True Crime Friday: Robert Garrow, the Bestiality Serial Killer
Robert Francis Garrow was born March 4, 1936, in New York. He was arrested for having sex with animals and spent years in prison. Once he was released, he began to stalk human prey. Garrow is a rapist, spree killer, serial killer and animal abuser. He was also had the moniker as the Buried Bodies Serial Killer. This case sparked national controversy because of the way the defense lawyers kept information from the authorities. This case raised legal ethical questions when Garrow confessed to his attorneys where two of his victims were buried. They decided to see if he was telling the truth by visiting the grave site where Garrow had buried them. They discovered the partial remains of the victims but decided not to alert the authorities because of client/attorney privilege. The police eventually found the victim’s bodies and Garrow’s was convicted of murder. Garrow was later shot dead while trying to escape from prison in 1978.
The Early Childhood of Robert Garrow
Robert Garrow parents were Robert and Margaret Garrow who were poor farmers. As with most serial killers, he had a horrible childhood. Garrow stated that he was beaten with whatever was available, even bricks. Both parents abused their children over the slightest infraction. His siblings confirmed his account of neglect and abuse. The authorities had been called out to the farm many times due to domestic abuse. Garrow was sent to a prison farm to work. Not only did he abuse animals and people he also masturbated using milking machines.Robert Garrow served in the United States Air Force. He was court martialed for stealing money from a superior officer. He spent six months in a military prison in Florida. After leaving prison Garrow got married. He and his wife had a son. Garrow’s life did not improve. He worked menial jobs at fast food joints, and he also became a burglar. Garrow had an affair with a man that he accused of being sadistic.
During the abusive relationship he raped a sixteen-year-old girl and attacked her boyfriend. He was caught and pled guilty to rape and was sentenced to ten to twenty years in prison. He was paroled in 1968. After being paroled he committed a series of rapes against children. He was caught once again but jumped bail and went on the run.
The Victims of Robert Garrow
- Alicia Hauck, 16
- Daniel Porter, 23
- Susan Petz, 20
- Philip Domblewski, 18
The Suspected Victims of Robert Garrow
- Ruth Whitman, 18
- Adele Komorowski, 26
The Survivors of Robert Garrow
- Eyewitness #1
- Eyewitness #2
- Eyewitness #3
Lady Justice
Robert Garrow was caught a little way from a murder scene of his creation by Environmental Conservation Officer Hilary J. LeBlanc. He was shot by Officer LeBlanc when he tried to escape. He survives but was left partially paralyzed. Garrow sued and one of the conditions for dropping the lawsuit was that he would be transferred to a minimum-security prison. He received a twenty-five years to life prison sentence to be served at the Clinton Correctional Facility. He was eventually transferred to the Fishkill Correctional Facility which was a minimum-security facility. While at the facility he received death threats and was transferred to Auburn Correctional facility a maximum-security prison. Eventually he would be transferred once again to Fishkill Correctional Facility.A grand jury indicted one of Garrow’s attorneys for not sharing the location of two victims’ bodies with the police. The convictions fell under the New York Public Health Law that required victims to have a decent burial and of anyone knowing about a person death and not reporting it to authorities. The case was dismissed because when it went to trial the judge upheld attorney/client privilege. In September of 1978, Robert Garrow was shot dead while trying to escape prison.