William Hickman

William Hickman was the man who kidnapped Marion Parker on Decmber 15 1927 by appearing at her junior high school and claiming her father Perry Parker was ill and wanted to see his daughter. He did not realize they were twin Parker daughters nor did he know either child's name. But despite this the school's administrator turned one of the girls over to him. The next day he sent the frst of three ransom notes to the Parker home, demanding $1,500 in $20 gold certificates. On December 19 Parker delivered the ransom in Los Angeles but in return Hickman gave him Marion's dismembered body. Her arms and legs had been severed and her internal organs were removed and a towel stuffed into her body to absorb blood led police to Hickman's apartment but he fled. As a result the police offered a $100,000 reward for his capture but for nearly a week he eluded authorities.

He was caught after spending some of the ransom and supsequently confessed to the killing and was convicted of murder and kidnap and was hanged.