Howard Unruh's infamous walk of death

Howard Unruh was a mild-mannered war veteran, often described as a quiet loner. He joined the army in October 1942 and fought the Germans in Europe during WWII. His superiors considered him a model soldier. He followed orders and caused no trouble. Howard even kept meticulous records of his combat experiences. He recorded the number of German soldiers he killed, dates, times, and sometimes described the bodies.

Howard completed his military obligation and received an honorable discharge. Afterward, he returned home to Camden, New Jersey, and lived with his mother. Camden residents would learn Howard Unruh’s killing days didn’t end in Europe. Jim Unruh, Howard’s younger brother, said his older brother wasn’t the same man who returned from the war. Jim said the war made Howard bitter and angry.

The war changed Howard Unruh for the worst. After returning from Europe, he had no friends, never held a regular job and lacked any ambition. He stayed home, collected guns and practiced shooting. Although he didn’t have a busy social life, he would unleash his inner anger on his neighbors.

One of Howard’s issues involved his sexuality. He was a closet homosexual. During the 40s, the public didn’t accept homosexuality. Howard hid his sexuality from everyone. He was also schizophrenic and despised his neighbors. He believed they enjoyed tormenting him.

He had ongoing issues with neighbors Maurice and Rose Cohen. Maurice was a pharmacist who operated the local drugstore. Howard claimed the pharmacist often short changed him on his purchases. He also had issues with Rose Cohen because she often complained that Howard played his music too loud. He even had issues with Charles Cohen, the couple’s twelve-year-old son. Apparently, Howard didn’t care for the boy’s’ trumpet playing skills. He also claimed Maurice Cohen called him a queer. He believed his neighbors hated him.

On September 5, 1949, Howard went to a movie theater in Philadelphia to meet a man he was dating. Because of traffic, Howard arrived late. His date didn’t wait and left. Howard sat at the theater and seethed. He arrived home around 3 a.m. and noticed Maurice Cohen had removed the gate Howard had installed. Howard reached his breaking point and made plans to kill the Cohens and other neighbors.

The infamous walk of death

On September 6, 1949, Howard Unruh retrieved his German Luger P08 (9mm pistol) and made his infamous “Walk of Death.” After making a mental note of his victims, Howard would find and then execute them.

John Pilarchik, a 27-year-old cobbler, became Howard’s first victim. He entered Pilarchik’s shop and killed him with two shots. Howard then entered the local barbershop. Clark Hoover, 33, was giving a haircut to young Orris Smith, 6, whose mother Catherine waited by her son. Howard shot both Hoover and young Orris to death. Catherine Smith watched in horror as Unruh murdered her son and the barber. He spared Catherine’s life.

He then turned his attention to the Cohens, who were his primary targets. Howard approached their drugstore and encountered insurance salesman James Hutton. Howard killed Hutton in the drugstore’s doorway. He then stepped over Hutton and entered the drugstore. Maurice and Rose Cohen tried to escape Howard. He pursued them into their apartment. After Rose Cohen hid her son Charles in a closet, she hid in a different one.

Howard found Rose and killed her. Minnie Cohen 63, who was Maurice’s mother died next. Howard killed her as she called for help. Howard soon located Maurice Cohen and killed him with a single shot in his back. Charles Cohen hid in the closet until Howard left.

After killing the Cohens, Howard continued his rampage. Before the carnage ended, Howard Unruh had murdered 13 people and wounded three others before the police captured him. After engaging in a gun battle with the police, Howard surrendered. The police had shot him once in the leg. Howard’s other six murder victims were:

• Alvin Day, 24

• Thomas Hamilton, 2

• Helga Kautzach Zegrino, 28

• Emma Matlack, 68

• Helen Wilson, 37

• John Wilson, 9

One of the arresting officers asked Howard, “What’s the matter with you? Are you a psycho?” Howard replied, “I am no psycho, I have a good mind.” He never stood trial for his crimes. He was ruled insane and sent to the Trenton Psychiatric Hospital (formerly known as the New Jersey Hospital for the Insane). He told a psychologist he would have shot 1,000 people if he had enough bullets.

Howard remained at the psychiatric hospital until he died on October 19, 2009. He was 88. In 1949, this massacre shocked the entire country because mass shootings never happened. Today, mass shootings occur regularly. We are more shocked whenever we go any length of time without a mass shooting. Why did Howard Unruh go on a shooting spree? Was he so angry that he felt a need to kill everyone he despised?

There is one final side note to this story. Charles Cohen (the surviving son of Maurice & Rose Cohen) was the maternal grandfather of Carly Novell, who survived the 2018 Parkland Florida school shooting. She survived by hiding in a closet as her grandfather had done 60 years earlier. Charles Cohen died on September 4, 2009. He was 72.