Horror film fan killed 4 in rampage
Thu Mar 16, 2006 9:39 AM ET


LONDON (Reuters) - A British horror film fanatic who wanted to be an infamous serial killer was found guilty on Thursday of murdering four strangers during a three-day rampage through southern England.

Daniel Gonzalez, 25, compared his murders to those in the film "Halloween" and told police he wanted to know what it would be like to be "Freddy Krueger for the day" -- referring to the crazed killer from the "A Nightmare on Elm Street" movie.

Gonzalez, who also said he wanted to carry out a massacre similar to the 1999 killings at Columbine High School in the United States, began his murderous spree on September 15, 2004.

He traveled to Hilsea on the south coast and tried to cut the throat of a 67-year-old man who was out with his wife, walking his dog.

The man fought him off but later that afternoon Gonzalez headed up to Woking near London and stabbed to death Marie Harding, 73, as she was out walking in a secluded area.

Early the next day, he used two knives to stab to death 46-year-old Kevin Molloy who had been out drinking in a pub in north London.

Just an hour later, he broke into a house not far away and tried to kill the occupant. However he ran away after the men put up a fierce struggle.

Shortly afterwards, he bought some new knives and then went to the home of Derek Robinson, 75, and his wife Jean, 60, and stabbed them both to death.

He was arrested a few hours later at a station.

HEARING VOICES

Gonzalez, who had admitted two counts of attempted murder, had denied murder, saying he was a schizophrenic and had been under the command of voices.

But a jury at London's Old Bailey court took just over an hour to find him guilty of murder.

"We suggest that Gonzalez is a psychopath who killed because of the callous, cold person that he is," said prosecutor Richard Horwell. "He wanted to kill for his own personal pleasure."

During the trial, the court heard how Gonzalez had told doctors he went on the rampage because he was bored.

"I watched horror movies and that all the time, fantasy and not real and that," he had told detectives.

"I just thought about doing it, man -- what would it be like just to be maybe Freddy Krueger or something like that, just for one day."

Police called his murders "shocking and brutal".

"Gonzalez admitted he was an individual intent on killing. He was clever and manipulative and did not want to accept responsibility for what he had done," said Detective Chief Inspector Dave Cobb.

"He wanted to be remembered as a famous serial killer, but I hope he is forgotten and that we only remember his victims and the families that survive them."

He will be sentenced tomorrow and faces a mandatory life jail term.

I thought Britain was safe because they outlawed firearms.  Now they need to outlaw knives, suicide vests, hammers, clubs, etc.  And the liberals want to bring THIS level of safety to the US.
Molon Labe !

He will be sentenced tomorrow and faces a mandatory life jail term.

If the sentance is mantatory then why bother with a sentencing?

Ban Horror movies......

Wow, he's a real tough guy, he targets elderly people and drunks.  I can't wait until he gets in prison and finds out just how tough he really is.  Boy is he in for a surprise!

Ban knifes.

Quoted: Ban knifes.

No joke, I heard physicians in England were trying to get knives with pointed tips banned.

Quoted: Ban knifes.

It's for the children elderly and drunks

And some poeple wonder why I'm in favor of the death penalty....

Quoted: Ban Horror movies......

Yes, do it for children...

Quoted: img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/macandy/DSC02321.jpg My knife… ANdy

You don't need that to carve a turkey.

Quoted: Horror film fan killed 4 in rampage *snip* "We suggest that Gonzalez is a psychopath who killed because of the callous, cold person that he is," said prosecutor Richard Horwell. "He wanted to kill for his own personal pleasure."

that doesn't make any sense. we've been told over and over again, that if you deprive people of the tools necessary to do harm, they won't do harm. what's with all this "free will" stuff they are insinuating?

Quoted: img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/macandy/DSC02321.jpg My knife… ANdy

That doesn't appear to be sharp OR pointy.

Must be some kind of glorified limey butter knife...for marmite or somesuch.




BC

Quoted: Quoted: Ban knifes. No joke, I heard physicians in England were trying to get knives with pointed tips banned.

I've always practiced slicing instead of stabbing. Too easy to get jammed up with a jab.

Quoted: Ban knifes.

Already being done. Try a keyword search of the phrase "Bin the blade".

Quoted: Quoted: Ban knifes. No joke, I heard physicians in England were trying to get knives with pointed tips banned.

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4581871.stm

Quoted: He will be sentenced tomorrow and faces a mandatory life jail term. If the sentance is mantatory then why bother with a sentencing?

You expect the law to make sense?

Must be the lack of flouride in their water and the anger of having such bad teeth over there that set him off.

The obvious solution is to license horror films. and place horror fans into a database.

Quoted: The obvious solution is to license horror films. and place horror fans into a database.

Until then, I think the familes of the victims have the right to sue the people who make these horror movies. And the theaters who sell the tickets should be held responsible for not having better checks in place to ensure that "nuts" aren't buying tickets to see these horror movies. And if someone buys the tickets for them, a straw movie ticket purchase, they should have to stand for their actions as well.