John Thanos: From Troubled Kid to Sick Killer

In the late summer of 1990, Marylanders prayed that John Thanos would be caught. His week-long murderous crime spree led from Maryland’s Eastern Shore area to Middle River.

While Thanos talked tough during his trials, he was of slight build. As a youthful offender, he was targeted by adult prisoners. He also spent so much time in prison that he had never learned to pump his own gas.

My co-workers and I talked about this case around the water cooler or in the break room. We gritted our teeth until Thanos was caught. We watched…