Christopher Dwayne Peterson

Case record: Christopher Dwayne Peterson

Christopher Dwayne Peterson (born January 20, 1969, in Gary, Indiana, USA) was an American serial killer also known as the "Shotgun Killer" and "Shotgun Peterson". He was now known as Obadyah Ben Yisrayl.

Timeline

• June 5, 1992 — Peterson was sentenced to death.
• October 30, 1990 — Insurance agent Lawrence Mill was shot to death in his car in front of the American Legion Post 66 in Griffith.
• October 30, 1990 — Two and a half hours later, Rhonda L. Hammersley was shot in the parking lot of a gas station in Cedar Lake.
• December 13, 1990 — Harchand Singh Dhaliwal was shot while working at a gas station.
• December 15, 1990 — Marie Meitzler was shot while working at a motel reception desk.
• December 15, 1990 — Six minutes later, Ora L. Wildermuth was shot in front of an automated teller machine.
• December 15, 1990 — One hour later, Robert S. Kotso was shot in a highway toll booth; he survived.
• December 18, 1990 — Brothers Eli and George Balovski were shot in an adjoining building to their tailor shop in the late afternoon; they were the last victims.

The offence

A sawed-off shotgun was identified as the murder weapon, and it was used to kill the victims, including Lawrence Mill, Rhonda L. Hammersley, Harchand Singh Dhaliwal, Marie Meitzler, Ora L. Wildermuth, Eli and George Balovski.

All of the victims were killed with a shotgun.

Investigation

The sawed-off shotgun, identified as the murder weapon, was later recovered from Peterson's home after his mother consented to the search.

Peterson made incriminating statements to an acquaintance, and gave a complete confession to police.

Arrest

Peterson confessed to the crimes.

Trial

Peterson confessed to the crimes and was convicted despite eyewitnesses reports that the killer was white; Peterson is black.

He was convicted of Murder. He received two death sentences.

Peterson confessed to two additional murders in Porter County, for which he was later convicted, and those convictions served as the basis for a second aggravating circumstance in the case.

Sentencing

Peterson was sentenced on June 5, 1992 to death.

Aggravating circumstances

• Convicted of two other murders in Porter County (2 murders).
• Those two convictions served as the basis for a second aggravating circumstance in the case.

Mitigating circumstances

• Neglected in childhood by Father.
• Caring and supportive of others, particularly girlfriend and baby.
• Good and quiet prisoner during confinement.
• Extreme emotional disturbance.
• High school graduate.
• Two years in Marines.
• Father of 11 month old baby.
• 21 years old at time of murders.

People and victims

Peterson

• Christopher Dwayne Peterson (born January 20, 1969 in Gary, Indiana, USA).
• American serial killer also known as the "Shotgun Killer" and "Shotgun Peterson".
• Now known as Obadyah Ben Yisrayl.
• Two years in Marines.
• High school graduate.
• Father of 11 month old baby.
• Extreme emotional disturbance.
• Girlfriend and baby were described as cared for by him.
• Described as a good and quiet prisoner during confinement.
• Peterson maintained his innocence and claimed he was forced into a false confession at the time.
• He was considered one of the many potentially wrongly convicted prisoners and was sitting on death row.

Victims

• Lawrence Mill (insurance agent) — shot to death in his car in front of the American Legion Post 66 in Griffith. No eyewitnesses.
• Rhonda L. Hammersley — worked at a gas station in Cedar Lake and was shot in the parking lot; an eyewitness described the perpetrator as a young white man with long, stringy hair.
• Harchand Singh Dhaliwal (54) — shot while working at a gas station; $327.55 was missing from the cash register.
• Marie Meitzler — shot while working at a motel reception desk; $467 was stolen.
• Ora L. Wildermuth — shot in front of an automated teller machine.
• Robert S. Kotso — shot in a highway toll booth; he survived.
• Eli Balovski — shot in an adjoining building to his tailor shop in the late afternoon.
• George Balovski — shot in an adjoining building to their tailor shop in the late afternoon.
• Eli and George Balovski were the last victims.

Outcome

Peterson was convicted and sentenced to death on June 5, 1992.

Aftermath

The American death metal band Macabre made a song about him, titled "Shotgun Peterson" on their Sinister Slaughter album.