This profile or article pertains to a serial killer or suspected serial killer whose guilt remains under scrutiny for various reasons. The individual may be regarded as the 'main suspect' despite unreliable confessions. Even if the person has been acquitted or pardoned, their guilt may still be debated in the 'court of public opinion.' Additionally, the case's outcome might be uncertain due to other unlisted factors. Various reasons contribute to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding this case.
Case-Specific Details: Erno Soto was arrested by the police. "Charlie Chop-off's" only surviving victim did say that Soto looked like his attacker, but refused to positively identify him. Despite lack of evidence, investigators still believe that he is a likely suspect, citing the fact that the murders ceased after his arrest, and that an anonymous source placed him as a potential culprit on the first killing. However, due to his acute mental instability, he is unlikely to stand trial.[1]
Biography[]
Victims[]
All the victims of this assailant were male, and the majority of murders committed by this individual involved the genital mutilation or attempted genital mutilation of the victims.[2]
| Name | Age | Date of Death | Body Found |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas Owens | 8 | March 9, 1972 | March 9, 1972 |
| Wendell Hubbard | 9 | October 23, 1972 | October 23, 1972 |
| Luis Ortiz | 10 | March 6, 1973 | March 7, 1973 |
| Steven Cropper | 8 | August 17, 1973 | August 17, 1973 |
Suspects[]
Erno Soto[]
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After the botched abduction of a Puerto Rican boy on May 15, 1974, Erno Soto was arrested by the police. He was an intermittent patient of the Manhattan State Hospital since 1969 and confessed to the 1973 slaying of Cropper. His only surviving victim did say that Soto looked like his attacker, but refused to positively identify him. Manhattan State Hospital officials stated Soto was in their custody at the time of the murder, but also later confirmed that he might have eluded confinement, as it had happened before. Despite lack of evidence, investigators still believe that he is a likely suspect, citing the fact that the murders ceased after his arrest, and that an anonymous source placed him as a potential culprit on the first killing. However, due to his acute mental instability, he is unlikely to stand trial.
Miguel Rivera[]
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In 1975, Barbara Gelb published On the Track of Murder and used Miguel Rivera as a pseudonym for Soto. Since then, numerous authors, such as Peter Vronsky or Lane and Gregg, have erroneously cited the name as being that of the killer.[3][4][5]
Timeline[]
Bibliography[]
Literature[]
Articles[]
- Ramsland, Katherine. The Mysterious Charlie Chop-off. TruTV Crime Library. Archived from the original on June 5, 2008.
- Genevieve Carlton (December 6, 2022). "Inside The Chilling Story Of Charlie Chop-Off, The Child Serial Killer Who Was Never Caught". All That’s Interesting.
Documentaries[]
Television[]
YouTube Documentaries[]
Podcasts[]
In popular culture[]
Film adaptation[]
Related Articles[]
See also[]
Links[]
- Charlie Chop-off at Wikipedia
Notes[]
References[]
- ↑ Lane, Brian (1995). The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers, p. 321 Berkley. ISBN 978-0-747-23731-0
- ↑ Lane, Brian (1995). The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers, pp. 320–321 Berkley. ISBN 978-0-747-23731-0
- ↑ Newton, Michael (2000). The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers,. New York: Checkmark Books. ISBN 0-8160-3978-X
- ↑ Vronsky, Pete (2004). Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters,. New York: Berkley. ISBN 0-425-19640-2
- ↑ Ramsland, Katherine. The Mysterious Charlie Chop-off. TruTV Crime Library. Archived from the original on June 5, 2008.