Charlie Chop-off is the pseudonym given to an unidentified American serial killer known to have killed three black children and one Puerto Rican child in Manhattan between 1972 and 1973. This assailant is also known to have attempted to murder one other child.
All the victims of this assailant were male, and the majority of murders committed by this individual involved the genital mutilation or attempted genital mutilation of the victims.[1]
While the case is still considered an open one, Erno Soto was held as a suspect and confessed to one of the murders, but was considered unfit for trial and sent back to a mental institution.[2]
On March 9, 1972, eight-year-old Douglas Owens was found dead, stabbed 38 times. His penis had been cut, but not severed from his body.[3] On April 20, another black youth was repeatedly stabbed; his genitals were severed from his body, although he survived his injuries. On October 23, nine-year-old Wendell Hubbard was stabbed to death on the roof of an East Harlem tenement block. His penis had also been severed from his body.[4]
On March 6, 1973, a nine-year-old Puerto Rican child named Luis Ortiz was stabbed 38 times and likewise mutilated. Finally, on August 17, 1973, eight-year-old Steven Cropper was repeatedly slashed with a razor on the roof of a tenement block.[3] He bled to death from an injury to his arm, although his penis was left intact.[2]
Erno Soto
After the botched abduction of a Puerto Rican boy on May 15, 1974, Erno Soto was arrested by the police. He was an intermittent patient of the Manhattan State Hospital since 1969 and confessed to the 1973 slaying of Cropper. His only surviving victim did say that Soto looked like his attacker, but refused to positively identify him. Manhattan State Hospital officials stated Soto was in their custody at the time of the murder, but also later confirmed that he might have eluded confinement, as it had happened before.[2]
Despite lack of evidence, investigators still believe that he is a likely suspect, citing the fact that the murders ceased after his arrest, and that an anonymous source placed him as a potential culprit on the first killing. However, due to his acute mental instability, he is unlikely to stand trial.[5]
Miguel Rivera
In 1975, Barbara Gelb published On the Track of Murder and used Miguel Rivera as a pseudonym for Soto. Since then, numerous authors, such as Peter Vronsky or Lane and Gregg, have erroneously cited the name as being that of the killer.[2][6][7]
^Vronsky, Pete (2004). Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters. New York: Berkley. ISBN0-425-19640-2.
^Ramsland, Katherine. . TruTV Crime Library. Archived from the original on June 5, 2008.
Cited works and further reading
Rockefeller, J. D. (2016). America's 14 Worst Serial Killers. U.K.: CreateSpace Independent Publishing. ISBN978-1-530-61924-5.
Wilson, Colin; Seaman, Donald (1988). Encyclopedia of Modern Murder: 1962-1982. U.K.: Bonanza Books. pp. 270–271. ISBN978-0-517-66559-6.
Vronsky, Peter (2004). Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters. New York: Penguin Group (USA) Inc. ISBN978-1-101-20462-7.
External links
SOTO Erno aka Charlie Chopoff at the True Crime Library
January 07, 2023
charlie, chop, pseudonym, given, unidentified, american, serial, killer, known, have, killed, three, black, children, puerto, rican, child, manhattan, between, 1972, 1973, this, assailant, also, known, have, attempted, murder, other, child, bornunknown, possib. Charlie Chop off is the pseudonym given to an unidentified American serial killer known to have killed three black children and one Puerto Rican child in Manhattan between 1972 and 1973 This assailant is also known to have attempted to murder one other child Charlie Chop offBornUnknown possibly Erno Soto Other namesUnknownConviction s Never convictedCriminal penaltyNever sentencedDetailsVictims3 4Span of crimesMarch 9 1972 August 17 1973CountryUnited StatesState s New YorkDate apprehendedUnapprehendedAll the victims of this assailant were male and the majority of murders committed by this individual involved the genital mutilation or attempted genital mutilation of the victims 1 While the case is still considered an open one Erno Soto was held as a suspect and confessed to one of the murders but was considered unfit for trial and sent back to a mental institution 2 Contents 1 Murders 2 Erno Soto 3 Miguel Rivera 4 See also 5 References 6 Cited works and further reading 7 External linksMurders EditOn March 9 1972 eight year old Douglas Owens was found dead stabbed 38 times His penis had been cut but not severed from his body 3 On April 20 another black youth was repeatedly stabbed his genitals were severed from his body although he survived his injuries On October 23 nine year old Wendell Hubbard was stabbed to death on the roof of an East Harlem tenement block His penis had also been severed from his body 4 On March 6 1973 a nine year old Puerto Rican child named Luis Ortiz was stabbed 38 times and likewise mutilated Finally on August 17 1973 eight year old Steven Cropper was repeatedly slashed with a razor on the roof of a tenement block 3 He bled to death from an injury to his arm although his penis was left intact 2 Erno Soto EditAfter the botched abduction of a Puerto Rican boy on May 15 1974 Erno Soto was arrested by the police He was an intermittent patient of the Manhattan State Hospital since 1969 and confessed to the 1973 slaying of Cropper His only surviving victim did say that Soto looked like his attacker but refused to positively identify him Manhattan State Hospital officials stated Soto was in their custody at the time of the murder but also later confirmed that he might have eluded confinement as it had happened before 2 Despite lack of evidence investigators still believe that he is a likely suspect citing the fact that the murders ceased after his arrest and that an anonymous source placed him as a potential culprit on the first killing However due to his acute mental instability he is unlikely to stand trial 5 Miguel Rivera EditIn 1975 Barbara Gelb published On the Track of Murder and used Miguel Rivera as a pseudonym for Soto Since then numerous authors such as Peter Vronsky or Lane and Gregg have erroneously cited the name as being that of the killer 2 6 7 See also EditList of fugitives from justice who disappeared List of serial killers in the United StatesReferences Edit The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers ISBN 978 0 747 23731 0 pp 320 321 a b c d Newton Michael 2000 The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers New York Checkmark Books ISBN 0 8160 3978 X a b The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers ISBN 978 0 747 23731 0 p 320 Link Hinted in Harlem and East Side Slayings The New York Times August 20 1973 Retrieved September 3 2018 The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers ISBN 978 0 747 23731 0 p 321 Vronsky Pete 2004 Serial Killers The Method and Madness of Monsters New York Berkley ISBN 0 425 19640 2 Ramsland Katherine The Mysterious Charlie Chop off TruTV Crime Library Archived from the original on June 5 2008 Cited works and further reading EditRockefeller J D 2016 America s 14 Worst Serial Killers U K CreateSpace Independent Publishing ISBN 978 1 530 61924 5 Wilson Colin Seaman Donald 1988 Encyclopedia of Modern Murder 1962 1982 U K Bonanza Books pp 270 271 ISBN 978 0 517 66559 6 Vronsky Peter 2004 Serial Killers The Method and Madness of Monsters New York Penguin Group USA Inc ISBN 978 1 101 20462 7 External links EditSOTO Erno aka Charlie Chopoff at the True Crime Library Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Charlie Chop off amp oldid 1124426088, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
