Bio

Donald Eugene Younge was born in 1967. He grew up in East St. Louis, Missouri. Not much is known about his family life or childhood, but he had a troubled background as he grew older. Younge became known to law enforcement during his teenage years and early adulthood.

In the early 1990s, Younge lived in Salt Lake City, Utah, for about eight years. He had various run-ins with the law during this time. He faced multiple charges, including domestic assault and robbery. Younge had trouble with the authorities and was often in and out of prison due to his behavior and criminal activities.

In November 1996, Younge attacked a 23-year-old University of Utah student. He raped her while she was walking home from a night class. At that point, he was not identified by name, only known as "John Doe," until later when DNA linked him to the crime.

In 1999, Younge faced more legal issues. He was jailed in Illinois for other serious charges, including rape and kidnapping. During this time, suspicion grew around him for other crimes in both Illinois and Utah. His criminal history included auto theft and violent behavior, leading to multiple convictions.

By 2002, Younge was in custody in Illinois when DNA evidence finally linked him back to the 1996 rape case in Utah. This connection would change the course of the investigations against him, leading to additional scrutiny regarding other cases potentially linked to his actions.

Younge's life was marked by conflicts with the law, starting from a young age. His early years in East St. Louis and subsequent time in Salt Lake City set the stage for a life that would eventually lead to multiple serious felony charges.

Murder Story

On August 3, 1999, Donald Eugene Younge entered the apartment of Amy Quinton, a University of Utah student, through an unlocked sliding glass door. He held a knife to the throat of one of her roommates and demanded cash. While the roommate struggled, Quinton attempted to call 911. However, Younge caught her and forced her to hang up the phone. When dispatchers called back, Younge answered and falsely claimed everything was fine.

Younge then tied up Quinton and her roommates with duct tape. After they complied with his demands and gave him their wallets, Younge became violent. He stabbed one of the roommates and then fatally stabbed Quinton in the chest. After the attack, he fled the scene, using Quinton's debit cards at gas stations in Park City and Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

Younge was later arrested in January 2002 in Illinois on unrelated charges. He was a suspect in the murders of three prostitutes in East St. Louis, whose bodies were discovered in garbage bags in 2000. These cases were known as the "garbage bag" murders. Younge was also connected to a 1996 rape case in Utah through DNA evidence.

In May 2008, nearly a decade after Quinton's death, Younge was formally charged with her murder. The charges included aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery, and aggravated burglary. His trial involved significant legal disputes, including claims of prosecutorial misconduct and evidence suggesting other DNA was found at the crime scene that did not match Younge.

During his time in jail, Younge faced a series of trials in Illinois for the murders of the prostitutes, and his defense also raised issues related to his rights during police interrogations. Despite the complications, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office moved forward with the murder charges against him for Quinton's death.

In January 2010, Younge was convicted in the rape case linked to the 1996 assault and sentenced to 31 years to life in prison. His trials and legal battles continued as he faced additional charges related to Quinton's murder.