Robert Wayne Danielson
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Robert Wayne Danielson Jr. (August 25, 1946 – September 7, 1995) was an American
serial killer A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more persons,A * * * * with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them. While most authorities set a threshold of three ...
who murdered at least six people during an eleven month killing spree in three states between 1981 and 1982, following his
parole Parole (also known as provisional release or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...
for murdering an acquaintance in 1970. Convicted and sentenced to death by the state of California, where two of his murders occurred, Danielson killed himself while awaiting execution at San Quentin State Prison in September 1995.


Early life

Danielson was born on August 25, 1946, in
Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to th ...
. Although little was initially reported about his childhood, it was later revealed that Danielson had experienced depression and drug use. He also later underwent a religious conversion in prison.


Murders

On June 23, 1970, Danielson got into an argument with 21-year-old Thomas Elroy Davis after a roadside encounter near
Marcola, Oregon Marcola is an unincorporated community in Lane County, Oregon, United States, northeast of Springfield on the Mohawk River. Demographics History The post office at this location was established in 1876 and originally called "Isabel" for early ...
. After some time, Danielson brandished a gun and fatally shot Davis. He was charged with
first-degree murder Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person without justification or excuse, especially the ...
not long after, but after an initial
mistrial In law, a trial is a coming together of parties to a dispute, to present information (in the form of evidence) in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court. The tribunal, ...
, which resulted from the prosecution presenting improper evidence, that charge was dismissed. Instead, in November 1970, Danielson pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and several other charges, although persisted that he shot Davis only because Davis pulled a gun on him first. Danielson received a sentence of 25 years in prison. In 1981, after serving eleven years of his sentence at
Oregon State Penitentiary Oregon State Penitentiary (OSP), sometimes called Oregon State Prison, is a maximum security prison in the northwest United States in Salem, Oregon. Originally opened in Portland in 1851, it relocated to Salem fifteen years later. The 2, ...
, Danielson was granted
parole Parole (also known as provisional release or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...
, and was released from prison. On December 9, 1981, weeks after his release, Danielson confronted 60-year-old Harold and 55-year-old Betty Pratt at a desert campsite in Arizona. He bound their hands with a rope, and shot both in the head, execution style, and later stole their pickup truck. The next day, their bodies were discovered, and their truck was found abandoned in Yuma. In the subsequent investigation, investigators put out a reward of $5,000 for information. In the following months, Danielson, who was residing in
Springfield, Oregon Springfield is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. Located in the Southern Willamette Valley, it is within the Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. Separated from Eugene to the west, mainly by Interstate 5, Springfield ...
, became acquainted with 14-year-old Lenora Hart Johnson and the two sparked a relationship, with Johnson herself later stating it was "like a common-law marriage". On June 25, 1982, Danielson and Johnson bound 62-year-old Arthur Gray at a park in Eugene, Oregon, and Danielson shot him in the back of the head. In July, Danielson, accompanied by Johnson, stumbled into 69-year-old Benjamin and 62-year-old Edith Shaffer at a park in
Manchester, California Manchester is a census-designated place in Mendocino County, California, United States. It is located north of Point Arena at an elevation of . The population was 159 at the 2020 census, down from 195 in 2010. History The Manchester post offi ...
. Johnson bound the Shaffer's hands with twine, and Danielson proceeded to demand she walk their dog away from the scene. When she was a far enough distance away, Danielson shot the couple to death. In November, Danielson murdered 38-year-old Ernest Corral in a similar fashion in
Apache Junction, Arizona Apache Junction is a city in Pinal and Maricopa counties in the state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, the population was 38,499, most of whom lived in Pinal County. It is named for the junction of the Apache Trail and Old West Highway. ...
.


Arrest

In December 1983, the bodies of the Shaffers were unearthed inside a ravine off Mountain View Road. During the investigation, detectives located Johnson, who confessed to being involved in the murders, but said the murderer was Robert Wayne Danielson, a 37-year-old who was on parole for a 1970 murder at the time of the Shaffer's disappearance. She also told investigators about the murder of Arthur Gray, and the other murders which Danielson confessed to her. Following this, Danielson was charged with two counts of murder, but did not surrender to the police and was considered a
fugitive A fugitive (or runaway) is a person who is fleeing from custody, whether it be from jail, a government arrest, government or non-government questioning, vigilante violence, or outraged private individuals. A fugitive from justice, also known ...
. On April 6, 1984, Danielson was located in
Odessa, Texas Odessa is a city in and the county seat of Ector County, Texas, United States. It is located primarily in Ector County, although a small section of the city extends into Midland County. Odessa's population was 114,428 at the 2020 census, ma ...
, and he was arrested at his job at a traveling carnival.


Trials

Danielson was to stand trial for the California murders first. During one day of his trial, Danielson's mother Mary Ann Bishop attempted to pass her son a loaded revolver as he entered the Mendocino Courthouse. The attempt was noticed, Bishop was arrested, and was given a 3-year prison term. In July 1986, the jury composed of four women and eight men found Danielson guilty of killing the Shaffers, and on the basis of which made him eligible for the death penalty. Danielson pleaded for his life to be spared, even exclaiming during his testimony "I'm disgusted with myself". During the sentencing phase, his lawyers said that other infamous criminals such as Charles Manson,
Juan Corona Juan Vallejo Corona (February 7, 1934 – March 4, 2019) was a Mexican serial killer who was convicted of the murders of twenty-five migrant farm workers found buried in peach orchards along the Feather River in Sutter County, California, U ...
, and the
Hillside Stranglers The Hillside Strangler, later the Hillside Stranglers, is the media epithet for one, later discovered to be two, American serial killers who terrorized Los Angeles, California, between October 1977 and February 1978, with the nicknames originating ...
were sentenced to life rather than to death (Manson was sentenced to death, but had his sentence commuted to life after capital punishment was temporarily ruled unconstitutional, while Corona committed his crimes before capital punishment was reinstated). Two months after his conviction, the jury ultimately sentenced Danielson to death. After the trial, Danielson was extradited to Oregon to stand trial for the murder of Arthur Gray. In February 1987, Danielson was found guilty, but was not eligible for execution due to Oregon's capital punishment statute not being in effect when Gray was murdered, so instead the jury imposed the sentence of life imprisonment on February 22.


Death

For the remainder of his death sentence, Danielson was housed in San Quentin State Prison awaiting execution. On September 7, 1995, a San Quentin corrections officer named J.S. Spellman found Danielson hanging from a white tube sock in his cell. After unsuccessfully attempting to gain Danielson's attention, he signaled to other prison officials, who declared Danielson dead.


See also

* List of serial killers in the United States


External links


Condemned Inmates Who Have Died Since 1978


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Danielson, Robert 1946 births 1995 deaths 1995 suicides 20th-century American criminals American male criminals American people convicted of murder American people who died in prison custody American prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment American serial killers Male serial killers People convicted of murder by California People convicted of murder by Oregon Prisoners sentenced to death by California Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by Oregon Prisoners who died in California detention San Quentin State Prison inmates Serial killers who committed suicide in prison custody Suicides by hanging in California