English Murderer. John Haigh was known as the "Acid Bath Murderer." A notable con man of irresistable charm and good looks, he said he was marketing cosmetics when he approached 69-year-old Ms. Olive Durand-Deacon on February 18th, 1949. He invited her to his factory in Sussex, which actually was a small storage room. He drove her there himself; once there, he shot her dead with a .38 Webley revolver. He stripped her of her valuables, stuffed her body into a 40-gallon drum, and filled the drum with sulphuric acid, which turned her body to sludge. He then dumped the destroyed remains into the dirt outside his so-called factory. Mr. Haigh then went to the police station and reported her missing. Police became suspicious; after discovering he had a criminal record, they investigated him and his factory. That was his last victim. Evidence was found, he was arrested, and he confessed to nine murders, though he was only tried and convicted for six. He had forged documents from his victims, collecting substantial sums of funds. In 1934 he had married a Betty Hammer. Soon after he was jailed for fraud, she gave birth to his only child while he was in prison, gave the child up for adoption shortly after, and then divorced Haigh. Haigh was the son of Emily and John Haigh, devout followers of a Plymouth religion. He was born in the Wakefield region of Yorkshire, England. After his trial, he was sentenced to death. He was hung on the gallows at Wandsworth Prison in London. He was 40 years old.
English Murderer. John Haigh was known as the "Acid Bath Murderer." A notable con man of irresistable charm and good looks, he said he was marketing cosmetics when he approached 69-year-old Ms. Olive Durand-Deacon on February 18th, 1949. He invited her to his factory in Sussex, which actually was a small storage room. He drove her there himself; once there, he shot her dead with a .38 Webley revolver. He stripped her of her valuables, stuffed her body into a 40-gallon drum, and filled the drum with sulphuric acid, which turned her body to sludge. He then dumped the destroyed remains into the dirt outside his so-called factory. Mr. Haigh then went to the police station and reported her missing. Police became suspicious; after discovering he had a criminal record, they investigated him and his factory. That was his last victim. Evidence was found, he was arrested, and he confessed to nine murders, though he was only tried and convicted for six. He had forged documents from his victims, collecting substantial sums of funds. In 1934 he had married a Betty Hammer. Soon after he was jailed for fraud, she gave birth to his only child while he was in prison, gave the child up for adoption shortly after, and then divorced Haigh. Haigh was the son of Emily and John Haigh, devout followers of a Plymouth religion. He was born in the Wakefield region of Yorkshire, England. After his trial, he was sentenced to death. He was hung on the gallows at Wandsworth Prison in London. He was 40 years old.
Bio by: Bonnie Fortney- Wichita, Kansas
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