All Mrs. May knew was what her son John had told her before he'd headed off to the movies - "Emmogene never came home from school for her lunch." This was confirmed by Albirdie May, aged 11, who returned home from school earlier that day to find only John waiting there. The two had lunch together then they went to report the situation to Mary, who was earning money by doing housework in another family's home.
John hadn't been at school himself; he'd recently dropped out of high school and seemed to be struggling a little bit. John was frequently at odds with his 73-year-old father Arthur and he was irritated by how much noise Emmogene made. John had even run away from home a month prior but he was back now and managed to find work tending the furnace belonging to an elderly woman. A good part of whatever salary John earned seemed to be spent going to the cinema.
By 5:30 PM, everyone would realize John had been lying about Emmogene. Her body was found in their home, wrapped in a rug and shoved under a bed. John was arrested as he exited the movie theater. He managed to see three films that night before being picked up by the police and charged with first degree murder.
John told police he'd been enjoying the silence of the empty house and having a little nap when Emmogene came home that afternoon for lunch and that she wouldn't be quiet no matter how many times he'd asked. So he bound her hands, gagged her with a dish towel, carried her into a bedroom and tortured her with an arrowhead. When Emmogene's squirming dislodged the gag in her mouth, the child started screaming. John grabbed a .22 caliber rifle that belonged to his brother Russell, aged 15, and shot his little sister in the abdomen, not once but three times. He had to go to another room for more bullets and reload after firing the first round because she was "still kicking." With silence restored, John cleaned the gun, hid the body and claimed to know nothing of Emmogene's whereabouts.
John didn't deny what he'd done when questioned by police. In fact, he quite boldly stated, "Sure, I did it. Emmogene used to bother me and I didn't like the noise she made around the house."
As his sentencing drew near, John was quoted as saying "I've tried not to think about it but I just can't escape the thought." "I don't think the judge will be lenient with me. It was my mistake and I'm willing to pay for it."
If only he'd been so understanding two weeks earlier.
At John's trial both the defendant and Judge Paul V. Gadola were in tears as the sentence was handed down. The Judge stated that he felt the youth "was doubtless influenced by 'blood and thunder' movies and books."
John Welsey May was sentenced to "life in prison" which translated to 41 years and 9 months after his sentenced was commuted. John served 25 years and 3 months before being paroled on July 3, 1968, and 4 years later he was no longer required to report to a parole officer.
John died on July 7, 1997 at the age of 71.
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