Strangulation, Sadism, and Closing in on the Alphabet Killer

Between 1971 and 1973, the sexual murders of three prepubescent girls rocked the community of Rochester, New York. In November 1971, 10-year-old Carmen Colon was raped and strangled to death. In April 1973, 11-year-old Wanda Wakowicz was murdered similarly, and in November 1973, so was Michelle Maenza. All three girls were found by the side of the road, either thrown or dragged there by a passing motorist. It was not lost on investigators that each girl's first and last names started with the same letter, and the killings became known as the Alphabet Murders. Whether or not the perpetrator selected his victims for that reason—or whether the same person strangled all three girls—has been an ongoing debate.

For 50 years, these crimes have been unsolved. These murders are now back in the spotlight for two reasons. One, a primary suspect has been released after serving time—first in prison and second via civil commitment—since 1987. Second, DNA evidence from one of the victims, Wanda Walkowicz, is currently being tested, offering hope that forensic investigative genetic genealogists will help law enforcement unlock the key to these longstanding mysteries.

We've come a long way in understanding violent crimes since the 1970s. We know, for example, what a telling sign it is when a perpetrator strangles his victim. In fact, unlike what we see in movies and TV shows, in which firearms and knives dominate the crime scene, sexual homicide offenders seem to prefer more intimate and personal weapons—strangulation, asphyxiation, and beating. Among those, strangulation is often the preferred choice.

Strangulation, then, is a hauntingly familiar murder method in sexual homicides. But what exactly does it tell us about the perpetrator? What does it tell us about the victim? And does it always tell us the same thing?

The Vulnerable Victim

One theory of why sexually motivated homicide perpetrators are attracted to strangulation is the vulnerability of the victims they choose. Perpetrators may choose strangulation when they perceive their victim as being physically weaker or less likely to resist. Victims who are physically weaker (or incapacitated in some way) may be more susceptible to this method of violence. Another study found that sexual homicide perpetrators who preferred strangulation were more likely to have victims who were intoxicated at the time of their death.

There is some evidence to support this. For instance, an analysis of strangulation homicides in King County, Washington, found that from 1995 through 2022, 22.8% of 2,394 homicide victims were women, while 80.3% of strangulation homicide victims were female. And sexual homicide perpetrators targeting children were even more likely to strangle their victims than those targeting adults.

Moreover, sexual homicide offenders with male victims (62%) are significantly more likely to shoot instead of strangle. On the rare occasion when female sexual homicide offenders attack another woman with comparative physical strength, they use personal weapons about half the time, suggesting the female perpetrator's ability to conquer another female and complete the homicide through more up-close means.

When the Opportunity Strikes

A second possibility for strangulation's popularity may be that it is a weapon of opportunity. In cases when the sexual homicide was impulsive, an offender might choose strangulation simply because it is readily available; it's a method that requires little to no preparation, making it accessible to perpetrators in the heat of the moment.

Researchers who've typed sexually motivated serial killers distinguish between sadistic killers, who are organized, driven by a sadistic homicidal need, and rigorously premediate their crimes, and angry, opportunistic sexual predators, i.e., hostile individuals ready to act out if they find themselves in a suitable context. These sexually motivated angry killers tend to be driven by homicidal fantasies and often report that, before they committed murder, they had experienced stressful life events (e.g., financial difficulties, relationship breakup, job loss) and had felt rejected and devalued. These experiences exacerbated their hostility and precipitated their acting out. However, while recent research supports a link between impulsive sexually motivated homicide and manual strangulation, the use of strangulation alone does not distinguish between sadism and general deviance (angry and opportunistic) as a motive (although ligature strangulation may tilt the scales toward sadism).

Sadism's Signature?

The third hypothesis, and by far the most interesting from a psychological standpoint, delves into the realm of sexual sadism. Sadism involves deriving sexual arousal and excitement from inflicting intense pain and suffering upon others, going far beyond the bounds of consensual sexual activities. For sadistic sexual homicide offenders, strangulation offers a means to exercise greater power, control, and domination over victims. It allows them to fulfill their disturbing fantasies by physically and psychologically subduing their victims.

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We have limited information about how sadism specifically plays a role in the sexual homicide of children. A 2020 study found that sadism was prevalent in approximately 25% of child-targeted sexual homicide offenders. In comparison to those targeting adults, these sexual homicide offenders were more likely to use sexual domination (bonding, threatening with a knife or gun) but less likely to use physical or psychological or physical torture or humiliation as part of their crime. Interestingly, these offenders were also more likely to take advantage of a child's routine activities (walking, riding a bike) than to lure their victims by pretending to be an acquaintance or making false promises.

The Bottom Line

In the chilling world of sexual homicides, strangulation emerges as a hauntingly prevalent method of killing. It is a choice that is often intertwined with impulsivity or "premeditated opportunism" (the offender is ready to commit the crime and has made some preparation but has not selected a specific victim), the vulnerability of the victim, and the disturbing presence of sexual sadism. While each of these factors sheds light on why sexual homicide offenders choose strangulation, the complex interplay between them underscores the need for a multifaceted approach to understanding these horrific crimes.

Wendy, Carmen, and Michelle were three young girls whose lives were cut short by one—or more—sexual predators. Consistent with what we know about the familiar modus operandi of sexual homicide offenders who target children, they were snatched off the street while going about their daily lives (walking home, running errands), strangled, and abandoned along local roads. But, Wanda Wakowicz may be about to tell us the most critical piece of information: who is responsible.