10 Infamous Crimes During the Baby Boomer Generation

10 Disturbing True Crimes of the Baby Boomer Generation

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at crimes that had a significant impact on Baby Boomers around the nation and beyond.

Kent State Massacre (1970)

For many Baby Boomers growing up, the right to freely assemble and protest seemed like a Constitutional right set in stone. That security evaporated on May 4, 1970, when members of the Ohio National Guard turned their weapons onto college students at Kent State University. Prior to the massacre, they and other young people had decried the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War. On that fateful day, tensions between the students and the Guard heightened, with the former throwing rocks at the latter. It ended with over two dozen officers opening fire into the crowd, which killed four and injured nine others. Photos from that fateful day have gone on to define the anti-war movement and the generation as a whole.

The Casanova Killer (1974)

Although there were multiple serial killers that operated during the 1970s, he’s by far one of the most prolific— and he’s one of the least talked about. Also known as the Casanova Killer, Paul John Knowles took the lives of at least 18 people throughout 1974. After escaping from custody on July 26th, he went on a four-month long rampage across several states. The fact that anyone could potentially fall victim to him made him even more terrifying. Knowles was killed in a struggle with law enforcement on December 18th, finally bringing his reign of terror to a close. His horrific acts also served to help further inflame the burgeoning feminist movements.

Patty Hearst Kidnapping (1974)

In 1974, heiress Patricia Hearst was kidnapped from her home by the Symbionese Liberation Army. Rather than an open-and-shut hostage case, it took an odd turn when Hearst joined her captors and began committing crimes with them. The accompanying media frenzy gave the Army’s far-left agenda a large platform, causing it to resonate with disillusioned people around the country. This was reinforced by other events that showed the decay of classic institutions, such as the Watergate scandal and oil crisis. By the time everything was said and done, Hearst had become an accidental icon of the era’s counterculture movement. Her seven-year prison sentence was commuted by Jimmy Carter, and in 2001, she received a full pardon from Bill Clinton, on his last day in office.

The Manson Family Murders (1969)

Baby boomers were able to see the birth, peak, and downfall of hippies in real time. The subculture had been associated with love and peace, but all of that changed in 1969. That year, members of the Manson Family — headed by white supremacist leader Charles Manson — ran rampant around California, and took the lives of at least nine people. Manson was hoping to stoke a race war by pining his cult’s crimes on African Americans. Of their spree, the most infamous and sensationalized was the slaying of actress Sharon Tate and four others in Los Angeles. The group’s horrific crimes led to the movement as a whole being scrutinized, as they participated in activities that had been associated with it up until that point. It shattered the reputation that hippies had built for themselves, and served as the death knell of the lifestyle.

The “Mississippi Burning” Murders (1964)

The Civil Rights movement saw several victories throughout the 1960s, but it didn’t come without its share of tragedies. One such example occurred in 1964. Activists James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner had gone to Longdale, Mississippi to meet Black citizens whose church had been burned down. Instead, they were kidnapped by members of the Ku Klux Klan and shot. The story soon rose to national attention, with people around the country questioning their disappearance. A federal trial was conducted and multiple men were convicted, but the case’s impact went far beyond the courtroom. It woke people up to injustice taking place within the legal system, and forced others to recognize the racial violence that was rampant throughout the country.

The Chicago Ripper Crew (1981-82)

In the early 1980s, Chicago citizens lived in fear. That was due to the Ripper Crew, a group that terrorized the city and took the lives of 17 people in a variety of disturbing ways. From dismemberment to organs being removed from people’s bodies, there was no limit to the violence they inflicted upon others. Their rampage went on for over a year, until they were arrested in 1982. It was then that Thomas Kokoraleis admitted that they committed their crimes as a Satanic ritual, complete with eating the body parts of their targets. This revelation coincided with the Satanic panic occurring around the country, where unsubstantiated reports of Satanic ritual were spreading rampantly. This confession likely only further convinced people of its validity.

Gerald & Charlene Gallego (1978-80)

From the moment their relationship began, it was discolored by violence. Despite Charlene Gallego experiencing her husband Gerald’s abuse early on, she still took part in his disgusting spree. Beginning in 1978, she would lure victims to her car, only for Gerald to abduct them and commit unspeakable acts against them. Their targets were put through hours of torture before he would take their lives. This went on until 1980, when they were both arrested and sentenced for their roles. Their method of capturing girls eerily went hand-in-hand with the concept of “stranger danger,” which was becoming more widespread around the time.

1980 Pope’s Cafeteria Shooting (1980)

Although it wasn’t the first time a mass shooting had occurred in the U.S., this highlighted just how random they could be. On October 23rd, 1980, Maurice Oscar Byrd walked into Pope’s Cafeteria in Des Peres, Missouri while staff was clocking in for the day. After forcing the manager to open the building’s safe, and stealing from it, he made the employees to stand together at gunpoint before opening fire. It would take eight months before another one of Byrd’s homicides would be connected to the shooting. It was by far one of the most violent acts to have occurred in the area, and made it clear to people of the era that they couldn’t assume safety was a given.

1969 Greensboro Uprising (1969)

In 1969, Claude Barnes, a sophomore at the segregated James B. Dudley High School, was denied his write-in victory in a student council election. This was reportedly due his involvement in the Black Power movement. His infuriated peers turned to students attending A&T University for help — and they got it. This later spelled disaster for the college. On May 21st, someone in a car opened fire on the campus, which resulted in retaliatory shots. When the smoke cleared, Willie Grimes, a sophomore at AT&T, had been killed. Chaos broke out, with cars being flipped and another shootout occurring. It ended with police detaining 300 students, including those who weren’t involved.

The Yorkshire Ripper (1975-80)

Peter Sutcliffe took the lives of 13 women in Manchester and West Yorkshire across a five-year span. Raised in an abusive household with an alcoholic father, Sutcliffe went from experiencing trauma to causing it. Due to several police errors, he wasn’t arrested until 1981. One of their mistakes was claiming the Ripper only attacked sex workers, which was untrue and placed blame onto the victim. This worsened when they told women to stay in after dark. Both of these led to the creation of the “Reclaim the Night” protests, and the strengthening of the Women’s Liberation Movement overall. It showed how even during times of violent crime, those in the Boomer generation weren’t afraid to stand up and fight back.

Which of these crimes do you think defined the Boomer generation the most? Let us know in the comments below!