At the age of 12, Coral Eugene Watts confessed to having disturbing fantasies about harming and murdering women. By the time he turned 15, he had already carried out his first killing, setting the stage for a twisted path of violence and depravity. Many likened him to Samuel Little, a notorious serial killer suspected of numerous murders.
Born in Killeen, Texas, in 1953, Watts later moved to Detroit during his childhood, a transition that seemed to unsettle him. His family noticed a significant change in his behavior after he contracted meningitis at around nine years old.
By the age of 15, Watts had committed his initial murder and engaged in multiple sexual assaults. A chilling revelation came from a homicide detective who quoted Watts as saying, “There aren’t enough fingers and toes in this room for the number of women I’ve killed.”
Despite a troubled upbringing, Watts secured a spot at Lane College in Tennessee on a football scholarship, offering a glimpse of hope for a better future. However, his violent impulses resurfaced, leading to his expulsion from college for stalking women just three months after his enrollment.
His first confirmed victim, Gloria Steele, was brutally murdered at the age of 20, with her body found bearing signs of torture. Zenaida Tomes, another young woman, was also believed to be a victim of Watts’ brutality.
Watts’ violent spree continued, with a string of attacks and murders targeting women, earning him the moniker “Sunday Morning Slasher” in Detroit. He displayed a preference for slim, blonde, white women, and his victims included news reporter Jeanne Clyne and others.
Despite being apprehended in 1982, it wasn’t until 1990 that the extent of Watts’ crimes came to light, with him confessing to 13 murders across the country. He was sentenced to 60 years in prison but managed to secure a reduced sentence due to legal technicalities.
Ultimately, Watts passed away in 2007 while serving time at the Ionia Maximum Correctional Facility in Michigan, bringing an end to the reign of terror perpetrated by the notorious serial killer.
