Jake Bird “Tacoma Ax Killer” By Diego Murga

Early Life Jake Bird would tell authorities that he was born December 14, 1901, "somewhere out in Louisiana where they ain't no post office.“ Left home when he was 19 years old He started traveling around the country but never settled for a long time anywhere. He found simple jobs that allowed him to save money to travel. He spent much of his time as a manual laborer and gandy dancer on railroads It was hard work, but it built up Jake's strength and kept him in motion, trolling for human targets People described him as a “rootless drifter”

The Capture Of a Killer It wasn’t until October 30, 1947, when the police responded to a report of a woman screaming in Tacoma, Washington. Where at 1007 S 21st Street, they found Jake Bird, age 46 at this time, covered in blood, and the bodies of Bertha Kludt, 52, and her daughter Beverley, 17. Both women had been beaten and slashed with an axe. Violently resisting arrest, he slashed two officers with a knife. According to police, Bird pulled a knife and attacked, cutting one officer’s hand and stabbing another in the shoulder. before he was finally beaten into submission and dragged off to the hospital for treatment of injuries.

The Horrifying Confession After his arrest Jake Bird was taken to Tacoma City Jail where he first was found Innocent, until Brain tissue was found in his torso Bird was found guilty and While in death row, he confessed and bragged about other 44 assassinations he had committed in the past. With this confession, only 11 cases where solved. After this confession, Jake Bird was sentenced to be hanged.

TRIAL AND HANGIN

“Jailhouse Lawyer” Even Bird was not very educated, he was known as a “jailhouse lawyer,” because he would often argue his own case before the court.  His awareness of the law, together with help of people against the death penalty, he was able to delay his execution a year and a half. 

“The Bird Hex” When it came time for Bird to say his final words, he said;“I’m putting the Jake Bird hex on all of you who had anything to do with my being punished. Mark my words you will die before I do”. Within a year, six men connected with Bird’s trial died.  1. The judge died of a heart attack a month after handing down the sentence. 2. One of Bird’s lawyers died a year later 3. A police officer who recorded Bird’s second confession died in January 1948. 4. The officer who took Bird’s first confession also died of a heart attack 5.One of Bird’s prison guards died shortly after that 6.The court’s chief clerk died shortly afterwards As he once stated, Jake lived to see them all die. Bird was executed on July 15, 1949

The Hanging On Thursday night, July 14, 1949 Jake Bird was taken to gallows, He was shaved and dressed in new clothes.  After midnight, Bird walked to the gallows accompanied by two prison guards. Reverend Arvid C. started to read a note from Bird, He bore no malice toward anyone and sought forgiveness.  Before he finished, the trapdoor was sprung, dropping Bird to his death. Jake Bird was hanged at 12:20 a.m. on July 15, 1949. in Walla Walla, Washington. Bird willed his personal fortune, $6.15, to his appeals attorney

Rests OF Jake Bird Jake Bird was buried in an unmarked grave in the prison cemetery, identified only as convict No. 21520

Some Victims of Bird At his confession Bird would claim a body-count approaching one victim for each year of his life. Even Bird confessed he had killed about 44 victims, 11 cases where solved thanks to his declaration. Orlando, Florida; Portage, Wisconsin. Police in Houston suspected Bird murdering Mrs. Harry Richardson there, Starting with the ax murders of two women at Evanston, Illinois, in 1942. Chicago authorities found a body retrieved from lake Michigan, five miles south of Kenosha. Other victims were confirmed in Louisville, Kentucky; Los Angeles detectives suspected of Bird from killing black youth and a Omaha, Nebraska; Kansas city, Kansas; Jewish grocer, Sioux falls, south Dakota; New York city he was linked to the robbery and murder of a deli owner. Cleveland, Ohio;

Psychiatrists examined bird in jail and labeled him a psychopath , developing satisfaction from the sight of women cowering in terror. In the tested cases by the police, most of Bird’s victims were female, most were white, and the majority had been killed with hatchets or axes in their homes. Bird wasn’t stranger to a life of crime. His criminal record included burglaries, assaults, attempted murder, and murder. He had already served about 15 years in various prisons for his crimes Bird’s Profile

Hedonistic, as he felt pleasure by killing his victims. There is not much known about Jake Bird’s early childhood, but he left home at the age of 19,creating an unstable environment for Jake. At some point He might have felt isolated and might have cause him to have certain resentment towards society. Jake had metal illness, he was declared a Psychopath , but he did show remorse on a letter he wrote before his death. Bird, eventually became addicted to killing and started killing for pleasure. Bird’s victims where almost all white female, and the majority showed signs of sexual abuse. He also killed to satisfy himself as he became addicted to murder. His economy also played a very important role in his serial killer mind. As he needed money to travel from city to city. Most of his assassinations where robberies that turned complicated. Psychotic Financial Gain MENTAL ILLNESS power Psychotic Hedonistic, as he felt pleasure by killing his victims. Economic Gain Sexual In Nature ax GRATE LAKES

Bibliography http://www.hubpages.com/hub/Serial-Killer-Jake-Bird http://www.historylink.org/index. http://www.angelfire.com/oz/uv/jakebird http://www.truecrimelibrary.com/crime_series_show.php?series_number=13&id=705 http://www.crimezzz.net/serialkillers/B/BIRD_jake.php