The Serial Shooter refers to what authorities now believe to be two men who committed multiple drive-by shootings targeting random pedestrians. The shootings occurred in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, between May 2005 and August 2006, simultaneous to the search for the serial killer known as the Baseline Killer who was also committing random murders and sexual assaults. Investigators believe the Serial Shooter(s) were responsible for eight murders and at least 29 other shootings in the Phoenix area (some reports put the number as high as 38 incidents).
Crimes
The Serial Shooters' last crime occurred July 30, 2006 in Mesa. According to police, Robin Blasnek, 22, was shot and killed at approximately 11:15Â p.m. while walking from her parents' house to a friend's house after having an argument with her boyfriend. On August 3, Phoenix police released a statement linking Blasnek's murder to the Serial Shooter, citing forensic evidence and other similarities to the Serial Shooters' past crimes. Prior to that, they shot pedestrians, cyclists, dogs and horses. Phoenix police originally believed that the Serial Shooter was a single individual responsible for 4 murders and 25 shootings beginning in May 2005, and that a series of 13 shootings in the same area were the work of another offender. However, on July 11, 2006, investigators revealed that they believed the two series of shootings were related.
Perpetrators
- Dale S. Hausner, 33, had worked as a custodian at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport since 1999 as well as a boxing photojournalist for RingSports and Fightnews.com.
- Samuel John Dieteman, 31, had a history of petty crimes such as shoplifting and drunk driving and had returned to Arizona a few years prior from Minnesota.
Capture
According to reports, police first identified Dale Hausner and Samuel Dieteman as suspects on July 31, 2006, through tips received from the community, mainly from Ron Horton who died before he could testify at trial. On August 3, 2006, police arrested both suspects outside of their apartment in Mesa, Arizona.
On the morning of August 4, 2006, Phoenix police announced that two arrests had been made in connection with the Serial Shooter. Authorities said they also linked Hausner and Dieteman to two arson fires at Wal-Mart stores on June 8, started 45 minutes apart from each other that caused approximately $7 to $10 million in damage.
Trial
Hausner was charged with 87 crimes attributed to the Serial Shooter investigation, including 8 murders, 19 attempted murders, numerous aggravated assaults, drive-by shootings, firearms charges, cruelty to animals and arson. Hausner was convicted on 6 of 8 murders, and 80 out of 87 charges overall on March 13, 2009.
Hausner's former roommate, Samuel Dieteman, has pleaded guilty to two murders, plus conspiracy to commit some of the other related murders. Dieteman received a sentence of life without parole.
On March 27, 2009, Dale Hausner was sentenced to six death penalties. Hausner had previously ordered his lawyers not to argue against persuading jurors to deliver the death sentences, saying the jurors should put him to death to help the victims' families heal. He fell short of confessing any guilt for the convicted crimes. After a mandatory appeal, Hausner waived all of his future appeals and requested to be put to death "as soon as possible."
During Hausner's 1/2-hour ramble to the jury right before sentencing, he apologized to several people including his family. He stated that he ruined the family name, as people would hear the Hausner name and think of Charles Manson. He even compared himself to Charles Manson. "When you think of Manson, 50 years from now you'll think of Hausner", he said.
Death
Dale Hausner was found unresponsive in his cell on Wednesday, June 19, 2013 and was pronounced dead later that day. His autopsy revealed no physical trauma. Later the medical examiner determined that the cause of death was an overdose of an anti-depressant.
See also
- Phoenix freeway shootings, a series of shootings in 2015 along Interstate 10 in Phoenix
- Maryvale serial shooter, a similar serial killer or killers also operating in Phoenix in 2016.
References
External links
- Updated map including victim names and all crimes linked to the case
- Timeline of Serial Shooter Crimes â€" Shootings, Animal Shootings, and Homicides
