Leonard Thomas Lake
Rapist, Torturer and Serial Killer
Background & Childhood
Born: October 29, 1945 in San Francisco California
- Raised mainly his grandparents
- Was reportedly bright, however had an obsession with pornography
- Joined the Marine Corps at the age of 19 and completed two tour during the Vietnam War
- Was treated for schizoid personality disorder during and after the war
- Went to San Jose State University
- Moved to a hippie commune in early 1970s
- First married in 1975
- Second marriage was to Claralyn Balasz in 1981
- Same year met Charles Ng
- Lake's wife left after when she started noticing strange behavior and his insistence that she star in pornographic films
- After being arrest in 1982 for a firearms violation, Lake skipped bail and hid in a remote cabin in Wilseyvlle. Ng later moved in
The Murders
1983-1985
- 12-25 victims
The bodies of 7 men, 3 women, 2 infant boys, and 45 pounds of bone fragments were found in and around the cabin site. These victims range from neighbors to people working in the local super market. Lake and Ng brought them into the cabin where they raped, and tortured them. If they refused they would kill them. Leonard videotaped most of the action for his personal pleasure and the pleasure of other sick beings.
In the End..
After their vice to torture their victims broke, June 6, 1985, Lake and Ng went into town to get another one at a lumberyard. the clerk noticed that someone (Ng) was trying to steal something and called the police. When the police arrived, Ng had already departed on foot, however Leonard Lake did get caught. After ratting out his accomplice, Lake swallowed two cyanide pill he had taped to the collar of his shirt, committing suicide. Charles Ng was found guilty of the murders in 2007, and is now on death row at San Quentin State Prison.
Bibliography
"Leonard Lake." Bigraphy.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Dec. 2015.
"Leonard Lake." Murderpedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Dec. 2015.