Bio

Robert Bruce Spahalski was born in 1955 in Elmira, New York. He grew up with a twin brother, Stephen. The two shared a close bond as twins but followed very different paths in life.

From a young age, Robert got into trouble with the law. His first arrest occurred when he was just 16 years old for driving a stolen car. Over the years, he accumulated several arrests for various offenses, including burglary, larceny, and arson. He began serving time in prison at the age of 16 for theft-related crimes. This pattern of criminal behavior continued into adulthood.

Robert was involved in gymnastics and participated in sports during his time at Elmira Free Academy. He was a member of the gymnastics and track teams, but he did not have a very active school life outside of these activities. By the age of 18, he had begun a two-year prison term for burglary.

In 1971, Robert's twin brother, Stephen, was arrested for a serious crime—he stabbed a store owner to death at the age of 16. Stephen was sentenced to prison for manslaughter. This connection between the brothers would later be noted during investigations into Robert.

In the late 1970s, Robert moved to Rochester, New York. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he faced multiple convictions and spent some time in various correctional facilities. He was often in and out of prison for reasons related to drug use and theft. In 1980, he was briefly employed by the city of Rochester, working as a mechanic's helper. However, he was fired after a year due to his repeated arrests.

By the time he was in his 30s, Robert was known to use crack cocaine and had a reputation for being involved in the local street scene. He claimed to have run a male escort service and was known to associate with other people on the fringes of society. Friends and acquaintances noted that he often struggled with drug addiction and other personal issues.

Over the years, Robert had several brushes with the law but continued to live life on the streets.

Murder Story

Robert Bruce Spahalski committed a series of murders that spanned over 15 years. His first known victim was Moraine Armstrong, a 24-year-old woman. On New Year's Eve in 1990, Spahalski strangled her in her apartment in Rochester, New York. Sixteen years later, he confessed to her murder, stating that he was angry when she demanded money for sex after they shared cocaine.

The second victim was his girlfriend, Adrian Berger, who was 35 years old. In July 1991, Spahalski killed her in her apartment. The circumstances of her death were not clear initially, but police later connected it to Spahalski after his confessions.

Spahalski's third victim was Charles Grande, a 40-year-old businessman. In October 1991, he bludgeoned Grande to death with a hammer during a dispute over payment for sex. Following the murder, he stole cash from Grande's house and drove away in Grande's car.

The final known victim was Vivian Irrizarry, a 54-year-old woman Spahalski claimed as his "best friend." He killed her in November 2005 during a cocaine binge. After hitting her on the head, he strangled her with a cord and left her body in the basement of his apartment. Days after committing this murder, Spahalski walked into a police station and confessed to all four murders, which had remained unsolved for many years.

In December 2006, Spahalski was sentenced to 100 years in prison for his crimes. His confessions detailed his violent actions, and he expressed some remorse for his actions. The murders were characterized by extreme violence, and Spahalski's history of drug abuse influenced many aspects of his crime spree.