Murders of Thomas Smith and Squire Knyston

 

Photo of Thomas Smith

On April 4, 1905, 15-year-old Thomas Smith would leave his home on Wood Street in Chorlton-on-Medlock in Manchester, England. His mother would think that he was looking for work. However, the timid boy would not return home that night. It was assumed that maybe he had gone to visit either his sister in Dunkinfield or the one in Denton. 

The next day two boys he knew came to the house and asked if Thomas was going to work. Not knowing where Thomas was and not wanting him to lose his job she sent a note to his employers that he wasn't feeling well. However, she was worried sick about him. She would make inquiries to see if he was at either sisters, but he wasn't.

At 3pm on April 11, 1905, a rag-and-bone men would go to an uninhabited house on Hoyle Street off Fairfield Street in Ancoats. While gathering items he looked in the cellar window a body would be found lying on his back under a slab. He would tell another rag-and-bone man his discovery and the two would go to the police. 

The police would break into the home and go down to the cellar. It was obvious that the boy was murdered brutally. There was a bloody brick on his neck. A newspaper comic of "Funny Cuts" from April 8th was found stuffed in his mouth as a gag and his red handkerchief with 7 black stripes was tied over it. He was partially dressed and what clothes he had were torn and disarrayed. His pants were pulled down in the back and cut in the front. 

 His face was so beaten that he was unrecognizable. His body was also covered in bruises. He had fought back with his attacker that the nail from his middle left finger was torn off. His arms were covered in scratches he wasn't just beaten, but also stomped as a boot print was on his stomach. His genitals were also mutilated while he was alive. 

It could not be said if he was sexually assaulted, but it was suspected that he was. 

Even though the brick was bloody and found at the scene the coroner believed that a knob-like object was used to beat him. 

It was thought that he had been dead for a couple of days even though he had been missing for a week. It's not stated if they think he was held prisoner, but they know that the crime didn't happen in the cellar he was found in. The only access was a window as the doors to the cellar were locked. 

He had not been reported missing, but when the description was put in the paper his mother knew it was him. His mother and older brother, Issac, would go to identify him. They could not identify him from his face due to the brutality on it. Instead, they identified him by his clothes. At the time he was dressed in a black Vicuna jacket, black vest, dark grey trousers with black stripe, blue and red striped cotton shirt, two odd black stockings, and clasped clogs. He also had in his possession a second-class ticket for the swimming bath, Mayfield Baths, number 7,837.

In 1906, 15-year-old Squire Kynston lived with his mother at Whitsuntide at 7 Back Grey Street in Manchester, England. In August he and his mother would get into an argument after he had stayed out all night. She saw him the day after he stayed out on Butler St. She would say "You naughty boy, go right home and stay in the house" while slapping him on the side of the head. She would never see him again after this argument. 

Someone had told her later he was with his cousin. She would assume that Squire was staying with her sister and assumed he was safe. She did not check up on him however since she and her sister did not have a good relationship. It wasn't stated if he was staying with his aunt or just assumed he was. 

On Chapel St behind London Road Station, there was an unoccupied house set to be demolished. On November 20th A workman would enter the house. He stated when he entered the ground floor rooms of the home there was a stench in the air. He would find out that the stench was coming from the cellar. He would go down the stairs nearly tripping over something. It was Squire's body. The worker would quickly go and get the police. 

One of his shoulders was under a slab of flag and his head was partially under a slope stone. Squire was not wearing any clothes when he was found, but a thin strap was found wrapped around his neck. It's believed it was wrapped tightly around his neck. It was unknown what his cause of death was as he was too decomposed and rats had been eating him. However, it was believed he may have been sexually assaulted as his pants were not on him. He was not beaten on his head like Thomas.

Though both boys had died in different ways, the way they were found in similar ways and places. 

SOURCES:

Unsolved Murders UK (Thomas)

Unsolved Murders UK (Squire)

Days of Horror

Manchester Evening News April 12, 1905

Leicester Mercury April 12, 1905

Birmingham Evening Mail

Unidentified Victims of Li Zhangou

 Xiaoqi John Doe is the first victim of Chinese Serial Killer Li Zhanguo. Li Zhangou was known as the "The Henan Gay Murderer". He would kill, mutilate, and rape 11 mentally disabled teenagers and young men between 1991 and 1995.  Li Zhangou was a suspect early in the murders. There was no evidence to arrest him, but he was caught by officers with a potential victim on August 4, 1995. He would admit to being the killer. He would be prosecuted and executed in 1995.

Going by the type of person Li Zhangou targeted it's likely that the victims were mentally disabled.

1st Victim: Xiaoqi John Doe

On March 18, 1991 there was a fire burning in a field in the Xiaoqi Township, China. Someone had set fire to a set of wheat straws. When the fire was extinguished the charred body of a young man was found. He was lying on his back his head and genitals were removed. His head would be found in a well 24 meters away to the west and his genitals were found in a ditch southwest of his body. It was found that from his stomach contents he had died recently and had been strangled to death with a cord. 

3rd Victim: 1992 Yangzhuang Township John Doe

On July 26, 1992, a neatly dressed young man (Li Zhangou) was seen with a young man (John Doe). They were seen walking from the Yangzhuan railway and even seen sleeping in a wheat field together that night. On their journey, it was seen that the well-dressed young man was hitting the other young man with a stick. On July 27th the well-dressed man was now seen leading the naked man to an abandoned explosives warehouse. It was later seen the well-dressed young man was sitting on the steps alone.

On July 29th John Doe's body was found in the warehouse. He had died due to blunt force trauma due to an unknown weapon. On the walls"I am the killer" and "Sacrifice" was written in the victim's blood.

7th Victim: 1993 Xiaoqi John Doe

There is little information on this victim. On October 15, 1993, he was found dead in a canal in Xiaoqi Township. He may have been a mental patient as he had screws inserted in his hands.

8th Victim: 1994 Xiaoqi John Doe

On February 20, 1994, John Doe's lower body (below the waist) was found in a canal with burn marks on his legs. The next day the upper half without his head with identical burn marks was found. he was cut in half and set on fire before being tossed in the canal.

SOURCES:

Wikipedia

Unidentified Wiki (1991 Xiaoqi John Doe)

Unidentified Wiki (1992 Yangzhuang Township John Doe)

Unidentified Wiki (1993 Xiaoqi John Doe)

Unidentified Wiki (1994 Xiaoqi John Doe)

February 5, 1924 Jinnampo, North Korea Doe

 On February 5, 1924, the body of a mutilated toddler was found in Jinnampo, South Pyongan Province, North Korea. At the time it was under Japanese Occupation and Japanese police were in charge. A publication ban was placed so it was not widely reported. 

The infant was estimated to be around 2 years old and his death was horrific as they were done to him while still alive. His neck was severed, their limbs and genitals were removed, their skull was fractured, and their brain had been removed.

A suspect was quickly arrested, 24-year-old Lee Chang-po. He had reported to the police that he had witnessed the child's brutal murder and the details matched the scene. Lee was suffering from syphilis and was considered mentally unwell. After his arrest, he would confess but he seemed confused. He was often repeating vague statements and mumbled and mismatched words. He claimed he dug up the child from the cemetery, but that was untrue. 

He would recant his confession as it after the autopsy contradicted him. He would then claim that he did it himself and that the missing flesh, organs, and limbs would be found at his home. When Lee lead officers to the home they came across his mother and he asked her "Where did you put the knife and child's flesh you used earlier?" His mother screamed at him "This crazy person!" and refused any involvement with the child's death. Other family members also denied any involvement and the house turned up nothing. 

There was no evidence against Lee and they determined that he lied during his confession. Lee was mentally ill and this helped clear him. They believed he may have witnessed the murder as he stated and that his family was the ones who had done it. If they had it was possible that they believed like a Korean superstition at the time that eating the liver of a young person or child would cure diseases. 

SOURCES:

Unidentified Wiki

Namu

Murder of Carrie Anne Wayne

28-year-old Carrie Anne Wayne was last seen around noon on July 22, 1983. On the 29th er body would be found floating in the Garfield Canal on State U-202 around 8000 W and 2700 S  in Salt Lake County, Utah. She had been stabbed twice in her chest, had a skull fracture, and had been sexually mutilated. She may have died the same day she was last seen

Carrie went by other names such as Carrie Evans Davis, and Carrie LeCannon. At the time she was living at the Casa Blanca Motel at 1750 W. North Temple. She was known to frequent Birmingams Truckstop Located at 2100 S. 900 W. and was also known to hitchhike.

SOURCES:

Utah Department of Saftey

Unified Police Department

The Salt Lake Tribune July 31,1983
Deseret News December 10, 1989

June 23, 1980 Boca Raton, Florida Jane Doe

On June 23, 1980 a woman was found floating in the Hillsborough Canal near Boca Raton, Florida. Her body had been weighed down with body weights. It isn't stated hat her cause of death is, but her left arm and breast had been removed.

She was a white female around 19 to 20 years of age. She was 5'1" and 120 lbs. She had black hair and brown eyes. She had a possible history of pregnancy. She had slight periodontal disease, several crowns and a root canal.

SOURCES:
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/715uffl.html
http://www2.fluiddb.com/index.php/component/fabrik/details/15/259
https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case#/773

Gordie Sanderson (Tolfield John Doe) Identified

In June of 2021 Tolfied John Doe or Septic, Tank Sam was identified as 26-year-old Gordie Sanderson. He was identified through genetic genealogy with the assistance of Othram Inc. Gordie was living in Edmonton in the 70s. 

 

Images of Reconstructions of Gordie

Information on Crime

On April 13, 1977, in Tofield, Alberta Canada the McLeod family was searching their abandoned property 1.8-meter septic tank for a pump. When Mavis McLeod saw a grey sock and a brown shoe inside the tank they automatically called the police. The police found the body of a man wrapped in a yellow bed sheet tied with nylon. Police officers gave John Doe the nickname Septic Tank Sam and they believed it was one of the most sadistic crimes they'd seen. It wouldn't be until June of 2021 that he would get his name back.

Gordie was tortured before his death. He was tied up possibly to a bed and beaten. His torturers burned his body with a blowtorch and cigarettes, he was sexually mutilated and was shot twice. He was then tied up in the sheets and placed head first in the septic tank. He was then covered in lime in an attempt to dissolve the body. The body was in such bad condition that it took months to determine if it was a man or a woman. He had been dead for several months.

They believe that the person or persons who tortured him lived in the area. For them to know that the building was abandoned in the rural area.

Description of Gordie as John D

He was possibly a biracial Caucasian and First Nations Male. He was more than likely more First Nations than Caucasian. He was between the ages of 26- 40 years old. He had a medium build and was around 5'5-5'7 and weighed around 145-165 lbs. His hair color was brown and it is unknown what his eye color was. He was likely right-handed. It's believed that he had a significant illness around 5 years old.

Sam's teeth had been in good shape and had been taken care of. He had all of his teeth and some fillings, and some recent dental work. Sam's dentals were sent out to 800 dentists in the hope of identifying him. None were able to identify Sam.

He was found with brown imitation Wallabee shoes, gray socks, a blue Levi shirt with snap buttons, and a grey T-shirt, blue jeans. It is believed he may have worked in some sort of labor like work like being a farmhand and or a construction worker or any jobs like that.  He was likely not from Alberta.

Sam does have Dentals and DNA available, but fingerprints are not.

SOURCES:

http://canadianunsolvedcrimes.weebly.com/septic-tank-sam---alberta
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1046umab.html
http://unidentified.wikia.com/wiki/Septic_Tank_Sam
https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/death-of-albertas-septic-tank-sam-is-still-a-cold-case/article1354167/?ref=http://www.theglobeandmail.com&
https://www.historicmysteries.com/septic-tank-sam-alberta-canada/