William MacDonald
Great BritainBiography of William MacDonald
William MacDonald, also known as Allen Ginsberg, was born in 1924 in Liverpool, England. From an early age, his mother noticed psychological abnormalities in him, such as sleepwalking and sudden bouts of crying. Despite this, he was enlisted in the army in 1943 and was later sexually assaulted by his commanding officer. MacDonald kept this incident to himself, fearing the wrath of his commander.
After being discharged from the army in 1947, MacDonald returned home and was promptly admitted to a psychiatric hospital. According to his mother, he came back completely different - withdrawn, aggressive, and unpredictable. During his time at the hospital, MacDonald underwent shock therapy, which, instead of helping, worsened his condition. It was during this time that he also discovered his homosexuality.
In 1949, MacDonald decided to start a new life in Canada and changed his name to William MacDonald. Although starting over proved to be challenging, he managed to keep himself out of trouble. In 1955, he moved to Australia, settling first in Adelaide and then relocating to another area of Sydney. However, his criminal behavior resurfaced, and he was arrested for sexual harassment in a public restroom.
MacDonald's first murder occurred in 1961 when he met Amos Hurst at a train station. After a brief acquaintance, he invited Hurst to his home, where he proceeded to strangle him. Several days later, MacDonald saw Hurst's name in an obituary, stating that his death was an accident. This event caught the attention of the police, who realized they were dealing with a serial killer.
His second victim, William Cobbin, suffered a similar fate. After sharing a few bottles of beer, MacDonald stabbed Cobbin multiple times and took his genitals as a trophy. In 1962, he murdered Patrick Hackett and was mistakenly buried by the police, leading to a public outcry when it was discovered that Hackett was alive.
MacDonald was eventually apprehended and confessed to his crimes. He was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment. Throughout his time in prison, he had access to various amenities, including a television and CD player. In 2000, he had the opportunity to appeal for clemency but chose not to, stating that freedom would kill him.
MacDonald passed away on April 12, 2015, at the age of 90, while still incarcerated. At the time of his death, he was the oldest and longest-serving prisoner in New South Wales.
