On Sept. 24, 1935, the trial of Earl Kimball for the murder of James Kennett began. Kimball had earlier confessed to the murder of Kennett as well as to the murder of a young boy, later identified as Virgil Smith. His defense team entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.
Kimball referred to himself as the “Werewolf of Fulda Flat” and was also interchangeably called the “Werewolf of the Sierras” and the “Laughing Loup-garou from the Valley of Missing Men” by various newspapers, including the Auburn Journal. Kimball was described as an impressive physical specimen at just over 6’3” and over 200 pounds. He confessed to murdering 27 men but retracted that before the trial began.
According to the May 28, 1936 Auburn Journal, Kimball was initially arrested on Au. 15, 1935 for having a concealed weapon. Sheriff Elmer Gum suspected the youth of cattle rustling from his shack in Fulda Flat. A search of his property revealed no evidence of rustling, but deputies found the body of a young boy in a nearby water-filled mineshaft. At first, Kimball denied knowledge of the boy’s murder, but later confessed to Earl Crabbe, who was acting as a representative of the Auburn Journal. He also confessed to murdering Kennett and told Crabbe where his body could be found.
On Sept. 28, 1935, Kimball was found guilty of first-degree murder and was sentenced to death. While at Folsom Prison, Kimball told stories of drinking warm sheep’s blood and had an intense interest in news stories about himself. Kimball was hanged at Folsom Prison on May 22, 1936.
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