Killer Stories with Harvey Guillén - "The Psycho Strangler" Henry Busch

Episode Date: August 18, 2022

Henry Busch had a love-hate relationship with maternal figures. Perhaps it was because he lacked one growing up. He had already killed a 74-year-old family friend when he saw “Psycho” in 1960. Ide...ntifying with the film’s main character, Henry left the screening with his 65-year old date sure of one thing: he needed to kill again.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:00:00 Due to the graphic nature of this killer's crimes, listener discretion is advised. This episode includes discussions of murder and rape. We advise extreme caution for children under 13. In the last steamy days of the summer of 1960, 28-year-old Henry Bush left an evening showing of Psycho. And he wasn't alone. On his arm was Shirley Payne. Henry and Shirley were a rather odd pairing. At 65, she was more than twice his age.
Starting point is 00:00:38 Still, they had enjoyed each other's company for quite some time. The night at the cinema marked their first official date, and it included all the things you might expect a new couple to do. After the movie, Henry invited Shirley back to his apartment to cap off their evening. He'd always been the perfect gentleman in her presence, and that night he was the perfect host. The couple enjoyed some pleasant small talk, sipped some cold beers, began to unwind, and then to undress.
Starting point is 00:01:07 Later that night, Shirley kissed her date goodbye and asked when they could meet again. Henry played coy, staring at the older woman curiously. Like the director of a movie, he knew what was coming next, and it had nothing to do with romance. Hi, I'm Greg Poulson. This is Serial Killers, a Spotify original from Parkast. Every episode, we dive into the minds and madness of serial killers. Today, we're delving into the crimes of Henry Bush. the film sometimes blamed for his actions. I'm here with my co-host, Vanessa Richardson. Hi, everyone. You can find episodes of serial killers and all other Spotify originals from
Starting point is 00:01:59 Parcast for free on Spotify. In the first part of this episode, we'll explore Henry's tumultuous childhood years, his time in the military, and the possible influence of the media on his psyche. Later, we'll examine Henry's life as an eyeglass factory worker in Los Angeles and his secret identity as a ruthless killer. We'll also discuss whether his crimes might have been inspired by a certain famous fictional killer, earning him the nickname the Psycho Strangler. We've got all that and more coming up. Stay with us. This episode is brought to you by ZipRecruiter. Whether you're hiring for a role or searching for a killer, the hunt can be exhausting. When detectives looked and searched to find any kind of evidence to find the person they were looking for, like,
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Starting point is 00:04:13 So start your business today with the best partner, Shopify, and get that. Sign up for your $1 per month trial today at Shopify.com slash killers. That's Shopify.com slash killers. This episode is brought to you by Prime. Obsession is in session. And this summer, Prime Originals have everything you want. Steamy romances, irresistible love stories, and the book to screen favorites you've already read twice. Off campus, L, every year.
Starting point is 00:04:43 year after, the love hypothesis, Sterling Point, and more. Slow burns, second chances, chemistry you can feel through the screen. Your next obsession is waiting. Watch only on Prime. Cinema is a powerful medium. When done well, it depicts nuances of life in a way that paintings and still photography typically can't. Film speaks a universal language that influences how people think and act, for better and for
Starting point is 00:05:18 worse. In the post-World War II era, audiences developed a taste for violence in movies, and thanks to new ways of filming, on-screen deaths became more visceral and naturalistic. The more realistic the deaths were, the more tickets sold. But many people worried about what effects it all might have on audiences. Would the violence carry over to real life? Depending on what side of that particular argument you land on, the answer might lie in the life of Henry Bush. While many were terrified after watching Alfred Hitchcock's psycho, Henry was fascinated. He may well have felt a kind of kinship with the offbeat lead, Norman Bates. Both Bates and Henry were of similar age and physical type, and both enjoyed complicated relationships with their mothers. Norman Bates famously said,
Starting point is 00:06:06 A boy's best friend is his mother. But on the flip side of that coin, Henry never really got to know his own. Details about Henry's childhood are slim, but from what we know, his mother suffered an epileptic seizure during his birth in 1931. After that, he was malnourished for the first six weeks of his life, and the consequences of that might have been more than just physical. Vanessa is going to take over on the psychology here and throughout the episode. Please keep in mind that Vanessa is not a licensed psychologist or a psychiatrist, but we've done a lot of research for this show.
Starting point is 00:06:39 Thanks, Greg. Over a period of decades, a group of researchers ran a study on children who experienced malnourishment, and the effects that had as their personality developed throughout their lives. Publishing their findings in the Journal of Childhood Psychiatry, the researchers reported that children who suffered from malnourishment in the first year of life were at risk for higher levels of neuroticism and anxiety and lower scores of conscientiousness and sociability. In other words, even at the young age of six weeks,
Starting point is 00:07:10 Henry was already experiencing the adverse effects of his parents' choices. It's unclear what exactly happened to his birth mother after she left him, or his father for that matter. As for Henry himself, his early years are also something of a mystery. It's possible he spent time in foster care or orphanages, or perhaps he lived with other relatives. What we do know is that eventually he was adopted by his half-sister, May Bush, and went to live with her family in Los Angeles. For the most part, May and her husband Henry gave him a fairly stable home environment. They lived in the middle of Hollywood and owned a popular restaurant. But May wasn't particularly affectionate towards her adopted son.
Starting point is 00:07:50 So although he had a solid living situation at last, Henry still lacked a figure in his life to give him a maternal kind of love. Adding to his growing list of issues, Henry's physical appearance was a little odd. As a result, he was teased a lot at school, where his peers called him mousy. He also suffered from terrible migraines, which made it difficult for him to concentrate on his classes. So with no friends to speak of, nothing in the way of strong parental bonds, and absent any supportive academic outlet, Henry turned to a family friend for comfort, Mrs. Elmira Miller. We don't know too much about their relationship, but we do know that the two were close,
Starting point is 00:08:30 and she became a pseudo-mother figure for young Henry. Her influence might have been what allowed him to reach young adulthood without getting into any trouble. From what we know, Henry's adolescence was rather unremarkable. He didn't seem to get into trouble, and he certainly wasn't arrested. But things took a turn in 1952, when he joined the military during the Korean conflict. It's unclear what exactly drew the 20-year-old to military service. He was likely a rather shy and withdrawn child, as is often the case with those who are the targets of bullying. And he might have been just as quiet as an adult, but it's very possible that in the army, Henry decided to overcompensate in a very bloody way.
Starting point is 00:09:14 At one point, he was serving at a prison of war stockade just outside of Inchon Korea. The U.S. military had captured an injured Chinese soldier and placed Henry in charge of the prisoner. He was only supposed to watch him. But for Henry, this was a chance to finally exert power over someone more vulnerable than he. While watching the prisoner limp around on his injured leg, Henry got a sudden urge to do something violent. He took his bayonet and stabbed the defenseless man, killing him. It was his first murder and his first time getting away with it. Despite the fresh stab wound, Henry's superiors believed the prisoner had succumbed to his war injuries and didn't implicate Henry in the
Starting point is 00:09:57 death. Though he was eventually discharged for other unspecified conduct, nobody ever knew that he had killed a prisoner of war, right under their noses. But though he escaped external consequences, The act did stick with him psychologically. After killing the soldier, he apparently started hearing radio static that wasn't really there. And the noise put him in a strange, trance-like state. It's possible this was a symptom of tinnitus, a condition in which someone experiences ringing noises in one or both their ears. In military veterans, tinnitus can be due to brain damage from proximity to an explosion.
Starting point is 00:10:34 And according to a 2008 study in the American Journal of Audiology, it often goes hand in hand with post-traumatic stress disorder. To be clear, Henry was never diagnosed with PTSD, but it seems the strange phantom noise stayed with him for years. It followed him home from the war and was there when sometime in the late 50s he moved back to his hometown, Los Angeles. At the time, L.A. was home to movie stars like Marilyn Monroe and Montgomery Clift. Henry's own life, though, was anything but glamorous, Far removed from the trauma and excitement of war, Henry found low-stakes work in an eyeglass factory where he polished lenses.
Starting point is 00:11:14 Again, we don't know too much about what Henry was up to during this period. We do know, however, that he developed a special interest in a certain high-profile criminal, a serial rapist, Carol Chesman. At the time, Chessman was sitting on death row at San Quentin Penitentiary for multiple counts of rape and assault. he appealed his case several times and staved off execution, sometimes at the last minute. As news of Carol's case flooded the press, Henry grew obsessed. He followed every detail and according to his adoptive mother, sympathized with Carol.
Starting point is 00:11:49 Henry even expressed beliefs that Carol was innocent. It's hard to say why he was so fascinated, but it's entirely possible that Henry admired the serial rapist, who had dismissed his own lawyers and opted to represent himself. He might have seen Carol as a victim, someone who stood up to his bullies. Only instead of school kids taunting him, Carol's tormentor was the criminal justice system. But it's also possible that Henry admired Carol Chessman for his ill-gotten fame and notoriety. Given his proximity to Hollywood and the film industry, this might have been something Henry himself wanted, and Carol had shown him how to get it.
Starting point is 00:12:28 And so, seemingly fueled by some dark inspiration, Henry decided to pay a visit to his lone childhood friend, Mrs. Elmira Miller. When he knocked on her door, he had stars in his eyes and murder in his heart. Coming up, a warm homecoming gives way to shocking violence. Hi listeners, it's Vanessa from the podcast series Mythology. Every Tuesday, join me on a wondrous journey back in time. Exploring the most epic battles, sweeping love stories, and harrowing adventures ever told. Heroes, gods, monsters, mayhem.
Starting point is 00:13:13 This podcast has it all. From the Knights of the Roundtable and Hori the Hunter to Paradise Lost and the Lost City of Atlantis. Each episode of mythology dramatizes history's greatest stories, bringing their origins to life and giving insight into how our ancestors saw the universe. Ancient myths, modern twists, catch new episodes of mythology every Tuesday
Starting point is 00:13:37 and binge the classic. anytime. Listen free only on Spotify. Are you looking for support in your weight management journey? Zepbound terseptitide may be able to help. Zepbound is a prescription medicine used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to help adults with obesity, or some adults with overweight who also have weight-related medical problems to lose excess body weight and keep the weight off. Zepbound is approved as a 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, or 15 milligram injection. Zepound contains terseptide and should not be used with other terseptide containing products or any GLP1 receptor agonist medicines. It is not known if Zepound is
Starting point is 00:14:23 safe and effective for use in children. Don't share needles or pens or reuse needles. Don't take if if allergic to it, or if you or someone in your family had medullary thyroid cancer, or if you've had multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2. Tell your doctor if you get a lump or swelling in your neck. Stop Zepbound and call your doctor if you have severe stomach pain or a serious allergic reaction. Severe side effects may include inflamed pancreas or gallbladder problems. Tell your doctor if you experience vision changes before scheduled procedures with anesthesia if you're nursing, pregnant, plan to be, or taking birth control pills. Taking Zepound with a sulfonel urea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. Side effects include nausea,
Starting point is 00:15:02 diarrhea, and vomiting, which can cause dehydration and worsen kidney problems. Talk to your doctor. Call 1-800-545-99-9 or visit zepbounds.lily.com. Now back to the story. On the 1st of May, 1960, 28-year-old Henry Bush dropped by an old family friend's apartment. 74-year-old Elmira Miller had known Henry since he was a small boy. She'd been a tender, motherly figure to him when his adopted mother hadn't given him the affection he craved. So she was likely, pleasantly surprised to see Henry. at her doorstep and invited him inside to sit a while with her.
Starting point is 00:15:45 It's not entirely clear what Henry's true intentions were, at least when he arrived, because at first the night seemed entirely normal. He went inside and sat on Elmira's sofa with her, and the two had a pleasant conversation. Then they spent some time watching TV together, but while they were sitting on the couch, things took a turn. Henry started thinking about killing Elmira, and the radio static in his head drowned out any other noise. While he might initially have tried to resist the thought, this became harder over time, and the static only grew louder.
Starting point is 00:16:20 As they wrapped up their evening, Elmira stood, maybe getting ready to walk Henry to the door, but he wasn't ready to go. When he saw that her back was turned, he seized his opportunity. He pounced on the older woman and wrapped his arm around her neck, closing off her windpipe. Even if Elmira put up a fight, she was no match for Henry. and he strangled her to death. If Henry felt any regret in the moments after his second murder, he certainly didn't indulge the feeling for long.
Starting point is 00:16:51 Instead, he focused his energy on covering up what he'd done. At the time, crime had been rising steadily in Los Angeles. Henry decided the best way to keep the authorities off his trail was to stage Elmira's body as if she'd been the victim of a random, brutal, sexual assault. So he tore open her housecoat, ripped her undergarment, then he left her body on the floor. Before he left, he might have checked the windows to make sure no one would see him leave. Finally, he locked the front door, then slipped out through the back and went home,
Starting point is 00:17:24 probably wondering how long it would take for someone to notice his lifelong friend was dead. He didn't have to wait long. The next day, Al Myra's body was found during a routine medical house call. There she was, sprawled out on the living room floor, her neck covered in purport. purplish-red abrasions. Authorities and detectives weren't entirely surprised by the crime. There'd been a slew of other rape murders in West Los Angeles recently, and older women had been the most common targets. Although it might feel somehow more monstrous to attack someone as seemingly frail as an elderly woman,
Starting point is 00:18:00 there's a logical explanation for why such attacks are common. According to academic researchers, professors Myrna Dawson and Janice Joseph, women tend to live longer than men, which makes them more than more than more than more than the other. more likely to live alone. In turn, that leaves them more susceptible to exploitation and violent attacks. This might have been part of why Henry chose Elmira as his first victim. As far as we know, she was living alone and didn't have much other family to speak of. It was an easy murder for Henry to carry out and then get away with, not that he was keen to take any chances with his secret. That summer, Henry laid low. He continued his work at the eyeglass factory, where he got close
Starting point is 00:18:40 with his co-worker, Magdalena Para. The two occasionally had coffee together before work. But by the end of August, Henry was apparently feeling lonely again and desiring more company. Like he once had with Elmira Miller, he sought it in a place close to home, his mother's apartment building. There, he met 65-year-old Shirley Payne, another tenant in the building. It's unclear exactly what Henry and Shirley's relationship was prior to the start of the summer, or how long they'd known each other. But over the Labor Day weekend, Henry decided to ask her on a date. A new, hot movie had come out and everyone was talking about it,
Starting point is 00:19:18 so he invited her to a screening of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. For those not familiar with the story, the film begins by following a young woman, Marion Crane, who goes on the run after stealing some money for her employer. In the middle of a downpour, she stops at the fictional Bates Motel, where she meets the shy proprietor Norman Bates and learns about his tumultuous relationship with his mother. In a now infamous scene, a shadowy figure stabs Marion to death while she's in the shower. As the film goes on, we learn that Norman was the culprit, and that he assumes the persona of the mother he killed
Starting point is 00:19:54 in order to murder women he imagines might make her jealous. As Henry watched this dark story unfold on the screen, it's possible it had a big impact on a subconscious. Movies can have a profound effect on the human psyche, as well as on social interactions. This is particularly true of the way that men interact with women who are objects of misogyny on the silver screen. In a 2019 paper, University of San Diego student Sarah Hankins studied the effects the male gaze in horror and thriller films had on the so-called fairer sex. Celebrated filmmakers such as Hitchcock have been critiqued for their objectification, victimization, and physical, often sexual violence of women in a man's world. Hankins also found that on-screen violence perpetrated against women had a profound effect on how they're viewed off-screen.
Starting point is 00:20:47 That is, men who watch films with abused female characters would be more likely to excuse abusive behavior in real life and might even be attracted to it. While this doesn't mean that anyone watching Psycho would be inspired to murder women, Henry had already been influenced by a different real-life killer. With that in mind, it seems that he was already in a position. to empathize with and even idolize violent men, especially if he identified with him. In the film, Norman Bates killed his mother because he was jealous of her lover and the attention she didn't give him. Henry might have nursed a similar lingering resentment towards his own mother, who apparently chose not to raise him, at least that's likely how Henry felt. Whatever was going on in his head as the story unfolded before him.
Starting point is 00:21:35 After the movie, Henry continued on with his date as if it were normally, evening. He brought Shirley to his apartment and together they downed a few beers. From what we know, he made sure she got nice and comfortable, just as Norman did for Marion Crane when she checked into the Bates Motel. At some stage, the two had sex. At this point, it seems it was consensual, but as Shirley was getting ready to leave the apartment, the static turned on in Henry's head as if with the flick of a switch. The noise was the loudest it had ever been. It was all he could hear, and in his experience, there was only one thing he could do to silence it. He wrapped his fingers around Shirley's neck and squeezed, strangling her.
Starting point is 00:22:18 But then, instead of killing her right away, he got another idea. Henry tied Shirley up and laid her on the ground. Then he got out a sketchbook and started drawing a picture of Shirley. It was an odd thing to do in the middle of a murder attempt, but it might be that Henry knew this was a moment he'd want to remember, so he took the time to create a trophy. We talk about the idea of a serial killer's trophies fairly often on this show, and for good reason, there are a myriad of ways the concept can manifest,
Starting point is 00:22:49 allowing room for different ways of thinking about them. In 1998, criminology and law professor James Allen Fox and sociology professor Jack Levin wrote about the idea of serial killer trophies for crime and justice. They explained it like this. For a man who has otherwise led an unremarkable life, his treasures make him feel proud. They represent the one and only way in which he may have ever distinguished himself. More important, these souvenirs can become tangible reminders of the good times spent with his victims. Aided by the various items taken from a crime scene, he can still get pleasure between crimes
Starting point is 00:23:30 by reminiscing, fantasizing, and masturbating. In drawing Shirley's portrait, Henry might have been trying to distinguish himself to share a memory with his latest victim. However, once he was finished with his drawing, it was time to complete his plan. He moved forward and wrapped his arms around Shirley's neck. He squeezed her in the headlock for several minutes, strangling her to death. With Shirley dead at his feet, the radiostatic in Henry's mind likely subsided, and he began to calm down. But that was only one issue taken care of.
Starting point is 00:24:05 there was still the matter of what to do with the body. He probably knew it would be risky to try and stage the scene as another rape, but he didn't seem to have any other ideas about how to handle the problem. Instead of dealing with the mess he'd created for himself, Henry wrapped Shirley in a sheet, and went to sleep. The next morning he went out and bought a sleeping bag, stuffed Shirley's body inside, and tied the macabre parcel up with a rope,
Starting point is 00:24:28 in a similar manner to the way he tied her for her portrait. Henry didn't leave the apartment again until later that evening. It's unclear what he was doing inside for all those hours, whether he was trying to think of a way to get rid of Shirley's body, or whether he was simply going about his day. Whatever he did, he eventually decided to head out, leaving his latest victim's body behind to decompose. That same day, the night of September 5th, he paid a visit to his aunt.
Starting point is 00:24:58 Like Elmira, 53-year-old Margaret Briggs was a woman. older woman who'd been a constant figure in Henry's life. In other words, she was another surrogate mother for the young man. No matter what their relationship was, Henry went to Margaret's house with very clear intentions, made obvious by the fact that he brought manacles and a knife with him. In contrast to his earlier attacks, which might have been explained away as impulsive attacks, he sought out Margaret with sinister intent. Of course, Margaret didn't know that. So when Henry appeared on her doorstep, she invited him inside with open arms. Just like with Elmira, the two settled down in the living room to catch up on their lives
Starting point is 00:25:40 while flipping through TV channels. Lulled into a familiar sense of security, he contemplated telling Margaret about what he'd done, how he had murdered Shirley. But the moment was almost over before it began. Henry shook off the impulse and returned to his plan. Why Henry ignored his desire to confess is an interesting question, and one that's hard to answer. But perhaps he simply reacted badly
Starting point is 00:26:04 to the unwanted attack of conscience. At a time when he might have needed it most, Margaret showed him love and comfort. But instead of accepting it, this might have triggered Henry more. In an article about the mind of serial killers, Associate Professor John Parrington suggests that fear of rejection can be their underlying motivation.
Starting point is 00:26:25 This often stems from being badly mistreated or neglected by a parent. Rather than risk history repeating itself, Parrington argues that they'd rather eliminate the possibility, or more specifically, the person who might reject them. So Henry decided not to tell Margaret about what he had done and instead kept the secret buried. And as soon as he made up his mind,
Starting point is 00:26:47 the urge to kill came back with a vengeance. It was time to finish what he'd come here to do. Coming up, an attack doesn't go quite as planned. Want to support your gut health? Take Activia's gut health challenge by enjoying two Activia yogurt today for two weeks and see if you feel a difference. With billions of probiotics and 20 years of scientific expertise, Activia is one of the easiest and tastiest ways to start your gut health ritual. Try Activia today.
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Starting point is 00:27:55 Monopoly is a trademark of Hasbro. Hasbro is not a sponsor of this promotion. Now back to the story. On the night of September 5, 1960, 28-year-old Henry Bush was in his Aunt Margaret's apartment, experiencing a familiar desire to kill. Almost byroat, he locked his forearm across his aunt's neck. Yet Margaret did something Henry probably wasn't expecting. She fought back, hard.
Starting point is 00:28:23 The 53-year-old flung her body from side to side, pulling Henry so forcefully that they knocked over furniture. But although Margaret put up a fight, she was no match. for her nephew. Moments after Henry wrestled her to the ground, Margaret lost consciousness, and then she finally stopped breathing. Still reeling from the unexpected tussle, Henry wasted no time moving on to the next step in his plan. He grabbed his knife and sliced through Margaret's clothes and cut through her breast in the process.
Starting point is 00:28:57 It's unclear whether this was intentional or not. It was simply a slip of the knife. As far as we can tell, he was only trying to make it look like she didn't. been attacked by a sexual predator as he had with Elmira Miller. After that, he spent the night in the apartment with Margaret's body, likely because he didn't want to wake her neighbors by leaving in the wee hours of the morning. Yet once the sun started peeking through her curtains, illuminating her body, Henry knew it was time to leave.
Starting point is 00:29:25 He readied himself for the day and grabbed Margaret's purse and car keys. Then he left his aunt's mutilated body on the living room floor, drove away from the building, and headed to work. Meanwhile, the LAPD linked El Mira's murder to a string of other disturbing murder rapes throughout the city, just as Henry intended. But investigators had few leads to follow that might help them solve the case.
Starting point is 00:29:50 The one thing they did have, however, was a description of the man who matched Henry's appearance. We're not exactly sure how they got this information. But they knew El Maira's assailant stood about six feet tall, weighed in at around 150 pounds, and was close to 30 years old. Meanwhile, that man drove to work where he met up with his friend and co-worker
Starting point is 00:30:10 Magdalena Parra. Henry was likely on edge that morning. He'd just killed two women in the span of just a couple of days, and it seems he still had the urge to kill more. But as far as we know, Magdalena didn't notice any difference in her friend, so they decided to go on their usual jaunt to a local cafe to grab a cup of coffee
Starting point is 00:30:30 before they clocked in for the day. Only this time, their regular spot was closed. So Henry suggested they'd try another coffee house, not too far from where they worked. Thinking nothing of it, Magdalena accepted his offer and got into the passenger seat of Henry's car. But Henry didn't start the engine. Instead, he lunged at Magdalena's throat as soon as she closed the door, attempting to strangle her. But just like with Aunt Margaret, things didn't go quite as Henry planned. Magdalena screamed and fought back fiercely.
Starting point is 00:31:03 Thankfully, the car was unlocked, so she opened the door, scrambled out of her seat, and took off running as fast as she could. Henry tried to start his car, intending to go after her, but instead, he flooded the engine. Refusing to let her get away so easily, Henry abandoned the vehicle and raced after Magdalena on foot.
Starting point is 00:31:23 By then, she was already a good distance down the road, so he had to run fast. However, the chase attracted the attention of a couple of truck drivers on the same road. They saw a woman running, screaming for her life, and a man pursuing her. It was clear to them what they needed to do. The men pulled over and joined the pursuit. Once they caught up to him, they physically restrained Henry, allowing Magdalena to get away. Then they just waited for the authorities to arrive.
Starting point is 00:31:53 Soon after, the LAPD showed up to arrest Henry. Of course, they had no idea he was a serial killer. At this point, all they would have known was what Magdalena Parra told them that her friend had attacked her in his car. Based on that account, Henry Bush might be nothing more than a would-be sexual predator. But they might have reassessed him when they found a knife and a pair of handcuffs on him. Suddenly, the weedy young man seemed even more sinister than anyone might have imagined. Henry himself demonstrated that in short order.
Starting point is 00:32:26 The way to the police station, he willingly confessed to his previous crimes without any prompting. Specifically, he said, I might as well tell you I killed some women. Sometimes I have a very strong urge to kill." Needless to say, the investigators were left stunned by the revelation. It's not exactly clear why Henry confessed. From newspaper articles detailing the incident, it seems the 28-year-old was smiling as he did, which suggests that he didn't confess out of fear or pressure, instead he might have actually wanted to tell police what he'd done. It's almost as if he was proud of it. Studies on truthful serial killer confessions are rare,
Starting point is 00:33:09 as they don't happen often, but it's possible that part of Henry's motivation for both his murders and subsequent confessions was a desire for fame. In a paper on the creation of, quote, cultural monsters, researcher Julie Wist writes that some killers may consider serial murder a path to fame, giving them a sense of domination and immortality. With that in mind, we could interpret Henry's actions as those of a man who wanted to be remembered forever, like a character in a film. In his confession, Henry even went so far as to announce that there was a body in his apartment, and another one in the building his foster mother lived in.
Starting point is 00:33:47 By this stage, he had no intention of hiding anything he'd done. Not anymore. After that, it was time to face the consequences of his actions. In the fall of 1960, the state of California charged Henry Bush for murder and assault with the intent to commit murder. With a bona fide confession and plenty of physical evidence tying him to the crimes, it should have been an easy case to win. However, Henry's lawyers were determined to put up a fight. First, they had him diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder. Then they tried to push the narrative that motion pictures were to blame for the murders, not the killer himself.
Starting point is 00:34:26 The defense brought in an expert in forensic hypnosis, a technique used to try to get a complete picture of a witness's state of mind. In other words, their job was to separate the facts from a witness's emotions. But in this case, the idea was to argue a very specific story about Henry Bush, that the film's psycho had induced in him an accidental trance state. Essentially, the argument was that the film worked as a form of mind control, and this caused Henry to attack his victims. Thankfully, the jury didn't buy the far-fetched idea. Apart from anything else, there was the glaring issue that Henry had attacked his first victim
Starting point is 00:35:05 before the film was even released. And so, in 1961, Henry Bush was convicted of murder. The following year, he was sent to the gas chamber at San Quentin State Prison. He was 30 years old. In the 60 years since his death, Henry Bush remains a footnote on the legacy of Psycho, arguably Alfred Hitchcock's greatest film. Despite the outcome of his trial, his case did raise an interesting question. Should the film bear any responsibility for Henry's actions?
Starting point is 00:35:37 Should storytellers in any medium? According to the celebrated Master of Suspense himself, no. When asked about Henry's case, Hitchcock said, The movie itself couldn't cause a person to kill any more than any other film where you see people killing each other. They see it on westerns every night. And Henry himself dismissed any connection to the class. He always insisted that he didn't know why he killed his victims.
Starting point is 00:36:03 And although we can try our best to puzzle that out, all we can really do is guess. Thanks again for tuning into serial killers. We'll be back soon with a new episode. You can find all episodes of serial killers and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free on Spotify. We'll see you next time. Stay safe out there. Serial killers is a Spotify. original from Parcast. Executive producers include Max and Ron Cutler.
Starting point is 00:36:43 Sound design by Michael Motion. With production assistance by Ron Shapiro, Trent Williamson, Nick Johnson, and Carly Madden. This episode of serial killers was written by Khalid Ridgeway. Edited by Stacey Nemek and Joel Callan, fact checked by Mary Mathis, researched by Brian Petrus and Chelsea Wood, and produced by Bruce Kitovich. Serial Killer stars Greg Paulson and Vanessa Richardson. Want to hear something? Spooky. It reminded me of Bigfoot. Monsters Among Us is a weekly podcast featuring true stories of the paranormal. One of the boys started to exhibit demonic possession.
Starting point is 00:37:23 Stories straight from the witnesses' mouths themselves. Something very snake-like lifted its head out of the water. Hosted by me, your guide, Derek Hayes. Somehow I lost eight whole hours. Listen now on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. A beloved 75-year-old man washing up getting ready for bed is brutally beaten and killed. Despite an exhaustive investigation, the killer avoids arrest and then strikes again. I'm Global News crime reporter Nancy Hicks.
Starting point is 00:37:55 You might listen to a lot of true crime podcasts this year, but they're not crime beat. Search for and follow the award-winning podcast Crime Beat on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

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