Described by the FBI as one of the most intelligent criminals the world has ever known, David Parker Ray stands out in the twisted world of depraved people who enjoy the pain and tears of others. From rape to torture to murder, the American serial killer has done it all. Before his arrest in 1999, the man is said to have committed over 60 murders, most of which were committed by young women.
David Ray received a long sentence in 2001 after a court found him guilty of torture and kidnapping, but nature had an alternative sentence for him a year later when he died of a heart attack while still in prison. His death may have done little to reassure his victims and their families, but one thing is certain, the world had become one less monster.
10 Disturbing Facts About David Ray
1. His Childhood Was Rough
David Ray had a pretty tough childhood. Born in November 1939, he was raised by his grandfather and was rarely visited by his violent, alcoholic father. As a teenager, he was often physically abused by his father, who also supplied him with magazines of sadomasochistic p*rnography. These are probably responsible for the everyday sexual fantasies the young man eventually had and which he pursued throughout his life.
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2. He Owned a Sex Torture Chamber Called a Toy Box
The serial rapist and alleged murderer owned a mobile home which he turned into a torture chamber where he committed most of his heinous crimes. This so-called toy box was equipped with a range of torture devices and weapons, including whips, chains, clamps, rollers, leg spreader bars, sex toys, surgical blades, saws, syringes and much more.
Ray also made sure that the RV was soundproof so as not to attract attention, and it also had its own power generator, which he used to administer electric shocks to his victims.
3. David Ray Had Accomplices
It’s given that some serial killers usually operate solo, yet quite a few of them are able to get support from other depraved minds like their own. Ray belonged to the latter group, which not only had the brains to think up the most unimaginable crimes, but also had the necessary personnel to carry out his terror.
Among his known accomplices were his girlfriend Cindy Hendy and a young man named Dennis Roy Yancy. Cindy Hendy helped Ray drug the unsuspecting victims and lure them into the toy box. After his arrest, Yancy admitted to strangling one of his own former girlfriends who Ray had kidnapped and tortured.
Cindy Hendy received a 36-year prison sentence, while Dennis Yancy received two consecutive 15-year prison sentences.
4. His Daughter Was Also An Accomplice
This shows that evil may just be an inheritance. Glenda Jean Ray, known only as Jesse, is the daughter of David Ray. Jesse helped her father with most of his evil activities, although she had initially warned the authorities of her father’s suspected criminal activities. The police later found the accusations to be unfounded and therefore did not pay any further attention to them. Jesse later switched sides to become her father’s accomplice and helped him lure women into his toy chest where their suffering began.
5. He Usually Targeted People of Low Social Standing
In order to protect himself, the notorious s*dist and serial rapist usually occupied a group of women who he believed would be less likely to be sought by someone if they disappeared. He also found it much easier to get these women to come with him to his torture chamber.
Furthermore, David Ray found that even if these women were brave enough to accuse him of any wrongdoing, they were less likely to be believed by the authorities because of their social position.
6. Ray Kept His Victims Informed
Information is power, they say, but for the notorious s*dist, rapist, and torturer it was just another instrument of torture. Among the multitude of devices in his toy box was a homemade gynecologist’s chair with a ceiling mirror. With the mirror, Ray’s helpless victims could see exactly what was happening to them.
He also had a hideous pre-recorded audio cassette that he played to his victims on the first day. The tape usually contained a graphic description and a detailed explanation of the horror they faced.
7. David Ray Lived a Normal Life Despite His Activities
There is nothing normal about a s*dist who spends his free time torturing and killing women. But to the ignorant, David Ray was a normal guy who had a job like any other. In contrast to the creepy-looking, idle monster you would imagine, Ray had a day job as a mechanic.
He had served in the military as a mechanic, whereupon he received an honorable discharge. In fact, his technical skills as a mechanic helped him turn his trailer into the perfect torture dungeon.
8. He Had Sex Parties
Although one of his neighbors facilitated the escape of his first known victim and his eventual arrest, some of them knew of his heinous activities. It turned out that David Ray also hosted sex parties in his torture trailer. Present were his equally depraved friends and neighbors, who were also allowed to have sex with some of his victims. The sex shows also included dogs raping the victims to the perverse delight of his guests.
9. He Was a Very Intelligent Man
Many would agree with the fact that David Ray had nothing good in him, but one thing is for sure, he was very good at covering his tracks. Although he is alleged to have committed over 60 murders, Ray was never convicted of murder. In fact, the only evidence linking him to all these murders was found in his journals after his arrest. In the diaries, he wrote detailed reports about all the women he allegedly tortured and murdered.
After his arrest in 1999, about 100 FBI agents were assigned to search his property and surroundings. However, not a single trace of human remains was found. Almost 2 decades later, the FBI still has not been able to connect him to any of the murders.
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10. His Last Victim Brought About His Waterloo
Fortunately, David Ray’s long streak of terror ended on March 22, 1999, after his very last victim Cynthia Vigil was lucky enough to escape from the toy box. Before that, Ray had let many of his victims go, but he made sure that he completely erased the memories of their nightmare. However, this was not the case with Vigil, as she could remember what happened.
That fateful morning, Ray went to his day job and left Vigil in the toy box with his girlfriend, Cindy Hendy. Vigil, who had already spent 3 days in the torture chamber, was able to defend herself against Cindy after she loosened the chains on her hands. Then she ran out of the trailer without anything on her except the iron dog collar on her neck. She made her way to a nearby house where the inmates took her in and gave her a robe. They quickly called 911 and the rest is, as they say, history.
