"Grady Stiles and his daughter ran a single-O with one carny where I had the side-show concession and they did better than I did with ten acts. The only marking is an engraving of clasped hands along with his name. Accept Read More, Frank Lentini: Three Legged Man and Circus Superstar. The media went into a frenzy. The shocking acts committed by GradyStiles, the Lobster Man murderer,are even more outrageous when you consider that he was hardly punished. When we meet a person, the first thought and impression we get about him is how he speaks and his sitting posture. Stiles was convicted of third-degree murder in 1979. The two married and had several children together, two of which inherited Grays ectrodactyly. Stiles was the sixth in a line that began with the birth of William Stiles . Then he started hitting on me with his fist. Maria statedin her defense that, My husband was going to kill my family. Gradys son Grady Stiles III told the authorities that after an argument between Grady and Mary, she had mentioned that something needed to be done. He said he would help, and took $1,500to give to a neighbor by the name of Christopher Wyant. He was sentenced to life in prison, while his mother was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and sentenced to 12 years in prison. The chilling answer is yes, and like the fictional character, this real-life Lobster Boy was a cold-blooded killer. Escaping prison made Lobster Boy cocky, and he reportedly told others he could kill them and get away with it since he already had. She wasnt part of an act, just a staff member, but she fell in love with Stiles and the two married. A&E Network also made a City Confidential episode based on the case called "Gibsonton: The Last Side Show". It all came to a head during a fight in 1973, when he supposedlyripped outMary's IUD with his bare hands. In her eyes, she and her son had just been trying to save the family from abuse at the hands of a terrifying drunk. The murder of Grady Stiles was the first story recounted in this episode. However, Gibsonton wanted naught to do with "Lobster Boy" after his death. He got around using a wheelchair or by crawling, dragging. Gradys character witnesses included his friends from the circus, including the Bearded Lady, a carnival dwarf and the Fat Man. Unlike Grady Stiles, Wyant was sentenced to 27 yeas in prison for the murder. Not being able to walk, Grady used a wheelchair and would crawl around soon developing a strong upper body and arms. But his temper and abusive behavior remainedand his second wife soon divorced him as well. During the trial, his wife spoke at length of his abusive history. Although he was convicted of third degree murder, the court realized that there were no facilities where they could properly imprison him. Who Did It? She also remembers how herfather just sat on the porch, smiling. In his account of the sensational life and murder of Grady Stiles Jr., also known as the legendary carnival "freak" Lobster Boy, author Fred Rosen explains how Stiles's death was engineered by his wife, Mary Teresa, the carny known as the . Although he was very strong, he exploited his handicap in order to gain sympathy. The Story of Grady Stiles AKA the Lobster Boyhttps://youtu.be/kb1ydLPuMO8Grady Franklin Stiles Jr. was an American freak show performer who performed under t. "Three Is a Magic Number" was the pilot episode and had originally aired in full as part of Curiosity Shop on September 2, 1971. American Horror Story: Freak Show has a Lobster Boy character. A jury agreed, and instead of being sent to prison, Stiles was convicted of third degree murder and sentenced to house arrest. Marys son known as Glen had an I.Q. Stiles seemeddoomed to a rough life from his birth in 1937. The young man stumbled out of the house and died. The court realized they really had no counterargument, as it was true that the prisons were not well-equipped to deal with many disabilities, certainly not Stiles incredibly rare one. As townsperson Ken Hayward told Rodell, the social welfare system these days means that "freaks" can collect a disability check, rather than having to seek out a living in the sideshow circuit. Even though Stiles had been an abusive killer, his death was still a murder. Grady Stiles Jr. was born in Pittsburgh in 1937, according to All That's Interesting, to a family in which a gene that causes a congenital deformity had been present for generations. Movies. Because of this, Stiles performed under the stage name "Lobster Boy". Editorial opinions expressed on the site are strictly our own, and are not provided, endorsed, or approved by advertisers. Mary wanted Wyant to kill her husband, and Wyantaccepted the job. His deformity was a genetic condition ectrodactyly, in which the fingers and toes are fused together to form claw-like extremities. The 8 Key Types of Grapples: Which Should You Invest In? [1] Due to his ectrodactyly, he was unable to walk. His hands were split down the middle and fused to . Grady included them in his circus act and they all toured together as The Lobster Family. Unable to walk, he sometimes used a wheelchair, though just as often he used his arms to move about, according to The Human Marvels. The family did well: they made anywhere between $50,000 to $80,000 per season, and unlike a lot of freak show acts, didnt have to subject themselves to anything more than curious stares. Either way, the meeting ended with Layne dead, shot and killed in cold blood by Grady with his shotgun. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. When not traveling with the carnival, the Stiles family lived in Gibsonton, Florida, where many other carnival performers lived during the winter season. For most of his life, he primarily used a wheelchair but also learned to use his upper body to pull himself across the floor with impressive strength. "There are no freaks in carnivals anymore. His circus show was famous throughout the world. "Grady Stiles and his daughter ran a single-O with one carny where I had the side-show concession and they did better than I did with ten acts. Though still a mean drunk, Grady Stiles lived a relatively quiet life until 1978. If You Knew What This Horrific Killer Did To His Victims Bodies, You Would Be Terrified! Grady Stiles was born into a family of carnival performers in 1937. of 79 and when questioned by police, he broke down after failing a lie detector test, spilling the beans. It was 1992 when Mary and her son Harry Glenn Newman Jr. approached a classmate with gang ties 17 year old Chris Wyant offering him $1500 to kill Grady, who was 55 years of age at the time. Their ages puts this at 1973. Related: Frank Lentini: Three Legged Man and Circus Superstar. She was later freed on bond while she appeals her case. He was not only a murderer, but he was also a misogynist who assaulted his wife and children countless times without pity or. His family decided to do something to make sure the abuse ended, once and for all. You're missing all sorts of good stuff. The assassin took 1500 US dollars in cash to put three bullets into Grady's head. In 1992, Teresa, together with her son from a previous marriage, Harry Glenn Newman Jr., hired a seventeen-year-old sideshow performer named Chris Wyant to kill Stiles for $1500 dollars . Grady Stiles (June 26, 1937-November 29, 1992) An American freak show performer and murderer. Read Also After Committing Allegedly 2,500 Murders, This Killer Still Roams Free. Used to maneuvering himself in a wheelchair, Stiles developed a great deal of upper body strength. The worst was yet to come, however. Whatever the reason, Stiles became an alcoholic, and a violent one at that. So, the circus welcomed them with open arms. Grady and Mary (also known as Teresa) lived together for 9 years before getting married. Known as "Lobster Boy" because of a genetic deformity in his hands and feet, Grady Stiles Jr. was among the last of his kind deformed people who performed in traveling circuses and carnivals as "freakshow" attractions. Donna explained that she was running away with her fianc, that she was pregnant (a lie), and that they were very much in love. She returned to him, and the two remarried. Mary and her stepson, Harry Newman, had stepped out of their home just before the murder. He used his amazingly strong arms to torture his wives and children. Furthermore, Grady Stiles admitted to committing the murder and showed no remorse. Ectrodactyly is a genetic condition in which a person's fingers and/or toes are fused together. But, old habits die hard. With the condition affecting both his hands and feet, (his feet looked more like flippers than claws) he soon became a popular attraction. Why Lovers Exchange Rings During Weddings? Like a lot of circus folks, the family would retire to Gibsonton, Florida during the slow winter season. Mrs. Stiles, 56, could get life behind bars if convicted. Grady Stiles Jr., who was born with claw-like hands giving him his famous moniker, shot and killed his oldest daughter's fiancee on the eve of their marriage Stiles Jr. himself was shot. The company has obtained a license from the Curaao Every student's aim is to pass their exams with the highest marks possible. As the children grew up particularly Stiles daughter Cathy, who did not have ectrodactyly and was therefore somewhat the apple of her fathers eye the Stiles family legacy began to take a rather dark turn. Cathy was born with the same deformity but Donna was not. A persons Summer Fashion Tips Read more about Lobster Boy and discover the little-known grisly details: Advertiser Disclosure: Backpackerverse.com is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. It was later revealed that Donna wanted to get married as she had fallen pregnant, which turned out to be a lie. Her work has been featured on The Rumpus, The Independent, Cosmopolitan, Medium, Seventeen, Romper, Bustle, and Quartz. There was a media circus during the trial and Grady showed no remorse for his actions. Although she had since marriedHarry Glenn (known as "The World's Smallest Man"), this new version of Stiles again captivated her heart. Grady Stiles was a famous freak show performer, but his life took several dark turns and ended in cold blood. To his family, he was another member who was destined for the freak show business. The beatings would only get worse.. Pitchcard. Gradys father also suffered from the condition and toured the country in sideshows as the Lobster Man. He was shot in the back of the head as he sat in his underwear in his trailer. The rare congenital deformity makes hands look like lobster claws as the middle fingers are either missing or seemingly fused to the thumb and pinky. Joe", "Vestavia John P. Strohm | Songs, Reviews, Credits", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Grady_Stiles&oldid=1107061954, People convicted of murder by Pennsylvania, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. The young man stumbled out of the house and died. At this point, Mary decided she couldn't take it anymore, and quickly divorced him. While he sometimes used a wheelchair, he most commonly used his hands and arms for locomotion. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. In 1978, Stiles daughter, Donna, fell in love and got engaged. The performer made no attempt to put up a defense, but instead argued that he shouldn't go to prison due to his disability, as well as cirrhosis of the liver due to alcoholism and emphysema brought on by his three-pack-a-day smoking habit. These days, Gibsonton is a shell of what it had once been. Grady Stiles died as he lived: violently. Reputed to be a mean drunk, Lobster Boy reportedly beat his wife and children for years until one night in 1973. Even though Mary had no physical impairments, she was a survivor of incest and was previously married to a carnival worker who had been abusive towards her. His hands were split down the middle and fused to form two-digit "claws", his feet were small flipper-like appendages and his legs were shortened. Stiles remarried his first wife, Mary, and also quit drinking. Grady Stiles Jr. hadn't changed one bit and the home, with several of their children, was desperately unhappy. The court sentenced him to life in prison. He used his hands and arms for movement. No ones exactly sure what happened: Either Stiles went to see his daughters fiance at his home or invited the young man over under the guise of giving his blessing for the wedding planned for the next day. Stiles had been married twice, having a daughter and son whom both have electrodactyly. You didnt dare tell, she said. As a result, he had immense upper body strength. But Newmanwanted nothing more than to protect his frantic mother. In 1978, as The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette would later report, Stiles' oldest daughter, Donna Stiles, had taken a shine to a man named Jack Layne, and the two had gotten engaged. Im sorry this happened, but my family is safe now.. Unfortunately for the young lovers, Grady didn't care for the young man. When Grady Stiles teenage daughter, Donna, fell in love with a young man that he didnt approve of, Lobster Boy demonstrated his fatal strength. The junior Stiles also gave his father a message during his HuffPost interview: "Thank you for showing me who not to be and maybe you can appreciate who I became because of that. Wyant was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 27 years. Her other son, Grady Stiles III, even claims that she was only talking about it, and hadn't actually ordered Stiles's killing. Lists about the strange, fascinating, and horrifying history of circuses and carnivals in America and around the world. Grady was born in Pittsburgh in 1937 and inherited his condition from his father, Grady Stiles, Sr. Grady could not walk and used a wheelchair in public, but could crawl around on his incredibly powerful arms and could perform nearly any task using his "claws". She said her father poked his head out a window, smiled and said Better him than me.. Perhaps the final verdict lies with his children. He shows himself first and then charges extra to bring her out. On the night before the wedding, he took a shotgun and murdered him in cold blood. The Carolina Conjoined Twins The Incredible Mighty Atom Tiny Performer Tom Thumb They married and had a son together who was given the same name as his father, although he was mentally impaired. 2009-2021 Historic Mysteries. They paid him $1,500 to murder Grady. He was like Satan himself. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Stiles got remarried, this time toa woman named Barbara, and had another child with the lobster claw condition. But was the Lobster Boy based on an actual person? Either Grady invited Layne to his home to talk things over, or Grady went to Layne. The Horrific Life and Murder Trial of the Infamous Lobster Boy. I believe that from the bottom of my heart. From Deformity to love, to murder, Grady Stiles passed through all three. As far back as the early 1800s, the "Lobster Family," as they were called, produced children with and without the condition. It was the suffering he brought upon othersand the pain he inflicted on those he claimed to love. Then, hear the sad tales of six iconic Ringling Brothers freak show performers. While they were not touring, the family lived in Gibsonton, Florida. He soon went to trial, having admitted to his actions with no remorse whatsoever, but pointed out that he couldnt possibly be imprisoned: no jail could handle his disability and to confine him to prison would be cruel and unusual punishment. Mary decided that she had to find a way to protect herself, and her family, from Stiles's constant abuse. It is just knowing when you find them," Grady Stiles III, 39, told The Huffington Post. In death, his reviews have been mixed. For more strange physical conditions, check out this list of unusual disorders. Jim has always had a strong passion for travel, archaeology, and history. Stiles' likeness appears on the album cover for Silverchair's Freak Show. But Maria Teresa and her now-grown children were not without their limits. You were a drunken bastard but you were my dad," he said. Harry, considered to be the mastermind, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life-imprisonment. Maybe that's why he started drinking. [1] Stiles married twice and had four children, two of whom also had ectrodactyly. Meet Grady Stiles, The Murderous Lobster Boy Who Killed His Daughter's Fiance COLLECTION 15 LISTS The Greatest Show on Earth Step right up! The victim was known to carnival audiences as Lobster Boy because of his pincerlike hands, a result of a rare genetic condition. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1937, Grady Stiles Jr., also known as Lobster Boy, led an interesting life and suffered a death that was just as intriguing. His wheelchair-bound daughter Cathy recalled that one night, when she'd tried to protect her mother while pregnant, her father had beaten her as well. In fact, Grady did not have a good reputation and was even convicted of manslaughter previously. He then said, "I told you I would kill him.". By some accounts, Wyant was hired by the family to be the hitman who would put an end to "Lobster Boy" once and for all.

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