Larry William Eyler

Serial Killer

Larry William Eyler: The Interstate Killer

Background

Larry William Eyler was an American serial killer who murdered teenage boys and young men in Illinois and Indiana during the early 1980s. Born on December 21, 1952, in Crawfordsville, Indiana, Eyler later became known as the "Highway Killer" and the "Interstate Killer." These names came from his habit of leaving victims in isolated fields, wooded areas and abandoned properties near interstate highways and major rural roads. Eyler frequently traveled between Chicago, Indianapolis and Terre Haute because of his work and personal relationships. This regular movement allowed him to approach victims in one city, transport them across county or state lines and abandon their bodies far from where they had last been seen. Investigators eventually connected numerous killings because the victims had similar injuries and were discovered in similar locations.

Method of Attack

Eyler generally targeted young men he met on streets, in bars, near bus stations or in areas where vulnerable teenagers and sex workers gathered. He reportedly offered some victims money, alcohol, drugs, transportation or a place to stay. Once a victim entered his vehicle, Eyler could drive him to a remote location where escape or outside assistance was unlikely. Many victims were restrained with handcuffs, cords or other bindings. Several were gagged or blindfolded. Eyler commonly beat his victims and killed them with repeated knife wounds, particularly to the chest and abdomen. Some bodies were left partially undressed, and several were badly mutilated or dismembered. The repeated use of restraint, stabbing and roadside disposal helped police recognize that many apparently separate murders were probably connected. ...

Confirmed Victims: (24)

Steven Crockett Age: (19), Date of Death: October 23, 1982

Larry Eyler - Wikipedia