Ira Einhorn | |
|---|---|
 Einhorn's 1979 mugshot and a 2001 mugshot taken upon his return to the U.S. | |
| Born | Ira Samuel Einhorn May 15, 1940 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | April 3, 2020 (aged 79) |
| Other names | The Unicorn Killer, The Unicorn |
| Occupation | Environmental activist |
| Criminal status | Deceased |
| Criminal charge | Murder |
| Penalty | Life imprisonment |
Ira Samuel Einhorn (May 15, 1940 – April 3, 2020), known as "The Unicorn Killer", was an American environmental activist and convicted murderer. His moniker, "the Unicorn", was derived from his surname; Einhorn means "unicorn" in German. As an environmental activist, Einhorn was a speaker at the first Earth Day event in Philadelphia in 1970.[1] On September 9, 1977, Einhorn's ex-girlfriend Holly Maddux disappeared following a trip to collect her belongings from the apartment she and Einhorn had shared in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Eighteen months later, police found her partially decomposed body in a trunk in Einhorn's closet.[2]
After his arrest, Einhorn fled the country and spent twenty-two years in Europe before being extradited to the United States. He took the stand in his own defense, claiming his ex-girlfriend had been killed by CIA agents who had framed him for the crime because he knew too much about the agency's paranormal military research. He was convicted of murdering Holly Maddux and served a life sentence until his death in prison on April 3, 2020.[2][3]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:0was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Melina, Remy (April 21, 2011). "Earth Day co-founder killed, composted girlfriend". NBC News. Archived from the original on December 10, 2019. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
- ^ ""Unicorn Killer" Ira Einhorn Dies in Prison". 6abc.com. April 3, 2020. Archived from the original on April 8, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2020.