Ronald Hinton

{{Infobox criminal

| name = Ronald Hinton

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| alias =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|9|17}}

| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| cause =

| victims = 3

| country = United States

| states = Illinois

| beginyear = 1996

| endyear = 1999

| apprehended = March 1999

| criminal_status =

| conviction = First degree murder (3 counts)

| sentence = Life imprisonment

}}

Ronald Hinton (born September 17, 1972) is an American serial killer who committed the murders of three women in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, between 1996 and 1999. He pleaded guilty to each murder in 2004 to avoid a death sentence and was subsequently given three life terms.{{Cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110888732/man-admits-in-court-to-strangling-3/ |title=Man admits in court to strangling 3 women |author=Jeff Coen |work=Chicago Tribune |date=March 12, 2004 |access-date=October 7, 2022 |page=7 }}

Early life

Hinton was born on September 17, 1972. A native of Chicago, he was raised by an abusive mother who often beat him and his siblings with a belt constantly under the belief they had been tainted by Satan.{{Cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110889185/judge-spares-killer-death-penalty-in-3/ |title=Judge spares killer death penalty in 3 slayings during '90s |author=Jeff Coen |work=Chicago Tribune |date=August 25, 2004 |access-date=October 7, 2022 |page=2 }} Eventually, his mother abandoned the entire family. Growing up Hinton struggled with severe drug addiction, which only got worse as an adult with the death of his son. He eventually fathered a daughter. Before the murders, he led an extensive criminal life with numerous convictions for robbery.

Murders

= Felicia Mullins =

On December 6, 1996, Hinton gained entry, either forcefully or was let into the apartment of 17-year-old Felicia Mullins, a girl whom he had a sexual relationship with, in Rogers Park. He attacked Mullins, assaulted, and strangled her to death. He left the apartment not long after, and Mullins' boyfriend who declined to have his identity revealed subsequently found the body hours later. He later flagged down a police cruiser and told officers that he had discovered the dead body of Mullins.{{cite news |title=17-year-old mom is found strangled |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110889893/17-year-old-mom-is-found-strangled/ |work=Chicago Tribune |date=December 7, 1996 |access-date=October 7, 2022}} Police subsequently saw the body for themselves, and a coroner stated that Mullins, who was also a mother of three and had produced her first child at 14, had been murdered via strangulation.

= Keary Gagnier =

On August 18, 1998, Hinton and a man named Michael Sanders invaded the third-floor apartment of 36-year-old Keary Lea Gagnier in Rogers Park. Unlike Mullins, neither Hinton nor Sanders had previous relations with the victim. They attacked her in her bedroom, partially stripped her, raped, and following that Hinton strangled her to death.{{cite news |title=Body of woman, 36, found in her flat |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110891749/body-of-woman-36-found-in-her-flat/ |work=Chicago Tribune |date=August 22, 1998 |access-date=October 7, 2022}} The duo then took belongings from her apartment, including her ID, and disposed of them in a trash can just outside of the building. Her body was found later on, and city sanitation workers later found her items in the can Hinton threw them in.

= Merceda Ares =

On February 13, 1999, Hinton, Sanders, and a man named David Wales broke into the apartment of 31-year-old Merceda Faye Ares. The trio then raped and Hinton strangled Ares to death.{{Cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110888370/childs-tip-leads-to-3-arrests-in/ |title=Child's tip leads to 3 arrests in slayings |author=Michael Ko |work=Chicago Tribune |date=March 15, 1999 |access-date=October 7, 2022 |page=2 }} They then took Ares' belongings, including her bank card and used it to withdraw money from an ATM. Since the trio had used Ares's bankcard, they were spotted on a surveillance camera, and the images the camera captured were broadcast on local TV stations as evidence. Hinton's 3rd grade daughter saw the images and recognized her father's face. She subsequently came forward with the information to her teacher, who reported it to police.{{cite news |title=Girl says slaying suspect is her dad |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110906277/girl-says-slaying-suspect-is-her-dad/ |agency=Associated Press |date=March 16, 1999 |access-date=October 7, 2022}} Eventually, Hinton, Sanders, and Wales were arrested. DNA evidence left at the crime scene confirmed their guilt in the murder of Ares. It also exposed Hinton and Sanders's involvement in the murder of Gagnier and exposed Hinton in the murder of Mullins.{{Cite web |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1999-03-11-9903110271-story.html |title=DNA LINKS 2 SLAYINGS TO 1 SUSPECT, POLICE SAY |author=Meredith Grossman & Jeremy Manier |work=Chicago Tribune |date=March 11, 1999 |access-date=October 7, 2022 |page=2 }}

Plea and conviction

Hinton was charged with all three killings, while Sanders was charged with the two, and Wales was charged in one.{{cite news |title=Man is charged in 3rd slaying |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110888218/man-is-charged-in-3rd-slaying/ |work=Chicago Tribune |date=May 8, 1999 |access-date=October 7, 2022}} In 2003, Wales was convicted for his role in Ares' murder and received a 40-year sentence. Hinton, since he was accused of being the mastermind and the one whose name was being headlined as a serial killer, decided to take a plea deal which allowed him to plead guilty to all counts in order to avoid a death sentence and instead receive multiple life sentences. The judge in the case, James Schreier, agreed to the deal. Schreier had previously dropped the death penalty for another serial killer, Ronald Macon, who also strangled three women in Chicago, though all of his killings occurred in Englewood. Hinton was subsequently given three life sentences without parole. Months later, Sanders was given two life sentences for his involvement.{{cite news |title=2-time killer gets prison, no parole |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110904262/2-time-killer-gets-prison-no-parole/ |work=Chicago Tribune |date=December 22, 2004 |access-date=October 7, 2022}}

In October 2023, Wales's sentence was commuted by Governor JB Pritzker to make him eligible for parole, due to concerns about the degree of his guilt. On June 4, 2024, he was released on parole.{{Cite web |date=May 30, 2024 |title=Illinois Prisoner Review Board |url=https://prb.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/prb/documents/en-banc-minutes/05-30-2024%20En%20Banc%20Minutes.pdf}}

As of today, Hinton is incarcerated at Hill Correctional Center, while Sanders is serving his sentences at Stateville Correctional Center.

External links

[https://www2.illinois.gov/IDOC/OFFENDER/Pages/InmateSearch.aspx Illinois Department of Corrections Information] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205025523/https://www2.illinois.gov/IDOC/OFFENDER/Pages/InmateSearch.aspx |date=2022-02-05 }}