John Martin Crawford

For the American physician and scholar, see John Martin Crawford (scholar).

John Martin Crawford is a Canadian serial killer.

John Martin Crawford
Background information
Birth name	John Martin Crawford
Also known as	The Lady Killer
Sentence	Life imprisonment
Killings
Number of victims	4
Span of killings	1981–1992
Country	Canada
Date apprehended	1993

Crimes

Crawford was sentenced in 1981 to 10 years imprisonment for manslaughter in the killing of Mary Jane Serloin, in Lethbridge, Alberta.

While under police surveillance, Crawford sexually assaulted Theresa Kematch, who was herself arrested, while Crawford was not.

Crawford was convicted in 1996 of killing three native women in Saskatoon in 1992, Eva Taysup, Shelley Napope, and Calinda Waterhen. He is currently serving three concurrent life sentences in Saskatchewan Penitentiary.

Media reaction

Crawford is discussed in Warren Goulding's book, Just Another Indian, A Serial Killer and Canada's Indifference with the message that crimes by marginalized minorities go unheeded by an uncaring society at large. The theory is posited that Crawford's case was played down by the media because his victims were Aboriginal women.

References

• Goulding, Warren. 2001. Just Another Indian: A Serial Killer and Canada's Indifference. Calgary: Fifth House Publishers.

External links

• Discrimination and violence against Indigenous women in Canada - Report Summary (mentions John Martin Crawford)