People of the world were often shocked by tragic crimes during the decade of the 1990’s. Here are some that changed the way people saw the world and had ramifications far beyond the people directly involved. They are in no particular order.
The Snowtown Murders
In May of 1999, investigators in the South Australian town of Snowtown made a gruesome find: the remains of ten murder victims buried or packed into barrels. Two more victims would eventually be identified. The killers were a small group of men and women led by John Justin Bunting, a charismatic psychopath.
The victims had been tortured and then brutally murdered before being disposed of, generally in barrels of acid. The murder investigation was followed all over Australia and abroad as sickening and horrid details leaked out. The case shocked and outraged Australians, who were stunned that a group of sadistic killers could operate for so long without being detected.
The O.J. Simpson Murder Case
On June 13, 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were found murdered at her Los Angeles home. The case became a sensation when police began to suspect that Simpson’s ex-husband, former college football and NFL star O.J.Simpson, had murdered them.
The case was followed avidly around the world to the point of obsession: one study done at the time showed that while three-quarters of Americans could identify Kato Kaelin, a witness in the case, only one-quarter could identify the Vice-President of the United States. Another study asserted that US industry lost close to $25 billion in productivity during the trial. There was to be one final twist in the shocking case: O.J. was acquitted in October, 1995. He is currently in jail for another crime.
The Murder of Tupac Shakur
On September 7, 1996, rap star Tupac Shakur was gunned down in Las Vegas as he rode in a car to a popular club. The death of the hugely popular Shakur was a shock to his fans, who continue to buy his music (he is one of several musicians who have sold more music after their death than while alive).
The high-profile murder has never been solved, although there are as many conspiracy theories about it as there are of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Fellow rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg has always claimed that music promoter Marion “Suge” Knight, who was in the car with Shakur and injured as well, was involved. Other theories accuse East Coast rappers, gangs or the mafia.
The Columbine Shootings
On April 20, 1999, the world was stunned by the news that two high school students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, had gone on a shooting spree at Columbine High School in Colorado, murdering twelve students and a teacher before killing themselves.
Initial investigations indicated that Harris and Klebold were bullied by other students, but later studies showed that the two planned the attack for months, acquiring weapons, making bombs and studying the layout of the school to achieve maximum carnage. The shocking massacre brought about some changes in American high schools, such as increased security and zero-tolerance for students making threats of similar actions.
The Murder of JonBenet Ramsey
On December 26, 1996, the parents of young JonBenet Ramsey found a ransom note purporting to be from someone who had abducted their daughter. They called authorities, and a few hours later, the body of the unfortunate little girl was found in the basement of the Ramsey home in Colorado. The case shocked the nation not only for the gruesome murder of a little girl, but also because of the questionable parenting on the part of the Ramseys, who put JonBenet in beauty pageants for small children, including dressing her like a Las Vegas showgirl.
Initial suspicion fell on the parents and JonBenet’s nine year old brother, but they were later cleared. The case is still unsolved, which is shocking given the media attention and countless hours of official and unofficial investigations.
There were several other shocking crimes committed during the 1990’s, including the Strathfield Massacre, the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi and the murder of Matthew Shepard. Which do you think were the five most shocking?
Christopher Minster - I'm a freelance writer. I mostly write about travel, history and culture. I enjoy writing fiction as well.
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