Richard Steeves

Richard Edward Steeves (born February 1, 1942) is an American serial killer. From 1965 to 1966, Steeves killed five people in three states, crimes for which he was tried but acquitted for by reason of insanity. He spent over a decade in mental hospitals before his eventual release into society, before he was arrested for the murder of his neighbor in Maine. For the latter crime, he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Early life Richard Edward Steeves was born in Waterville, Maine on February 1, 1942. When he was 5 years old, his father committed suicide, and soon after his mother gave him up to an orphanage. According to Steeves, his violent behavior stemmed from sexual abuse beginning in his childhood. Steeves dropped out of school in eighth grade, and afterwards he began committing petty crimes which landed him in a reformatory. Steeves fled the scene. Staples was found clinging to life and was rushed to the hospital, where he was treated for two weeks in intensive care until he eventually died. He brandished a knife and stabbed Mace six times before leaving the home, assuming he was dead. He was eventually found but died later the same day. He fled the home after Troyer fell unconscious. Troyer was found by his friend Thomas Landrey, who ran to a nearby house and alerted that Troyer was almost dead. They called the police who hurried him to a nearby hospital, where he died the next day. Steeves then stole Francis' car and drove back to New Hampshire. Afterwards he was transferred to the Concord Mental Hospital. In 1971, Steeves filed an affidavit requesting to be extradited to Ohio for a speedy trial. In 1983, having still not been tried for the Ohio and Maine murders, Ohio prosecutor William Owens decided to not prosecute Steeves for the murders. In the mid-1980s, Steeves took an agreement which allowed him to serve 3 to 7 years in prison.

Murder of Russell Bailey In 1984, Steeves was paroled from prison and was sent to live with his brother in Unity, Maine. A relative of Bailey who lived nearby visited his home after having not spoken to him for a few days. They entered the home and found his body on April 29. Steeves gave conflicting statements; he stated that Bailey loaned him $1,000 for sexual favors, and that someone else killed him, but he also said that he had a vivid dream-like memory of killing Bailey.

While awaiting trial, Steeves had to be moved from the York County Jail to the Maine State Prison for his own protection, after he attempted suicide two times. Brunette also claimed the jury did not have enough evidence to back up the guilty verdict. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.