John Eric Armstrong

Weighing about 300 pounds and bearing boyish looks, ex-Navy man John Eric Armstrong seemed such a mild-mannered man. Naturally it came as such a shock to his family and friends when he was arrested for a string of prostitute murders.

Armstrong was first suspected when he called the police reporting a dead body (which was in fact one of his victims). He told police he had been throwing up over the side of the bridge when he saw the corpse of Wendy Jordan floating on the riverbank below. The authorities were suspicious of Armstrong, and he soon became a suspect in the murder of Wendy, as well as several recent murders. Armstrong was linked to at least one of the murders through DNA testing, and was arrested. In police custody he confessed to five prostitute slayings as well as 12 other murders around the world, that he had apparently committed during his travels aboard an aircraft carrier.

Armstrong later withdrew his confessions, and his defence lawyer labelled him a ‘serial confessor’. Despite this, he was convicted on 7th March 2001, charged with several murders. Armstrong plead guilty to all charges, and was sentenced to 31 years to life in prison.