Even today thou most of the turnpike is now 6 lanes wide there are still 4 lane sections where truck drivers can pull over and take a break or even sleep overnight . But back in the 1950's that proved fatal to several when a mysterious killer was targeting them for a robbery. Those rest stops still exist to this day
Today smart drivers even if there at an official Truck Stop will take precautions to make sure no one can force their doors open when sleeping using seat belts and freight straps.
But in 1953 on July 25th Lester Woodward was stopped along Turnpike near Irwin and shot in the head and killed after being robbed . and then again July 28th near Donegal Harry Pitts was Robbed and killed then July31 a driver on US 30 near Lisbon Ohio was robbed and shot but managed to survive all with a 32 caliber hand gun . Drivers quickly formed wolf Packs and traveled together and rested together carrying guns knives baseball bats etc to protect themselves from this murderer
After an intense effort by State Police Detectives in October of 53 they caught a break and traced some stolen goods to a pawn shop and made an arrest in New Mexico on October 13th
Police would arrest a Pa. local who lived near the Pa Turnpike in Ohiopyle
John Wesley Wable 26 would be tried convicted and executed for the crimes at Rock-view Penitentiary in 1955
https://murderpedia.org/male.W/w/wable-john-wesley.htm
The turnpike saw a significant loss of revenue over this incident as many avoided traveling it that summer due to fear of meeting up with this killer.
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