Down the Wiki Rabbit Hole 001 - The Lipstick Killer

I have created a new podcast section for YouTube and Curator135.com called "Down the Wiki Rabbit Hole" where I look up a search term on Wikimedia Commons. From there I find a photo related to the search term and then research the photo to find as much information as possible.

The search term for this episode was "Crime Scene".

In the 1940s someone was killing women and children in Chicago. The police were feeling the heat as lead after lead fell through. When they encountered a young burglar, arrested for the third time, they decided he was their man. Did he do it? Maybe... but there was no doubt in the police or the public's eyes that 17-year-old William Heirens was guilty. He spent 65 years in prison and died there for crimes he says he didn't commit.

Transcript

Welcome to Down the Wiki Rabbit Hole, where we explore intriguing stories, one image at a time. For this edition, I entered the search term “Crime Scene” into Wikimedia Commons. I scrolled until I found an interesting photo which you can see for yourself on Curator135.com. From there I dove in as deep as I could and retrieved as much information on the story as possible. 

So join me as we take a closer look at the Lipstick Killer, his alleged crimes, the media frenzy that followed, and the enduring controversy surrounding his guilt. Was he truly the monster he was made out to be, or did the real killer slip through the cracks of history? It’s considered one of the most chilling cases in post-World War II America — the story of the so-called "Lipstick Killer," a series of brutal murders that shocked Chicago between 1945 and 1946.

William Heirens, known as the "Lipstick Killer," had a troubled childhood that shaped his later criminal behavior. Born on November 15th, 1928, in Evanston, Illinois, Heirens grew up in a middle-class family. His home life was difficult, marked by financial struggles and tension between his parents, which likely contributed to the emotional issues he faced. Despite his troubled family environment, Heirens showed signs of high intelligence from a young age. 

However, alongside his intelligence, he began stealing at just 13 years old, not out of need, but for the thrill of it. Heirens never sold what he stole. His stealing habits escalated as the family moved to Lincolnwood, a suburb of Chicago.

He was caught several times but continued his criminal activities between visits to various institutions. His lack of remorse for his actions was concerning. 

At age 13, Heirens was arrested for carrying a loaded gun. After a search of his family home, police discovered a number of stolen weapons hidden in a storage shed on the roof of a nearby building. They also located furs, suits, cameras, radios, and jewelry. Trophies from his crimes. Heirens confessed to 11 burglaries and was sent to the Gibault School for wayward boys in Terre Haute, Indiana for several months in 1942.

Soon after his release, William Heirens was arrested for theft and sentenced to three years at the St. Bede Academy in Peru, Illinois. There, he was an exceptional student, and popular with the girls. Just before his release at the age of 16 he won a scholarship to the University of Chicago. 

To pay his bills he worked as an usher at a nearby theater while also resuming his career as a burglar. 

On June 5th of 1945, a 43-year-old woman named Josephine Ross was found murdered in her Chicago apartment. Her roomate, home on her lunch break, found Ross naked on her bed. A red dress was tied around the woman’s throat which had been slashed. She’d also been stabbed numerous times. The bathtub was partly filled with garments and bloody water.

There were clear signs of a struggle including a clump of hair found clutched in the murdered woman’s hand. Despite the violent nature of the crime, nothing of value was reported stolen from the apartment. 

Ross was a widow at the time of her murder. Her first two marriages had ended in divorce and her third husband had died a year before. 

As the days passed, police had few leads, and despite extensive interviews, no suspects were immediately arrested. 

Six months later, on December 10th, 1945, the body of Frances Brown was discovered by a cleaning woman entering her apartment. Frances Brown was an attractive 32-year-old woman living at the Pinecrest Apartments, a fashionable building located in a quiet Chicago neighborhood. She had worked as a former World War II Women's Army Corps member and was transitioning into civilian life. At the time of her death, she worked as a secretary and was also pursuing part-time work as a model. 

Brown had been shot in the head and stabbed multiple times. One of the knife wounds was so deep that it reportedly pinned her body to the wall. The level of violence used in the attack suggested a deep rage or a methodical, sadistic intent by the killer. What made this case particularly notorious was the chilling message scrawled on the wall of her apartment in lipstick, which read: "For heaven's sake catch me before I kill more I cannot control myself." This message cemented the idea of a serial killer on the loose and led to the eventual nickname "Lipstick Killer."

As with the Josephine Ross murder, there was no immediate sign of forced entry into Brown's apartment, and any valuable items were left untouched. The savagery of the attack, combined with the bizarre message, led investigators to believe that this was not a random act of violence but part of a larger series of murders.

Fear was spreading throughout Chicago as authorities scrambled to find the person responsible. The fear would escalate less than a month later.

On January 7th of 1946, six-year-old Suzanne Degna was kidnapped from just outside her family home in an affluent neighborhood of North Kenmore Avenue. Her father, James Degnan, was a prominent engineer with the Office of Price Administration. The family was well-respected and led a quiet life, which made the crime even more shocking.

In the early hours of January 7th, Suzanne was abducted from her second-floor bedroom. Her parents awoke to find her bed empty, and a ransom note left behind demanding $20,000 for her safe return. The note, crudely written, read: "Get $20,000 ready & wait for word. Do not notify the FBI or police. Bills in 5's and 10's." Despite the note's demands, the Degnans contacted the police immediately, launching an intense search for the missing girl.

Later that same day, the case took a gruesome turn when authorities discovered Suzanne's dismembered body in several different sewer drains near her home. Her remains had been carefully disposed of, and her body had been dismembered with surgical precision. Investigators were horrified by the brutality of the crime, which clearly required some level of medical knowledge. Her head, legs, arms, and torso were found in different locations, confirming the level of planning and cruelty involved in her murder. 

An intensive investigation followed, involving a massive police effort to track down potential leads. Investigators initially suspected that someone with medical training could have committed the crime due to the precision of the dismemberment. Several suspects were interviewed, including butchers, surgeons, and local criminals, but the case remained unsolved for months.

In June of that year, William Heirens, who was enrolled in the University of Chicago at the time, was arrested for attempted burglary. During his arrest, police uncovered evidence that linked him to the murders of Suzanne Degnan and the previous victims, Josephine Ross and Frances Brown.

The interrogation of William Heirens by the Chicago police is one of the most controversial aspects of the case. The methods used to obtain his confession have been criticized over the years, with many believing that his rights were violated and that the confession may have been coerced. During his arrest, he was struck by a police officer and subsequently taken into custody. 

Heirens, who was only 17 years old at the time, was interrogated for several days without being allowed to see his parents or a lawyer. He was subjected to sleep deprivation and there are reports that he was physically and mentally abused on numerous occasions. It was clear from the beginning that the police were under immense pressure to solve the high-profile murders of Suzanne Degnan, Frances Brown, and Josephine Ross, and Heirens became their primary suspect.

In addition to standard questioning, Heirens was subjected to other methods that were controversial at the time. He was administered sodium pentothal, commonly known as "truth serum," without his consent. Under the influence of the drug, Heirens reportedly spoke of an alternate personality named "George" who committed the murders. This "confession" under the influence of the drug became one of the key pieces of evidence used against him. However, the reliability of sodium pentothal as a means of obtaining truthful information has since been discredited, as it often produces unreliable or fabricated responses.

Heirens was also subjected to a polygraph test, which was inconclusive. Despite the lack of clear evidence from these tests, the police continued their aggressive interrogation tactics, focusing heavily on the "George" persona as a way to implicate Heirens in the murders.

After nearly six days of intense interrogation, he gave a formal confession.

His confession detailed the murders of Suzanne Degnan, Frances Brown, and Josephine Ross, but he later recanted, stating that the confession was forced upon him by the police. He also claimed that he had been promised leniency if he cooperated, which influenced his decision to confess.

Facing the death penalty, Heirens accepted a plea deal to avoid execution. He pleaded guilty to the three murders and was sentenced to life in prison. However, Heirens spent the rest of his life maintaining that the confession was coerced and that he was innocent of the murders.

Over the years, legal scholars, journalists, and human rights advocates have raised serious concerns about the methods used in Heirens' interrogation. Many believe that his rights were violated, and that the confession was obtained through unconstitutional means. The lack of physical evidence directly tying Heirens to the murders has only fueled these suspicions.

William Heirens spent more than 65 years in prison, making him one of the longest-serving prisoners in the U.S. at the time of his death. His time in prison was marked by a mixture of personal rehabilitation efforts, continued claims of innocence, and repeated but unsuccessful attempts to gain parole. 

After being sentenced to life in prison for the murders, Heirens was initially sent to the Illinois State Penitentiary in 1946. The beginning of his imprisonment was a difficult adjustment, as he had entered prison as a young man convicted of heinous crimes, which made him a target among other inmates.

Despite the harsh conditions, Heirens used his time in prison to focus on self-improvement. He was described by many as a model prisoner and someone who sought to better himself through education and work.

One of Heirens' notable achievements during his incarceration was his dedication to education. He became the first prisoner in Illinois to earn a college degree while in prison. He took correspondence courses through Sauk Valley Community College and other institutions, eventually earning a bachelor's degree. His pursuit of education became a central part of his rehabilitation, and he was known to assist other inmates with their studies as well.

Heirens also learned various technical skills while in prison, including electronics and mathematics. He became well-versed in electronics repair, which he used as a form of employment during his incarceration. His proficiency with technology allowed him to contribute to prison maintenance and other work assignments.

Heirens’ legal team made numerous appeals over the years, arguing that his trial and conviction were unjust. His defense argued that there was insufficient evidence tying him to the murders, especially the Degnan case, where no physical evidence definitively linked him to the crime scene. However, despite these efforts, Heirens was never exonerated, and his repeated bids for parole were denied.

His first parole hearing occurred in 1975, but his request was denied. Over the decades, Heirens appeared before the parole board more than two dozen times, and each time he was denied release. The board often cited the severity of his crimes as the main reason for keeping him in prison.

In later years, Heirens garnered significant public attention and support from human rights advocates and legal professionals who believed that he had been wrongfully convicted. Some argued that his case represented a miscarriage of justice and called for his release, but these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.

As Heirens aged, his health began to deteriorate. In his later years, he suffered from diabetes, which led to various complications, including the amputation of his legs. He was eventually transferred to the Dixon Correctional Center, which had better facilities for prisoners with significant medical needs. Heirens spent his final years confined to a wheelchair and required constant medical care.

Despite his declining health, Heirens continued to maintain a sense of purpose in prison, helping other inmates with their education and contributing to prison work assignments when possible. However, his dream of release never materialized.

William Heirens died on March 5, 2012, at the age of 83, at the University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago. His death was due to complications from diabetes and other health issues. He had spent more than 65 years in prison by the time of his death, remaining incarcerated longer than any other prisoner in Illinois history.

Despite the length of his sentence and the controversies surrounding his conviction, Heirens’ case remains a subject of debate. Some believe he was the "Lipstick Killer" responsible for the brutal murders, while others argue that he was a scapegoat for a flawed investigation and coerced into confessing under duress.

His story raises questions about the integrity of the criminal justice system, particularly regarding coerced confessions, prisoner rights, and the treatment of juveniles. His long life behind bars reflects both the severity of the crimes he was convicted for and the ongoing doubts about whether justice was truly served in his case.

Psychologists later suggested that Heirens may have suffered from a personality disorder. He claimed that an alternate persona named "George" was responsible for his thefts and violent acts, though experts debated whether this was a genuine psychological issue or a defense mechanism. The combination of his high intelligence, emotional instability, and potential psychological issues made his case particularly complex.

In the end, Heirens' childhood and early behavior may have laid the groundwork for his later crimes. 

Inspired by the Lipstick Killer case, "The Bloody Spur" by Charles Einstein, was published in 1953. The novel is a fictionalized account of the Lipstick Killer story, blending elements from the real-life case with creative liberties to explore the psychological, social, and moral aspects surrounding such a gruesome series of murders.

In the novel, Einstein delves into the mind of a killer who leaves behind a message scrawled in lipstick, much like the infamous note found at the scene of Frances Brown's murder, where the killer wrote on the wall, "For heaven's sake catch me before I kill more I cannot control myself." This chilling detail from the Lipstick Killer case is mirrored in Einstein's work and serves as a central motif.

Though "The Bloody Spur" fictionalized the events and characters, it captured the sense of fear and sensationalism that surrounded the real Lipstick Killer case in Chicago during the 1940s. The book later gained further recognition when it was adapted into the 1956 film "While the City Sleeps", directed by Fritz Lang. The film, like the book, follows a fictionalized version of the Lipstick Killer story, focusing on the hunt for a serial murderer terrorizing a city.

As we climb back out of this dark chapter of history, we’re left with more questions than answers. The Lipstick Killer case remains a haunting reminder of how complex justice can be, and how the truth sometimes gets tangled in the shadows of fear, media pressure, and public outrage.

It all began with a photo. What we uncovered was a tale filled with mystery, fear, and a chilling message scrawled in lipstick on a victim’s apartment wall. This cryptic writing would captivate and horrify the public, eventually leading to the arrest of a man who, despite maintaining his innocence, would become infamous in American criminal history.

Whether William Heirens, the man convicted, was truly guilty or another victim of a rushed system is something historians and true crime enthusiasts continue to debate. What we do know is that this case forever altered the landscape of criminal investigations in post-war America, and the eerie image of that lipstick-scrawled message lingers in the collective memory.

Thank you for joining me on this journey down the rabbit hole. Until next time, stay curious—and remember, sometimes the stories behind a single photo can lead us into the most unexpected places. 143