Bio

Anthony Edward Sowell was born on August 19, 1959, in East Cleveland, Ohio. He grew up in a house on Page Avenue, which was lime-green in color. The neighborhood was mostly white and working-class at that time. His family life was complicated. Sowell was raised by his mother, Claudia Garrison, and his grandmother, Irene Justice. His father, Thomas Sowell, was absent from his life and not talked about by the family.

Sowell's home life was troubled. He witnessed abuse from a young age. Two of his cousins reported that they were often beaten. Anthony was not the one being beaten, but he saw the violence. His cousins mentioned that he would sometimes cause trouble and then blame others for it. Despite this chaotic home environment, some neighbors described Sowell as a kind and respectful child. He was known to be shy and did not often engage in conversation. Many remember him as a quiet boy who would smile but typically avoided starting conversations.

As he grew older, Sowell faced the challenges of adolescence. He did not have a car in high school, which was a significant status symbol among students. He did not have a girlfriend, and many classmates teased him about his lack of sexual experience. This teasing sometimes made him angry, but it did not appear to change his demeanor significantly.

At the age of 19, Sowell left Cleveland to join the United States Marine Corps. He began his training at Parris Island, South Carolina, on January 24, 1978. After basic training, he was further trained as an electrician. He spent the majority of his military career at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina and other places, including Okinawa, Japan. During his time in the Marines, Sowell received several commendations, including a Good Conduct Medal.

After serving for seven years, he was discharged in 1985. Upon returning to East Cleveland, he fell into a lifestyle of heavy drinking and faced a series of arrests. He struggled with alcohol and had a history of domestic violence. 

Murder Story

Anthony Edward Sowell, known as the "Cleveland Strangler," was involved in a series of murders that took place between 2007 and 2009 in Cleveland, Ohio. It was during this time that he killed eleven women. The victims ranged in age from 25 to 53 years old. Many of these women struggled with issues such as drug addiction and had histories of criminal behavior.

Sowell used various household objects to strangle his victims. He lured them to his home with the promise of alcohol or drugs. After he killed them, he disposed of their bodies by hiding them within his property. Some of the bodies were buried in shallow graves, while others were placed in crawl spaces or left in the house.

Law enforcement discovered the first two bodies when they went to his home to investigate a reported rape in late October 2009. This led to the start of a broader search, which uncovered more bodies around his home. The decomposition of the bodies caused a terrible smell in the neighborhood, leading residents to complain about the foul odor for months before the bodies were found.

Sowell was arrested on October 31, 2009. He eventually went to trial and was convicted of numerous charges, including the murder of the eleven women. On August 12, 2011, he was sentenced to death for his crimes.