Gordon Northcott

"The Winslow boys were never on my farm. I didn't kill them."

Gordon Stewart Northcott a.k.a. "The Wineville Chicken Coop Murderer", was a Canadian-born American serial killer, rapist, pedophile and hebephile. He was perpetrator of the infamous Wineville Chicken Coop Murders.

Background
Born in Bladworth, Saskatchewan, Canada and raised in British Columbia but eventually moved to Los Angeles, California with his family. He claimed that he was sexually abused by his father at age of 10 and with his help, he built a chicken ranch in Wineville his father commited suicide in a mental asylum and his uncle died while serving a life sentence in prison for murder. In 1926, he took his 13-year old nephew, Sandford Clark, to Wineville and there the boy was beaten and raped continuously by Gordon. He saw his nephew as an opportunity to lure other boys to his chicken ranch and with the help of his mother, Sarah Louise Northcott, began a series of abductions and killings in Los Angeles and Riverside County.

Murders, Arrest and Execution
His first know murder victim was an unnamed Mexican boy, whom he shot to death and decapitated, he later forced Clark to dispose of the head for him by burning it in a firepit and crushing the skull, Northcott left his headless body by the side of the road near Puente, La Puente. Months later, on March 10, he abducted a young boy named Walter Collins Jr. from his home and took him to his farm, where he was tortured, raped and bludgeoned with an axe. Police initially believed that enemies of Walter's father, Walter Collins Sr. were the responsables for the abduction. Walter's case quickly received national attention. With no true leads to solve the case, the Los Angeles Police Department received negative publicity and more public pressure to solve the case. Five months after the abduction, a boy claiming to be Walter was found in DeKalb, Illinois. Walter's mother, Christine Collins, paid for the boy to be brought to Los Angeles. After his arrival, Christine stated that the boy was not the real Walter and as a result, Christine was sent to a psychiatric ward. The boy was questioned by Captain J.J. Jones and revealed that he was in fact, not Walter, but Arthur Hutchins Jr., his sole reason for impersonating Walter was because he wanted to meet his favorite actor, Tom Mix. Christine was released shortly after. She eventually won a lawsuit against Jones and was awarded $10,800. Jones never paid her. Northcott's next victims were the Winslow brothers: Lewis and Nelson, they were abducted on May 16 and taken to Northcott's farm, both were raped and again bludgeoned to death with an axe. After two years of being held in his uncle's farm, Sandford's older sister, Jessie Clark, travelled to Wineville and visited her younger brother, there, Sandford told her about what Gordon had done to him and other boys. One week later, Jessie returned to Canada immediately informed the American consul. In the same month, Judson Shaw and Scallorn, two US Immigration Service Inspectors visited the farm, there they found Clark and took him into custody. Northcott had seen the agents coming to his house and told Clark to stall the agents or else he was going to be shot with Gordon's rifle, he fled into the treeline shortly after. Clark eventually told agents that his uncle had escaped. On September 19, 1928, Northcott and his mother were arrested in Vernon, British Columbia. Sarah eventually confessed to the murders but retracted her confession before being extradited from Canada, Gordon also confessed killing more than five boys. At sentencing of Sarah Northcott, Clark testified against her and said that she had helped her son in the murders of Walter Collins Jr. and the Winslow brothers. Along with these boys, Northcott was also convicted for the murder of the Mexican boy. Clark also said that Northcott disposed of the bodies using quicklime and that the bodies were still buried at his chicken ranch. Authorities investigated the farm and found three shallow graves with body parts inside. With the body parts and Clark's testimony as proof, Northcott was sentenced to death and his mother sentenced to life in prison. Northcott was hanged on October 2, 1930 at age of 23.

Modus Operandi
With the unwilled help of his nephew, he abducted several young boys and took them to his farm, there, they were raped, tortured and some killed, either by a shooting or bludgeoning with an axe. After killing them, he dissolved their flesh with quick lime and disposed of their bones in the desert.

Known Victims

 * 1928
 * Unspecified date in February: Unnamed boy
 * March 10: Walter Collins Jr., 9


 * May 16
 * Lewis Winslow, 12
 * Nelson Winslow, 10


 * Note: Northcott confessed of being responsable for the murders of more than five boys, though this claim was never confirmed by authorities.

On Criminal Minds
Northcott was possibly the inspiration for Bill Jarvis. Both used their young nephews, whom both were heavily abusive towards, to help capture young boys, Jarvis would hold the children captive for some time, all the while torturing and sexually abusing them, before dismembering them and burying the bodies, using lime on them like Northcott.