Silent Night, Deadly Night
The Unfiltered Tale of Dayton's 1992 Holiday Horror
Seth Ferranti here to plunge into the heart of true crime, fearlessly uncovering the harsh reality. In '92, Dayton witnessed a holiday horror that left an indelible mark on the city's history.
Downtown Dayton, December '92, gleamed with holiday decorations and activities. The Christmas tree lit Courthouse Square, and the Dayton Arcade popped up with shops and eateries. Amidst the festive buzz, a chilling crime spree brewed, initiated by a group of troubled teenagers calling themselves 'The Downtown Posse'—Laura Taylor, Marvallous Keene, Heather Matthews, and Demarcus Smith.
"Let's get some drama in our lives," declared Taylor, a 16-year-old runaway, setting the stage for a heinous spree that would scar Dayton forever.
On Christmas Eve, they unleashed terror, starting with Joseph Wilkerson. The posse lured their way into his Prescott Avenue home with promises of sex, ending the life of the 34-year-old General Motors worker. They shamelessly reveled in Wilkerson's house for three days, consuming his food and driving his cars as he lay dead in a bedroom.
That same night, Danita Gullette fell victim to their brutality while using a payphone in West Dayton. Robbed of her belongings and her life, Danita's desperate plea, "Don't shoot me," went unanswered, etching a painful memory for her sister, Rhonda Gullette.
On Christmas day, the discovery of Richard Maddox's lifeless body in a car unfolded another layer of horror. Detectives later revealed that Maddox was the former boyfriend of Laura Taylor. Jeffrey Wright also faced the posse's violence that day outside a home on Yuma Place but miraculously survived four bullets.
The spree continued on December 26 when the posse entered the Short Stop Mini Mart. Sarah Abraham, a 38-year-old mother working in her family's business, lost her life, and a store customer, Jones Pettus, survived a gunshot.
Initially, Dayton homicide detectives struggled to connect these crimes."These are some dangerous people. They need to be caught and they need to be caught in a hurry" declared Detective Wade Lawson when addressing the horrified public. Retired Detective Doyle Burke later recalled, "Really the first thing that made the connection for us was the ammunition." The realization hit that they faced a relentless assailant or assailants with no clear motive.
Former Dayton Police Sgt. John Huber entered the scene on December 26, unknowingly halting the spree killers. He later discovered that Laura Taylor had instructed Marvallous Keene to shoot him, a chilling revelation of the dangers law enforcement faced.
As the net closed in on 'The Downtown Posse,' Laura Taylor confessed to two more victims, Wendy Cottrill and Marvin Washington, found in a city-owned gravel pit. Marvallous Keene faced the death penalty and was executed in 2009, while the others received life sentences.
Rhonda Gullette, sister of Danita, bore not just the loss but also the cascading impact on her life. Her story mirrors the profound aftermath experienced by victims' families. Retired Detective John Huber reflects on the thin line between chaos and order, and Detective Doyle Burke illuminates the challenges faced by investigators in solving this unparalleled spree.
In the end, justice prevailed. Marvallous Keene faced the ultimate consequence, and the other members of 'The Downtown Posse' received life sentences. As we conclude this gripping journey through the Christmas killings of 1992 in Dayton, justice is served, but the scars on the community remain.
Four detectives on the case captured the harrowing experience in their book The Christmas Killings: 40 Hours to Justice. Published on the 25th anniversary of this shocking murder spree, the book provides a firsthand account of the investigation. Written from the vantage point of the four detectives, the narrative unfolds like a true-life crime drama, offering insight into the crimes and the killers. The book includes transcribed, verbatim police audio transmissions, providing a riveting and immersive dimension to the harrowing events. The detectives' recollections and insights add a compelling layer to this gripping tale, making it a must-read for those seeking a deeper understanding of the 'Christmas Killings' and the relentless pursuit of justice.
As a final chapter to this chilling tale, on a somber Tuesday morning in Lucasville, Ohio, justice reached its culmination. Marvallous Keene, who chose not to file a late appeal, met his fate by lethal injection at 10:36 a.m., July 21, 2009, at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility. Donna Cottrill, Wendy's mother, stood witness to the execution, a poignant moment representing closure for a mother who had endured unimaginable loss. Marvallous Keene's final words, 'No, I have no words,' echoed the silence that followed his execution. It was a solemn reminder that justice, though often slow, can be relentless, leaving the community with a mix of closure and the haunting memories of that fateful holiday season.
