The lonely hearts killers

Most of us are too busy to pursue a possible love interest. So where do singles go for romance? If all the television and radio commercials about online dating are accurate, then you know romance is merely a click away. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of dating sites. You can even find sites that cater to farmers, gay couples, active people, and vampire lovers.

Although every dating commercial has the beaming couple with white teeth, you know there are many untold online dating horror stories. Before the internet, people visited clubs, churches, singles dances, or ended up on a blind date arranged by a well-meaning friend or relative.

Another option for finding love was by placing small advertisements in local papers. The people who posted and responded to the ads became members of the “lonely hearts club.” Although most people placed ads to find love, you also had predators seeking potential victims.

During the 1940s, a conman named Raymond Fernandez preyed on lonely women seeking romance. He worked in British intelligence during WWII. He also suffered a massive skull fracture that most likely altered his social behavior. After his recovery, he was arrested for theft and spent some time incarcerated. While locked up, Fernandez learned about Voodoo and witchcraft from a cellmate.

A delusional Fernandez believed he could use spells and black magic to make himself irresistible to women. He planned to use his new talents to separate lonely women from their cash. He put ads in the paper seeking companionship. Once a woman replied, he would romance her, steal her money and then vanish.

A deadly duo

However, his plans changed when he began dating a woman named Martha Beck. She was a divorced mother of two who lived in Florida. Martha had terrible luck with men. She was an overweight woman who craved romance from anyone willing to give it to her. She read romance books and became absorbed in finding a genuine relationship.

She may have thought she found love with Raymond Fernandez. He visited her in Florida and then returned to New York. Martha told people they were engaged. After losing her job, Martha gathered up her two kids and showed up in New York to stay with Fernandez. Although he agreed to take her in, he didn’t want kids around. He told Martha to get rid of them. She left them with the Salvation Army and walked away.

Beck was submissive and would do anything to please Fernandez. Fernandez soon learned just how deep Martha’s affections for him ran. Leaving her children was one thing, but would she kill for him? Martha even began helping Fernandez in conning women.

To gain the confidence of unsuspecting women, Martha posed as Fernandez’s sister. Although she helped Fernandez, she didn’t like him having intimate relations with his victims. In 1949, Raymond became involved with a woman named Janet Fay, 66. She moved in with Fernandez in his New York residence. One day, Martha became enraged at Fay and beat her with a hammer.

Fernandez then strangled Fay to death. After the homicide, the duo moved to Wyoming Township, Michigan. Fernandez began relations with Delphine Downing, 28, a widow with a two-year-old daughter. After Fernandez became leery of Beck and Fernandez, he fatally shot Downing. Afterward, Beck drowned Downing’s child. Fernandez and Beck buried them in the basement and remained in Downing’s home. Suspicious neighbors contacted the police who arrested both Fernandez and Beck on March 1, 1949.

After the arrest, Fernandez confessed to his crimes. Authorities charged both Fernandez and Beck with killing Janet Fay. They were convicted and sentenced to death. Fernandez and Beck both died in the electric chair on March 8, 1951. No one knows the exact body count, but it’s believed Fernandez and Beck may have killed 20 people.

Today, if you are seeking love on the internet, you must be cautious about meeting complete strangers. Although the internet has led to many successful relationships, there will always be another Martha Beck or Raymond Fernandez seeking new victims.