Carl H. Drew was born in 1953 and became known in Fall River, Massachusetts, as a pimp operating in the Bedford Street area. He was reputed to lead a satanic cult involved in prostitution and alleged ritualistic practices. Drew's influence extended over several young women, including Karen Marsden and Robin Murphy, who were involved in sex work and became central figures in the events leading to his conviction.

The Fall River murders were a series of three homicides that took place from October 1979 to February 1980. The first victim, 17-year-old Doreen Levesque, was found bludgeoned to death under the bleachers of a high school. The second, 19-year-old Barbara Raposa, was discovered in a wooded area, having been similarly assaulted. The third, 20-year-old Karen Marsden, was last seen on February 8, 1980, and her partial remains were found two months later.

Drew was convicted for the murder of Karen Marsden, based primarily on the testimony of Robin Murphy, who claimed that Drew orchestrated Marsden's killing as part of a satanic ritual. Murphy described a gruesome scene where Marsden was beaten, her throat slit, and ultimately decapitated by Drew. Murphy later recanted her testimony, stating she had lied under oath to implicate Drew.

Despite the lack of physical evidence linking Drew to the crime and the recantation of key witness testimony, Drew's conviction has stood. He has consistently maintained his innocence, and his case has been the subject of ongoing debate and calls for re-examination.