Bio

Richard Lee Tingler Jr. was born in December 1940. He came into the world out of wedlock. His mother raised him with strict and harsh methods. She often beat him and frequently reminded him that he was "born in sin." This unhappy environment shaped much of his early life.

In June 1959, Tingler enlisted in the Air Force. He wanted to escape his troubled home life. However, during his service in Alaska, he got into trouble with the law. He went AWOL with a friend and was arrested in Anchorage for burglary. He pleaded guilty to four break-ins and received a two-year federal sentence. He was moved to several different locations during his time in prison and was released in February 1961.

Only six months after his release, Tingler was arrested again in Portsmouth, Ohio. He faced serious charges of breaking and entering on thirteen counts. He was sentenced to state prison for a term of one to fifteen years. Tingler was paroled in August 1964, but soon returned to prison for more burglaries as a parole violator. He was released again in February 1968.

After his release, Tingler’s life took a darker turn. He had a history of run-ins with the law and a pattern of criminal behavior. He struggled to stay out of trouble. This background laid the groundwork for the serious criminal acts he would later commit.

Murder Story

On September 16, 1968, four bodies were found in Cleveland's Rockefeller Park. The victims were tavern owner Joseph Zoldman, two part-time bartenders, and a young female prostitute. They had been shot multiple times with two different weapons. It is believed they were taken hostage during a robbery at the tavern and were murdered to prevent them from being witnesses.

About a month later, on October 20, 1968, a gunman entered a dairy bar in Columbus, Ohio. He stole $562 from the register and ordered the manager and two teenage employees into a back room. The gunman tied their hands. In a sudden fit of rage, he said he had nothing to lose and decided to kill them. He attacked the two teenagers, pounding their heads and choking the manager until she lost consciousness. When she woke up, she discovered that both teenagers had been shot in the back of their heads.

After these crimes, Richard Tingler was indicted on six counts of murder. He was added to the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted" list on November 8, 1968. At that time, he was using the name "Don Williams" and working on a farm in Oklahoma. Federal agents arrested him on May 19, 1969, while he was picking crops in a field. They found a pistol with him and took him into custody without any resistance.

Tingler was tried for the six murders he committed in Ohio. He was convicted and sentenced to death in 1969. Later, in 1972, his sentence was reduced to life in prison.