Original oil painting done by Genesee River Killer, Arthur Shawcross. Very few examples of Shawcross original paintings exist, and this is among the most rare and also the most well done of any of them! This particular painting was made for a penpal of Shawcross’ who sent him a photo of his puppy that passed away from parvo and asked him to paint the puppy for him. Included with the purchase of this painting is a photocopy of the original photo of the dog that Shawcross used as a reference for the painting.
Painting measures 16x20 and was done on a Fredrix canvas panel board.
COA included
Arthur Shawcross, also known as the “Genesee River Killer” and the “Rochester Strangler,” was an American serial killer responsible for the murders of 14 known victims. In 1972, he sexually assaulted and killed two children in Watertown, New York. Despite confessing to both crimes, he accepted a plea deal that resulted in a manslaughter conviction and was released on parole after serving just 14 years of his sentence.
After his release in 1987, Shawcross resumed killing, targeting mostly women involved in sex work in the Rochester area between 1988 and 1989. Many of his victims were strangled, sexually assaulted, and their bodies abandoned near the Genesee River. He was arrested in January 1990, convicted of 11 additional murders, and sentenced to 250 years to life in prison. Shawcross died in custody in 2008, and his case remains one of the most controversial examples of a violent offender being released despite clear warning signs.
