Hugh Bion Morse

Case record: Hugh Bion Morse

Background

Hugh Bion Morse was born in Kansas City during January 1930. He was the product of a forced marriage and was abandoned by his father in infancy. He grew up in a harsh, abusive home and was completely dominated by a grandmother who brutalized her daughter and grandson without impartiality.

When Morse was four years old, a hammer blow from his grandmother scarred his face for life. On another occasion, his grandmother slaughtered his pet mice after Morse went to a movie without her permission. In later years, Morse told police, "I can't remember being happy at any time since I was born."

In adolescence and adulthood, Morse was tortured by a mix of awe and hatred for the women who had ruled his early life. The account described sexual ambivalence and violence as the outcome of this history.

Morse escaped from his home environment and enlisted in the Marine Corps, but he soon ran into conflict with the law. He later had multiple encounters with the criminal justice system in different places.

The offence

Morse committed a series of sexual assaults and killings described as targeting women and also involving the molestation of children.

On November 7, 1959, Morse raped and murdered Glorie Brie, age 28, in her Spokane home.

His second known victim was Blanche Boggs, age 69, attacked on September 26, 1960.

On October 10, 1960, Beverly Myers was attacked in her home; she managed to survive her wounds.

On October 28, 1960, Morse broke into the home of his estranged wife. He attempted to strangle her, but he was interrupted and forced to flee.

While in St. Paul, Minnesota, Morse posed as "Darwin Corman" when he rented a room and acquired odd jobs at a car wash, a gas station, and a hotel kitchen.

On September 18, he raped and strangled Carol Ronan in her home, five blocks from his rooming house.

A few days later, Morse lured a six-year-old girl into an alley, where she was molested.

In the spring of 1961, Morse raped at least two women in Atlanta, Georgia. During his movement north and into other states, he continued his pattern of entering residences and attacking women.

On July 11, 1961, Morse entered Bobbi Ann Landini's home in Birmingham, choking her unconscious and beating her to death with a length of pipe.

On August 2, Morse attacked Mildred Chasteen in her Dayton apartment, stabbing her several times and leaving her for dead.

Investigation

A federal warrant was issued charging unlawful flight to avoid prosecution for burglary and attempted murder.

Morse was added to the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted" list on August 29, 1961. By that time, there were other victims, described as unknown to federal agents who were stalking Morse.

The account described that phones were ringing at the local office of the FBI and that published photographs of Morse were turning heads around St. Paul.

Searchers found a knife, a straightedge razor, and a loaded pistol in his room at the time of arrest.

Arrest

On August 29, 1961, a flying squad of agents called on Morse at home and arrested him without a struggle.

The account did not describe a struggle at the time of his arrest.

Earlier, in Atlanta, Georgia, Morse was arrested on a charge of voyeurism. The account described that he paid $200 bail and walked away, amused that officers had failed to recognize his WANTED poster hanging in the jailhouse.

Trial

Morse pleaded guilty to the Ronan case.

Sentencing

In December 1961, Morse received a double life sentence in Minnesota. The charges were second-degree murder and first-degree burglary.

Appeals

The account did not describe any appeals.

Outcome

Morse remained sentenced to two life terms in Minnesota, with the described disposition being a double life term in 1961.

Aftermath

As late as January 1964, Morse was attempting suicide in jail, without success.

In the event he was paroled, the states of Washington and Alabama were described as prepared to level other murder charges, with the account asserting that this would guarantee Morse would never be at liberty to kill again.

Other details

Morse was described as operating under multiple aliases; in St. Paul, Minnesota, he posed as "Darwin Corman" when he rented a room.

A pattern described in the account included prowling residential neighborhoods by night and entering houses and apartments, creeping up on girls and women in their beds.

The account described Morse as having been arrested the first time in May 1951 for indecent exposure and assaulting a woman in Wilmington, North Carolina. He left the service seven months later with a dishonorable discharge.

More arrests followed in Los Angeles during 1953 and '54, and he served six months on a burglary conviction.

In 1955, Morse was charged with trying to molest two eight-year-old girls in Fairfield, California. He was committed to Atascadero state hospital for therapy and was released as "cured" in January 1957. Four months later, he was picked up for sex crimes in Burbank.

Other named victims in the account included:

• Glorie Brie, age 28 (Spokane home; raped and murdered on November 7, 1959)
• Blanche Boggs, age 69 (attacked on September 26, 1960)
• Beverly Myers (attacked in her home on October 10, 1960; survived her wounds)
• Carol Ronan (raped and strangled on September 18, in her home)
• Bobbi Ann Landini (choked unconscious and beaten to death with a length of pipe on July 11, 1961, in Birmingham)
• Mildred Chasteen (stabbed several times and left for dead on August 2, in her Dayton apartment)
• Mildred Chasteen’s attack location was Dayton apartment; the specific number of times she was stabbed was described as several times
• Blanche Boggs’s age was 69
• The lured child victim was a six-year-old girl who was molested in an alley

The account described a total of four victims, characterized as rape-slayer of women age 28-69 and also molested children.