Dean Phillip Carter

Case record: Dean Phillip Carter

Status and current confinement

Dean Phillip Carter was sentenced to death in 1985. He was an inmate at San Quentin, California’s death row.

Timeline

spring of 1984 — Carter went to California in search of new beginnings. March 25, 1984 — Carter raped a San Diego woman who survived his assault. April 10, 1984 — Carter strangled roommates Jillette Mills, 35, and Susan Knoll, 33, and stuffed their bodies in a closet of their Culver City apartment. April 11, 1984 — Carter strangled 24-year-old Bonnie Guthrie in Los Angeles. April 13, 1984 — Carter killed 37-year-old Tok Chum Kim in her Oakland apartment. April 14, 1984 — Carter returned to San Diego and strangled 25-year-old Janette Cullins to death at her home. May 15, 1984 — Carter was arrested in Ventura County and held in lieu of $1 million bond. within a week after May 15, 1984 — Carter was charged with five counts of murder.

The offence

Carter ran amok and claimed at least five lives.

Carter’s first attack involved the rape of a San Diego woman who survived Carter’s assault.

Carter strangled roommates Jillette Mills, 35, and Susan Knoll, 33, and stuffed their bodies in a closet of their Culver City apartment.

Carter strangled 24-year-old Bonnie Guthrie, a friend of Knoll’s, in Los Angeles.

Carter killed 37-year-old Tok Chum Kim in her Oakland apartment.

Carter strangled 25-year-old Janette Cullins to death at her home in San Diego.

Investigation and evidence

Evidence recovered from Carter’s car linked him with the Oakland strangulation.

The California Supreme Court record of Carter’s appeal showed that Carter’s semen was present inside the bodies of three murder victims.

A latent, bloody palm print was found in one of the victims’ homes.

An ATM video showed Carter emptying out another victim’s bank account.

A car stolen from Carter’s first murder victim was found a block from another murder victim’s home.

The car of that murder victim was stolen.

Carter was arrested a few days later in Arizona while driving the stolen car and along with personal items from the homes of each of the victims.

Arrest and detention

Carter was arrested on May 15 in Ventura County.

Carter was held in lieu of $1 million bond while detectives built their case.

Charges and trial

Carter was charged with five counts of murder within a week after his arrest.

Carter was convicted (in two separate trials) of the murder of four women: Susan Knoll, Jillette Mills, Bonnie Guthrie, and Janette Cullins.

Carter was also convicted for raping two women prior to the murder convictions.

Appeals

In one of Carter’s letters, Carter claimed he was innocent.

The California Supreme Court record of Carter’s appeal showed the forensic and other evidence described in the investigation section.

Sentencing

Carter was sentenced to death in 1985.

Aftermath and activities while on death row

Carter spent his days on death row trying to inform the world about the American justice system and life on death row.

He reached many people, including many students, through letter writing and columns on his Deadman Talkin’ website.

The website was hosted by one of Carter’s friends.

People mentioned

• Dean Phillip Carter — the offender.
• San Diego woman — victim of rape who survived Carter’s assault.
• Jillette Mills (35) — roommate, strangled; one of the murder victims.
• Susan Knoll (33) — roommate, strangled; one of the murder victims.
• Bonnie Guthrie (24) — strangled; friend of Susan Knoll; one of the murder victims.
• Tok Chum Kim (37) — killed in her Oakland apartment.
• Janette Cullins (25) — strangled to death; one of the murder victims.
• Michael Newton — named as “Michael Newton - An Encyclopedia of Modern Serial Killers - Hunting Humans.”