Folk Figure, Murder Victim. Grady Stiles was known as "Lobster Boy" for his deformed hands that looked like claws. He had 4 children, 1 boy and 1 girl had the same deformity that he had. His circus show was famous throughout the world. He married three times to two different women and was very abusive towards his family. When his eldest daughter was engaged, Grady became so enraged that he shot the groom the day before the wedding. Even though he was found guilty of murder, they did not send him to prison on the basis that the prison system did not have the necessary capabilities to handle his condition. He was given 15 years probation for the crime. In November of 1992, after many years of abuse, his wife, Mary Teresa, went to her son (his stepson), and pleaded with him to help her get away from her husband. He came up with a solution. With the help of a neighbor, Grady Stiles was shot 3 times in the head while he was watching TV in his trailer. His stepson was given a life sentence, and his wife, Mary, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, she maintains to this very day that she did what she had to do to save and protect her family. It has been in dispute, but all indications point to the famous "Lobster Boy" being buried in Showmen's Rest Cemetery in Tampa, Florida.
Folk Figure, Murder Victim. Grady Stiles was known as "Lobster Boy" for his deformed hands that looked like claws. He had 4 children, 1 boy and 1 girl had the same deformity that he had. His circus show was famous throughout the world. He married three times to two different women and was very abusive towards his family. When his eldest daughter was engaged, Grady became so enraged that he shot the groom the day before the wedding. Even though he was found guilty of murder, they did not send him to prison on the basis that the prison system did not have the necessary capabilities to handle his condition. He was given 15 years probation for the crime. In November of 1992, after many years of abuse, his wife, Mary Teresa, went to her son (his stepson), and pleaded with him to help her get away from her husband. He came up with a solution. With the help of a neighbor, Grady Stiles was shot 3 times in the head while he was watching TV in his trailer. His stepson was given a life sentence, and his wife, Mary, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, she maintains to this very day that she did what she had to do to save and protect her family. It has been in dispute, but all indications point to the famous "Lobster Boy" being buried in Showmen's Rest Cemetery in Tampa, Florida.
Bio by: Ted Leonard
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