Episode 593: Lee Roy Martin: The Gaffney Strangler

In the late 1960s, the Gaffney community was terrorized by a series of brutal murders that claimed the lives of four young women.

The crimes occurred in the late 1960s in Gaffney, South Carolina, claiming the lives of four young women.

The victims were Annie Dedmond, Nancy Paris, Tina Reinhart, and Opal Buxon, ranging in age from 14 to 20 years old.

The victims of the Gaffney Strangler included 20-year-old Nancy Carol Paris, whose body was found by a search group, Opal Buxon, a 15-year-old who was found covered by brush after being choked, raped, and fatally stabbed in the chest, 20-year-old Annie Dedmond, found dead after a night out, and Tina Reinhart, the youngest victim at just 14 years old. These women were sexually assaulted and murdered, typically by strangulation or stabbing.

The women were sexually assaulted and murdered, typically by strangulation or stabbing.

Tina Reinhart showed signs of a violent assault, with deep purple bruising around her neck, burns from cigarettes, bruises on her hands, legs, and ankles, and evidence of sexual assault. Annie Dedmond’s nude body was discovered with a head injury from a heavy object and death due to strangulation. Opal had been choked, raped, and had a fatal stab wound to her chest in addition to a stab wound on her leg.

The killings caused widespread fear and panic in the Gaffney community, with residents taking protective measures like buying guns.

The discovery of the bodies set the town on edge, with residents too scared to engage in routine activities like going to school or shopping, and parents waited at bus stops armed with shotguns. Local authorities were concerned citizens would start taking action out of fear. The morning of Opal's abduction, a gun shop sold three pistols, including two to young women who had little knowledge of firearms but just "wanted something that would shoot." Sheriff Wright acknowledged the rush of residents buying guns, putting more officers on the case to assure protection.

Several prank calls were made to local women, warning them the killer was coming for them.

Women in the area received chilling prank p ...

The investigation into Annie Dedmond’s murder took a complex turn from incorrect convictions to the confession of the actual killer, prompting further questions about justice and the reliability of circumstantial evidence.

Authorities initially arrested Annie Dedmond's husband, Roger Dedmond, but he maintained his innocence and later passed a polygraph test.

After a public fight followed by Annie Dedmond's disappearance and murder, suspicion fell on her husband Roger Dedmond. Witnesses claimed to have seen their argument continue as they drove away from the bar, and Annie was last observed getting into a red top cab after pulling over. Roger was arrested and charged with Annie's murder. The case against him was built on circumstantial evidence, including his presence with Annie when she was last seen, their argument, and his leaving the scene. Despite passing a polygraph test and insisting on his innocence, Roger was convicted and began serving an 18-year sentence.

After Roger's arrest, the real killer, Leroy Martin, began contacting the local newspaper with details about the crimes, wanting credit for them.

It wasn’t until the Gaffney Ledger received a strange phone call that the tide began to turn for Roger. The caller, who ultimately proved to be the real murderer, Leroy Martin, knew details only the killer could know, including what Annie had been carrying and where other victims could be found. He also stated that another person, Roger Dedmond, was serving time for a crime he didn't commit and begged for him not to do so. This tip led to Roger's release from prison after he had served 10 months of his sentence.

Investigators monitored Leroy Martin and eventually arrested him after he confessed to the murders while being transported in a police car.

Under surveillance by law enforcement, Leroy Martin punched out from his job at the mill during the times the girls were believed to have been killed. When Sheriff Wright arrested Martin, he took him ...

Leroy Martin faced justice for a series of murders that left the Gaffney community reeling. His legal proceedings and eventual fate in prison marked a grim chapter in the town's history.

Martin pled guilty to the murder of Opal Buxon and was sentenced to two consecutive life terms.

After initially being charged with the murder of Opal Buxon, Martin changed his plea to guilty. His lawyers conveyed his desire to change his plea during a conference, and upon being questioned by the judge, Martin was sentenced to two consecutive life terms for the murder of Opal Buxon and Annie Dedmond.

A few days later, on February 18th, Martin was charged with the additional murders of Nancy Paris and Tina Reinhart. With this new evidence, he was also charged with the murder of Annie Dedmond. As the trial progressed, Martin confessed to these murders and received additional life sentences.

Martin's explanation for his crimes was a disturbing revelation of his psyche; he claimed to have an uncontrollable "violent side" that was responsible for the heinous acts.

Martin was initially placed in the mental health ward of the prison, but later transferred to the general population.

Continuing the account of Martin's incarceration, following his sentence in May 1968, he was placed in the mental health wing of the Central Correctional Institute. However, in December 1969, Martin was moved into the general prison population, where he would spend three years.

On May 31st, 1972, while in the general population, Martin was stabbed to death by a fellow inmate, Kenneth Rumsey, using a shiv. The attack was swift and fatal, striking Martin just below the heart.

Consequently, the inmate who murdered Martin received an additional 20 years on his already existing sentence. Continuing the tragic tailspin, the inmate was later found dead in his prison cell, having hung himself with his own pan ...