Sean Paul Hanify

Serial Killer

Sean Paul Hanify: The Self-Described Serial Killer of Denver

Overview

Sean Paul Hanify, born January 20, 1970, is an American convicted murderer who described himself as a serial killer and claimed responsibility for a much larger series of killings than authorities were ultimately able to prove. His known criminal history is centered primarily in Denver, Colorado, although Hanify also made claims involving killings in California and elsewhere. Police investigated a number of those statements after his arrest, but only two murders resulted in convictions: the deaths of Mark Warren Davis in 2000 and Edward Brown in 2002. Hanify attracted considerable attention because of the unusually extensive confessions he made after his arrest. He spoke about killing multiple men over a period of years and described violence involving knives, blunt objects and attacks on vulnerable victims. Investigators examined several older unsolved homicides after hearing his claims. However, many of the stories could not be independently confirmed, making it important to distinguish between murders for which Hanify was convicted and killings that he merely claimed to have committed.

The Murder of Mark Warren Davis

Mark Warren Davis was a 44-year-old homeless man whose body was discovered near Cherry Creek in Denver in July 2000. Davis had suffered severe injuries and was found with a knife lodged in his neck. His body had been concealed beneath or among rocks near the creek area. Hanify later admitted involvement in Davis's death. According to accounts of the case, he described attacking Davis with a rock and returning to the location afterward. Prosecutors eventually brought Hanify to trial for first-degree murder. In January 2007, a Denver jury convicted him of murdering Davis. The conviction was especially significant because it transformed one of Hanify's numerous murder claims into a crime established in court beyond a reasonable doubt. The killing reflected several characteristics associated with Hanify's admitted violence: the victim was vulnerable, the attack involved extreme physical force, and the crime scene was in an area where the victim could remain unnoticed for a period of time. Davis's death also occurred more than two years before the murder that initially brought Hanify to the attention of homicide investigators. ...

Confirmed Victims: (2)

Mark Warren Davis Age: (44), Date of Death: 2000-07-24

Sean Paul Hanify confession interview - YouTube