Gordon Stewart Northcott’s Chicken Coop of Horrors
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In the 1920s, the city of Los Angeles was struck by a wave of terror caused by a man who turned a simple chicken coop into a house of horrors. Gordon Stewart Northcott, a 23-year-old man, was ultimately hanged in 1930 at San Quentin Prison for his heinous crimes that included the abduction, sexual abuse, and murder of two boys and a teenager. While officially only convicted of three murders, it is suspected that Northcott’s victims numbered as many as 20 young boys and teenagers. The story of Gordon Stewart Northcott and his reign of terror continues to haunt the memories of those who remember his crimes.
The nightmarish tale of Gordon Stewart Northcott began on Feb. 2, 1928, when the decapitated and naked body of 18-year-old Jose Gonzales was discovered in a ditch near La Puente, a quiet suburb of Los Angeles. The gruesome discovery marked the start of a series of disappearances of young boys in the area, sparking fear and panic among residents. One of the most notable cases was that of 9-year-old Walter Collins, who vanished in March 1928 after his mother sent him to the movies with a dime, never to return home. This case captured widespread media attention and later inspired a film adaptation starring Angelina Jolie.
As the authorities scrambled to solve the mysterious disappearances, two more boys, Nelson and Lewis Winslow, aged 10 and 12, went missing in May 1928 after a Model Yacht Club meeting in Pomona. Unbeknownst to law enforcement at the time, these boys had fallen victim to Northcott, who had relocated to Los Angeles from Canada. Taking the brothers to his family’s chicken farm in Mira Loma, Riverside County, Northcott subjected them to unspeakable horrors, raping them and ultimately killing them. The gruesome acts didn’t end there, as he forced his own nephew, 11-year-old Sanford Clark, to participate in the killings and subsequent burial of the bodies on the property.
The gruesome truth of Northcott’s crimes might have remained hidden if not for the bravery of Clark’s sister, who learned of the atrocities her brother had faced and immediately informed their mother in Canada. The authorities were alerted, and Northcott attempted to flee to Canada but was captured shortly after. Subsequently, he was charged with the murders of Gonzales, the Winslow brothers, and Collins. Although he was only officially convicted of three murders, the extent of his depravity was laid bare for the world to see.
As the case unfolded, Northcott’s mother, Sarah Louise, made a shocking confession, claiming responsibility for Collins’ murder in a bid to protect her son. She was sentenced to life in prison while Northcott faced his fate at the gallows. In a final show of desperation, Northcott begged for mercy, blindfolded to shield himself from the inevitable. The chilling and gruesome chapter of Gordon Stewart Northcott’s reign of terror had finally come to a close, leaving a scar on the history of Los Angeles that would never fully heal.
The tale of Gordon Stewart Northcott serves as a stark reminder of the darkness that can lurk within seemingly ordinary individuals, as well as the enduring impact of his crimes on the lives of those affected. His legacy stands as a chilling testament to the depths of human depravity and the resilience of those who seek justice in the face of unspeakable horror.