Pee Wee Gaskins
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Donald Henry "Pee Wee" Gaskins Jr. (March 13, 1933 – September 6, 1991) was an American serial killer. He was confirmed to have killed 15 people. Gaskins was executed by electrocution by South Carolina in 1991.
Early childhood
[change | change source]Gaskins was born in South Carolina. He had older siblings and they were all born outside of marriage. He was neglected when he was a child and was small. Because he was small, he was nicknamed "Pee Wee". He was also abused by a male in his family. Gaskins was so neglected that as an adult he only grew to 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) and 130 lbs (59 kg).
When he was one year old, he drank a bottle of kerosene.
First crimes and prison
[change | change source]Gaskins did crimes as a teenager. With a group of other young people, he stole, attacked people, and committed rape.
Gaskins was sent to a reform school when he was 13 because he broke into a woman's home and hit her in the head. He was told to stay in this reform school for 5 years and he was raped by other people there. He escaped and married. He returned to finish his prison sentence and was released when he was 18.
As a young adult
[change | change source]Two years later, he was arrested for attacking a teenage girl. Gaskins was sentenced to prison for 6 years. He killed a man in the prison and another 3 years were added. However, Gaskins escaped in 1955 after only 2 years. He escaped from prison by sitting in the back of a garbage truck and fled to Florida. He was caught. Gaskins was paroled in August 1961.
After prison, he stole from people's houses as well as buying stolen items to sell on for more money. He was arrested for raping a 12-year-old girl. He ran away but was caught. He was given 8 years and released in 1968. He went to live in a town in South Carolina.
Murders as an adult
[change | change source]During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Gaskins murdered several teenaged girls and young women. He was later found guilty of eight counts of murder and sentenced to death by South Carolina.
Gaskins said he killed more than 80 people, but this was not proved. Instead, people believe he killed about 15.
Gaskins was on death row when he killed another death row inmate. This earned him the title "Meanest Man in America". Gaskins was killed using the electric chair on September 6, 1991.