Jack Trawick: Difference between revisions
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'''Jack Harrison Trawick''' (born c. [[1947]]) is a convicted murderer, serving a life sentence for killing Aileen Pruitt in June [[List of Birmingham homicides in 1992|1992]] and on death row for the killing of Stephanie Gach four months later. He has confessed to the [[List of homicides in 1972|1972]] murder of Betty Jo Richards in [[Walker County]], but was not prosecuted because he was already on death row. | '''Jack Harrison Trawick''' (born c. [[1947]]) is a convicted murderer, serving a life sentence for killing Aileen Pruitt in June [[List of Birmingham homicides in 1992|1992]] and on death row for the killing of Stephanie Gach four months later. He has confessed to the [[List of homicides in 1972|1972]] murder of Betty Jo Richards in [[Walker County]], but was not prosecuted because he was already on death row. | ||
Trawick had served prison sentences before, and was diagnosed in [[1970]] as "a paranoid schizophrenic with homicidal impulses." | Trawick had served prison sentences before, having been charged with burglary, impersonating a police officer, kidnapping, making threatening calls, breaking and entering and property destruction. He was diagnosed in [[1970]] as "a paranoid schizophrenic with homicidal impulses," and was divorced in [[1971]]. | ||
In [[1982]], at Trawick's own request, he was given a "chemical castration" in the form of the hormone progestin. He served a seven year sentence from [[1983]] to [[1990]]. | |||
Trawick was questioned by the [[Jefferson County Sheriff's Office]] as a suspect in a string of attempted abductions of women in [[1994]]. He confessed to Gach's murder during an interview on [[October 29]] of that year. At his arraignment he pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental defect. He was found guilty and sentenced to death during trial in [[1995]]. The verdict and sentence was affirmed by the [[Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals]]. | |||
In November [[2001]] Neil O'Connor, a resident of Mount Laurel, New Jersey, wrote to Trawick in prison, soliciting writings for a website. Trawick used the opportunity to revel in his crimes and elaborate his "philosophy" for raping and killing women. He also admitted to eleven other women in writings posted to the site. Those claims have been impossible to corroborate. | In November [[2001]] Neil O'Connor, a resident of Mount Laurel, New Jersey, wrote to Trawick in prison, soliciting writings for a website. Trawick used the opportunity to revel in his crimes and elaborate his "philosophy" for raping and killing women. He also admitted to eleven other women in writings posted to the site. Those claims have been impossible to corroborate. | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
* "Taped confession by Trawick vividly details Gach killing." (March 23, 1994) ''Birmingham News'' | * "Taped confession by Trawick vividly details Gach killing." (March 23, 1994) ''Birmingham News'' | ||
* Michaud, Stephen G. and Roy Hazelwood (2000) ''The Evil that Men Do: FBI Profiler Roy Hazelwood's Journey Into the Minds of Sexual Predators.'' New York, New York: Macmillan ISBN 0312970609 | |||
* Bright, Taylor (January 11, 2003) "From death row, an Alabama serial killer Uses a New Jersey man and the web to torment the families of his victims." ''Birmingham Post-Herald'' | * Bright, Taylor (January 11, 2003) "From death row, an Alabama serial killer Uses a New Jersey man and the web to torment the families of his victims." ''Birmingham Post-Herald'' | ||
* Bright, Taylor (January 15, 2004) "Is Jack Trawick still a ... menace to society?" ''Birmingham Post-Herald'' | * Bright, Taylor (January 15, 2004) "Is Jack Trawick still a ... menace to society?" ''Birmingham Post-Herald'' | ||
Revision as of 17:24, 10 June 2009
Jack Harrison Trawick (born c. 1947) is a convicted murderer, serving a life sentence for killing Aileen Pruitt in June 1992 and on death row for the killing of Stephanie Gach four months later. He has confessed to the 1972 murder of Betty Jo Richards in Walker County, but was not prosecuted because he was already on death row.
Trawick had served prison sentences before, having been charged with burglary, impersonating a police officer, kidnapping, making threatening calls, breaking and entering and property destruction. He was diagnosed in 1970 as "a paranoid schizophrenic with homicidal impulses," and was divorced in 1971.
In 1982, at Trawick's own request, he was given a "chemical castration" in the form of the hormone progestin. He served a seven year sentence from 1983 to 1990.
Trawick was questioned by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office as a suspect in a string of attempted abductions of women in 1994. He confessed to Gach's murder during an interview on October 29 of that year. At his arraignment he pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental defect. He was found guilty and sentenced to death during trial in 1995. The verdict and sentence was affirmed by the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals.
In November 2001 Neil O'Connor, a resident of Mount Laurel, New Jersey, wrote to Trawick in prison, soliciting writings for a website. Trawick used the opportunity to revel in his crimes and elaborate his "philosophy" for raping and killing women. He also admitted to eleven other women in writings posted to the site. Those claims have been impossible to corroborate.
In 2009 the Alabama Legislature passed a bill prohibiting state inmates or their agents from profiting from the sale of works created in prison. The bill was sponsored by Cam Ward in the House of Representatives and by Zeb Little in the Senate.
Trawick is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on June 11, 2009.
References
- "Taped confession by Trawick vividly details Gach killing." (March 23, 1994) Birmingham News
- Michaud, Stephen G. and Roy Hazelwood (2000) The Evil that Men Do: FBI Profiler Roy Hazelwood's Journey Into the Minds of Sexual Predators. New York, New York: Macmillan ISBN 0312970609
- Bright, Taylor (January 11, 2003) "From death row, an Alabama serial killer Uses a New Jersey man and the web to torment the families of his victims." Birmingham Post-Herald
- Bright, Taylor (January 15, 2004) "Is Jack Trawick still a ... menace to society?" Birmingham Post-Herald
- "While on Death Row, Inmates Find Freedom on the Internet" (January 25, 2004) New York Times
- Gordon, Tom (May 9, 2009) "Alabama Legislature passes bill that would bar capital murderers from making money off creative works." Birmingham News
- Gordon, Tom (June 10, 2009) "Relatives of two Trawick murder victims to witness slated execution Thursday." Birmingham News