Bio

Leo George O'Donnell was born in 1895 in England. O'Donnell joined the military and became a Sergeant in the Royal Army Medical Corps. He would have experienced the hardships and stresses of military life during this period.

In early 1917, O'Donnell was engaged to the daughter of a Lieutenant named William Watterton. This engagement was announced on New Year's Day. O'Donnell's involvement with the Watterton family connected him to the local military community.

On the evening of January 1, 1917, his fiancée received a night pass to celebrate their engagement with a friend. They waited for Lieutenant Watterton to return home that night, but he did not arrive as expected. O'Donnell later visited the bungalow where they were waiting, claiming that the Lieutenant had left for an urgent appointment.

The following day, the body of Lieutenant Watterton was discovered, which led to O'Donnell's arrest due to his suspicious behavior. 

Murder Story

On January 2, 1917, Leo George O'Donnell was involved in a serious crime. He murdered Lieutenant William Watterton, who was the father of O'Donnell’s fiancée. The murder took place in Aldershot, Hampshire, England. After the murder, O'Donnell was arrested the next day.

The details of the crime were disturbing. Lieutenant Watterton was found dead in a trench on a training ground. His body showed signs of severe violence. There were more than twenty cuts on his head, indicating that he had been battered to death. Furthermore, it appeared that his pockets had been searched.

O'Donnell was not at home when the police found Watterton's body. He attempted to enter the quartermaster's office at the hospital where Watterton worked, claiming he was sent by Watterton. However, he could not show the necessary pass key and was denied entry. This raised suspicions about his actions.

During the investigation, it was revealed that O'Donnell tried to convince a friend to provide him with an alibi in exchange for £250. The prosecution argued that O'Donnell killed Watterton to steal from the quartermaster's office. O'Donnell, however, insisted that someone else was responsible, accusing a man of blackmailing Watterton.

O'Donnell went to trial and was found guilty of murder. He was executed by hanging on March 29, 1917.