Henry Busch was born and raised in California. From a young age, he showed signs of trouble. He had difficulty forming relationships and often felt isolated. His childhood was marked by a series of behavioral problems, and he struggled in school.

Busch was adopted, and his relationship with his adoptive family was strained. He often felt misunderstood and disconnected. Despite these challenges, he managed to complete his education but never quite fit in with his peers.

As a young adult, Busch's issues continued. He found it hard to keep a job and moved frequently. His feelings of isolation and anger grew, setting the stage for the violent actions that would later define his life.

On May 1, 1960, Henry Busch visited the apartment of his 74-year-old friend, Elmyra Miller. After spending some time talking and watching TV, Busch suddenly felt the urge to kill her. He strangled Miller to death and staged the scene to look like a sexually motivated crime. Her body was discovered the next day by her visiting doctor.

On September 4, 1960, Busch invited 65-year-old Shirley Payne to watch the movie "Psycho" with him. After the movie, they went to his apartment, drank beer, and according to Busch, had sex. When Payne was about to leave, Busch felt the urge to kill her and strangled her. The next day, he placed her body in a sleeping bag and kept it in his apartment.

On September 5, 1960, Busch visited 53-year-old Margaret Briggs, a half-sister of his adoptive mother. He brought a knife with him. After watching TV together for several hours, Busch strangled Briggs when she was standing in the room. He then cut off her clothing and inflicted other wounds on her body. The next day, he drove her car to his workplace.

Busch's crime spree ended when he attacked a woman named Parra after offering her a ride. She managed to escape, and two truck drivers caught Busch. When the police arrived, they found a knife and handcuffs in his possession. Busch confessed to the murders while being taken to the police station.

During his trial, Busch pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. He was found guilty of second-degree murder for the deaths of Miller and Payne and first-degree murder for the death of Briggs. He was sentenced to death and executed at San Quentin on June 6, 1962, after his appeals failed.