A “budding serial killer” who dressed up as WWE wrestler The Undertaker will spend 40 to 80 years behind bars after he was caught stabbing two sleeping homeless people – one fatally – in Philadelphia.
During the first attack, which occurred in February 2023, Dshawn Crawford was caught on video wearing a long, dark jacket, black hat, black pants and black boots - similar to how WWE’s icon would dress, Assistant District Attorney Jeff Hojnowski said during a Wednesday press conference.
Video shows Crawford approaching a homeless man as he slept before violently stabbing him 19 times with a long knife.
Miraculously, the victim - who was stabbed in his head, back and face - survived, Hojnowski said.
Less than a week later, investigators say Crawford stabbed 43-year-old Marcos Torres Rivera to death as he slept on a park bench.
Authorities said Crawford did not know his victims leading up to the attacks. A motive was not immediately clear; however, prosecutors said they believe he likely would’ve continued to kill had he not been caught.
Prosecutors say Crawford lived near where the attacks occurred.
During a search of his home, investigators found the clothes he was pictured wearing during the attacks, as well as knives and occult material.
“I think what we’re talking about here was actually a budding serial killer,” District Attorney Larry Krasner said during the briefing.
“Left on the street for a longer period of time, Dshawn Crawford might well have become known as a serial killer. It’s not a phrase I use lightly,” Krasner added.
Crawford, who was 29 years old at the time of the attacks, pleaded guilty to the two stabbings. Authorities are investigating whether Crawford, who came to Philadelphia from North Carolina, is responsible for any unsolved crimes there.
