
Trial and Demise
Initially, Christensen maintained his Shrader alias, and was convicted of Connelly's murder under this false identity. However, a fingerprint analysis by the FBI mistakenly failed to identify him, allowing his true identity to remain hidden until after his conviction. Authorities suspected his victim count could be much higher, possibly exceeding a dozen across his fugitive years. The brutality of his crimes earned him the grim nickname of "American Jack the Ripper," a moniker that seized media attention.
By early 1985, Pennsylvania investigators linked him to Angiers' murder through the discovery of a bloody knife and hacksaw in his possession. Convicted of her murder in 1990, he received an additional 10 to 20 years. His past crimes caught up with him as he was extradited to Maryland for the 1981 rape, leading to a 40-year sentence.
In a chilling confession to a cellmate, Christensen claimed responsibility for 24 murders: two in England, four in Canada, and 16 in the United States. These claims, though investigated, remained unverified.
Christensen's violent journey ended on October 31, 1990, when he succumbed to cancer while incarcerated at the State Correctional Institution – Huntingdon. His death, however, was not publicized until July 1991.
Sources
- Wikipedia: William Dean Christensen
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 Murder Committed
William Dean Christensen abducts and murders Sylvie Trudel in Montreal, decapitating her body.
Convicted for Murder
Christensen is convicted of the murder of Joseph Connelly and sentenced under the alias 'John Robert Schrader'.
Link to Angiers' Murder
Investigators link the murder of Michelle Angiers to Christensen after finding evidence in his home.
Convicted for Angiers' Murder
Christensen is convicted of the murder of Michelle Angiers and sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison.
Death of Christensen
William Dean Christensen dies of cancer while serving his sentence at State Correctional Institution – Huntingdon.
Second Murder Committed
Christensen strangles and dismembers Murielle Guay in Montreal, shortly after Trudel's murder.
Bodies Discovered
The remains of Sylvie Trudel and Murielle Guay are discovered, leading to Christensen being identified as a suspect.
Third Murder Committed
Christensen abducts and murders Michelle Angiers in Pennsylvania, stabbing her 30 times.
Arrest of Christensen
William Dean Christensen is arrested for the murder of Joseph Connelly after a shooting incident.