Raymond Martinez Fernandez and Martha Jule Beck seemed to find love in an unlikely place: through a lonely hearts ad.
But the two went on to become serial killers and were known as "The Lonely Hearts Killers" for meeting their unsuspecting victims through lonely hearts ads, just as they had found each other.
Raymond Fernandez And Martha Beck Met Through A Lonely Hearts Ad
Raymond Martinez Fernandez was born on December 17, 1914, in Hawaii to Spanish parents. He at some point suffered a head injury that he blamed for his odd social and sexual behavior.
Martha Beck was born Martha Jule Seabrook on May 6, 1920, in Milton, Florida. She was overweight and struggled to excel in much. Unemployed and the single mother of two young children, she tried to escape into a fantasy world, and often bought romance magazines and novels, and watched romantic movies.
In 1946, she found employment at the Pensacola Hospital for Children. She placed a lonely hearts ad in 1947, which Raymond Fernandez answered.
Beck Abandoned Her Kids And Went To Live With Fernandez
Fernandez then visited Beck and stayed for only a short time, but she told everyone they were going to get married.
He returned to New York City while she made preparations for the wedding in Milton, Florida, where she lived at the time. When she was abruptly fired from her job, she packed up and arrived at his house in New York without any warning or notification.
Fernandez liked how she catered to him and did exactly as he asked, including sending her children to the Salvation Army in order to assist Fernandez in whatever he needed.
Things Took A Turn When Fernandez Started Bringing Other Women Around
Their relationship took a turn when he started posting ads to attract women. She posed as Fernandez's sister, which made the victims more trusting and likely to stay at the home because they felt it was a safe environment. Beck was extremely jealous and would get angry when Beck had sex with other women,
In 1949, the pair committed the three murders for which they later were convicted. Janet Fay, 66, became engaged to Fernandez and went to stay with him in Long Island. When Beck caught her in bed with Fernandez, she brutally attacked Fay's head with a hammer. Fernandez then strangled Fay. Fay's family became suspicious when she disappeared, and Fernandez and Beck fled the area.
They Fled To Michigan, Where They Found Their Next Two Victims
Beck and Fernandez traveled to Michigan, where they met and stayed with Delphine Downing, a 28-year-old widow with a two-year-old daughter.
On February 28, Downing became agitated, and Fernandez gave her sleeping pills to calm her. The daughter witnessed Downing acting strange and started to cry. Beck choked the child but didn't kill her.
Fernandez thought Downing would become suspicious if she saw her bruised daughter, so he shot the unconscious woman. The couple then stayed for several days in Downing's house and Beck drowned the child in a basin of water.
They buried the bodies in the basement, but neighbors were suspicious and notified the police, who then arrested Beck and Fernandez.
They Were Both Sentenced To Death And Were Executed
Fernandez quickly confessed, though he later tried to retract his confession, saying he made it only to protect Beck.
They were extradited to New York, which still used the death penalty at the time of their trial. Janet Fay's murder was the only one for which they were tried, and they were both sentenced to death. They were executed at Sing Sing prison on March 8, 1951.
]]>The Inquisitr
