John Wesley Ewell: The Talk Show Killer

History's Biggest Villains

John Ewell was someone who felt like he was a victim of the justice system. He had two previous robbery convictions, which were now counted under the new “three-strikes” law in California in 1994. He was then caught trying to deposit a $28,000 check into his account, and was charged with check forgery, which would potentially count as a third strike, with a possible sentence of 25 years to life in prison. John pled guilty for a reduced seven year sentence. While John was in prison, his wife became a member of a group that worked to reform the Three Strikes Law, as she believed that his nonviolent third offense of check forgery shouldn’t count as a third strike. She even brought her gripes to the LA Times in 1999, bringing statewide attention to the issue as this played a huge part in the reduction of her husband’s sentence. After John was released, he joined his wife’s organization, becoming a hairdresser and a handyman, putting on a front as a reformed man, even going on the Montel Williams show to protest the Three Strikes Law. But after all this, John couldn’t quiet his urges and this led to a surprising escalation in his crimes that led four people dead.

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