Killer Couples: Gerald & Charlene Gallego

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by tpksstories

by tpksstories

Gerald Armond Gallego (July 19,1946 – July 18, 2002) and Charlene Adell Gallego (néeWilliams; born October 10, 1956) are two American serial killers whoterrorized Sacramento, California between 1978 and 1980. Theymurdered ten victims, mostly teenagers, most of whom they kept as sexslaves before killing them.

Perpetrators

Gerald Armond Gallego

Gerald Armond Gallego (a.k.a. "StephenFeil" or "Stephen Styles") was born on 17July 1946 in Sacramento, California. His mother was a sex worker,while his estranged father was a criminal who in 1955 became thefirst man executed in the Mississippi gas chamber, for the killing ofa police officer during a prison escape. Gallego began his criminalcareer at age thirteen, when he sexually abused a six-year-old girl. He had 23 arrests and served time after being convicted of robberyprior to his murder spree.

Gallego worked as a bartender and truckdriver. He was married a total of seven times, including twomarriages to the same woman. He was still married to a previous wifewhen he married Charlene Williams.

Charlene Adell Gallego

Charlene Adell Gallego (née Williams)was born on 10 October 1956 in Stockton, California. She was a smart,shy child from a supportive home. The trajectory of her life beganto change when, as a young adult, she started using drugs andalcohol. She was married twice before meeting Gallego.

Victims

Rhonda Scheffler and Kippi Vaught

On 11 September 1978, two teenagers –17-year-old Rhonda Scheffler and 16-year-old Kippi Vaught –disappeared from a mall in Sacramento. Charlene lured them to anearby van, leading to their abduction by the couple. Gerald used ahandgun to threaten the girls and tied them up. They drove to Baxter,where Gerald raped and then executed the girls, each with a singleshot to the back of their heads.

Brenda Judd and Sandra Colley

On 24 June 1979, 14-year-old BrendaJudd and 13-year-old Sandra Colley were abducted from the WashoeCounty Fair in Reno, Nevada. Charlene later testified that Geraldbeat the girls to death with a shovel or hammer. Their remains werenot found and identified until twenty years later.

Stacy Ann Redican and KarenChipman-Twiggs

Similarly, on 24 April 1980, Stacy AnnRedican and Karen Chipman-Twiggs (both 17) went missing from aSacramento mall. They were found in July, sexually abused andbludgeoned to death.

Linda Teresa Aguilar

While hitchhiking on June 6, 1980,21-year-old Linda Teresa Aguilar – who was pregnant – wasabducted, murdered with a blunt object, and buried in a shallowgrave, outside of Gold Beach, Oregon. She is buried in the VinelandCemetery in Clarkston, Washington.

Virginia Mochel

On July 17, 1980, 34-year-old VirginiaMochel was abducted from the parking lot of a West Sacramento tavern,where she worked as a bartender. Her skeletal remains, still boundwith nylon fishing line, were found three months later outside ofClarksburg. Loops of cord from the victim's neck were admitted asproof of death by strangulation.

Craig Miller and Mary ElizabethSowers

While leaving a fraternity party on 1November 1980, 22-year-old Craig Miller and his fiance, 21-year-oldMary Elizabeth Sowers, were forced into the Gallegos' car atgunpoint. Miller was ordered out of the car and shot; his body wasfound near Bass Lake, California. The couple returned to theirapartment with Sowers, where Gerald sexually abused her before takingher to a field in Placer County, California, where he then executedher.

Capture and trial

A friend of Miller and Sowers witnessedtheir abduction and reported the car's license plate number. Policeused this information to track down and arrest the Gallegos at aWestern Union office. Charlene's parents were in the process ofwiring her money. Gerald and Charlene pleaded not guilty to chargesof kidnapping and murder. Charlene's attorneys were eventually ableto convince prosecutors in several states/counties to allow Charleneto testify against Gerald for a plea deal that reduced her prisonsentence to 16 years and eight months.

In June 1983 Gerald was found guilty.In June 1984 in less than four hours Gerald was found guilty ofmurder and aggravated kidnapping in the case of Karen Twiggs andStacey Redican in Nevada. He was subsequently sentenced to death.

In July 1997, Charlene completed hersentence and was released. While in prison, she extensively studiedpsychology, business and Icelandic literature. During an interview,Charlene claimed that she was also a victim when she said, "Therewere victims who died, and there were victims who lived. It's takenme a hell of a long time to realize that I'm one of the ones wholived." She also claimed that she "tried to savesome of their lives."

In 2002, Gallego died of cancer in aNevada prison medical center while awaiting execution.