Camden People - Leroy Snyder

On September 11, 1969, Leroy Snyder, a 38-year-old junkyard laborer, was arrested and charged with the murder of Gertrude Friedman, 58, at 330 Kaighn Avenue, Camden, where she had lived and for over 40 years. Attacked in her combination apartment and linoleum shop, the victim had been beaten and raped before her throat was slashed. Held without bail on a murder charge, Snyder was still behind bars on July 2, 1970, when he was indicted for six more slayings in Camden, all committed between February and September 1969.

Snyder had previously spent nine years in New Jersey state prisons for rape and armed robbery.

According to investigators, most of the victims including five women and one man - were friends or acquaintances of Snyder. All were beaten or stabbed to death, and two of the female victims were raped. Confessing to all seven murders on July 10, Snyder claimed robbery as the motive in six of the crimes, but "couldn't recall" his motivation for the seventh.

Under New Jersey law, Snyder's plea of no defense on seven counts of homicide prevented the state from imposing a death penalty for his crimes. On July 16, 1970, he was sentenced to three consecutive life terms, requiring the prisoner to serve 43 years and six months before he is eligible for parole. Referring to a court-ordered psychiatric report, the presiding judge publicly described Snyder as a "malignant psychopath" and a "threat to society," expressing the hope that he would never be released from jail.

Leroy Snyder died in prison October of 2001.

New Jersey Department of Corrections

Leroy Snyder

Offender Details

SBI Number:	0000405418
Sentenced as:	Snyder, Leroy
Race:	Black
Ethnicity:	N/A
Sex:	Male
Hair Color:	Black
Eye Color:	Brown
Height:	5'7"
Weight:	150 lbs.
Birth Date:	February 13, 1931
Admission Date:	July 16, 1970
Current Facility:	Deceased
Projected Max Release Date:	N/A
Projected Parole Eligibility Date:	N/A

Current Prison Sentence
Offense	Offense Date	Sentence Date	County of Commitment	Commitment Order	Mandatory Minimum Term	Maximum Term
1 count/merged count of : 2A:0020 Murder 1st Deg-Cutting	July 16, 1970	July 16, 1970	Camden	I-1270-69	None	LIFE
1 count/merged count of : 2A:0020 Murder 1st Deg-Cutting	July 16, 1970	July 16, 1970	Camden	I-1271-69	None	LIFE
1 count/merged count of : 2A:0020 Murder 1st Deg-Cutting	July 16, 1970	July 16, 1970	Camden	I-1272-69	None	LIFE
1 count/merged count of : 2A:0020 Murder 1st Deg-Cutting	July 16, 1970	July 16, 1970	Camden	I-1273-69	None	LIFE
1 count/merged count of : 2A:0020 Murder 1st Deg-Cutting	July 16, 1970	July 16, 1970	Camden	I-1274-69	None	LIFE
1 count/merged count of : 2A:0020 Murder 1st Deg-Cutting	July 16, 1970	July 16, 1970	Camden	I-1275-69	None	LIFE
1 count/merged count of : 2A:0020 Murder 1st Deg-Cutting	July 16, 1970	July 16, 1970	Camden	I-552-69	None	LIFE

Incarceration History
Date In Custody	Date Out of Custody
July 16, 1970	October 1, 2001

Aliases

No aliases available

Simpson's Leader Times - Kittanning, Pennsylvania July 13, 1970


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	Leroy Snyder A. donald Bigley W. Orvyl Schalick Gertrude Friedman Lovie Williams Kenneth Williams Shirley Brittingham Warren Wells

Simpson's Leader Times - Kittanning, Pennsylvania July 13, 1970


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	Leroy Snyder A. donald Bigley W. Orvyl Schalick Gertrude Friedman Lovie Williams Kenneth Williams Shirley Brittingham Warren Wells

Corpus Christi, Texas Times - Ju;y 10, 1970

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Connellsville, Pennsylvania Daily Courier July 17, 1970

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Gettysburg Times - September 15, 1969