Leonard Lake American serial killer Date of Birth: 29.10.1945 Country: USA

1. Biography of Leonard Lake
2. Early Life
3. Military Service and Post-War Life
4. Marriages and Criminal Activities
5. Collaboration with Charles Ng
6. Arrest and Death
7. Discovery of Victims
8. Legacy

Biography of Leonard Lake

Leonard Lake, often known by his alias Leonard Hill, was an American serial killer. He committed his crimes alongside Charles Ng, and their atrocities came to light after Lake took his own life by ingesting a cyanide pill shortly after his arrest for illegal firearm possession.

Early Life

Leonard Lake was born on October 29, 1945, in San Francisco, California. When he was six years old, his parents divorced, and he and his brothers were sent to live with their grandparents. Reports suggest that Leonard was a smart child. However, he developed a fascination with pornography, seemingly after coming across explicit photos of his naked sisters, with his grandmother's consent. Furthermore, there are allegations that Lake had also sexually abused his sisters.

Military Service and Post-War Life

In 1965, at the age of 19, Lake enlisted in the Marine Corps and served as a radar operator during the Vietnam War. In 1971, he was discharged due to a diagnosis of schizoid personality disorder and underwent treatment. After his military service, Lake settled in San Jose, California, and briefly attended San Jose State University before dropping out after the first semester. It is believed that he joined a hippie group in the early 1970s and lived with them in a commune.

Marriages and Criminal Activities

In 1974, Lake got married but the relationship quickly fell apart after his wife discovered his involvement in pornography films, in which he was the main character and included elements of bondage and sadomasochism. In 1980, Lake stole a vehicle, leading to a short prison sentence and a year of probation. He remarried in 1981 to Claralyn Balasz, whom he had met at a Renaissance fair in 1977. However, Balasz also left him, tired of his erratic behavior and demands for her to become a star in his pornographic films.

Collaboration with Charles Ng

Lake was arrested for illegal firearm possession in 1982 but was released on bail. He settled on a ranch in Wilseyville, Calaveras County, which belonged to Balasz. In 1982, he befriended a man from Hong Kong named Charles Ng. Living together on the ranch, they began kidnapping, torturing, raping, and killing people, most of whom were acquaintances.

Arrest and Death

On June 2, 1985, Ng was involved in a shoplifting incident in South San Francisco. While Ng escaped before the police arrived, Lake, who had been following him, was arrested during a search of his vehicle, where an unlicensed .22 caliber revolver with a silencer was found. Lake identified himself as Robin Stapley, presenting valid driver's licenses under that name. However, the police became suspicious as the documents indicated that Robin Stapley was 26 years old, although Lake appeared to be in his 40s. During his conversation with the police, Lake asked for a glass of water. He covertly ingested a cyanide pill hidden in his shirt collar, fell into a coma, and was taken to the hospital. After being kept on life support for four days, he was declared dead.

Discovery of Victims

During the investigation, authorities discovered 12 bodies buried on Lake's ranch, including two families. Lake and Ng had raped the women before killing them, disposing of the bodies of their husbands and children. Additionally, police found charred fragments of human bones weighing approximately 45 pounds, making it impossible to identify the victims or determine their exact number. Unofficial estimates suggest that Lake and Ng may have killed more than 25 people.

Legacy

Leonard Lake was included in the most heinous category of Dr. Stone's metric on the American television program "Most Evil" on the Investigation Discovery channel. The thrash metal band Exodus released a song called "The Ballad of Leonard And Charles" in their 2010 album "Exhibit B: The Human Condition," which depicts the crimes committed by Lake and Ng. The story of the two killers inspired an episode of the NBC series "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" titled "Manhunt." The main antagonist of the episode, Daryl Kern, is a composite character based on Lake and Ng.