A raging sexual sadist, Michael Ross raped and murdered at least six women over In the early 1980's in Connecticut and possibly New York. A graduate of Cornell university with a high I.Q., Ross' first known murder took place in Brooklyn on January 5, 1982, when he abducted and killed Tammy Williams, 17. Later that spring Ross spent time in a mental instiution after a failed attack on an female off-duty police officer but apparently wasn't helped by his incarceration. On June 15 he killed again when he found Debra Taylor wandering a rural road in search of a gas station. Her skeletal remains were found were not discovered until late October. By that time Ross was serving a four month jail term for assault charges stemming from a seperate incident.

It wasn't until November 16, 1983, that Ross killed again. Robin Stravinsky disappeared in Norwich, Connecticut, never to be seen alive again. Her body was discovered about a week later. Then on April 22, 1984, he managed a double killing in Griswold, Connecticut, when he murdered 14-year-old neighbors April Brunais and Leslie Shelley. Ross followed that up in June with the murder of Wendy Baribeault whose body was found on June 15. Witnesses reported seeing a compact car in the area and when police ran through the owners of similar vehicles, they landed on Ross and coerced a swift confession from the killer, including two killings in New York that have never been pursued. The helpful Ross also led police to the unknown dump sites of Shelley, Brunais, and Williams.

By July of 1987 Ross had racked up 120 years in prison and four death sentences for his crimes, though Connecticut hasn't put anyone to death in about 30 years. Originally seeking swift end to his saga, Ross began to fight his penalties in the 1990's and managed to get his death sentences overturned. In May of 2000 the sentences were reinstated after a new penalty hearing.

8/17/2001-Ross was arrainged on August 6, 2001, for the murder of sixteen-year-old Paula Perrera in 1982 while Ross was a student at Cornell. Perrera's body was found in Wallkill, New York, and DNA samples taken recently from Ross link him to the girl's murder. Even if convicted of Perrera's murder Ross will serve no time for the state of New York as they have agreed to allow Ross to serve out his Connecticut death sentence.

9/29/2001-Ross has pled guilty to first-degree manslaughter in the death of Perrera while under "extreme emotional disturbance" (yeah, no kidding). He is scheduled to be sentenced in the case on October 22.

10/23/2001-Ross was sentenced yesterday in the murder of Paula Perrera. He received a prison term of 8 1/3 to 25 years for the slaying.

10/7/2004-Ross has chosen to end all appeals and an execution date has been set for January 26, 2005. the Ivy League graduate will be the first person executed in Connecticut since 1960.

2/19/2005-Nothing is ever easy, is it? In spite of his wishes, Ross' execution was delayed several times. After much last-second legal wrangling it was set for 2 a.m. on January 29 but was called off yet again just four hours beforehand. The courts have ordered a new round of competency evaluations and another new date has been set for May 11. I wouldn't put any money on that, though.

7/6/2005-In the early morning hours of May 13 Michael Ross became the first New England inmate in more than 45 years to be executed. Against his requests Ross' family filed a pair of last minute appeals that were turned down. Ross was 45-years-old.