Richard Speckknown as the «Bird Man»was an American mass murderer whose story appears in the new season of the series Monster, inspired by real murderers, which premiered in Netflix.
In the series, he is played by actor Tobias Jelinek and appears in the final episode, where he is introduced as a character who idolizes Ed Gein, another American serial killer and grave robber.
Who was Richard Speck and what did he do: his true story
Richard Benjamin Speck was born on December 6, 1941 and died on December 5, 1991. He was an American mass murderer, responsible for eight homicides committed during the night of July 14 to 15, 1966. Before that, between 1961 and 1966 he was arrested more than 40 times for minor crimes such as theft, forgery, fighting and drunkenness.
His victims were nursing students at South Chicago Community Hospital in Chicago, whom he kidnapped, tortured, raped, and stabbed until they died. The victims were nine, but one managed to hide and escape.
Richard Speck, the American assassin.Those murdered were identified as Gloria Davy, Suzanne Farris, Mary Ann Jordan, Patricia Matusek, Nina Schmale, Pamela Wilkenning, Merlita Gargullo and Valentina Pasion. Meanwhile, the one who was saved was Corazón Amurao.
After the crime, Speck fled. During several days of intense searching, He tried to commit suicide by cutting his wrists in a hotel and was treated by a doctor who recognized the tattoo and notified the Police.
In this way, Richard was captured on July 17, 1966, just three days after the murders. He was also charged with three other murders and sentenced to death, but his sentence was reviewed by the United States Supreme Court shortly before his execution in 1972. He eventually died in prison in 1991.
Richard Speck was also known as «Bird Man.»
Why Richard Speck is known as the «Bird Man»
While serving his sentence at Stateville State Prison, Richard was caring for some sparrows that had entered his cellkeeping them as pets. As they used to accompany him and perch on him, They began to call him «Birdman.»
However, according to one witness, he killed the birds when they moved him to another cell and they told him he couldn’t take them.
