Columbus Street Creeper Caged for 52 Years

On a chilly March morning in 1954, justice was served in Alexandria, Virginia, as Norman Edward Turner, a 23-year-old man with a penchant for preying on vulnerable women, was handed a 52-year prison sentence. Turner, a resident of the 500 block of South Columbus Street, had been terrorizing the city’s apartment dwellers, targeting women who lived alone and striking in the dead of night.

A resident of Alexandria Corporation Court, Judge William P. Woolls imposed the sentence on Turner, who had pleaded guilty to all four counts of burglary. In two of the incidents, the victims reported that Turner had attempted to molest them, leaving them shaken and traumatized.

The commonwealth’s attorney, Earl F. Wagner, and his assistant, Donald R. Selby, had recommended a stiffer penalty of 72 years, citing the heinous and dangerous nature of the crimes. Turner’s fingerprints, found at the scene of one of the burglaries, had led police to his doorstep on November 8, 1953, bringing an end to his reign of terror.

Turner’s modus operandi was to prowl the apartment bedrooms of women, preying on their vulnerability and striking while they were at their most defenseless. The fact that he was caught and brought to justice is a testament to the bravery and determination of the Alexandria police.

As Turner begins his long sentence, the people of Alexandria can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that their streets are a little bit safer. But the incident serves as a reminder of the dangers that lurk in the shadows, and the importance of vigilance and community cooperation in keeping our neighborhoods secure.