The Toolbox Killers: Don’t You Like To Scream?
For the past several weeks we have been covering the Toolbox Killers on our podcast, The Good Wives Guide To True Crime. This is one of the most horrific and brutal cases that we have come across. We’re no strangers to brutal, vile, and evil but this case takes those words to a level that most people can’t even fathom.
Lawrence Bittaker and Roy Norris met in prison in California and hit it off. Once their friendship was established, they came up with a plan. They decided that once they were both released, they would meet back up to abduct and rape girls together. Their sick, twisted goal was to rape a girl of every age from 13 to 19 years old.
In 1979, over 5 months, Bittaker and Norris went on a kidnapping, rape and murder spree in a van they dubbed “Murder Mac”. Using an assortment of tools, they abducted, raped, tortured, humiliated and murdered 5 girls. Their young victims were 13-year-old Jacqueline Leah Lamp, 15-year-old Jackie Doris Gilliam, 16-year-old Lucinda Lynn Schaefer, 16-year-old Shirley Lynette Ledford, and 18-year-old Andrea Joy Hall.
Bittaker and Norris never got to reach their full goal. They invited a third man to participate in their crimes. Joseph Jackson was a rapist also, but he wasn’t okay with what Bittaker and Norris were doing so he went to his attorney and told him everything he knew. They contacted the police which eventually led to the arrest of Bittaker and Norris.
In 1980, Roy Norris testified against Bittaker to avoid the death penalty and life without parole. He was sentenced to 45 years to life with parole eligibility starting in 2010. Lawrence Bittaker was sentenced to the death penalty. On December 13th, 2019, 79-year-old Bittaker died on death row. Less than 3 months later, on February 24th, 2020, Roy Norris also died in prison.
During our research, we had the pleasure of interviewing and forming a friendship with Laura Brand. Laura is a Private Investigator and “Serial Killer Whisperer”. For 6 years before his death, Laura traveled to San Quentin’s death row to interview Lawrence Bittaker. Over the years he developed trust in her and gave her information about the murders that he had never revealed to anyone before.
If you would like to hear all the details about The Toolbox Killers and our interviews with Laura Brand, head on over to our podcast and give us a listen. For even more true crime cases, stop by and subscribe to our YouTube channel, Murder By Design.
