Notorious Michigan Serial Killer: Carl Eugene Watts

Since the beginning of time, violence has been a part of the world. Whether that violence is in war, domestic disputes, common misunderstandings, or random acts it doesn't change the results, that someone is hurt or worse, dead. Random acts of violence are the ones that many of us consider to be senseless, creating the term serial killer.

the Midwest and the state of Michigan are no strangers to serial killers as the area is home to many killers, even some of the most prolific serial killers the world has ever seen. From names like Jeffery Dahmer and John Wayne Gacy, Chicago dominates the headlines in this realm, but this lowkey Michigan killer may be the most notorious.

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Carl Eugene Watts is from Killeen, Texas but started his dirty work here in the mitten. After moving to Michigan at a young age with his stepfather and family, trouble started for Watts as he didn't like his stepfather and became ill as well. He and his siblings came down with meningitis, causing Carl to miss the entire 3rd grade.

There were negative side effects from missing so much school, mostly being bullied but Carl was also cited to have dealt with chronic sleeplessness, a decreased attention span, poor memory, and more. This would lead to violent dreams about battling off the spirits of wicked women, which is the basis of his long-standing killing spree.

His trail of murders begins in 1974 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Watts knocked on the door of 23-year-old Lenore Knizacky's apartment door before choking her unconscious and getting away, but Gloria Steele was brutally beaten and stabbed to death with a carved wooden instrument.

Watts crushed Steele's windpipe and left her with 33 stab wounds in her chest, the only witness that saw him was Diane Williams, who was only lucky enough to get away after he attacked her because her phone rang and she was able to yell for help. After being released from jail and returning to Inkster in 1976, Watts would attack 5 women in a year's time and earned the name the "Sunday Morning Slasher".

He received the name as all of the killings occurred Sunday Mornings around 4 am and for the next 5 years, would haunt the young ladies and women in the Detroit and Ann Arbor region. Canadian officials think he may have even crossed the border into Windsor, Ontario, and assaulted a woman.

In 1981, he would relocate to Columbus, Texas, and would wreak havoc down there as well before finally being arrested and tied to most of the murders he committed. He would be extradited back to Michigan where he would die of prostate cancer while serving his time in prison for what is believed to be over 100 murders.

Here's more on the story of Carl "Coral" Eugene Watts: