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Gary Mark GilmoreAmerican criminal
Date of Birth: 04.12.1940
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Gary Mark Gilmore
Gary Mark Gilmore was an American criminal who gained notoriety for his violent crimes and eventually became the first person executed in the United States after the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976.
Early Life
Gary Mark Gilmore was born in 1940 in Waco, Texas, USA. He was the second of four sons born to Frank and Bessie Gilmore. His father earned a living by selling magazines. It was rumored that Frank's mother, Houdini Gilmore, was the illegitimate son of the famous illusionist Harry Houdini, although this claim remains unverified. Gary had a complicated relationship with his father, and his brother described him as a cruel and unstable person. In 1952, the family moved to Portland, Oregon, where Gary began to engage in petty crimes such as theft, car theft, and assault.
Life of Crime
Despite showing high intelligence and artistic abilities, Gary dropped out of school and briefly fled to Texas with a friend. Starting at the age of 14, Gary became involved in a series of criminal activities, resulting in his incarceration in juvenile correctional facilities and later in adult prisons. In 1960, he was released after serving his sentence, only to be arrested again in 1962 for armed robbery. He received a 15-year prison sentence for this crime.
In 1972, Gary was released on parole and settled in Eugene, Oregon. He enrolled in college to study art but returned to a life of crime, committing robberies and thefts. He eventually ended up in the heavily guarded federal prison in Marion, Illinois, due to his aggressive behavior. In 1976, he was released once again and headed towards Provo, Utah, where his cousin Brenda Nicol helped him find a job and showed interest in his well-being.
Murders and Execution
During this time, Gary became involved with Nicole Baker, a 19-year-old widow with two children, against the wishes of her family. Their relationship deteriorated under family pressure. On July 19, 1976, Gary robbed and killed a gas station employee named Max Jensen. The following day, he killed hotel manager Bennie Bushnell. What made Gilmore's crimes particularly heinous was that he killed both victims after his demands had been met.
While disposing of his .22 caliber pistol, Gary accidentally shot himself in the hand, leaving a bloody trail that ultimately led to his arrest. In October 1976, he stood trial, and since the death penalty had been reinstated, he became the first person to be executed under the new laws. When given the choice of execution method, he chose to be executed by firing squad.
On January 17, 1977, Gary was executed at the Utah State Prison in Draper, Utah. His eyes were donated for transplantation immediately after his death, and his body was cremated, with his ashes scattered over Spanish Fork, Utah.
Legacy
Gary Gilmore's case gained significant attention, and his life story became the basis for various books, plays, and movies. Norman Mailer's book "The Executioner's Song" was inspired by Gilmore's life and was later adapted into a film starring Tommy Lee Jones.
