
<p>Charles Howard Schmid Jr., known as “The Pied Piper of Tucson,” was an American serial killer whose crimes shocked Arizona in the mid-1960s. Born in 1942 and raised in Tucson, Schmid cultivated an eccentric persona—wearing makeup, dyeing his hair jet-black, stuffing his boots to appear taller, and imitating Elvis Presley. Charismatic to many teenagers yet deeply insecure, he manipulated a group of younger followers who admired his rebellious image. Schmid committed his first known murder in 1964, killing 15-year-old Aileen Rowe with the help of teenage accomplices. For months, the crime remained hidden. In 1965, he murdered Gretchen Fritz, an 18-year-old girlfriend who knew of his earlier crime, and her younger sister Wendy, fearing she would expose him. Their bodies were buried in the desert outside Tucson. The charismatic façade began to crumble as those around Schmid grew uneasy, and rumors circulated. Eventually, one of his close acquaintances went to police. Schmid was arrested, tried, and convicted of multiple murders, receiving a death sentence that was later commuted to 50 years to life after Arizona briefly abolished capital punishment. While in prison, Schmid attempted escape and was later severely injured by fellow inmates. He died in 1975 from wounds inflicted during a prison attack, at age 32. Schmid’s case drew national media attention, inspiring magazine features—most notably a 1966 article in <em>Life</em>—and influencing pop culture, including Joyce Carol Oates’ short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” His story remains a disturbing example of charm weaponized as manipulation and the dark side of teenage idolization.</p>



<p>Audio version:</p>



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<p>Video version:</p>



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<p>Channel art and audio & video editing by Jenny Ashford. Music & sound effects courtesy of&nbsp;freesound.org&nbsp;users jamespotterboy, corsica-s, enjoypa, capturedlv, luffy, kiddpark, and justkiddink. Video clips courtesy of Videezy & Videvo.</p>


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