Early release for `vampire rapist'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A man dubbed the "Vampire Rapist" because he drank his victim's blood was freed from a Florida prison yesterday, after serving only 10 years of his 25-year term, because of good behaviour and other reductions.
John Crutchley, 49, was driven from the Raiford jail in north-west Florida to a halfway house in Orlando after several cities said he was not welcome and many Floridians expressed outrage. Although he is now subject to a 50-year probation period, he is free to leave the state-run Orlando Probation and Restitution Centre whenever he finds a home and job, state officials said.
Crutchley, a bespectacled former engineer, was convicted of kidnapping and raping a 19-year-old woman hitchhiker at his beachfront home in Malabar on Florida's east coast in 1986.
Naked and handcuffed, she escaped through a bathroom window and later described to police how he had drained her blood - tests showed she had lost almost half her total - with a syringe and drunk it during an 18- hour ordeal. Crutchley was also suspected of, but not charged with, at least six murders in which the victims had lost a lot of blood.
A judge sentenced him to 25 years, far beyond the recommended 12-17 years for the kidnapping and rape, but prison rules automatically took 3,000 days off the term and he received a further 2,250 days off for good behaviour.
Local county sheriff Kevin Beary said: "I think the system screwed up."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments