Joe Metheny was born on March 2, 1955, in Maryland. He grew up in an abusive household and was often beaten up by his father. His parents separated when he was ten years old, after which Metheny went to live with his mother. She was an alcoholic who often brought home men, which made Metheny uncomfortable. To escape the chaotic environment at home, Metheny spent much of his time in the woods, where he learned to hunt.
Metheny was expelled from school at the age of 15 after assaulting a teacher. He then began living a life of petty crime, stealing from stores and breaking into houses. He was arrested several times throughout his teenage years and spent time in juvenile detention centers. When he turned 18, Metheny joined the army, where he was trained as a cook.
After leaving the army, Metheny worked in various food service jobs, including at a catering company and a restaurant. It was during this time that he began to exhibit violent behavior towards his coworkers; he would threaten them with knives and try to intimidate them with his strength. He was fired from several jobs due to his aggression, which left him bitter and resentful.
Metheny’s first known victim was Cathy Magaziner, whom he picked up from a Baltimore street in 1994. He brought her to his trailer, where he drugged and raped her, before strangling her to death. He then dismembered her body, which he disposed of in a nearby dumpster. Metheny’s second victim was Kimberly Spicer, whom he killed in a similar fashion a year later.
Metheny was eventually caught by police when Kim’s remains were found in the woods, and he was linked to the murder through DNA evidence. He was sentenced to death in 1998 but died in prison in 2017, after an apparent heart attack.
Metheny was known to have cannibalized the remains of his victims, and he claimed to have served human meat in his food service jobs. He also stated that he had killed a total of ten people, in what he described as a “murder spree.” However, there is no evidence to support this claim.
The legacy of Joe Metheny is a dark one, marked by violence, trauma, and tragedy. His brutal crimes were fueled by his deep-seated resentments and his desire to exert power over others. Metheny’s victims were vulnerable women who had been marginalized by society, and he preyed on them with impunity. The case of Joe Metheny remains an example of the worst kind of human depravity, and a reminder of the need for justice and accountability in the face of such atrocities.