Gerald Mason
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| “ | My god, you're here for that? That was a long time ago, I can't believe you're bothering me with that. | „ |
| ~ Mason after being informed he was going to be arrested for the murders. |
Gerald Fiten Mason (January 31, 1934 - January 22, 2017) was an American convicted murderer and rapist.
Biography edit
On July 22 1957, Mason stole a car at gunpoint in Hawthorne, California. He then came across two teenage couples at a local Lover's Lane. At gunpoint, he tied their hands behind their backs and forced three of them into his car. He then forced the remaining girl to strip and raped her. Mason departed the scene, leaving all four alive.
However as he drove away he ran a red light, catching the attention of police officers Richard Phillips and Milton Curtis, who pulled him over. Convinced the officers knew what he had done, he produced a gun and shot Curtis dead. Phillips returned fire and wounded Mason before being shot. Mason drove away before dumping his car nearby and hitchhiking his way home. Phillips died of his injuries shortly after.
During the investigation into the murders, the bullets were matched to a gun recently purchased by a "George D. Wilson", an alias used by Mason. However Mason himself was never suspected and the case went cold for 45 years. However in 2002 the case was re-opened with new fingerprinting technology, and a fingerprint in the stolen car found nearby was matched to Mason, whose fingerprints were on file due to a prior burglary conviction. When approached by police officers and informed that he was being arrested for the officer's murders, Mason reportedly responded that it was a long time ago and asked why they were bothering him with it.
Following his arrest Mason was further identified by a graze on his back, which was matched to the bullet fired by Officer Phillips before he was shot. Confronted with so much evidence Mason admitted to having killed Curtis and Phillips to cover up his earlier crimes. He pleaded guilty to two counts of murder in return for rape charges being dropped, and was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences. He later died after 14 years in prison.