Carroll Cole
Encyclopedia
Carroll Edward Cole was an American
serial killer
who was executed
in 1985.
. While his father went to fight in World War II
, Cole was taken along by his mother and forced to watch as she had sexual encounters with men. She would often beat him to scare him into not telling his father. Even when his father returned home, Cole was frequently whipped and beaten by his mother for the most minor infractions, and he grew up with a deep hatred of women. He was also picked on at school for having a "girl's name", so he would usually go by his middle name, Eddie.
After scraping through school with average grades, even with an I.Q.
of 152, Cole became a drifter, doing menial jobs, drinking heavily and serving frequent prison sentences for crime such as burglary
, vagrancy
, arson
and car theft
. He attempted suicide
at least once, and on a number of occasions, had himself committed to mental hospitals
where he confessed his fantasies
of murdering women. Although diagnosed as a psychopath
, Cole was usually discharged promptly, as he had a personality disorder
, as opposed to a mental illness - the former was considered to be untreatable by psychiatrists at the time, unlike the latter.
His first victim as an adult was Essie Buck, whom he'd picked up in a tavern
in San Diego, California
, on May 7, 1971. He strangled her to death in his car and drove around with her body in the trunk before eventually dumping it. Just two weeks later, he killed an unidentified woman and buried her in some wooded area.
In July 1973, Cole married barmaid Diana Pashal, who was also an alcoholic
. They argued and fought frequently, and Cole regularly went off on his own for days at a time. He would commit murders while he was away, including one woman he allegedly cannibalized
to a degree. In September 1979, Cole strangled Pashal to death. A suspicious neighbor called the police eight days later, but although they found Pashal's body wrapped in a blanket and stuffed in a closet, they inexplicably decided that she had died because of her heavy drinking, and Cole was released without charge after questioning.
By 1980, Cole was married again and living in Las Vegas
. Toward the end of the year, he murdered three more women. Arrested on suspicion of murdering the final victim, Cole began his confession, claiming that he had murdered at least 14 women over the previous nine years, although he added that there may have been more — he couldn't remember exactly, as he was usually drunk when he committed his crimes.
, Cole refused to appeal
and was executed in Nevada
on December 6, 1985 by lethal injection
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
who was executed
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
in 1985.
Early life
Carroll Cole was born in Sioux City, IowaSioux City, Iowa
Sioux City is a city in Plymouth and Woodbury counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 82,684 in the 2010 census, a decline from 85,013 in the 2000 census, which makes it currently the fourth largest city in the state....
. While his father went to fight in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Cole was taken along by his mother and forced to watch as she had sexual encounters with men. She would often beat him to scare him into not telling his father. Even when his father returned home, Cole was frequently whipped and beaten by his mother for the most minor infractions, and he grew up with a deep hatred of women. He was also picked on at school for having a "girl's name", so he would usually go by his middle name, Eddie.
Murders
At the age of 10, Cole drowned a classmate of the same age in a lake. The boy's death was regarded as an accident until Cole confessed to it many years later.After scraping through school with average grades, even with an I.Q.
Intelligence quotient
An intelligence quotient, or IQ, is a score derived from one of several different standardized tests designed to assess intelligence. When modern IQ tests are constructed, the mean score within an age group is set to 100 and the standard deviation to 15...
of 152, Cole became a drifter, doing menial jobs, drinking heavily and serving frequent prison sentences for crime such as burglary
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
, vagrancy
Vagrancy (people)
A vagrant is a person in poverty, who wanders from place to place without a home or regular employment or income.-Definition:A vagrant is "a person without a settled home or regular work who wanders from place to place and lives by begging;" vagrancy is the condition of such persons.-History:In...
, arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
and car theft
Theft
In common usage, theft is the illegal taking of another person's property without that person's permission or consent. The word is also used as an informal shorthand term for some crimes against property, such as burglary, embezzlement, larceny, looting, robbery, shoplifting and fraud...
. He attempted suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
at least once, and on a number of occasions, had himself committed to mental hospitals
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
where he confessed his fantasies
Fantasy (psychology)
Fantasy in a psychological sense is broadly used to cover two different senses, conscious and unconscious. In the unconscious sense, it is sometimes spelled "phantasy".-Conscious fantasy:...
of murdering women. Although diagnosed as a psychopath
Psychopathy
Psychopathy is a mental disorder characterized primarily by a lack of empathy and remorse, shallow emotions, egocentricity, and deceptiveness. Psychopaths are highly prone to antisocial behavior and abusive treatment of others, and are very disproportionately responsible for violent crime...
, Cole was usually discharged promptly, as he had a personality disorder
Personality disorder
Personality disorders, formerly referred to as character disorders, are a class of personality types and behaviors. Personality disorders are noted on Axis II of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM-IV-TR of the American Psychiatric Association.Personality disorders are...
, as opposed to a mental illness - the former was considered to be untreatable by psychiatrists at the time, unlike the latter.
His first victim as an adult was Essie Buck, whom he'd picked up in a tavern
Tavern
A tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food, and in some cases, where travelers receive lodging....
in San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, on May 7, 1971. He strangled her to death in his car and drove around with her body in the trunk before eventually dumping it. Just two weeks later, he killed an unidentified woman and buried her in some wooded area.
In July 1973, Cole married barmaid Diana Pashal, who was also an alcoholic
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
. They argued and fought frequently, and Cole regularly went off on his own for days at a time. He would commit murders while he was away, including one woman he allegedly cannibalized
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
to a degree. In September 1979, Cole strangled Pashal to death. A suspicious neighbor called the police eight days later, but although they found Pashal's body wrapped in a blanket and stuffed in a closet, they inexplicably decided that she had died because of her heavy drinking, and Cole was released without charge after questioning.
By 1980, Cole was married again and living in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. Toward the end of the year, he murdered three more women. Arrested on suspicion of murdering the final victim, Cole began his confession, claiming that he had murdered at least 14 women over the previous nine years, although he added that there may have been more — he couldn't remember exactly, as he was usually drunk when he committed his crimes.
Death
Sentenced to deathCapital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
, Cole refused to appeal
Appeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
and was executed in Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
on December 6, 1985 by lethal injection
Lethal injection
Lethal injection is the practice of injecting a person with a fatal dose of drugs for the express purpose of causing the immediate death of the subject. The main application for this procedure is capital punishment, but the term may also be applied in a broad sense to euthanasia and suicide...
.