Human Wreckage True Crime
Disturbing True Crime Stories, These include, murderers, kidnappings, serial killers. Solved and unsolved.
Human Wreckage True Crime
Charles Schmid and the Horrors of Arizona
What drives a seemingly charming and intelligent young man to commit such unspeakable acts? Uncover the harrowing transformation of Charles Schmid, the Pied Piper of Tucson, whose dark descent into brutality shocked an entire community. This episode of Human Wreckage True Crime Podcast dissects Schmid's troubled upbringing, his complex relationships, and his manipulative charisma that ensnared the teenage circles of Arizona. From a promising athlete to a sinister predator, Schmid's story is a disturbing reminder of how outward appearances can conceal the darkest of intentions.
Listen closely as we recount the chilling details of Schmid's first murder, with his girlfriend Mary French and friend John Saunders as accomplices, and the tragic fate of high school student Aline Rowe. We also delve into Schmid's encounter with Gretchen Fritz, a wealthy yet troubled teen whose life intersected tragically with Schmid's sinister path. Through this gripping narrative, we examine the psychological and social factors that enabled Schmid's horrifying deeds, and the lasting impact his crimes had on the community. Don't miss this raw and unsettling exploration of a true crime story that continues to haunt those who lived through it.
Charles Schmid was born to a single mother. He was adopted by Charles and Catherine Schmid, owners and operators of Hillcrest Nursing Home in Tucson, arizona. He had a difficult relationship with his adoptive father, whom his adoptive mother later divorced. When Schmid tried to meet his birth mother, she angrily told him never to come back. Welcome to another episode of Human Wreckage True Crime Podcast. This episode is about Charles Schmid and the brutal crimes he committed. Let's get into it. Schmidt did poorly in school but was described as good-looking, intelligent and well-mannered, an accomplished athlete. He excelled at gymnastics and even led his high school to a state championship, but quit the team in his senior year. Just before graduating, schmid was suspended for stealing tools from the school's machine shop. He never returned to school.
Speaker 1:Schmid began living in his own quarters on his parents' property and received an allowance of $300 a month. His parents left him to run on his own with a new car and a motorcycle. Schmid was called the Pied Piper because he was charismatic and had many friends in Tucson's teenage community. For a time, the members of his teenage coterie would keep the secrets of his murders. His best friends were John Saunders, richie Bruns and Paul Graff, the latter of whom lived with him. He spent much of his time on Tucson's Speedway Boulevard picking up girls and drinking with friends, although he tended to be a loner. Schmid was a short man who wore cowboy boots stuffed with newspapers and flattened cans to make him appear taller. He explained to impressionable teenagers his resultant rolling gait was a result of a crippling fight with mafia members. He used lip balm, pancake makeup and created an artificial mole on his cheek. Schmidt also stretched his lower lip with a clothespin to make it resemble Elvis Presley's.
Speaker 1:On the evening of Sunday, may 31st 1964, schmidt, in the presence of his then-girlfriend and an acquaintance, blurted a statement I want to kill a girl tonight. The trio drove to the home of Aline Rowe, a high school student living with her divorced mother, whom Schmid knew work nights. It is believed Schmid selected Rowe to be his victim as the teen had refused to engage in casual sex with Schmid and other local youths. Schmid instructed his girlfriend, mary French, to persuade Rowe to accompany her, schmid and John Saunders to the desert. The teenager agreed, although shortly after arriving at the desert, schmid bound the teen's arms behind her back as Roe pleaded why are you doing this to me? To which Schmid responded it's Mary French's idea. She hates you. Saunders then removed Roe's bathing costume before Schmid informed him to take a walk. Upon Saunders' return, he observed Roe having been raped in his absence, meekly attempting to redress herself. Schmid instructed Saunders to likewise rape the teen, but Saunders was unable to sustain an erection. Saunders reportedly then refused Schmid's instructions to bludgeon Roe with a large rock. Instead, returning to Schmid's car to retrieve French, who had remained in the vehicle listening to the radio, schmid then bludgeoned Roe to death in the other's absence. Schmid then returned to the car where he kissed French, telling the girl remember I love you. The three then buried her.
Speaker 1:Several months after the murder of Aline Roe, schmid encountered a 16-year-old local teen named Gretchen Fritz at a local swimming pool. Fritz was the daughter of a wealthy, prominent Tuckson heart surgeon and community leader and via local gossip Schmidt had learned the girl had recently been expelled from her private school due to her involvement in an attempted armed robbery Unknown to Schmid. Tutors at Fritz's private school had classified her as a pathological liar whom they had recommended undergo psychiatric treatment. That evening Schmid drove to Fritz's home where he presented himself as a pots-and-pans salesman as a ruse to introduce himself to her. According to Schmid, fritz scrutinized the cutlery in his hands and then said they look like they've all been used. She then smiled and calmly offered to buy his wares. But when Schmidt explained the cutlery in his possession were just samples, fritz shrieked I want them, all of them. When he revealed the true reason for his visit, the teen calmed down.
Speaker 1:Shortly. Thereafter the two began dating, but Fritz was markedly possessive and frequently became hysterical if she observed Schmid in the company of other females or learned of parties he hosted to which she was not invited. According to Schmid, by 1965, fritz frequently called him five or six times a day and he began making efforts to distance himself from her. Several months into their relationship, schmid confided to Fritz that he had murdered Roe. He later showed her the location of the grave in an effort to show her what kind of guy I am. But Fritz, who had stolen a diary from Schmid in which he had detailed the murder of Roe, plus the alleged shooting death of a 16-year-old boy, had openly threatened to ruin Schmid if he attempted to separate from her. When he resolved to permanently end it with Fritz, she again threatened to use the information against him.
Speaker 1:Schmid strangled Gretchen, then aged 17, and her 13-year-old sister, wendy, on August 16, 1965. Schmid confided to Bruns that he murdered the sisters and showed him the bodies buried haphazardly in the desert. Bruns became increasingly afraid that Schmid was going to murder his girlfriend. Ultimately, bruns fled to Ohio because his girlfriend's parents were convinced that he was harassing her. Bruns stayed with his grandparents and told them everything he knew about the murders and flew back to Tucson to help with the investigation. In 1966, schmid was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death.
Speaker 1:When the state of Arizona temporarily abolished capital punishment in 1971, schmid's sentence was commuted to 50 years in prison. After Schmid's trial and conviction, his adoptive mother and her second husband had owed her son's legal team more money than they possessed. As a result, they ended up living in near poverty in Coolidge, arizona. Schmidt attempted to escape from prison multiple times, finally succeeding on November 11, 1972, when he and triple murderer Raymond Hudgens escaped from Arizona State Prison. They held four hostages on a ranch near Temp for a time, ate at a Sonic, then separated and were recaptured and returned to prison. In the early 1970s Schmid became interested in poetry. He sent his work from prison to Richard Shelton, a professor at the University of Arizona, for all the wrong reasons. I critiqued his work and discovered that he was quite talented. Shelton later said On March 20th 1975, schmid was stabbed 47 times by two fellow prisoners After losing an eye and a kidney.
Speaker 1:He died from his injuries on March 30, 1975. His body was stolen from the morgue but recovered by police. Schmid's mother chose the prison cemetery for his burial, believing his tombstone would be defaced if he were buried in a public cemetery. He received a Catholic funeral at the prison, but his body was not in the casket during the service. The two prisoners who killed him were Jimmy Farah and Dennis Aversall, both of whom pleaded guilty to second degree murder for Schmid's death and received additional time in prison. Farah was originally sent to prison for an unrelated murder while Aversaul was serving time for multiple armed robberies. Thanks for joining me again. If you like what we do, please like and subscribe. Till next time, take care of yourselves, thank you.