Irwin Hartford

Passions

Traits

American homicide, the killer of Philip Davis, known as P.J., on 7/22/1992, Lawrence, MA. With a history of larceny and other charges including sexual violence, Hartford abducted a counselor at a halfway house where he was a client in 1987 and terrorized her during a drive in her car. He pleaded guilty and was given a four-year prison sentence. In March 1992 a judge found him Not Guilty of indecently assaulting a 12-year old boy in spite of the boy's testimony. On 7/22/1992, 13-year old P.J. was fishing with his brother and two other boys when Hartford suggested that they go along the lakeside to find frogs. He lured the boy down the trail with him to shoot squirrels with a BB gun. Ten minutes later one of the boys saw Hartford on top of P.J. and ran to phone the police. P.J.'s body was found under leaves, sexually molested and his head crushed with blows from a rock at Plug Pond, Haverhill, MA. Hartford had bitten him on the inner thigh and attempted to rape him anally. Hartford, who has learning disabilities and has spent most of his life in various state schools and institutions, was charged with first-degree murder and found guilty on 4/05/1994.