True Crime Friday: Gary Michael Heidnik, The Buffalo Bill Preacher Serial Killer

Gary Michael Heidnik was a serial killer who tortured and murdered women during his reign of terror. He dug a hole in his basement where he did his evils deeds of cannibalism and electrocution. He was eventually executed in July 1999 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Heidnik was one of the inspirations for the "Buffalo Bill" character in the movie Silence of the Lamb. The majority of his victims were Black. Heidnik went out of his serial killer comfort zone because most serial killers murder within their communities while Heidnik specifically chose Black women.

The Early Childhood of Gary Michael Heidnik

Gary Heidnik was born on November 22, 1943 in the State of Ohio. His parents were Michael and Ellen Heidnik. His parents divorced in 1946, leaving his mother as the lone parent to raise their four children. She had trouble maintaining the children so his father and his new wife gained custody of them. There were accusations the father abused the children. Heidnik was a chronic bedwetter and his father would force him to hang his stained sheets from his bedroom window so that the neighbors could see it,  thereby humiliating his son.

Heidnik was an outcast at school. He did not have any friends. Once a girl in his class tried to befriend him. He yelled that she was not worthy enough to speak to him. Heidnik was teased about the shape of his head which was shaped oddly because he once fell from a tree injuring it. Heidnik had an IQ of 148 which is genius or near genius level. A then 14 year old Heidnik enrolled at the Staunton Military School in Virginal but left before graduation. He rejoined public school and graduated. After that he joined the United States Army.

Heidnik began complaining of severe headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, and nausea in 1962. He was diagnosed with gastroenteritis by a neurologist. Heidnik was transferred to a military hospital in Pennsylvania where he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. He was consequently honorably discharged from military service in October of 1962. He held down a number of low paying jobs but was fired from each one for behavioral and attendance issues.

United Church of the Ministers of God

Heidnik incorporated a church called the United Church of the Ministers of God. In 1975. The account was under the church's Merrill Lynch. The initial deposit was only $1,500. Heidnik eventually amassed over $500,000 (it would $2.7 million in 2024). The United Church of the Ministers of God was prosperous and opulent by 1986.

He married Betty Disto in 1985. She caught him in bed with other women and filed for divorce. His wife had suffered horrible abuse from Heidnik. They had a child together before the divorce named Jesse John Disto. Heidnik also had a child with Gail Lincow and they had a son named Gary Jr. The child was placed in foster care soon after his birth. Heidnik had a third child with another woman Anjeanette Davidson, who was mentally disabled. Their daughter, Maxine Davidson, was born on March 16, 1978 and was immediately placed in foster care. Shortly after Maxine's birth, Heidnik was arrested for kidnapping and raping Anjeanette's sister Alberta, who had been living in an institution for the mentally disabled in Pennsylvania. He repeatedly raped his ex-wife, kidnapped his lover's sister and held her captive while physically and sexually assaulting her. He was incarceration in mental institutions prior to being released in April 1983, under the supervision of a state-sanctioned mental health program. In 1986, he raped his ex-wife and was sent to prison.

The Victims of Gary Michael Heidnik

• Josefina Rivera 25, Survivor
• Debra Dudley 24
• Sandra Lindsay 23
• Jacqueline Askins 18, Survivor
• Agnes Adams 24, Survivor
• Lisa Thomas 19, Survivor

He kidnapped Josefina Rivera and held her captive. He also had her to assist with finding victims. She did what she was told to stay alive. She helped him disposed of the bodies. She stated she felt she had no other choice because she was afraid for her life. After gaining his trust, she asked him if he would drop her off to call her family and tell them she was okay. Since she had complied for months putting up with his torture, assaults and murders he felt they had built a bond so he gave her permission to call from a phone booth. Rivera called the police and turned Heidnik in to the authorities. Rivera stated that Heidnik cannibalized his victims. The parts he did not eat were put in his freezer. His best friend Cyril Brown who would also sometimes assist in the adduction, torture and rape of these women decided to testify again Heidnik.

Lady Justice

Heidnik's was executed on July 6, 1999 in Pennsylvania. He was the last person executed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Reference

‘Monster Preacher’: Where Are Gary Heidnik’s Victims Today? | Crime News (oxygen.com)

Gary Heidnik's Survivors: Where Are They Today? (thecinemaholic.com)

Gary M. Heidnik - Wikipedia

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