Joseph C. Palczynski was a spree killer in the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland who in March 2000 terrorized residents in the region by killing four people and taking a family of three as hostages in one of the longest one-man standoffs ever known.
The saga ended with two of the hostages escaping and a third being rescued, Palczynski being shot to death by Baltimore County police, and a woman being sentenced to prison for purchasing his weapons.
The story came to the public's attention on March 7, 2000, when a triple homicide occurred in the quiet community of Bowley's Quarters near Middle River, Maryland an area not accustomed to violent crime.
George and Gloria Shenk, ages 49 and 50, and their neighbor David Meyers, 42, were shot to death
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Jenifer McDonel, 36, the mother of a 2-year-old boy, was fatally wounded in front of her family during an unsuccessful carjacking attempt. Following the fourth murder, Palczynski, took Whitehead to a nearby motel, where during the night, she escaped unharmed. Palczynski went outside with Whitehead to retrieve his guns in the car. As they stepped outside, Whitehead saw a police car, which she ran to, and Palczynski ran into the nearby woods and …show more content…
He was believed by investigators to have hitched a ride on a train, though he told Terrell he paid a woman to transport him there.
During the kidnapping, he ordered Terrell to drive to a local shopping center that included a Best Buy and a Target and to purchase food and various survival equipment, as well as a battery operated television with a wad of cash Palczynski provided. He threatened Terrell that he would 'shoot whoever was around' if the Terrell did not comply.
Police found Terrell in his pickup truck at 3:30 a.m. on Saturday morning after Palczynski released him. Terrell, who relied on his faith during his ordeal, had been keeping his promise not to call police.
On Friday, March 17, Palczynski once again surprised investigators when he penetrated a barrier and fled to nearby Dundalk to the home of Tracy Whitehead's mother Lynn, her boyfriend Andrew McCord, and their 12-year old son, Bradley McCord. For the following 97 hours, Palczynski held the family hostage in their home, ignoring the requests of law enforcment and negotiators and occasionally firing