At the age of 12, Coral Eugene Watts confessed to having disturbing fantasies about harming and murdering women, and by the time he turned 15, he had already committed his first killing. Growing up in Texas and later moving to Detroit, he experienced a significant shift in personality after contracting meningitis at nine, paving the way for a life filled with violent acts.
Despite initially showing promise as a football player at Lane College in Tennessee, where he sought solace from his inner turmoil, Watts’ violent tendencies resurfaced, leading to his expulsion for stalking women. This marked the beginning of a series of brutal attacks on women in Michigan, with Gloria Steele and Zenaida Tomes among his victims.
Watts’ reign of terror continued, earning him the moniker “Sunday Morning Slasher” in Detroit after five women were gruesomely murdered. His targets were typically slim, blonde, and white women. His spree of violence included the murder of news reporter Jeanne Clyne and several other innocent victims before he fled to Texas.
While in Texas, Watts continued his killing spree, claiming the lives of Shirley Small, Glenda Richmond, and Rebecca Greer-Huff. His capture finally came in 1982 when Melinda Aguilar managed to escape his attack and assisted in his apprehension. Watts was responsible for a total of 13 murders, employing various methods such as strangulation, stabbing, bludgeoning, and drowning.
Despite being caught in 1982, it wasn’t until 1990 that the extent of Watts’ crimes became apparent, with him admitting to 13 murders. He was sentenced to 60 years in prison but managed to reduce it to 24 years due to legal technicalities. In 2007, after years of incarceration, Watts passed away from cancer in a Michigan correctional facility.
Throughout his criminal career, Watts displayed a lack of remorse and a chilling disregard for human life, leaving a trail of devastation that spanned across multiple states.