Killer Couples

Meanwhile, Gerald and Charlene were coming unglued.  Gerald, who had always been quick to use his fists with Charlene, became even more violent.  In September, Charlene moved out, returning to live with her parents.  Gerald left town for a bit, rekindling a previous romance.  But by November he had returned and Charlene agreed to see him again.  On the night of November 1, they borrowed Charles and Mercedes Williams Oldsmobile, saying they were going to dinner and a movie. 

Gerald and Charlene got drunk that night, and it wasnt long before Gerald announced his intention of capturing more love slaves.  Charlene drove as he scanned crowds at various shopping centers for candidates.  It took a while, and Charlene, realizing that the game was getting ever more dangerous, was ready to give up for the night and head home.  But early on the morning of November 2, Gerald ordered her to stop the car at Arden Fair, a popular shopping center.  She was shocked to see that his intended victims were not two young girls, but a man and a woman, probably college students. 

Charlene pulled the Oldsmobile into a parking space and Gerald got out, approaching Craig Miller and Mary Elizabeth Sowers with a .25 caliber handgun.   Hoping their acquiescence would keep their drunken assailant from hurting them, they complied.  They even kept quiet when a fraternity brother of Craigs, who had attended the same dinner the couple, was leaving, leaned into the car and asked what they were doing.  Just then Charlene, still in the drivers seat, began shouting at the man and pulled away quickly.  Not quickly enough, though.  The fraternity brother wrote down the license number of the Olds as it sped away.

Charlene drove for a while out into El Dorado County until Gerald told her to stop.  He ordered Craig out of the car and shot him three times in the head, then told Charlene to drive to his apartment.  When they arrived he took Mary Beth into the bedroom.  Charlene watched television, and when Gerald was finished raping Mary Beth, she drove the two out into the country again.  He shot Mary Beth, and returned with Charlene to the apartment to dispose of evidence.