Nathaniel White

Lore & Background

Nathaniel White was raised in Poughkeepsie, New York, graduating from Poughkeepsie High School in 1979. He served a brief stint in the US Army from 1980 to 1983. During his 16-month murder spree, he resided in the Town of Wallkill, just outside of Middletown, New York. White claimed to have found inspiration for his first murder while watching RoboCop 2, stating he imitated a throat-cutting and chest-slitting scene from the film.

White's first killing occurred on March 25, 1991, after he had been convicted of abducting a 16-year-old girl but before he started his prison sentence. In a plea bargain later heavily criticized, White pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for the abduction and became eligible for parole after one year. He was paroled in April 1992 and returned to Orange County. His first victim after parole was the young niece of his girlfriend, killed at the end of June 1992; he then killed four others in July 1992.

White was arrested on August 2, 1992, after being identified at the Blue Note Tavern in Poughkeepsie. He confessed and led police to his dumping ground in Goshen on August 4. He was indicted for the murder of Christine Klebbe on August 7, and the other five murders were added to the indictment on September 9. Charged with six counts of second degree murder, White pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. He was convicted on all counts on April 14, 1993, and sentenced to 150 years to life. He is currently held at Elmira Correctional Facility.

Reader's Guide

Nathaniel White's case is significant for its connection to media influence on violent crime, as he explicitly cited the film RoboCop 2 as inspiration for his first murder. The case also highlighted flaws in the criminal justice system, particularly the plea bargain that allowed White—already convicted of abducting a minor—to remain free and commit multiple murders while on parole. His crimes prompted New York governor George Pataki to cite the case in arguments for reinstating the death penalty. The murders terrorized the Hudson Valley region, with victims ranging from a 14-year-old girl to a pregnant mother of two. White's dumping ground in Goshen, where several bodies were discovered, became a focal point of the investigation. The case has been profiled in multiple television programs, including episodes of A&E's Investigative Reports, Investigation Discovery's Evil Lives Here, and Reelz's CopyCat Killers. A notable controversy arose when an African-American Florida resident named Nathaniel White sued Investigation Discovery for defamation after his photograph was used in a broadcast about the serial killer.

Did You Know?

• White claimed his first murder was inspired by a scene from the film RoboCop 2.
• His first victim, Juliana Frank, was pregnant with her third child when killed.
• White was on parole when he committed five of his six murders.
• The bodies of cousins Angelina Hopkins and Brenda Whiteside were found near an abandoned farmhouse in Goshen.