8 crime stories that shocked USA in 2023: Bryan Kohberger, Alex Murdaugh, and other notorious offenders
Most notorious crime stories of 2023 that shocked America and the world
2023 saw a number of horrific crimes, with California, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Oregon coming face-to-face with serial killers. The notorious Long Island serial murder case, which many believed would never be solved, saw the NYPD finally make an arrest. Besides, the long-time suspect in Alabama teen Natalee Holloway's murder made an unexpected confession. Additionally, the murders of the four University of Idaho students continued to garner national attention in 2023.
Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect Rex Heuermann arrested
One of the most notorious cases of the year was the arrest of New York City architect Rex Heuermann for a string of killings known as the Gilgo Beach murders. The arrest came years after the bodies of several women were found on Long Island's Ocean Parkway. Heuermann was charged with six counts of murder, after being detained in mid-July, in the cold case killings of Melissa Barthelemy, 24, Megan Waterman, 22, and Amber Costello, 27, whose bodies were discovered by police in 2010 as they were looking for Shannan Gilbert, 23, another missing woman. If Heuermann is found guilty, he might spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Idaho student murders by Bryan Kohberger
Bryan Kohberger has been convicted for the November 2022 killings of Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20. An eyewitness statement that shocked authorities, phone records, DNA found on a knife sheath found at the scene, and security photos of a possible car were all included in a probable cause affidavit released on January 5. If found guilty of any murder accusation, Kohberger might go to death row; if found guilty of burglary, he could spend up to 10 years in prison.
Alex Murdaugh murder trial
Once a successful South Carolina lawyer, Alex Murdaugh has been convicted for the murders of his wife Maggie and their younger son Paul in June 2021. A jury found him guilty in March, and he received two life sentences. The trial lasted six weeks and revealed Murdaugh's dire financial situation and wrongdoing. He is contesting his murder convictions since he has entered a guilty plea to other unconnected financial offenses.
Kaitlin Armstrong-Anna Moriah Wilson murder trial
In November 2023, a Texas jury found 37-year-old Kaitlin Armstrong guilty of murder in connection with the shooting death of professional cyclist Anna Moriah "Mo" Wilson. Wilson, a 25-year-old suspected romantic rival, had gone out on a date with Armstrong's boyfriend the night before she was killed. Armstrong attempted to elude capture and led Travis County corrections officers on a 10-minute foot pursuit before they were able to apprehend her, following a 43-day manhunt by the police after the murder. She received a 90-year prison term.
Lindsay Clancy charged with murder of her young children
Massachusetts mother Lindsay Clancy was charged with two counts of homicide after reportedly strangling her two young children and trying to kill her infant on January 24, 2023. Police discovered her three-year-old son, Dawson, and five-year-old daughter, Cora, suffering from "obvious signs of severe trauma" following what they claimed to be a strangulation. After slitting her wrists, Clancy jumped out of a second-floor window, but both she and her 7-month-old son, Callan, survived.
Confession of Joran van der Sloot
Nearly two decades after Alabama teen Natalee Holloway disappeared in Aruba, prevalent suspect Joran van der Sloot confessed, detailing the horrific specifics of her death. The 36-year-old Dutchman Van der Sloot, who killed Peruvian casino heiress Stephany Flores, confessed to the FBI in October 2023 that he used a cinder block to crush Holloway's skull when she turned down his advances for sex on a beach close to her hotel. After that, he dragged her out to sea and left her there.
Ana Walshe disappearance and murder case
A Massachusetts woman named Ana Walshe disappeared on January 1, 2023. A grand jury in Norfolk County arrested and indicted her husband, Brian Walshe, on counts of first-degree murder, deceiving a police investigation, and improperly transporting a human body. He is currently awaiting trial. If found guilty, Walshe might be sentenced to life in prison without the chance of release, per Newsweek.
Seven killed by Oklahoma sex offender Jesse McFadden
Oklahoma police discovered seven bodies at a residence on May 1, 2023. One of them was 39-year-old Jesse McFadden, a registered sex criminal. McFadden allegedly killed his wife, her three teenage children, and two teenage girls who were staying over for the weekend at their rural house. He then took his own life. Brittany Brewer, 15, and Ivy Webster, 14, both of whom were having a sleepover, showed symptoms of sexual assault. The other casualties included 35-year-old Holly Guess and her three children: Rylee Elizabeth Allen, 17; Michael James Mayo, 15; and Tiffany Dore Guess, 13.
