Bruce Mendenhall

The Prostishooter

The Rest Stop Killer

The Truck Stop Killer

Background & Family-Born on April 14, 1951 in

Crawford County, Illinois-Wife Linda, claims to suffer from diabetes

and blindness

-Two grown daughters, one nephew Sam Mendenhall who reportedly helped him commit some of the murders and being an accomplice for covering up his crimes-Truck driver- Once ran for mayor of his county- Neighbors and friends said they never suspected him of being violent or dangerous, they said he was always strange and kept to himself, they knew he had a gun in his truck that he did not have a license for. Also illegal to carry the gun around in the truck while he worked.

Convictions- Arrested on July 12, 2007- Truck Stop in Nashville, TN- At time of arrest they were investigating him for one murder- His truck matched one found on surveillance footage at a previous truck stop in TN where his last murder had taken place- He then confessed to 6 more murders and is under investigation for 3 more.

Evidence-His truck was found on a surveillance video from a TN truck stop leaving the scene of his last murder-Inside of truck (DNA of at least 5 victims found on various items)

- Plastic bag full of blood stained clothing- Rifle (bullets matching those found in previous victims)- knives-Handcuffs-Tape, same kind found on previous victim used to tie up victim- Various other weapons- Appearance matched

composite sketch that a

whiteness had given of

a killer years before that

had never been identified.

Victims

- His victims were usually young, in their twenties to their early thirties-They were female- Prostitutes, usually found at truck stops on his routes- Many of the victims had criminal records for drugs or prostitution- Many victims were found shot, most with a rifle- As murders progressed, killings changes, many found strangled, suffocated, two were found run over

News report, Mendenhalls truck rout, matching many stops where victims were found

Confessed to 6 different murders in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Indiana

Under investigation for crimes in: Okalahoma, Illinois, Texas, New Mexico

Trial took place on August 6, 2007

Convicted of the murder of one female in TN at the truck stop in which his car was found leaving the scene

Scheduled for a preliminary hearing to determine and look into 5 other confessions and 3 undisclosed murders