Edward Holmes

Murderer

3known / alleged victims

Similar offenders

Ervil LeBaron Murderer · USA · 1972 Ervil Morrell LeBaron (1925 to August 16, 1981) was the leader of a polygamous… 35 victims

LE Leonard Laws Murderer · USA · 1980 Leonard M. Laws was convicted in the State of Missouri v. Leonard M. Laws, 661… 24 victims

Marvin Gray Murderer · USA · 1975 Marvin Gray was convicted killer who claimed responsibility for 23 slayings and… 23 victims

Yahweh ben Yahweh Murderer · USA · 1980 Yahweh ben Yahweh was born and legally named Hulon Mitchell Jr. (October 27, 19… 23 victims

KE Kenneth Gordon Taylor Murderer · USA · 1977 Kenneth Gordon Taylor was born in 1941 and was an Ohio native. Taylor was accus… 17 victims

Charles Manson Murderer · USA · 1969 Charles Milles Manson (born November 12, 1934) was an American criminal and mus… 9 victims

Random profiles

Shelley Casterline Murderer · USA · 2013 Shelley Casterline was 41 when she pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Baro… 1 victim

John Floyd Thomas Serial killer · USA · 1972 John Floyd Thomas, Jr. (born July 26, 1936) was an American criminal who was ar… 7 victims

Jesse Clarence Pratt Murderer · USA · 1986 Jesse Clarence Pratt was sentenced to death on February 22, 1988. His convictio… 1 victim

Richard Aaron Cobb Murderer · USA · 2002 Richard Aaron Cobb was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death in Te… 1 victim

HO Horace Edward Kelly Murderer · USA · 1984 Horace E. Kelly was a 38-year-old death-row inmate discussed in connection with… 3 victims

Wilford Lee Berry Murderer · USA · 1989 Wilford Lee Berry, Jr. was executed by lethal injection in Ohio on February 19,… 1 victim

Case Facts

Gender: male
Country: USA
Location: Maryland/Washington, D.C., USA
Date of birth: 1954
Age at first offence: 19
Characteristics: kidnapping, child molester, abuse
Victim profile: Stanford Kendrick, 9 / Joanie Bradley, 12 / Penny Schroeder, 11
Method of murder: St abbing with knife - Beating with rocks
Date(s) of murder: September-November 1973
Years active: 1973
Date of arrest: November 28, 1973
Status: Confessed in custody to the three murders charged against him

Case Summary

Name

Edward Holmes (age 19)

Background

Penny Schroeder vanished from her school in Clinton, Maryland on November 27, 1973. Penny Schroeder was the daughter of a police lieutenant. Her disappearance prompted a swift law enforcement response.

The offence

Penny Schroeder was molested, strangled, and stabbed repeatedly. Her skull was fractured by crushing blows.

On October 5, 21-year-old Susan Fallin was slain, and her charred body was recovered from a burned-out car near Brandywine.

Edward Holmes was charged with the murders of two children in Washington, D.C. The capital victims were listed as nine-year-old Stanford Kendrick and 12-year-old Joanie Bradley. Stanford Kendrick was abducted from school on September 20. Joanie Bradley was kidnapped in similar fashion on October 16.

Like Penny Schroeder, the capital victims had been molested. Their bodies were discarded in woods near their respective schools.

Joanie Bradley was a campus monitor. She was apparently snatched while "on duty," patrolling the playground.

Investigation

Police had no evidence to link the crimes after Susan Fallin’s slaying. For Penny Schroeder’s case, witnesses told authorities that they saw Penny with a teenage boy before she disappeared. Descriptions led authorities to janitor Edward Holmes.

Arrest

Edward Holmes was taken into custody on November 28. He was charged the same day with the murders of two children in Washington, D.C.

Trial

In custody, Holmes freely confessed to the three murders charged against him.

Outcome

Holmes confessed to the three murders charged against him.

Other details

Michael Newton — An Encyclopedia of Modern Serial Killers

Spotted an error, or have more information about this case?