Sean Paul Hanify

Overview

Sean Paul Hanify described himself as a serial killer. He was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of Edward Brown, 59, and was also convicted of first-degree murder in the slaying of Mark Warren Davis, 44, a homeless man found stabbed along Cherry Creek in July 2000.

People

• Sean Paul Hanify — defendant; claimed to have killed multiple men; convicted of first-degree murder.
• Edward Brown (59) — victim in the 2002 homicide; tortured, stabbed, eviscerated, and set on fire; also described as sexually mutilated.
• Mark Warren Davis (44) — victim in the July 2000 homicide; homeless; found stabbed with a knife in his neck.
• Anthony Carr (33) — alleged victim; his body was found hidden under a blanket near his Christmas tree.
• Robert Ferrell (57) — alleged victim; found stabbed in his home.
• James Holman — alleged victim; found dead in Denver on Feb. 13, 1992.
• Hollynd Hoskins — Hanify’s court-appointed attorney in the article describing his statements and background.
• Larry Bowens — met Glenda in 1984 and later married her; gave statements about Hanify as a child.
• Richard and Glenda Hanify — adoptive parents who became Hanify’s parents when he was 2; mother taught psychology at a community college at night and worked for the state during the day.
• Dirk Pinon — Sage Valley Junior High physical education teacher.
• Police officers and officials mentioned:
  • Denver Police Lt. Jon Priest — discussed links between killings and police investigation.
  • Firefighters — found Brown’s body when they responded to a fire.

Timeline

• Mid January 1989 — Hanify asserted he committed his first murder attempt at San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf around that date.
• End of January 1989 — one week later, Hanify claimed his first murder.
• 1991 or begin of 1992 — Hanify claimed he murdered his second victim, a homosexual, in San Francisco.
• Feb. 13, 1992 — James Holman was found dead in Denver; Hanify was questioned again about the homicide.
• Sept. 15, 1992 — Hanify maintained he had killed Robert Ferrell (57).
• Dec. 29, 1992 — Hanify testified to having stabbed Anthony Carr (33).
• July 28, 1998 — Hanify was arrested when he tried to sell possessions of Ed Brown at a pawnbroker’s.
• Aug. 6, 2002 — firefighters responded to a fire at Brown’s apartment at 810 E. 12th Ave and found Brown’s body.
• Aug. 5, 2002 — Hanify described killing Edward Brown at Brown’s home at 1 a.m.
• October 28, 2002 — Hanify spoke in the Denver County Jail visitation room, and police described the investigation into possible serial killings.
• Dec. 12, 2005 — Hanify was found guilty of murder (first-degree murder in the case described involving his roommate Edward Brown).
• July 2000 — Mark Warren Davis was found stabbed along Cherry Creek.

Background

Sean Paul Hanify grew up in Gillette, Wyo., near Devil’s Tower, and his childhood was described as occurring in an adoptive family. He became part of Richard and Glenda Hanify’s family at the age of 2. His parents separated when he was 11 and divorced two years later.

Hanify ran away from home at 16, arrived in Denver, and survived as a street hustler, making a living as a prostitute along Colfax. Over the course of two and a half years, Hanify was arrested at least 13 times for prostitution, according to court records. Hanify said he was bisexual.

Hanify’s public defender, Hollynd Hoskins, described Hanify as having fetal alcohol syndrome and a long history of mental illness, and stated that many of his statements were delusional and incredible. Hoskins also said Hanify had been physically and sexually abused and that social services became involved. Hoskins said Hanify’s natural mother was an alcoholic. Hanify’s court-appointed attorney said Hanify had been placed in a foster home when he was 2 and that she confirmed Hanify had a sibling but had not determined whether it was a brother or sister.

Hanify discussed his cleft palate and said his mother took him to Denver to correct the cleft palate. Dirk Pinon described Hanify as eager to please us as coaches and said students teased him and that his cleft palate was severe. Bowens said Hanify had a good attitude and that he never thought he was violent. Bowens described Hanify hitchhiking to Denver after running away.

The offence

Edward Brown homicide (August 2002)

Edward Brown, 59, was tortured, stabbed, eviscerated and set on fire after he was clubbed to death with a claw hammer. Hanify described entering Brown’s home and killing him at 1 a.m. on Aug. 5, 2002. Firefighters responded to a fire on Aug. 6, 2002 at Brown’s apartment at 810 E.

Hanify said the killing occurred in retaliation after Brown had spent four years in prison after stealing Brown’s VCR and that Brown turned him in when Hanify tried to sell Brown’s television to a pawnbroker. Hanify said he had soaked in a warm bath, smoked a cigarette, had a bowl of soup, and then left the apartment after the killing. Hanify said he visited Brown’s apartment several more times over the next couple days to disfigure and sexually mutilate the body, clean up mess, and finally try to burn the building down.

Verbatim statements by Sean Paul Hanify included:

"Did you learn anything in prison?"
"Yes," and I pulled out the hammer and I hit him right here with the side of the hammer,
Hanify pointed to his temple. "I closed the door, locked it, put the chain on the door,"
"I turned the TV on. I turned the volume up. I turned on the bathtub. I went and got a knife."

"When I'm hurting somebody, I want to see them. I want to crash their skull. And I want to get them with that knife. And I like to hear the sounds of the pounding. And I like to see the breathing when I'm killing them. And when I'm killing somebody, I don't care I'm killing them."

"Every day I was in that cell I just kept thinking about how I could kill and torture Ed Brown,"
"When I got out, Ed Brown was waiting at the bus station for me."

Mark Warren Davis homicide (July 2000)

Mark Warren Davis, 44, was found stabbed along Cherry Creek in July 2000, with a knife in his neck. In the article, Hanify said he beat Davis to death with a 30-pound rock and walked home, and that at sunrise he returned to clean up the crime scene. The article said Hanify took one dollar from Davis’ pocket, his boom box, and a pack of cigarettes.

"I enjoy killing people."

"When it is time to kill, he can feel it coming on."

Verbatim