The Michigan Murders: The True Story of the Ypsilanti Ripper’s Reign of Terror by Edward Keyes, tells the story of the brutal murder of six young woman and one thirteen year old girl in the college towns of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, Michigan. These crimes occurred between 1967 and 1969, when hitchhiking and walking through deserted areas did not necessarily inspire fear or caution.
These were all brutal sexual murders. As is so often the case, the killer was questioned early in the investigation, but police did not take him seriously, and did not have enough evidence to tie him to the murders until an additional six women were killed. By that time, he had become sloppy and overconfident; when he was arrested, he never admitted to the crimes. He continues to deny them to this day as he serves life behind bars.
He was only tried for the last murder, on circumstantial evidence, and one of the seven victims was tied through DNA evidence in 2014, to another man who was convicted of the murder. So one is left with a curious sense of void at the center of these crimes. Despite a conviction, questions linger. Points don’t match up. There is a curious sense that something is not yet resolved. It gives one a sad sense of the human inability to both discover and punish the evil ones among us.
These were all brutal sexual murders. As is so often the case, the killer was questioned early in the investigation, but police did not take him seriously, and did not have enough evidence to tie him to the murders until an additional six women were killed. By that time, he had become sloppy and overconfident; when he was arrested, he never admitted to the crimes. He continues to deny them to this day as he serves life behind bars.
He was only tried for the last murder, on circumstantial evidence, and one of the seven victims was tied through DNA evidence in 2014, to another man who was convicted of the murder. So one is left with a curious sense of void at the center of these crimes. Despite a conviction, questions linger. Points don’t match up. There is a curious sense that something is not yet resolved. It gives one a sad sense of the human inability to both discover and punish the evil ones among us.
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