John Wayne Boyer

John Wayne Boyer is a murderer and suspected serial killer.

History
Little is known about Boyer's early life. For his adult life, he lived in the Wilmington, North Carolina area for years and also in Brunswick County and New Hanover County, as well as Augusta, Georgia with his mother. He worked as a trucker and was a transient who harbored misogynistic expressions and a short temper that would result in his murders. According to court records, he had numerous minor violations dating back to the 1980s. He was indicted with the 2005 murder of 24-year-old prostitute Jennifer Smith, a murder that was previously attributed to Bruce Mendenhall. Allegedly, he picked Smith up and drove her to an abandoned parking lot just off Interstate 40, where he murdered her after having an argument over money before dumping her body, which would later be discovered by a highway worker. At the time of his indictment, Boyer was serving a 12-year sentence for the Illinois killing of 31-year-old Scarlett Wood, whom he said had struck her head on furniture when he pushed her after having an argument with him, but was also found to have been stabbed and beaten. He also confessed to the 2000 killing of 34-year-old Michelle Haggadon, who was found on August 3 at Darlington County, South Carolina, but not identified until September 2011.

Modus Operandi
According to police officials, Boyer targeted women who were smaller than him and slightly built. He killed them through a variety of ways: Scarlett Wood was beaten, stabbed, and had her head struck; and Jennifer Smith was strangled with a seatbelt of his truck.

Known Victims
Note: The dates and locations denote when the victims were discovered
 * Unspecified date in 2004, Wayne County, North Carolina: Scarlett Wood, 31
 * April 2005, Bucksnort, Tennessee: Jennifer Smith, 24

Possible/Alleged

 * August 3, 2000, Darlington County, South Carolina: Michelle Haggadon, 34
 * Unspecified date in 2002, North Carolina: Rosie Marie Mallette, 26
 * Unspecified dates and locations:
 * North Carolina: Madelyn Cox Thomas
 * Maine: Pamela Webb
 * Virginia: Amy Baker

On Criminal Minds
While Boyer wasn't mentioned or referenced in Criminal Minds, he might have been one of the inspirations for Wade Hatchett, the prominent unsub of Catching Out. Both worked as truckers, targeted women, and operated across state lines.