The Curse of Johnny Frank Garrett

Johnny Frank Garrett at his trial. Source: ATI.

Johnny Frank Garrett was executed for a crime he claimed he didn’t commit. Within a few years of his death 14 people who had played a part in his conviction were dead. Was this a result of the curse of Johnny Frank Garrett?

Johnny Frank Garrett’s Alleged Crime

On Halloween in 1981 Sister Tadea Benz was found dead on the floor of her room at the St. Francis Convent in Amarillo, Texas. At first the sisters of the convent didn’t contact the police as they believed she had simply had a fall and died. They wrapped her body in a sheet and began making preparations for her funeral.

Eventually they noticed that a window had been broken in Sister Tadea’s room which made them realize the death may be more suspicious than they first thought. The sisters called the police about the break in but didn’t mention the death of Sister Tadea directly.

When officers overheard the sisters talking about Sister Tadea’s death they went to investigate the body. They found Sister Tadea had not died from a fall but from multiple stab wounds. She had also been sexually violated several times.

Unfortunately this wasn’t the first attack on an elderly woman in Amarillo that year. In the spring of 1981 10 other elderly women had been beaten and raped in the same area. One had even been strangled to death.

On the same night that Sister Tadea was killed another elderly woman just a few blocks from the convent was raped and beaten into a coma. When the woman awoke from her coma she couldn’t remember anything about the attack.

Johnny Frank Garrett is Convicted and Sentenced to Death

The building where Johnny Frank Garrett was executed. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

The police were under huge public pressure to solve the case so that the people of Amarillo could feel safe again. Without any solid leads the police followed a tip from a psychic named Bubbles.

Bubbles called the local newspaper to tell them she had seen the killer in a dream and that it was a local teenage boy that lived near the convent. This lead to the police arresting Johnny Frank Garrett for the rape and murder of Sister Taeda Benz.

Johnny Frank Garrett claimed he was innocent and that police were setting him up. There were allegations that the confession that Garrett gave to police was coerced.

The unit where Johnny Frank Garrett was held until his execution. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

It is claimed that Garrett also had an extremely low IQ and multiple personality disorder. Several human rights organisations protested his treatment due to his severe intellectual disability.

There was however a lot of evidence connecting Garrett with the crimes. His pubic hair and finger prints were found at the crime scene and he was seen running away from the convent on the evening of the murder.

Garrett was eventually sentenced to death for the murder. He maintained his innocence right up until the end. His final words were:

"I'd like to thank my family for loving me and taking care of me. The rest of the world can kiss my ass."

According to a documentary about his life and death he also placed a curse on all of those who had wronged him just before his death.

The Curse of Johnny Frank Garrett

Strangely, a number of people who were involved with Garrett’s conviction began to die or suffer terrible misfortunes within the years following the trial.

One of the Jurors named Novella Summner died a few days after the trial after falling down a set of stairs.

Another Juror named Nathan Shackelford’s daughter was accidentally shot and killed. His sister was later killed by a drunk driver.

The lawyer that represented Garett at trial died from pancreatic cancer.

Medical Examiner Ralph Erdemann was convicted for falsifying autopsy reports He lost his medical license and was sent to prison. His wife also died of pancreatic cancer.

Two more of Garett’s lawyers later died from the same form of leukemia.

Two police officers involved with the case also developed leukemia and died.

NBC Reporter Cathy Jones who reported on the story died in an airplane crash in Oklahoma.

Witness Eugene Patterson was found dead in his car. A cause of death was unable to be determined.

A prisoner named Watley, who testified against Garrett for a reduced sentence, committed suicide shortly after the trial.

Garrett’s school teacher, Carol Moore, who testified against him at trial, also killed herself not long afterwards.

Danny Hill, the District Attorney involved with the case, also committed suicide. His daughter also committed suicide a few years later.

Another of Garrett’s attorneys, Jeff Blackburn, lost his wife to suicide. His son became permanently brain damaged when he was accidentally locked inside a hot car.

Possible Explanations for the Curse of Johnny Frank Garrett

While there does seem to be a lot of death surrounding Johnny Frank Garret’s case it could all just be a coincidence. Perhaps the large number of suicides were connected to the question of Garrett’s innocence.

Maybe the suicide victims felt guilty for condemning to death a man they thought could have been innocent or didn’t deserve to die due to his disability.

Do you think Johnny Frank Garret unleashed a curse upon those who wronged him or it’s all just a coincidence? Let us know in the comments!

If you enjoyed this article you may also enjoy the story of Valentino’s cursed ring or the ghostly handprint of Frank Leavy.