Charles Whitman
Suffered from hypergraphia. Autopsy revealed a tumor in the hypothalamus.
Timeline
| 24 Jun 1941 |
Charles Whitman born to Margaret and Charles Whitman, Lake Worth FL. |
| 1947 |
Stanford-Binet test reveals an IQ of 138. |
| 1951 |
Joins the Boy Scouts of America. |
| 1953 |
Becomes an Eagle Scout at age 12, the youngest at the time. |
| 1959 |
Graduates high school. |
| 6 Jul 1959 |
Enlists, U.S. Marine Corps, where he becomes a sharpshooter. |
| Sep 1961 |
Scholarship, Naval Enlisted Science Education Program. Begins study at University of Texas. |
| 17 Aug 1962 |
Marries Kathryn Leissner of Needville TX, whom he met at the University of Texas. |
| Feb 1963 |
Academic performance poor, leaves UT. Posted to Camp Lejeune, SC. |
| Nov 1963 |
Court martial. Sentenced to 30 day restriction, rank reduced to Private. |
| 4 Dec 1964 |
Pfc. Charles Whitman honorably discharged from U.S. Marine Corps. |
| 29 Mar 1966 |
Meets with doctor, M.D. Heathly, to discuss his state of mind. |
| 31 Jul 1966 |
"I am prepared to die. After my death, I wish an autopsy on me to be preformed to see if there is any mental disorder." |
| 31 Jul 1966 |
Stabs his mother to death, leaving a note: "To Whom It May Concern: I have just taken my mother's life. I am very upset over having done it. However, I feel that if there is a heaven she is definitely there now... I am truly sorry... Let there be no doubt in your mind that I loved this woman with all my heart." Returns home, stabs his wife to death in her sleep, leaving another note: "I imagine it appears that I brutally killed both of my loved ones. I was only trying to do a quick thorough job... If my life insurance policy is valid please pay off my debts... donate the rest anonymously to a mental health foundation. Maybe research can prevent further tragedies of this type." |
| 1 Aug 1966 |
Enters the Bell Tower at University of Texas. Over the span of 96 minutes, kills 16 and wounds 30. The shooting ends when Officer Ramiro Martinez and Houston McCoy storm the tower, shooting Whitman twice in the head with a 12ga shotgun at 1:24 pm. Whitman is buried at Hillcrest Memorial Park, Cloud Lake FL. |
| 12 Aug 1966 |
Cover, Time magazine. |
| 15 Sep 1999 |
Bell Tower reopens to the public. |
| 12 Nov 2001 |
Victim David Gunby dies from kidney complications, resulting from his injury on 1 Aug 1966. This makes him the 17th victim. |
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