Evolution of a Serial Killer: Gary Heidnik Essay Example

mother was an alcoholic. In school he was also teased for having a misshapen ead, which was the result from him falling from a tree as a young child. Gary Heidnik Joined the army and was exceeding expectations; he began loan sharking, which he collected a lots of money from 'interest' he added on the loans. On January 30, 1963 Heidnik was discharged from the army with honorable discharged and was certified as 100% disabled.

Heidnik was released due to him complaining about feeling fatigue, dizzy, nauseated, and experiencing severe headaches, which made him incompetent; he was sent to the sick bay and was seen by a neurologist which etermined that Gary was suffering from gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and the intestines, with vomiting and diarrhea, usually as a result of bacterial or viral infection).

Shortly after his first sick appointment Mr. Heidnik was seen by Dr. Jack Apsche, a well-known Philadelphia psychologist, who investigated further into Gary Heidnik history of mental illness, and was indecisive about his disorder and not sure if he wanted to diagnose him with being schizoid or schizophrenic, still indecisive Gary was diagnosed with "Schizoid Personality Disorder" and prescribed a heavy dosage of 'Trifluoperazine' (Stelazine). Heidnik ,a disabled army veteran, who accomplished to graduate as a practical nurse in 1 and work at one of the best hospitals in Philadelphia "University of Pennsylvania".

He also held a position as a psychiatrist nurse at a Veterans Administrations Hospital' in Coatesville. Due to his mental illness from august 1962 until his arrest in March 1987 Heidnik was admitted into psychiatric hospitals over a dozen times and attempted to commit suicide over

13 times. Heidniks little brother also suffered from mental illness and attempted to commit suicide. In 1970 Heidniks mother committed uicide by drinking 'Mercuric Chloride'.

In October 1971 Heidnik anointed himself as a self proclaimed minister "Bishop Heidnik" he established a church called "The United Church of God", which he was the minister and founder. Bishop Heidnik" mainly focused his 'congregation' on mentally and physically disabled people. Heidnik was also a financial whiz. He made a fortune in the stock market. In 1975 Heidnik opened and account under the churches name with Merrill Lynch, Pierce and Fenners ;Smith. The initial deposit was $1 ,500. Over ten years he amassed over $500,000. Mr. Heidnik was a very wealthy man! (Early Life of Gary Michael Heidnik, Para. 1-19). Heidnik impregnated many women, none of which he was able to gain custody of.

So feeling betrayed and resentful like the world 'cheated him out of a family, he comes up with this odd plan to kidnap women and chain them up in his cellar where he physically abusive them, sexually abuses them, and intends on impregnating them and raising the children in his home. Neighbors complained of the loud noises coming from Heidnik house so loud it would rattle neighbor's windows, constant rock music playing, and different females ntering and leaving all hours of the day.

The biggest problem occasionally was the foul odor that was lingering around Heidniks house. Neighbors claimed it smelled like burning human flesh. When neighbor confronted Heidnik about the smell he said "he was cooking a roast in the oven and fell asleep and it burned". Days after the smell became stronger, so

neighbors were destined to know what that horrible smell of death was. The police were called. One officer stopped by Heidnik house Heidnik open door, and claimed he left a pot on the stove and it burnt. The officers left without any further investigation.

But Heidnik crimes were only discovered when a woman he had held enslaved for over four months managed to take off from his basement chained to pipes and another inside a pit that Heidnik had dug. The victims reported that a mentally challenged woman had been starved to death alongside punished for not eating fast despite the fact that she had issues with her mouth and Jaw which mad her eat at a slow pace, so Heidnik became extremely upset and took sandy to the corner walked to the top of a ladder and nailed some screws in the wall and hanged her with her arms up in the air by chains, after three days of her.