Bio

Michael T. Stevens was born in 1940. He grew up in the Rochester area of New York. As a young man, Stevens had a troubled past. He became involved in various petty crimes and fraud. At one point, he used an alias, David Creditford, while selling ads in store coupon books. This fraudulent activity led to his arrest and a prison sentence. He served approximately 20 months for these crimes and was released in 1989.

After getting out of prison, Stevens met Brenda Chevere. They began a relationship and soon moved in together. Stevens and Chevere had a two-year-old son. Over time, Stevens developed a strained relationship with Chevere's family. Reports indicate that he faced difficulties connecting with them and felt excluded. This situation created a lot of tension, especially during family gatherings, such as holidays.

Stevens showed signs of emotional instability. In 1987, during a trial, he made unusual statements, including a speech about the actor Jimmy Cagney. He also had incidents with local merchants, where complaints were filed against him due to his harassment behavior. These events hinted at underlying issues in his behavior.

Over time, Stevens became increasingly distressed about his relationship with Chevere and her family. It is believed that he feared she might leave him, which contributed to his growing resentment. This resentment towards her family intensified as he felt isolated and blamed them for his troubles.

Murder Story

On December 28, 1993, Michael T. Stevens carried out a deadly bombing spree in New York. He sent letter bombs to the family members of his girlfriend, Brenda Chevere, believing they were trying to end their relationship. Stevens sent a total of six bombs to various addresses. Four of the bombs exploded, and one did not detonate, while another was intercepted by the police.

The victims included Brenda's mother, Eleanor Fowler, who was killed at her home. Her stepfather, Robert Fowler, and a co-worker died when a bomb exploded at an armored car garage. Brenda's sister, Pamela Lazore-Lanza, and her friend were also killed in an explosion at their townhouse. The attacks caused terror across a large area, with injuries reported among other relatives who received the bombs.

The authorities quickly connected the bombings to Stevens and his associate, Earl Figley. Within hours of the attacks, police arrested both men. They found that Stevens had planned the bombings for at least six months and was motivated by his fears of losing his girlfriend and their child.

In 1995, Stevens was convicted on all counts related to the bombings, totaling sixteen charges linked to murder and the use of explosives. He was sentenced to three consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole. Figley pleaded guilty in exchange for a reduced sentence and provided testimony against Stevens, claiming Stevens had orchestrated the attacks.

Stevens's trial included extensive evidence, with the prosecution calling witness after witness to support their case. The defense presented no witnesses, claiming that Figley acted alone and suggesting that he was unreliable. Nevertheless, the jury found Stevens guilty and he remains in prison to this day.