Obadyah Ben-Yisrayl

The Crimes
October 30, 1990 - insurance agent, Lawrence Mill, was shot to death in his car in front of the American Legion Post 66 in Griffith. No eyewitnesses.

Oktober 30, 1990 - 2,5 hours later - Rhonda L. Hammersley who worked at a gas station in Cedar Lake, was shot on the parking lot. An eyewitness to the murder described the perpetrator as young white man with long stringy hair.

December 13, 1990 - Harchand Singh Dhaliwal (54) was shot while working at a gas station. $ 327,55 were missing from the cash-register.

December 15, 1990 - Marie Meitzler, working at the reception of a motel in was shot. $ 467 were stolen.

December 15, 1990 - Six minutes later - Ora L. Wildermuth was shot in front of an automated teller machine.

December 15, 1990 - one hour later - Robert S. Kotso survived wounded the shots into a highway toll booth.

December 18, 1990 - The brothers Eli und George Balovski were shot in a adjoining building to their tailor shop in the late afternoon. They are the last victims.

All were killed by a shot-gun.

[Quelle: Post Tribune 30.1.1991]

Searching for the Serial Killer
The eyewitness of the second murder described the perpetrator. That lead to the composite sketch that was used by the police to find the "shot-gun-killer".

In the evening of January 28, 1991 Antwion McGee was arrested after a robbery-shooting. He stated that Obadyah was with him - that's true. Later he told police that Obadayh Ben-Yisrayl would be the shot-gun-killer the police searched for. Ben-Yisrayl was arrested in the same night.

At the police station Obadyah got interrogated over hours without end and finally he said what the police wanted to hear: "I did it, fuck it, I did it all." He was shattered and besides this he believed the truth would come to light very soon, because the police searched the whole time for a white man.

The Trials
1st Trial for the two murders on October 30, 1990
An eyewitness testified that Ben-Yisrayl wasn't the perpetrator. Despite using of the "confession" through the state, Ben-Yisrayl got acquitted by the jury.

2nd Trial for murder and attempted murder on December 15, 1990
An eyewitness stated that a white man was on the place of crime with something looking like a shot-gun. Despite the "confession" Obadyah Ben-Yisrayl was acquitted a second time.

3rd Trial for the murder of December 13, 1990 and onf of the murders of December 15, 1990
That time Ben-Yisrayl faced an all white jury. A witness testified that a white man was seen at the gas station. Despite of this Obadyah Ben-Yisrayl got convicted that time and sentenced to death.

4th Trial for the murder of December 18, 1990
There was no connection between Ben-Yisrayl and the place of crime, but he got convicted a second time. The jury decided against the death penalty, but against the recommendation of the jury the judge sentenced Obadyah to death.
A witness, who saw a white man in front of the tailor shop before the shooting occurred - similar to the composite sketch - did not testify at the trial.

Further Facts
* Obadyah passed a lie detector test

* Expert says the the "confession" is not true.
Endless interrogations end often with the arrested saying exactly what the police wants to hear to end the torture.

Obadyah Ben-Yisrayl
# 922005
P.O. Box 41
Michigan City, IN 46361
USA

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