Nightcrawler Page 7

  While Francois stood mute in the tense courtroom, Judge Thomas Dolan sentenced the defendant to eight consecutive life terms with no chance of parole. Amid shouts of “murderer,” “killer,” and “Goodbye, Kendall!” sheriff’s deputies escorted the big man through a side door and back to a holding cell. Paulette Francois, Kendall’s mother, who avoided making any comments about her son during the long ordeal, issued a statement through her lawyer after sentencing. “We have always believed that death followed by more death is not a solution and never will be,” she said.

  Attica State Prison New York

  Photo by Jayu

  In 2003, a reporter for The New York Daily News, Douglas Montero, interviewed Kendall Francois inside Attica, one of New York’s toughest prisons. “I wish I didn’t commit the crime,” he said. “It was wrong. There was something wrong with me. I just don’t remember being such a monster.” He was unapologetic to the families of the victims, claiming that he didn’t need to apologize to anyone. He said that he was not like the other killers at Attica, who were cold-blooded and remorseless. He was different, he insisted.

  “I’m one of the nicest people you will ever meet,” he said. “I just do bad things.”

  www.crimescape.com

  Acknowledgements

  Kendall Francois did not respond to requests for an interview for this book. Some of the names in this story have been altered to conceal the identity of some of the participants in the case. A great deal is involved in a nearly two-year murder investigation—in this case, an investigation that required dozens of investigators, generated hundreds of leads and employed three police departments. The author would like to thank former New York State Police Senior Investigator Thomas Martin, now president of Crime Scene Forensics, LLC, www.crimescene-forensics.com, for his generous time and valuable insight into one of the most horrendous crime scenes any police officer would ever want to encounter. Many thanks to Sgt. Kent Linderholm of the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department for his efforts in securing the proper police reports and official documents. Lieutenant William Siegrist (retired) of the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, New York, whose willingness to discuss all aspects of this case with candor and sincere introspection, was indispensable in the preparation of this book. I also give a special thanks to a special police officer, Detective Karl “Skip” Mannain, who lived and breathed this case every day for 22 months and typifies the humble courage of the “thin blue line” that is America’s protector and always will be.

  Photo Index/Credits

  Cover photo—Old houses and steps, Yorkshire, UK, by Dr Neil Clifton

  Francois’ Front Door, Photo courtesy of Tim Martin

  Poughkeepsie, New York

  Poughkeepsie Police Department

  Prostitutes Negotiating

  Poughkeepsie, New York

  Kendall Francois

  Kitchen in Francois’ Home

  John Douglas

  Lt. Bill Siegrist

  Kendall Francois

  Rear of Francois Home

  Francois’ Home

  Francois’ Refrigerator

  John Wayne Gacy

  Attica State Prison

  Sources

  Berger, Joseph. “Families of Slain Women Demand Bodies for Funerals,” September 10, 1998; The New York Times.

  Beasimer, Jessica. “Four Women Missing,” April 18, 1997; “Sad Truth Revealed,” September 4, 1998; The Poughkeepsie Beat.

  Berger, Joseph and Gross, Jane. “Police Are Criticized as Poughkeepsie House Yields Corpses,” September 4, 1998; The New York Times

  Boyko, Arthur, Investigator New York State Police. Report of interview of Kendall Francois, September 1, 1998.

  Caher, John. “Plea to Pre-empt Death Penalty Is Heard.” New York Law Journal, March 30, 2000.

  City of Poughkeepsie Police reports # 182018-96, 184660-97, 188212-97, 206572-97, 207199-97, 209406-97.

  Douglas, John. Journey Into Darkness. New York: Pocket Books, 1990; Mind Hunter. New York: Pocket Books, 1995.

  Fisher-Hertz, Larry. “Women’s Corpses Found;” “Man Charged in 1 Death,” September 3, 1998; “Police Sift for Clues, ID Two,” September 4, 1998; “Hunt for Hard Evidence Delayed Arrest,” September 4, 1998; “Suspected Killer Indicted,” September 5, 1998; “Suspect Faces Arraignment Today,” September 9, 1998; “Families Erupt as Suspect Pleads,” September 10, 1998; Poughkeepsie Journal.

  Gross, Jane. “Our Towns; Symbol of a Too-Hard, Too-Fast, Too-Short Life,” September 17, 1998; The New York Times.

  Interview of Kendall François, transcript, September 1, 1998, Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department.

  Kelly, John. Updated Profile, August 10, 1998. S.T.A.L.K. (System to Apprehend Lethal Killers) Old Bridge, NJ.

  Keppel, Robert D., Ph.D. Signature Killers. New York: Pocket Books, 1997.

  Lane, Brian and Gregg, Wilfred. The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers. New York, NY. Berkley Books, 1995.

  Mannain, Karl, Detective. City of Poughkeepsie Police Department.

  Martin, Thomas, Senior Investigator, New York State Police (retired) now president of Crime Scene Forensics, LLC. www.crimescene-forensics.com

  Montero, Douglas. “‘Remorse’ of a Serial Killer,” New York Post, September 26, 2003.

  Rubinstein, Jonathan. City Police. New York: Ballantine Books, 1973.

  Siegrist, William, Lt., City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, NY (retired).

  Torres, John, A. “Reports of Found Bodies Rocks Peaceful City Block,” September 3, 1998;” Serial Killer Suspect Was Friendly, Furious,” September 4, 1998; “Shock Blankets Street,” September 8, 1998; Poughkeepsie Journal.

  Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department reports: # 700918, # 809470, # 814220, # 814571, and # 814633

  Velluci, Michelle. “Woman’s Disappearance Spurs Hunt,” June 18, 1998; “Another Woman Vanishes,” August 28, 1998; “Frustration Culminates in Action,” August 29, 1998; Poughkeepsie Journal.