The Sinister Trail of William Perry Jackson

The Shadow of Violence: A Brief Introduction

In the quiet corners of the Pacific Northwest, a chilling series of events unfolded between May and August of 1980, leaving a bloody trail across Washington and Oregon. At the heart of this dark saga was William Perry Jackson, born in January 1955 in Milwaukie, Oregon. Known to some as "Pete," Jackson's life of crime would eventually earn him the label of a serial killer. Alongside two accomplices, his brutal acts during a spree of robberies resulted in five deaths. Today, Jackson serves multiple life sentences in an Oregon prison, a grim testament to his violent past.

The Murders Begin

The deadly spree commenced on May 21, 1980. William Perry Jackson, accompanied by 27-year-old Gary Allen Smith, targeted a kiosk in the Portland Transit Mall. There, they encountered Calvin Toran, a 45-year-old janitor. In a brutal assault, they beat Toran, stealing a mere $10 from him before forcing him into their van. Their journey ended in Forest Park, where they coldly stabbed him to death.

The violence didn't stop there. On June 11, Jackson and Smith set their sights on a home in Vancouver, Washington. Their victim was 74-year-old Hazel Wilson. Breaking in, they viciously beat the elderly woman, leaving her unable to move. After ransacking the house for valuables, they fled. A concerned neighbor discovered Wilson two days later, and she was rushed to the hospital. Sadly, her injuries proved fatal, and she died on June 14.

August proved no less deadly. Jackson and Smith, now hitchhiking between Washington and Oregon, found themselves in Portland. On August 5, they invaded the home of 59-year-old Julia Annabell Armstrong, beating her to death before looting her residence. Just two days later, they were joined by 18-year-old Michael Anthony Butler. Their violent spree continued when they entered the home of 78-year-old Theodore May in Chehalis, Washington. In his garage, they beat May to death, stealing cash, valuables, and gas.

Their last known victim was a tragic twist of fate. On August 10, the trio drove near Scholls, Oregon, where they spotted two young girls, Charmel Ulrich and Laurie Leach, walking along a rural path. Jackson convinced Butler to pull over, and they approached the girls. In a sudden act of violence, they shoved 14-year-old Ulrich into the car. Her friend, 13-year-old Leach, managed to escape. The assailants drove to a secluded area near Rose Lodge, where Ulrich was brutally raped by Jackson and Butler in the back seat. After forcing her to make a phone call to Leach's mother from a telephone booth, Smith mercilessly stabbed her to death. Her body was discarded in a remote wooded area east of Waldport.

Arrest and First Trial

The investigation into Ulrich's kidnapping unveiled a critical lead. Michael Anthony Butler had made incriminating comments about the crime, suggesting intimate knowledge. Arrested in Forest Grove, Butler confessed to the abduction and murder, even guiding detectives to the burial site. With Butler's cooperation, authorities arrested Jackson and Smith on August 22. Both men faced charges of kidnapping, rape, and murder, with bail set at $500,000.

Smith maintained his innocence regarding Ulrich's murder, and his trial was set for October 15. However, in a twist, the trial began earlier on October 11, coordinated with Jackson's attorney. In January 1981, Smith was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, as the death penalty was temporarily suspended at the state level.

In a separate proceeding, Jackson waived his right to a jury trial for the murder of Calvin Toran, opting to plead guilty. Receiving a life sentence, he attempted to plead guilty in the Ulrich case as well, but Judge Richard Burke denied the motion. Jackson's attorney petitioned the Supreme Court for Burke's removal, citing prejudice, but the request was denied. Nevertheless, Burke did lift a gag order on the confessions, despite Jackson's attorney's objections.

Ultimately, Jackson was convicted of multiple murders, receiving consecutive life sentences. After pleading guilty to Hazel Wilson's murder, Jackson volunteered for medical research programs, serving as a test subject for drug experiments.

The Prison Escape

In August 1982, Jackson was extradited to Washington for sentencing in Theodore May's murder. On August 5, he and fellow inmate Gus Allen Turner engineered a daring escape from the Lewis County Courthouse jail. Breaking through the plaster ceiling of their cell, they lowered themselves to the ground using a makeshift rope made of blankets. Jackson fled to his hometown of Milwaukie, Oregon, where he was captured later that day. He faced first-degree escape charges, offering to plead guilty if the county sheriff would spend weeks in isolation with him.

Further Trials and Current Status

In September 1982, Jackson testified against Smith in the trial for Hazel Wilson's murder. Their testimonies conflicted, with Jackson accusing Smith of sexual abuse and brutality against Wilson while claiming he had merely watched. Smith, who denied the charges, was convicted and sentenced to life without parole, continuing to assert his innocence and criticize Jackson.

Jackson's appeals to the Oregon Supreme Court to exclude certain statements as evidence were unsuccessful for the murders of Armstrong and May. However, he was granted a resentencing trial for Ulrich's murder, resulting in another life sentence.

As of October 2022, William Perry Jackson remains incarcerated at the Oregon State Penitentiary, serving his multiple life sentences, a testament to the horror he inflicted during those fateful months in 1980.

Sources

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