Convicted Necrophiliac Charged in Two Additional Cases

March 10, 2009

In August 2008, I brought you the story of a former morgue employee from Hamilton County, Ohio, who was arrested on charges stemming from an incident that occurred over two decades ago, when he had sex with a corpse. There have been several new developments in the case since that time, including a conviction and the filing of two more counts of gross abuse of a corpse.

The pieces of this bizarre puzzle began to fall into place last year, when DNA evidence exonerated convicted killer David Steffen, 49, of raping 18-year-old Karen Range, a young woman whose dead body was found nearly beheaded in August 1982. Steffen had admitted to murdering Range, but always denied the rape allegations. Nonetheless, a jury of his peers found him guilty of both charges, and he was sentenced to death.

With the revelation that Steffen was innocent of the rape, officials were left stumped as to who the perpetrator of the rape was and how the incident had occurred.

The mystery continued until July 2008, when authorities matched the rapists DNA to 55-year-old Kenneth Douglas, a convicted drug trafficker who had to submit his DNA after he violated terms of his probation. When authorities looked into Douglas's background, they discovered that he had worked as an attendant at the Hamilton County morgue from 1976 to 1992.

When questioned by police, Douglas allegedly admitted to having had sex with Range’s corpse. In addition, he also admitted to committing other "sex acts," but claimed he could not remember the names of any of his victims.

Douglas made his first court appearance on July 29, 2008, on a single fifth-degree felony charge of gross abuse of a corpse. During the proceeding, the prosecution alleged that Douglas, who had been in charge of checking Range's body into the morgue, had sex with her corpse prior to autopsy.

After listening to testimony from both sides, Judge William Mallory set Douglas's bond at $700,000 cash and continued the hearing until August 2008.

Following the hearing, investigators re-examined 29 rape kits that were taken while Douglas worked at the morgue so that they could rule out the possibility of other wrongful convictions. They also spoke with the directors of a funeral home where Douglas once worked.

"Dealing with a guy like this, you're tempted to call him some type of animal, but that's really not fair to animals because animals don't do things like this," prosecutor Mark Piepmeier told WTOL.com, adding, "This is just one sick dude."

During a subsequent hearing last fall, Douglas pled guilty to abusing Karen Range's corpse. As a result, he was sentenced to 18 months for gross abuse of a corpse, and another 18 months for the parole violation. To date, Douglas has served about six months of that sentence.

The investigation into Douglas's past continued until February of this year, when Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters announced that DNA had linked Douglas to additional cases of necrophilia involving two murder victims - Charlene Appling Edwards and Angel Hicks.

Charlene, 23, was six months pregnant when she was murdered on Oct. 1, 1991. Angel, 24, died two months later after sustaining a blunt force injury to the head. The suspect in her case was later found not guilty.

"The indictments returned today represent a culmination of a thorough investigation," Deters said at a press conference. "I do not anticipate any additional charges against Kenneth Douglas in this matter. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims."

Deters also said that Douglas could have abused "over a hundred" corpses; however due to the destruction of evidence in the older cases, it is impossible to get an accurate count.

"I am sure there are more [cases]," Deters said. "I'm certain of it. This guy's just a pig. I can't explain why someone would do something like this. This is off-the-charts weird."

On March 9, Douglas was formally arraigned on two more charges of abuse of a corpse, to which he entered a not guilty plea on both counts.

If convicted, Douglas faces an additional three year jail term – the maximum penalty that can be imposed by the court.

As a result of Douglas's case, Ohio state lawmakers have introduced legislation that will increase the punishment for necrophilia to a third-degree felony, which would make it punishable by a maximum five year prison sentence.

In related news, Common Pleas Court Judge Beth Myers recently ruled that Douglas's case has made David Steffen eligible for a new sentencing hearing. An aggravating factor in Steffen's original case was the rape of Karen Range.

According to court records, Steffen was working as a door-to-door salesman in 1982, when he went to Karen's parent's house and knocked on the door. When Karen answered, Steffen attacked her and slit her throat.

Steffen has admitted to the murder and to attempted rape, but told police he was unable to become sexually aroused. As a result of the attempted rape, prosecutors say that Steffen should still be eligible for the death penalty.

Steffen, who has been on death row for over 25 years, will now go back before a jury to determine if he should be freed for time served or remain in prison.

A trial date for Douglas and Steffen has not yet been set.

Related Link:
Accused Necrophiliac May Have Violated Other Corpses

Photo Credits: Morgue: Darrin Klimek/Getty; All others: police file photo's

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission from Discovery Communications. All quotes must include a link back.

Comments

[barbara]

It is unbelievable that the DNA findings on the necroiliac (or whatever he is called)should in any way discount the magnitude of the crime commited by Steffen who killed a young woman just because she answered her door!

What are they thinking of? This is a callous and brutal killer. He deserves everything they can throw at him and never mind who else was involved after she was dead.

He killed her for heavens sake! He deserves max punishment.
Too many criminals are roaming our neighborhoods today because lax laws and no justice set them free. This man deserved to die then and he still does now.
Barbara

[tamara]

I am at a loss for words.

[Unamused]

In a word: Eww. Gross abuse of a corpse indeed, I think I need a shower after reading that.

Just to be utterly morbid, I might point out that incidences of necrophilia actually do occur among animals, but I leave it up to you gentle readers to consult Google for the details.

Don't search using the 'images' function... :P

[Diana]

EWWWWwwwwww

[Joe]

Wow. That really is just unbelievable. What kind of mental or emotional state do you have to be in to do something like that?

[James Schmieder]

In a case like this Douglas needs to spend the rest of his life between jail and a mental institution. Enough with the maximum penalty nonsense, society is not geered to handle someone who is this messed up.

As for the families of the victims, keep them in the dark. Nothing good can come from them knowing their loved one was abused by this creature.

Kind of makes you want to believe in a little place called hell.

[Gracie]

I 100% agree with Barbara... the crime of abusing the corpse by Douglas happened 100% after and independent of the murder and attempted rape of Karen Range. He needs to be investigated and put on some kind of perp list so the public can watch out for him...if he'd do this to a partially decapitated body, what else is he capable of?

The guy, Steffen, should get a new sentencing hearing... on these lines: "oh, by the way, perv... we found this and this and this, too!!" I hope creeps like this get as many "boyfriends" in prison for attempted rape as they do for rape... and at 18, she was still a child in my eyes. How vile the human mind can be...

Gracie

[taz]

How does one become so demented as to want to have intercourse with a corpse ? This is so baffling to me. I cannot even begin to understand the level of pure lunacy it must take to even think about doing this to a dead body. I am always amazed at the craziness of this world. I was actually nauseous after reading this article.

[Devonne' Mabe]

What's up with our Judicial System? So, he receives a slap on the hand for his abuse of a corpse. He really did suffer a punishment, "Ouch" for he may serve a couple months or so. Justice worked so well, he decided to repeat the offense over & over again. There's no telling how many times he has acted out his EVIL - Sadistic acts among those deceased. Makes no sense to me. Our country is in drastic need of CHANGE with the whole Judicial System. It's time for the Punishment to fit the Crime. I totally agree that Drug Dealers, sellers, etc., are in need of severe punishments,no doubt, however, when I hear that a remorseless Murderer, having committed a most gruesome, heinous killing of an innocent child, or an elderly person, anyone for that matter - has received less sentence time than that of the typical drug supplier, it makes me beyond IRATE! The actions seen in our Courtrooms show in all honesty of just how in need we really are. Where did the fairness, the Innocent 'Til Proven Guilty go? CHANGE is the answer & Time is critical!!!

[Concerned mama]

I agree with all of you, especially Devonne'. Where is our country headed when someone selling pot does more time than someone who took a life intentionally or raped someone? Let the punishment "FIT" the crime, in my opinion half the people in prison should have been taken out behind the jail and shot after their trials of murder and rape. Then we wouldn't have to feed them, house them and return them to our society to do it all over again.
My opinion, you kill someone in cold blood, just for fun and kicks, then you get to die too. End of story. Save all of us that abide by the laws and do the right thing every morning when we get out of bed a ton of tax dollars.
Child molesters should get the same treatment, or at the very least they should be castrated along with this sicko that abuses corpses. Too many precious lives are ruined by repeat criminals. Have we not learned that our families, our homes and ourselves are worthy of a world and a society that is not teeming with criminals? I see so much and can't believe that we are so tolerant of the volume of weirdness and depravity that exists.
How sad is it that I can't let my daughter play outside without watching her constantly? How have we allowed our children to become prey? If people knew they would die or get castrated if they harmed a child IMMEDIATELY then they would be less likely to do it.
When I was a child, we played for hours outside with no one watching us, there was never a thought of it being unsafe to us, now I have to arm my children with "stranger danger" and rules to go by. We owe it to ourselves and our future generations to take back our communities and show people that this type of behavior is not going to be tolerated anymore by enforcing prison sentences and following through with death sentences in a timely manner.
Sorry for the rant.
I just worry where our world is headed anymore. Will children eventually have to be tied to our sides?

[Fuzzy]

Now that is sick!

[Sheila]

Just food for thought. To Joe who asked "What kind of mental or emotional state do you have to be in to do something like that?" According to God (His Holy Bible, Him in written form), you can be in several "states". Demon possession (fairly rare) or truly mentally ill (God applauds and commands education and that's why we have psychiatrists or psychologists to determine these types) but more commonly, a normal state of mind. We are all descended from Adam and Eve, after all, who were the first law-breakers, or sinners. You don't have to like the rules, but recognize that God made them, and that because of that you are a sinner, and breaking any one of them, well, is wrong. We have inherited the disease of sin. Yes, and it is progressive. Which is why Jesus paid the price for all of us and can not only save us from our sin here on earth, but also his death provided mercy so that none of us have to be punished (go to hell) if, in fact, you just believed what I have written.

[KIRSTEN]

where do i find my father who is in jail i cant find it anywhere i want to know his records that would be nice if the jail had somewhere i could find him thansk good bye e eeese

[JKennedy]

"Necrophilia according to the DSM IV, is a paraphilia characterized by a sexual attraction to corpses."

In other words, it is a mentally ill diagnosis. Not to say they shouldn't still be punished, but it is a recognized diagnosis. I personally think anyone that even considers or acts on this should definitely be punished to the fullest extent of the law. It is not only disgusting, it's most definitely a gross abuse of a human's remains and disrespectful to not only the person being abused, but to the family and friends of the deceased victim of this crime.
Rewrite the law to be the same punishment as murder. Rape is rape, whether to a live victim or a deceased one.