Gary Charles Evans American serial killer Date of Birth: 07.10.1954 Country: USA

1. Biography of Gary Charles Evans
2. Antique Theft and Criminal History
3. Escapes and Murders
4. Arrest, Confessions, and Escape
5. Final Crimes and Death

Biography of Gary Charles Evans

Gary Charles Evans, an American serial killer, gained notoriety for his penchant for stealing antiques and his numerous escapes from custody, the last of which resulted in his death. Born on October 7, 1954, in Troy, New York, Evans was the son of Roy Evans and Flora Mae Lee. As a child, he suffered abuse from both parents, with his father allegedly assaulting him when Gary was eight years old. Flora, his mother, was mentally ill and made multiple suicide attempts. In one instance, she accidentally shot her husband in the shoulder due to a misfire. Evans' parents divorced in 1968, and his mother went on to marry and divorce four more times before revealing her lesbian tendencies when Gary was 17 years old. During the summer of 1968, the teenager began living with his older sister and her husband in Cohoes, New York. However, his brother-in-law was a cruel man who abused both Gary and his sister, prompting Evans to return to his mother. From an early age, Evans frequently ran away from home and engaged in drug-related thefts for local dealers. He spent 90 days in county jail for burglary in 1970. In the mid-1970s, Gary shared an apartment with two old friends, Michael Falco, who practiced bestiality and sadism, and Timothy Rysedorph.

Antique Theft and Criminal History

Through his experiences with antiques and jewelry, Evans became skilled at negotiating with antique dealers, pretending to sell them items while stealing valuable pieces with the help of his friends. In one instance, they even used a tunnel in an exterior wall to escape undetected from a store when the alarm went off. Throughout his life, Gary was convicted of 15 crimes related to antique theft. Evans' extensive criminal history began on January 13, 1977, when he was convicted of theft in Essex County, New York, and was sent to Clinton Correctional Facility. While there, he befriended serial killer David Berkowitz, known as Son of Sam. Berkowitz and several other inmates engaged in weightlifting under Evans' leadership. Berkowitz was transferred to Sullivan Correctional Facility in the late 1970s, and the two never saw each other again. Son of Sam sent letters to Evans, which were discovered in 2005. It was speculated that they were involved in a homosexual relationship, but the content of the letters does not confirm this.

Escapes and Murders

Gary was transferred to Great Meadow Correctional Facility and was released on parole on March 31, 1980. However, he was soon back behind bars for possession of stolen goods. His name first appeared in the media on June 12, 1980, when Evans escaped from Rensselaer County Jail. The police caught up with him at a public library in Troy. He was released conditionally on December 29, 1982, but was incarcerated again and released on March 31, 1984. On February 16, 1985, Evans and Falco robbed a flea market in East Greenbush, New York, and Falco disappeared a week later. Evans claimed that Falco had run away to California. It was only after 13 years that it was revealed that Gary had shot and killed his accomplice, disposing of his body in a swamp near his sister's home in Lake Worth, Florida. He believed Falco was planning to turn him in to the authorities, leading him to commit the murder.

Arrest, Confessions, and Escape

On April 21, 1985, Evans stole $12,000 from local drug dealers in Troy, which triggered a police investigation and his subsequent arrest. In July, he was sentenced to 2 to 4 years in prison. He was conditionally released on March 1, 1988. After his release, Evans began working with a thief named Damien Cuomo. They broke into the jewelry store of 63-year-old Douglas J. Berry in Watertown, New York, and during the robbery, Evans shot and killed Berry. On December 27, 1989, Cuomo left Evans' apartment and was never seen again. In 1998, Evans confessed to killing Cuomo, suspecting that he planned to turn him in and escape with their stolen loot. He managed to convince Cuomo's girlfriend that he had left her and disappeared, and within a month, Evans had a sexual relationship with her. For several years, he lived with her and her child from Cuomo, unaware of the true reasons behind Cuomo's disappearance.

Final Crimes and Death

On October 17, 1991, Evans entered the jewelry store of 36-year-old Gregory Jouben and inquired about prices before shooting him. In 1993, Gary stole over 800 antique items from a store in Quechee, Vermont. In early 1994, he was arrested for theft but was released on February 12, 1994, in exchange for information about Jeffrey Williams, who was involved in the high-profile murder of Karolyn Lonczak. Continuing his criminal activities, Evans reunited with Rysedorph in 1996. In the early morning of October 4, 1997, Rysedorph made a phone call to his wife, who was the last person to hear from him. Evans killed him, believing that Rysedorph had double-crossed him 13 years prior. Authorities suspected Evans of being involved in Rysedorph's disappearance, and on May 27, 1998, he was arrested without incident in a tent in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, where he had been living as a hermit.

Eventually, Evans confessed to the murders of Falco, Cuomo, and Rysedorph, assisting the police in locating their bodies. He later admitted to the killings of Berry and Jouben. Local news reported that the most notorious thief in the county turned out to be a serial killer. Evans faced the possibility of the death penalty. While being transported from Rensselaer County to Albany for trial, he used a concealed key to free himself from handcuffs. When the van approached a bridge, Evans broke a side window, jumped out, and ran but was eventually cornered by the police. He was forced to jump from the bridge, resulting in his death. During the examination of his body, authorities discovered a key to handcuffs hidden in his nostril and a razor blade attached to his ankle.