Anthony Sowell—the serial killer, rapist, and necrophile who was dubbed the Cleveland Strangler—has died at the age of 61. Sowell was sent to death row after being convicted in 2011 of 11 counts of murder, as well as other counts of attempted murder, kidnap, rape, and corpse abuse. He was already a registered sex offender when police discovered the decomposing bodies of 11 Black women in his house and backyard. Sowell tried and failed several times to have his death sentence overturned. He died Monday of an undisclosed terminal illness—authorities only confirmed that he did not die of COVID-19. Sowell’s victims were Tonia Carmichael, Nancy Cobbs, Tishana Culver, Crystal Dozier, Telacia Fortson, Amelda Hunter, Leshanda Long, Michelle Mason, Kim Yvette Smith, Diane Turner, and Janice Webb.
