History of Sorts

A smiley face with an evil soul.

Eddie Leonski, known as the “Brownout Strangler” and the “Singing Strangler,” was an American soldier and serial killer who committed a series of murders in Melbourne, Australia, during World War II.

Edward Joseph Leonski was born on December 12, 1917, in Kenvil, New Jersey, in the United States. He grew up in a troubled household with an alcoholic mother. He was known for his physical strength and had a history of alcohol abuse and behavioral issues. Leonski enlisted in the United States Army and was stationed in Melbourne as part of the U.S. forces supporting the Allies during World War II. He was a handsome, tall private in the US Army, stationed in Melbourne alongside 15,000 other troops in the early 1940s.

Between May 3 and May 18, 1942, Leonski murdered three women in Melbourne. His victims were Ivy McLeod, Pauline Thompson, and Gladys Hosking. He attacked them during the night, taking advantage of the wartime brownouts. partial blackouts intended to protect cities from enemy air raids.

According to The Advertiser, in 1942, “only one street lamp in four is lighted, and these are shaded so as to throw a dim light of not more than 40 feet in diameter. Electric trains have only two-thirds of each carriage lighted, while city and suburban stations have their ordinary lighting dimmed by at least 50 percent. Headlights on most Melbourne trams have been fitted with hoods…”

Leonski strangled his victims, earning him the nickname “Brownout Strangler.” His attacks were characterized by their brutality and his apparent enjoyment of the violence.

In the early hours of 3 May 3, 1942, the body of 40-year-old Ivy McLeod was found partially naked, strangled, and badly beaten. Witnesses said they had seen her in the company of a US soldier late the previous night.

A few days later, Pauline Thompson was found. The marks on her body indicated the killer had large hands and considerable strength, attributes Leonski shared. Shortly after this, Leonski admitted to another soldier that he had killed two women. When the soldier told Leonski to give himself up and plead temporary insanity, Leonski refused.

Several nights later, Australian soldier Neil Seymour found Leonski covered in mud, asking for directions back to camp. The following day, Gladys Hosking was found in a muddy trench near the camp. Police found the mud-covered Leonski, and he was arrested and charged with the murders.

He was tried by a U.S. military court in Australia. Despite attempts by his defense to plead insanity, Leonski was found sane and guilty of murder.

Leonski was sentenced to death. He was hanged at Pentridge Prison in Coburg, Victoria, Australia, on November 9, 1942.

Leonski’s case is notable for being one of the few instances where a US soldier was tried and executed by the US military in a foreign country during wartime. His crimes contributed to tensions between US servicemen and the local Australian population during the war.

Sources

https://ergo.slv.vic.gov.au/explore-history/rebels-outlaws/city-criminals/brown-out-strangler

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/jul/02/the-brownout-strangler-how-a-smiling-psychopath-terrorised-wartime-melbourne

https://www.mamamia.com.au/edward-leonski-the-brownout-strangler/