Jerry Thompson - Evil Rapist and Killer

Between the mid 1920`s and mid 1930`s, this era was known in the USA as the "Age of Sex Crime."  It threw up numerous vicious and sadistic killers.  Jerry Thompson was such a person.  The end of the road came for him on June 17th 1935 when the body of a young woman was found in a cemetery in Peroia, Illinois.  The victim`s underwear was found nearby.  It had been ripped from her.  She was identified as 19 year old Mildred Hallmark, a waitress at a cafe who had been reported missing after she left work.  The autopsy revealed that she had been raped and then strangled.  Police issued an appeal for information to the public and several women spoke out about being offered lifts in a vehicle by a good looking young man.  He then drove them to secluded locations and attacked them.  he threatened them with violence if they did not comply.

    Police now knew they had a serial rapist on the loose.  he already had one dead victim.  Could there be more?  They made a much wider appeal using the media.  Any women attacked, could come forward and total discretion would be exercised.  They were not prepared for what was to come.  More than fifty victims came forward.  All told the same story of the good looking young man in a car, offering them lifts.  He threatened them with violence if they resisted, and indeed, a number of them were repeatedly punched to show he meant it.  A number of victims were dragged off the streets.  Resistance and screams were silenced by violence.  If that was not enough, after the attacks, he would force them to pose for pictures he took, promising them that their names would appear in the newspapers and everybody would know they were rape victims.  Some were threatened with having the pictures sent to family and friends.  These threats ensured the rapist got away with it and the victims simply had to live their horrific experience.

    Then, one day, at a dancehall, a girl was introduced to a young man.  She was certain that she had met him before, which he said they hadn`t.  She was now certain he was her assailant.  His name was Jerry Thompson, a man in his mid 20`s.  Police tried to find this Jerry Thompson, without success, but decided to visit Mildred`s father.  Yes, he knew Jerry Thompson.  He worked in the same factory and was also a neighbour.  Mildred would never have gotten into a strange car, but if she knew the driver....  Police now believed they were onto her killer.  Taken in for questioning, he denied being a killer or rapist.  One of his victims positively identified him in a line up.  Thompson also failed a Polygraph.  One detective came in and threw the shredded under garment of Mildred`s at Thompson, who then broke down and confessed.  He gave her a lift, then drove to the cemetery where he tried to have sex with her.  She resisted so he struck her and then started choking her.  Then he got her into the rear of the car and raped her.  Then he claimed, he discovered she was dead, so he dumped her body and drove off.

    A warrant was issued to search his home.  They found masses of evidence.  Piles of photographs of his victims, plus a very detailed diary of all his attacks.  He had been carrying out his assaults from the age of 16.  He was also engaged.  The case against him was clear cut and he went to the chair on October 15th 1935.  Why did he do it?  Sorry, but I do not have the time for Freudian explanations.  There can be any number of reasons, but he had no hesitation in attacking young women, both physically and sexually.  He had no problems holding down a job.  As for his looks, nowadays, you have some lawyer saying, "Look at this man.  Does he NEED to rape?"  Yes, particularly if the women express no interest in him.  It is a case of "How dare they reject ME?"  They have such a high opinion of themselves and are such egomaniacs that any "affront to their manhood" has to met with sexual violence.  I am not a Psychiatrist or Psychologist but I do look at the world with my eyes open and a simple method of explanations.