Nicholas Wiley

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Nicholas Wiley
Born
Nicholas Lee Wiley

(1962-07-17) July 17, 1962 (age 61)
Syracuse, New York, U.S.
Other names"The Syracuse Serial Killer"
Conviction(s)First degree murder (3 counts)
Criminal penaltyLife imprisonment without parole
Details
Victims3–7
Span of crimes
April – May 31, 2004
CountryUnited States
State(s)New York
Date apprehended
June 2, 2004

Nicholas Lee Wiley (born July 17, 1962), known as The Syracuse Serial Killer, is an American serial killer and sex offender who murdered at least three women in Syracuse, New York in 2004. He claimed to have killed a total of seven people, although his claims were never corroborated. For his known crimes, he was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.[1]

Early life[edit]

Wiley was born in Syracuse on July 17, 1962. He had a criminal history dating back to 1979.[2] In 1983, he was accused of striking 66 year old Doris Lando repeatedly with a hammer, cutting her telephone lines, and robbing her of items and cash.[3] Wiley's lawyer defended his case by presenting the notion that Wiley "was denied effective assistance of counsel."[3] Wiley was given a sentence reduction and was released sometime before 1990.[1] In 1991, Wiley was sentenced to twelve years in prison for sexually assaulting and beating a 16-year-old girl.[4] He was released from prison on January 22, 2004, and registered as a level 3 sex offender.[5]

Confirmed Victims[edit]

On April 11, 2004, only a few months after Wiley's release from prison, 17-year-old Tammy Passineau, a 5'3" single mother, disappeared in Syracuse. She was last seen with a friend in the 100 block of west Water Street.[6] Although an investigation was conducted, police were unable to locate her whereabouts, and foul play became a suspected factor.[6] Passineau was a known drifter, so she was not immediately reported missing until the following month when her family reported her missing to authorities. Authorities theorized that Wiley was responsible for Passineau's disappearance after he had been arrested.

On May 31, 2004, 31-year-old Lottie Thompson, a mother of three, was found stabbed to death in her apartment in Syracuse.[7] She lived in the same West Onondaga Street building where Wiley was living at the time. The next day, on June 1, the body of 22-year-old Hannah Finnerty was discovered inside a trash can outside of the building, the cause of death was due to numerous stab wounds.[8]

Arrest[edit]

The next day, after Finnerty's body was found, Wiley was arrested as a suspect. After his arrest, Wiley confessed to the a total of seven murders between April and May.[9] He claimed he had murdered four women, two men, and a teenage gang member.[9] His claims were investigated, but no evidence could be found to support his statement, and authorities discounted his confessions.[10]

However, authorities theorized that Wiley was responsible for Tammy Passineau's disappearance; one lead that detectives suspected was that Wiley described killing a red-haired girl named Tammy in April and, when looking at older cases, it matched with a description of Passineau.[6] Officials turned their focus on Wiley's apartment and searched through it, and found a boxcutter which contained blood that was later matched to Passineau's DNA, and he was indicted for her murder in December.[11] Passineau's remains are still yet to be found besides the blood in Nicholas Wiley's apartment.[6]

Trial and imprisonment[edit]

In the killing of Passineau, Wiley said he had become enraged after a conversation about sexual predators and prison, which caused him to snap and slash Passineau's throat.[8] He also claimed that he had killed Thompson in a fit of anger while having sex in her apartment, which resulted in him slitting her throat. Wiley stated that he killed his final victim, Finnerty, after he had become upset after she bargained with him for more crack cocaine. Wiley ended his confession by stated he felt like a ninja during his murders.[8]

During the trial, Wiley's defense attempted to sway the jury that Wiley, a mentally sick and twisted individual, was coerced to confess.[8] The defense also tried to drop a first-degree murder charge due to the killings not fitting the profile, but the judge pointed out a 1995 ruling which had met the term.[12] The six men and six women jury found Wiley guilty of three counts of first degree murder and three counts of second degree murder.[13] Days later, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. Wiley attempted to appeal his sentences in 2009, but the convictions were all upheld.[1]

See also[edit]

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Jim O'Hara (November 13, 2009). "Syracuse serial killer's conviction upheld". Syracuse.com.
  2. ^ "Jurors will hear accused killer's statements". Associated Press. September 13, 2006. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "People v. Wiley, 120 A.D.2d 66 | Casetext Search + Citator". casetext.com. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
  4. ^ "Slayings spur anti-predator proposal". Democrat and Chronicle. Associated Press. June 6, 2004.
  5. ^ Kekis, John (June 3, 2004). "Sex offender charged, looked at as serial killer". The Buffalo News. Associated Press.
  6. ^ a b c d "Tammy Sue Lynn Passineau".
  7. ^ John Kekis (June 3, 2004). "Ex-con charged with 2 killings; cops see pattern of a serial killer". Associated Press.
  8. ^ a b c d William Kates (September 19, 2006). "Attorney targets alleged confession in rape case". Associated Press.
  9. ^ a b "Man accused of murder claims he killed five others". Associated Press. August 10, 2004. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  10. ^ "Police: Killer's claims unsubstantiated". Associated Press. August 10, 2004. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  11. ^ "3rd slaying linked to sex offender". Democrat and Chronicle. December 21, 2004. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  12. ^ "Judge: No dismissal of murder charge". Associated Press. August 19, 2006. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  13. ^ "Sex offender found guilty of killing three women". The Ithaca Journal. September 28, 2006. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
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