The second season of Mindhunter hit this weekend and while people were familiar with three of the subjects, not as many people know about William “Junior” Pierce.
The main investigation was the Atlanta Child Murders, a case that saw a conviction of a man but no conviction based on the deaths of any of the children who died.
The man found guilty was Wayne Williams but it was for the murder of two adults. Police believed he was the children’s killer as well.
Two other names that are mainstream serial killer legends this season was Charles Manson and Son of Sam himself, David Berkowitz.
Who was William “Junior” Pierce on Mindhunter?
William “Junior” Pierce was in jail in 1970 when the Georgia state prison institution paroled him. This parole was despite staff psychologists saying he was “dangerous.”
Pierce had only served seven years on a 10-20 year sentence for a variety of charges. These included burglary, arson, receiving stolen property and an attempted prison break.
The parole board ignored the psychiatrists and let him out of jail. Pierce then went on to become a serial killer from 1970 to 1971.
How many people did William “Junior” Pierce kill?
In his trial, William “Junior” Pierce was found guilty of the murder of Margaret “Peg” Cuttino, the daughter of a South Carolina senator. The murder took place seven months after the parole board let him out of prison early.
There are some who believe that Pierce had his testimony coerced by a sheriff named Red Carter under accusations of torture
William “Junior” Pierce also admitted to more murders, with a list that included nine victims ranging in age from 13 to 60 between South Carolina and Georgia.
there are still people who believe he was railroaded and the real killer, or killers, might have gotten away with murder.
William “Junior” Pierce in Mindhunter
Mindhunter worked hard to develop the story of William “Junior” Pierce. The character was part of the FBI search for the Atlanta Child Murders and ended up as a dead end.
The interview in Mindhunter (with actor Michael Filipowich) was not completely accurate, but it was an entertaining part of the season with snack food used to bribe him to talk.
Mindhunter season 2 is streaming now on Netflix.