Here's How Serial Killer Jerry Brudos Was Caught
Convicted serial killer Jerry Brudos, who is commonly referred to as "The Lust Killer" or "The Shoe Fetish Killer," confessed to killing four women between 1968 and 1969. As reported by ATI, Brudos is not known for the number of women he killed. Instead, he became notorious for the way he treated the corpses after his victims were dead.
A native of Webster, South Dakota, Jerry Brudos reportedly developed an interest in women's shoes when he was five years old. Biography reports the youngster was exploring a local junkyard when he found a pair of women's stiletto-heeled shoes. Brudos proceeded to take the shoes home — where he tried them on and was subsequently caught by his mother.
Jerry Brudos' mother flew into a rage, confiscated the shoes, and destroyed them. ATI reports the incident had a devastating impact on the young boy.
As reported by Biography, Brudos' obsession with women's shoes only escalated throughout the years, and he soon began stealing women's shoes and panties from his neighbors. By the time he was 17, Jerry Brudos was committed to the Oregon State Hospital's psychiatric ward for abducting a teenage girl at knifepoint and taking nude photos of her.
By the time he was 30, Jerry Brudos killed four women and attempted to kill two others.
Jerry Brudos' arrest and confession
In the course of investigation, Oregon authorities interviewed several female students at Oregon State University — who said they were approached by an older "Vietnam vet" asking for a date. As reported by ATI, the man was ultimately identified as Jerry Brudos.
Authorities asked one of the students to agree to a date with the suspect as part of a sting operation. When Jerry Brudos arrived at the location to meet the young woman, he was met by officers who interrogated him about the murders. Evidence found during a subsequent search of Brudos' home confirmed the officers' suspicions and secured his arrest.
Following his arrest, Brudos confessed to killing four women and attempting to abduct two others. He also confessed to assaulting several other young women.
As reported by Biography, Jerry Brudos was convicted of killing Linda Salee, Karen Sprinker, and Jan Susan Whitney. Although he also confessed to killing Linda Slawson, he was not charged in the crime due to a lack of evidence.
In addition to killing his victims, Jerry Brudos confessed to mutilating and preserving their corpses to use as sex objects. However, he later claimed he was mentally ill when he committed the crimes.
Jerry Brudos was sentenced to serve life in prison in the Oregon State Penitentiary, where, as reported by Biography, he died of liver cancer at the age of 67.