Bio

Anthony Santo was born in 1894. He grew up in a neighborhood that was typical of many families at that time. His childhood was not well-documented, and there are few details about his early years.

By the time he was a teenager, he began to show unusual behavior. At the age of 14, he became involved in significant and disturbing incidents. These incidents would later define his life.

In June 1908, Santo was held in Norwood, Massachusetts. Authorities were investigating the deaths of two young brothers, James and Frank Marino. They questioned him, and he confessed to their murders. He claimed to have used a jack knife on Frank and beat James with a rock.

During this time, the police also connected Santo to another murder. Young Louise Staula was found dead in a field in May 1908. Santo described feeling a sudden change in his mind, which he called a "mad spell," when he encountered her.

Because of the confessions and the evidence, authorities recognized that he was not entirely stable. It was determined he had suffered from a recent illness that affected his state of mind. Due to this, he was found incompetent for trial. Santo was then confined to an asylum for the criminally insane, where he would remain for life.

Murder Story

In March and June of 1908, Anthony Santo, a 14-year-old boy, committed three murders. The first two victims were brothers named James and Frank Marino. Santo confessed to the police that he used a jack knife to kill Frank and beat James with a rock. This confession helped the authorities connect him to the deaths.

While being questioned about the Marino brothers, Santo also admitted to killing a girl named Louise Staula in Dedham, Massachusetts. Louise's body was found on May 11, 1908. Santo explained that he experienced a "mad spell" when he saw her. He hit her once and then picked up a rock. After throwing it at her, he believed she was dead. He then stated he started to pray for her to recover.

Despite confessing to these three murders, Santo was not sent to jail. Investigators determined that he was mentally ill at the time of the crimes. As a result, he was found incompetent to stand trial and was confined to an asylum for the criminally insane for the rest of his life.