At the age of 12, Coral Eugene Watts confessed to having disturbing dreams about harming and murdering women, leading to his first murder at 15. His early twisted fantasies foreshadowed a life of violence and depravity, drawing comparisons to notorious killers like Samuel Little. Born in Killeen, Texas in 1953, Watts later moved to Detroit during his childhood, where a bout of meningitis at nine triggered a noticeable change in his demeanor.
By the time he was 15, Watts had already committed multiple murders and sexual assaults, leaving a chilling statement claiming responsibility for numerous deaths. Despite briefly finding solace in sports through a football scholarship at Lane College, his violent tendencies resurfaced, resulting in his expulsion for stalking women. Returning to Michigan, Watts embarked on a spree of brutal attacks on women.
His first known victim, Gloria Steele, was brutally tortured and murdered, followed by suspicions of involvement in other killings. Watts’ deteriorating mental state raised concerns among psychologists, describing him as remorseless and likely to reoffend. Dubbed the Sunday Morning Slasher, Watts terrorized Detroit with a series of brutal attacks on slim, blonde, white women during early Sunday mornings.
Notorious for his heinous crimes, Watts continued his spree, murdering several more women before fleeing to Texas to evade capture. His reign of terror ended when survivor Melinda Aguilar aided in his apprehension, leading to his conviction for 13 murders involving various brutal methods. Despite being caught in 1982, it took years for authorities to uncover the extent of Watts’ crimes, eventually sentencing him to 60 years in prison, later reduced to 24 years due to legal technicalities. In 2007, the infamous serial killer succumbed to cancer while incarcerated at the Ionia Maximum Correctional Facility in Michigan.