Offender Record · OFF-2026-084
Vaughn Orrin Greenwood
Also known as Skid Row Slasher
Sex
Male
Race
African American
Height
6'0"
Weight
190 lbs
Hair
blonde
Born
1944
Custody
Deceased
States
CA, IL, PA
Distinguishing featuresOriginally profiled as having shoulder-length stringy blonde hair; later apprehended as a 32-year-old Black man, contradicting initial psychological profile (document, LAMag)
Custody
Died December 18, 2020, at California Men's Colony, San Luis Obispo (Wikipedia; CrimeSolversCentral)
This record documents arrests, charges and convictions reported by courts, law enforcement agencies and news organizations. Every statement is tied to a cited source with an archived copy. A charge is an accusation, not proof of guilt; a person charged is presumed innocent unless convicted. Solve the Case does not allege that this person committed any offense beyond what the cited records state, and this record is not a suggestion that the person is connected to any unsolved case. How records are built, corrected and removed.
Summary of the record
Vaughn Orrin Greenwood, known as the Skid Row Slasher, was convicted of nine counts of murder in Los Angeles, California. He murdered eleven vagrants between November 1964 and January 1975, slashing their throats and leaving ritualistic markings. Arrested February 3, 1975, convicted December 30, 1976, and sentenced to life imprisonment January 19, 1977. Died December 18, 2020, at California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo at age 76.
Documented Arrests, Charges and Convictions
Dispositions are shown exactly as the cited records report them. Pending charges are updated when a court acts; a record with no remaining conviction or pending charge is removed from the site.
Offense date Nov 13, 1964, Los Angeles, California
Murder
Los Angeles Police Department · Los Angeles Superior Court · Arrested Feb 03, 1975 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Life imprisonment
David Russell, an aging transient, was killed on the steps of the Los Angeles Public Library with his throat cut and numerous stab wounds on November 13, 1964. His body was posed with ritualistic markings.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Greenwood, Vaughn; Serial Killer Vaughn Orrin GREENWOOD
Offense date 1966, Chicago, Illinois
Attempted murder; aggravated assault
Chicago Police Department · Cook County Circuit Court, Illinois · Arrested 1966 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: 5.5 years imprisonment
Greenwood was convicted for attempted murder and aggravated battery involving a knife assault on a 70-year-old male following a sexual encounter in Chicago; the victim survived.
SourcesSerial Killer Vaughn Orrin GREENWOOD; Vaughn Greenwood
Offense date Dec 01, 1974, Los Angeles, California
Murder
Los Angeles Police Department · Los Angeles Superior Court · Arrested Feb 03, 1975 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Life imprisonment
Charles Jackson, a 46-year-old alcoholic drifter, was murdered on December 1, 1974, at the exact spot where David Russell had been killed ten years earlier, with salt sprinkled around the body.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Greenwood, Vaughn
Offense date Jan 09, 1975, Los Angeles, California
Murder
Los Angeles Police Department · Los Angeles Superior Court · Arrested Feb 03, 1975 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Life imprisonment
Casimir Strawinski, a 58-year-old, was found in his hotel room on January 9, 1975.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Greenwood, Vaughn
Offense date Feb 02, 1975, Los Angeles, California
Aggravated assault
Los Angeles Police Department · Los Angeles Superior Court · Arrested Feb 03, 1975 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: 32 years to life
Greenwood invaded the Hollywood home of William Graham on February 2, 1975, assaulting him with a hatchet before houseguest Kenneth Richer intervened; both men plunged through a plate-glass window and Greenwood fled.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Greenwood, Vaughn
Pattern and Background
Victim counts and the pattern of the offenses as stated by courts, agencies and the cited reporting. Suspected counts are what officials have said publicly, not a finding of this site.
9
Victims convicted
0
Victims confessed
11
Victims suspected
Active years
1964–1975
Victim profile
Men, Homeless people, Strangers, Elderly
Stated motive
Mission or hatred of a group
Range from home
local
Education
some high school
Marital history
Never married
Children
0
Died
2020-12-18
Places Lived, Worked and Frequented
Each place and date range comes from a cited record. Dates marked approximate are as reported. Know a place that is missing? Use Edit record under the photo; a moderator reviews it before it appears.
CA
Los Angeles, California
approx. 1964 – 1966 · Transient; Skid Row area
Los Angeles, California
approx. 1971 – 1975 · Transient; migrant agricultural worker
Los Angeles, California
Feb 03, 1975 – Dec 30, 1976 · Los Angeles County Jail, awaiting trial and conviction
San Luis Obispo, California
Jan 19, 1977 – Dec 18, 2020 · California Men's Colony
IL
Chicago, Illinois
approx. 1966 – 1971 · Illinois state prison for attempted murder conviction
PA
Pennsylvania
approx. 1944 – 1960 · Raised by foster parents; fled foster home in his youth
Photographs by Year
Photo from lamag.com
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 04: CHP and other officials investigate a fiery crash where multiple people were killed near a Windsor Hills gas station at the intersection of West Slauson and South La Brea
The Sixth Street Bridge is the most famous street takeover venue--seen here in the aftermath of a July 19 get-together--but LAPD raided a series of lesser-known takeover spots this weekend, taking man
Timeline
Jan 19, 1944
Vaughn Orrin Greenwood born in Pennsylvania.
Nov 13, 1964
Greenwood murdered David Russell, an aging transient, on the steps of the Los Angeles Public Library.
Nov 14, 1964
Greenwood murdered Benjamin Hornberg, a 67-year-old, in the second-floor restroom of his hotel.
1966
Greenwood was arrested in Chicago and convicted for attempted murder and aggravated assault.
Dec 01, 1974
Greenwood murdered Charles Jackson, a 46-year-old alcoholic drifter, on the spot where David Russell had been killed ten years earlier.
Dec 08, 1974
Greenwood murdered Moses Yakanac, a 47-year-old, in a Skid Row alley.
Dec 11, 1974
Greenwood murdered Arthur Dahlstedt, a 54-year-old, outside an abandoned building.
Dec 22, 1974
Greenwood murdered David Perez, a 42-year-old, found in shrubbery adjacent to the Los Angeles Public Library.
Jan 09, 1975
Greenwood murdered Casimir Strawinski, a 58-year-old, found in his hotel room.
Jan 17, 1975
Greenwood murdered Robert Shannahan, a 46-year-old, found in a hotel with a bayonet protruding from his chest.
Jan 29, 1975
Greenwood murdered George Friar, a 45-year-old, stabbed to death in his own apartment in Hollywood.
Jan 31, 1975
Greenwood murdered Clyde Hays, a 34-year-old, found in his Hollywood home.
Feb 02, 1975
Greenwood invaded William Graham's Hollywood home, assaulting him with a hatchet; houseguest Kenneth Richer intervened and both plunged through a plate-glass window.
Feb 03, 1975
Greenwood was arrested after dropping a letter addressed to himself at the scene.
Mar 17, 1975
Greenwood was charged with murder.
Jan 23, 1976
Greenwood was indicted for eleven counts of murder.
Dec 30, 1976
Greenwood was convicted on nine counts of first-degree murder; mistrial declared on two counts.
Jan 19, 1977
Greenwood was sentenced to life in prison.
Dec 18, 2020
Greenwood died in California Men's Colony at age 76.
Sources
Solve the Case is never the original source. Each item below is the public record a statement on this page rests on, with an archived copy where one exists.
Other · Murderpedia ·
Vaughn Greenwood“On December 30, 1976, the defendant was convicted on nine counts of first-degree murder, jurors failing to reach a verdict in the case of victims David Russell and Charles Jackson.”
Other · Crime Solvers Central ·
Vaughn Orrin Greenwood, Serial Killer“Vaughn Orrin Greenwood. Serial Killer. born January 19, 1944 Pennsylvania, United States died December 18, 2020 (aged 76) California Mens Colony, San Luis Obispo, California, United States”
Other · Serial Killer Calendar ·
Serial Killer Vaughn Orrin GREENWOOD“In Chicago, during 1966, he had demanded cash from 70-year-old Mance Porter, following a sexual encounter in the latter's skid row apartment. When Porter refused, Greenwood slashed his throat and stabbed him repeatedly with two different knives, spending five and a half years in jail on conviction for aggravated battery.”
Other · Wikipedia ·
Vaughn Greenwood“Vaughn Orrin Greenwood (January 19, 1944 – December 18, 2020) was an American serial killer who gained the nickname the Skid Row Slasher.”
News report · Los Angeles Magazine ·
It Happened This Week in L.A. History: The Skid Row Slasher Strikes“Greenwood, a 32-year-old black man, was convicted on nine counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison on January 19, 1977.”
Other · Radford University, Department of Psychology ·
Radford University serial killer biography: Greenwood, Vaughn“Convicted on nine counts of murder. A mistrial was declared on the other two counts of murder.”
Discussion
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