| Anthony Edward Sowell (born August 19, 1959) is a suspected serial killer from Ohio. He pleaded guilty to attempted rape in 1989 and served 15 years in prison before his release in 2005. He was arrested again in October 2009 as a suspect in the murder of eleven women whose bodies were found at his Cleveland, Ohio duplex in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood.[1] Sowell has been charged with at least five counts of aggravated murder. Military service At the age of 19, Sowell entered the United States Marine Corps in Cleveland, Ohio on January 24, 1978. He attended recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in South Carolina, then was further trained as an electrician at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. On July 13, 1978, he was assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, also in North Carolina. In 1980, Sowell spent a year overseas with the 3rd Force Service Support Group, then returned to Cherry Point. He was then ordered to Marine Corps Base Camp Butler in Okinawa, Japan on January 20, 1984. A year later, he transferred to Camp Pendleton in California for three days until his discharge on January 18, 1985. During his seven-year Marine Corps career, he received a Good Conduct Medal with one service star, a Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, a Certificate of Commendation, a Meritorious Mast, and two Letters of Appreciation. 1989 attempted rape In 1989 a woman, who was three months pregnant, went to Sowell’s home voluntarily, but when she tried to leave he bound her hands and feet with a tie and a belt and gagged her with a rag. The victim told police: “He choked me real hard because my body started tingling. I thought I was going to die.”[4] Sowell was charged with kidnapping, attempted rape, and rape, and eventually pleaded guilty to attempted rape, serving 15 years in prison. He was released in 2005. Sowell worked in a factory until 2007 when he began collecting unemployment benefits.[4] Neighbors said he earned a living selling scrap metal.[1] They complained to the health department of a foul smell in the neighborhood.[4] He was a member of an online dating service, where he stated that he was a "master" looking for a submissive person to "train". Discovery of bodies and arrest In September, 2009 Sowell invited a woman he knew to his home for a drink. On September 22, 2009 she reported to police that after a few drinks, he became angry, hit her, choked her and raped her as she passed out. On October 29, police arrived at his home with a warrant to arrest him for the alleged rape. He was not there, but they found two bodies on the floor in the living room.[4] He was located and arrested two days later The bodies of four other women were found throughout the home, buried in a shallow grave in the basement and in crawl spaces in the house. After digging in the backyard, investigators found three more bodies and the remains of a fourth. Police also found a human skull in a bucket inside the house, which brought the body count to eleven. At the time of his arrest, Sowell was 50 years old. He had been living in his current home for four years. He is being held on $6 million bond. Alleged victims On November 5, 2009, the first of the eleven alleged victims was identified as Tonia Carmichael, a 53-year old African American woman who disappeared more than a year earlier. Her body was found buried in the backyard. She appeared to have been strangled and was identified through the use of DNA evidence. She had a criminal record of theft and drug charges; her mother had reported her missing in December. On November 5, 2009, the second alleged victim was identified as Telacia Fortson, a 31-year old African American woman who disappeared five months earlier. Although she had been missing since June, her mother did not report her missing until she heard the news coverage regarding the dead bodies discovered in Sowell's home. On November 8, 2009, three more bodies were identified. Crystal Dozier was a 38-year old African American woman who went missing in May 2007. She was the mother of seven children with a criminal record and a history of drug abuse. She lived in the area where her body was discovered. Her family reported her missing to the Cleveland Police Department. This was not the first time she had gone missing, and the family accuses the police of failing to investigate. The family took it upon themselves to post flyers and call hospitals. Amelda "Amy" Hunter was a 47-year old African American woman. She was a beautician and a mother of three with a crimnal record and a history of drug abuse. She did not live in the area where her body was found, but she did visit frequently. A previous injury left her unable to use one of her arms. Her family did not report her missing until after police began removing bodies from Sowell's house. Michelle Mason was a 45-year old African American woman who was last seen in October 2008. She was a mother with a criminal record and a history of drug abuse. She lived in the area where her body was found. According to records, the police conducted a full investigation when her family reported her missing. Records of missing persons going back to Sowell's June 2005 release from prison are being searched and DNA testing is being conducted on the bodies found at Sowell's house. Protesters holding posters of missing loved ones have gathered outside his home. East Cleveland police are also reopening several cold cases from the late 1980s. The murders by strangulation used a similar modus operandi and stopped when Sowell was arrested in 1989.[11] And the FBI is gathering information to see if Sowell may be linked to unsolved cases in cities where he once lived. Identified bodies Name Age Date of death Crystal Dozier 38 C. May, 2007c. May, 2007 Tishana Culver 31 C. June, 2008c. June, 2008 Leshanda Long 25 C. June, 2008c. August, 2008 Michelle Mason 45 C. October, 2008c. October, 2008 Tonia Carmichael 53 C. December, 2008c. December, 2008 Nancy Cobbs 43 C. April, 2009c. April, 2009 Amelda Hunter 47 C. April, 2009c. April, 2009 Telacia Fortson 31 C. June, 2009c. June, 2009 Janice Webb 49 C. June, 2009c. June, 2009 Kim Yvette Smith 44 C. June, 2009c. July, 2009 |
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| Anthony Sowell, Cleveland's East Side Strangler How Many Bodies will eventually be found? 11, 20, 40? Cleveland 1989, The Strawberry Girl Murders! Was Sowell the killer? Strange that the murders stopped when he was sentenced to prison for rape. Sowell is now a prime suspect See Video at bottom of page |
| An evil looking runt, isn't he? Blood is behind those eye. |