Eddie Leonski | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Edward Joseph Leonski 12 December 1917 |
| Died | 9 November 1942 (aged 24) |
| Cause of death | Execution by hanging |
| Other names | The Brownout Strangler The Singing Strangler |
| Criminal status | Executed |
| Motive | "To get their voices" |
| Conviction(s) | Premeditated murder (3 counts) |
| Criminal penalty | Death |
| Details | |
| Victims | 3 |
Span of crimes | 3 May – 18 May 1942 |
| Country | Australia |
| State(s) | Victoria |
| Location(s) | Melbourne |
| Target(s) | Women |
Date apprehended | 22 May 1942 |
Edward Joseph Leonski (12 December 1917 – 9 November 1942) was a United States Army soldier and serial killer responsible for the strangling murders of three women in Melbourne, Australia in 1942. Leonski was dubbed The Brownout Strangler, after Melbourne's wartime practice of dropping the electricity voltage to conserve energy. His self-confessed motive for the killings was a twisted fascination with female voices, especially when they were singing, and his claim that he killed the women to "get their voices".[1][2][3]
Leonski was initially arrested by Melbourne police, but was then transferred to U.S. military authorities for prosecution. He was court-martialed for murder under American military law, sentenced to death, and executed. Leonski was the first and only citizen of another country to have been tried and sentenced to death in Australia under the law of their own country.[4][5]
- ^ "Melbourne Police hunt "Brownout" Strangler". The Sun. Sydney, NSW. 20 May 1942. p. 3. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
- ^ "Leonski, Enigma In Life And In Death, Carries His Secret To Grave". Truth. Sydney, NSW. 15 November 1942. p. 14. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
- ^ "Killed To Show His Strength". Mirror. Perth, WA. 19 April 1952. p. 8. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
- ^ Hore, Monique, "Edward Leonski hanged by US military on Australian soil in The Hangman's Journal, part IV", (Melbourne) HeraldSun, 7 June 2012.
- ^ Robinson, Russell. "Macabre and detailed hangman's journal reproduced in detail for True Crime Scene". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 December 2017.