This Boy Scout Leader is Creepy // The John Getrue Murder Story

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Ray William Johnson: True Story Podcast 8 min 1 speaker 7 chapters transcribed just now

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How did John Getreu’s early life and first murder lead to his conviction as a juvenile?

Ray William Johnson 0:00

So how does a man get convicted of killing a fifteen year old and then go on to run a boy scout troop? So this all starts with this guy, Getru. And Getru is 18 during this time, living in Bot Koitznach, West Germany. And Getru, he's actually an American, and he goes to school in Germany because his dad is in the military and is stationed there. And even though he's still in his teens, Gethrus has a major problem. He's not quite right in the head. In fact, he gets sexually turned on by committing. Yeah. And one night in 1963, he's at a school dance, and there he meets this other student who also happens to be American. She's 15. And so Getrus sees her and he sees her as a target. And so after the dance, he offers to walk this girl home.

Ray William Johnson 0:51

And along the way, he lures her to a campus baseball field. And suddenly, boom, he attacks her and he strangles her. Then he

Why was Getreu released on parole and how did he become a Boy Scout leader in California?

Ray William Johnson 1:01

essays her, and the attack is so brutal that she unfortunately dies. Now, multiple witnesses saw him leave the dance with that girl. So, bam, he gets arrested. And eventually he goes to trial and he's found guilty. And this is big news in the area. Here's actually Getrus' picture in the newspaper. But, because of German law at the time, he was tried as a juvenile, and he only gets sentenced to 10 years in prison. Then, six years later, in 1969, he gets out on parole. And the German government basically orders him to leave the country for good. So he moves to Florida to be with his parents, where they live now. And a few years pass, and it's now 1973. And Getru is 28 years old. And at this point, he's living a completely normal life.

Ray William Johnson 1:56

Like he lives in Palo Alto, California. He has a wife and a stepdaughter and a normal job as a cardiology tech at Stanford Hospital.

What new murders did Getreu commit in 1973 and how did investigators initially handle the cases?

Ray William Johnson 2:05

Not only that, but he becomes, of all things, a Boy Scout leader for one of the local troops. And you know the Boy Scouts aren't doing background checks. So, despite his past record as a murderer, he's working around kids all the time. And people start to see him. as a helpful guy and as a community-minded person. But even so, he still has this thing where he gets sexually turned on by violence. Now, remember how I said he has a stepdaughter? Well, Gertrude starts essaying her on the regular. And obviously, his wife doesn't know that any of this is going on. And I guess all of that still isn't satisfying enough for Gethrude, because along with that, he starts prowling the streets near Stanford campus hunting for his next victim.

Ray William Johnson 2:58

And one night he finds her. Because he sees a woman who lives a few blocks away from him driving around. And Getrus starts following her, stalking her a bit. Then, one afternoon, this woman wants to go take some pictures of nature.

How did Getreu’s role with the Explorer Scouts enable another assault in 1975?

Ray William Johnson 3:13

So she drives over to the old rock quarry in the Stanford foothills. And Getrude's creepy ass follows her. So she gets there and she starts taking pictures, and Getrude sneaks up on her, and boom, he attacks her. And he strangles her. And unfortunately, he Kills her. And later her body is found, and police start investigating and they do an autopsy. But it's 1973 and forensic DNA analysis just doesn't exist yet. So the case goes cold, and Getru gets away with it completely. And about a year goes by, and he suddenly gets the urge to do it again. So one night, he's out in his car cruising around the Stanford area, probably looking for his next victim, and that is when he sees this woman on the side of the road, hitchhiking.

Ray William Johnson 4:07

A very common thing to do in the 70s. So Gethrude pulls over and he asks her if she wants a ride, and she says yes, and she gets in the car. And from here, instead of driving her to where she was headed, he drives her to a secluded area, and there he strangles her and he kills her. Then he dumps her body in a ditch on the side of the road.

What legal outcomes did Getreu face after the 1975 assault and why were the penalties so light?

Ray William Johnson 4:31

And eventually police investigate this murder as well, and immediately they see similarities between this one and the one that happened back at the Rock Quarry. Both women were twenty-one, both were strangled, both were seen near Stanford right before they died. But with no witnesses and not much evidence, police don't have much to go on.