Killer Trials Pictures

The Killer Next Door

Criminal: Arthur Bishop

In July 1983 a 13 year old boy, Graeme Cunningham, leaves his home in Salt Lake City and vanishes. His panicked mother, Shona, calls the police. After they fail to shed any light on his disappearance, veteran detective Don Bell is enlisted to work on the case.

After several dead ends Don is alerted to a mild mannered bookkeeper, Arthur Bishop, whose so-called stepson is a close friend of Graeme's. Don discovers Bishop is a thief, a fraudster, and has been molesting Graeme's friend.

During questioning Bishop unexpectedly tells Don he knows that Graeme is dead, because he killed him, and four other missing boys. He then proceeds to lead police to the desert and the graves of his victims. Don Bell has discovered Utah's most notorious killer of the twentieth century.

In March 1984 the trial begins. The confession has been made, but to ensure the death penalty the prosecutors need to prove these murders were calculated, committed by a sane man, who manipulated people into believing he was a trusted member of their community.

Bishops defense tries for manslaughter, claiming he was unable to control himself around children, because of an addiction to pornography.

The jury is unconvinced and find Arthur Gary Bishop guilty on 11 counts, including 5 counts of first degree murder. Bishop receives 5 death penalties and chooses to be to be killed by lethal injection. On 10th June 1988 he is put to death.

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