Donna Perry (serial killer)

Donna R. Perry (born Douglas R. Perry) is an American serial killer. Assigned male at birth, she was charged with three counts of first-degree murder in 2014 for killing three women in 1990. Perry underwent gender-affirming surgery in 2000; her gender identity formed a portion of the defense's argument.

Donna Perry
Born
Douglas R. Perry
NationalityAmerican
Criminal chargeFirst-degree murder (x3)
PenaltyThree life sentences without the possibility of parole
Details
Victims
  • Yolanda A. Sapp
  • Nickie I. Lowe
  • Kathleen A. Brisbois

Early life

Perry was sexually abused by her father from age four until her father's death three years later, according to her attorney.[1]

Crimes

Perry's criminal record lists various charges dating back to 1974.[2]: 91  In 1987, Perry was charged with reckless endangerment. In 1988, Perry was arrested for possessing a pipe bomb and was subsequently found to have 49 guns and 20,000 rounds of ammunition.[3][4] In 1989, Perry was arrested for soliciting a prostitute.[2]: 91  In the late 1990s, Perry spent 18 months in jail after being pulled over in Oregon's red light district with a gun and knife.[2]: 92  During this prison sentence, Perry allegedly confessed to her cellmate to killing nine prostitutes.[5]

Perry shot and killed Yolanda A. Sapp (26), Nickie I. Lowe (34), and Kathleen A. Brisbois (38) during a four-month period in 1990.[6][7] Sapp's body was discovered on February 22, Lowe's on March 25, and Brisbois' on May 15.[2]: 89  The women were all found naked near the Spokane River, where they were dumped.[8] Until 2012, they were believed to be additional victims of convicted serial killer, Robert L. Yates.[4]

Trial and imprisonment

In March 2012, Perry was convicted for firearms possession. As part of the legal process, her DNA was submitted to a national database, which matched it to DNA relating to the 1990 murders.[2]: 92 [9] In a 2012 affidavit, Perry told police that she intentionally had gender-affirmation surgery, which she underwent in Thailand in 2000, "as a permanent way to control violence".[10]

In 2014, Perry was charged with three counts of first-degree murder.[4] Perry was originally to stand trial in 2016. However, due to an ethics breach in the Spokane County Public Defender's Office, attorneys Kyle Zeller, Nathan Poston and Brooke Hagara resigned in April of that year, forcing the trial to be postponed.[11][12]

The trial began on June 9, 2017.[1] The prosecution cited DNA and fingerprint evidence in connection to the three killings.[13] A portion of Perry's defense relied on her claim that it was Douglas Perry, not Donna, who may have committed the murders.[5] The prosecution argued, contrarily, that Perry underwent gender-affirmation surgery in order to avoid suspicion in the killings.[14] Perry's defense attorney, Pat Donahue, argued the DNA evidence only proved that Perry was in the area where the crimes took place.[1]

On July 24, 2017, Perry was sentenced to three life sentences without the possibility of parole.[15] She is currently detained at the Washington Corrections Center for Women in Gig Harbor, Washington.[16] The family of Nickie Lowe expressed their desire for Perry to serve her sentence in a men's prison or in isolation to prevent possible harm to more women.[17]

In media

TELEVISION

References
  1. Clouse, Thomas (2017-07-09). "Donna Perry's attorney rips state's evidence as triple murder trial begins". The Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on 2017-06-09. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  2. Ramsland, Katherine (2013). "Donna Perry". 2015 Serial Killers True Crime Anthology, Volume II. Createspace Independent Publishing. pp. 89–98. ISBN 9781500505165.
  3. Clouse, Thomas (2012-11-21). "Woman linked to 1990 prostitute killings". The Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on 2012-11-28. Retrieved 2021-04-18.
  4. Clouse, Thomas (2017-07-05). "Jury selection set to begin in trial of Donna Perry, suspected Spokane serial killer". The Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on 2017-06-06. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  5. Susan, Donaldson James (2014-03-19). "Transgender Defense: 'Donna' Says 'Doug' Is the Spokane Serial Killer". ABC News. Archived from the original on 2014-03-19. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  6. Glover, Jonathon (2017-07-29). "Jury convicts Donna Perry of serial killings". The Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on 2017-07-02. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  7. "Transgender woman sentenced to life without parole for 3 Spokane-area slayings". Seattle Times. 2017-07-24. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  8. Kaitlin, Gillespie (2013-10-31). "Police and sheriff's detectives solve 23-year-old cold case murders". The Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on 2013-11-25. Retrieved 2021-04-18.
  9. Erik, Hawkins (2019-07-12). "Five Times Old Injustice Was Righted Through Dogged Investigation". Oxygen. Archived from the original on 2019-07-12. Retrieved 2021-04-18.
  10. Susan, Donaldson James (2014-03-19). "Transgender Defense: 'Donna' Says 'Doug' Is the Spokane Serial Killer". ABC News. Archived from the original on 2014-03-19. Retrieved 2021-04-17. She also told police that she intentionally had the operation, which she underwent in 2000, "as a permanent way to control violence."
  11. "Possible ethics breach pushes back Donna Perry trial". KHQ Right Now. 2016-09-15. Archived from the original on 2021-04-18. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  12. Glover, Johnathan (2016-09-14). "Ethical fiasco delays trial of alleged Spokane serial killer Donna Perry". The Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on 2016-09-16. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  13. Clouse, Thomas (2017-06-20). "Attorneys reach evidence in Perry trial that led to charging the transgender woman with murder". The Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on 2017-06-21. Retrieved 2021-04-18.
  14. "Transgender woman convicted for slayings of 3 women who worked as prostitutes". www.cbsnews.com. 2017-07-29. Archived from the original on 2017-06-30. Retrieved 2021-04-18.
  15. Clouse, Thomas (2017-07-24). "Serial killer Donna Perry sentenced to life without parole". The Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on 2017-07-25. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  16. "Inmate Search". Washington State Department of Corrections. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  17. Lindsay, Nadrich (2017-07-20). "Evaluation suggests convicted murderer Donna Perry be sentenced to life in prison". KREM2. Archived from the original on 2021-04-18. Retrieved 2021-04-18.
  18. ""Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer" Douglas Perry (TV Episode 2016)". IMDb. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  19. ""21st Century Serial Killer" Donna Perry (TV Episode 2019)". IMDb. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  20. ""Making A Serial Killer" Donna Perry (TV Episode 2021) | Crime". IMDb. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  21. ""Forensic Files II" Full Circle (TV Episode 2021) | Documentary, Crime". IMDb. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
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