David Parker Ray (November 6, 1939 - May 28, 2002) was an American serial killer and women torturer suspected by police to have murdered as many as 60 people in the city of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.

Crimes

David Parker Ray tortured and presumably killed his victims in a $100,000 homemade torture chamber he called his "toy box", which was equipped with what he referred to as his "friends": whips, chains, pulleys, straps, clamps, leg spreader bars, and surgical blades and saws. With these tools it's thought that he terrorized Truth or Consequences for several years with the added assistance of multiple accomplices.

Inside the torture room, along with numerous sex toys, torture implements, and detailed diagrams (made by Ray himself) showing different methods and techniques for inflicting pain, there was an electronic generating device that was used in torture, as well as a 12-volt motorized breast stretcher. Ray would often have a recorded audio tape of himself be played for his victims whenever they regained consciousness. It has been said that Ray had been recorded as saying he killed at least one person a year for 40 years. However, those statements are considered only speculation by the police, since no evidence has been discovered to support them so far.

Trial and conviction

On March 22, 1999 a living victim, Cynthia Vigil Jaramillo, escaped after being kidnapped and enduring torture in a three-day ordeal. To escape Cinthya waited until Ray went to work and then managed to get the keys to the lock of her chains which Ray's accomplice Cyndy Hendy left in a table nearby while answering a phone call. After getting the keys Cyndy noticed Cinthya's attempt at escaping and fighting ensued. During the struggle Cyndy Hendy broke a lamp on Cynthia Vigil's head, but she still managed to unlock her chains and then proceeded to stab Hendy in the head with an icepick found on the floor and escaped. A bloody Cinthya Vigil Jaramillo ran away naked, wearing only an iron slave collar and padlocked chains. After Cinthya's escape and rescue, a wounded Cindy Hendy and David Parker Ray were apprehended by the police.

Ray was sentenced to 224 years in prison after being convicted of numerous offenses involving the abduction and sexual torture of three young women at his Elephant Butte Lake home. His first trial ended in a hung jury in Tierra Amarilla, New Mexico. His trial was then relocated to a small cow town where he had been raised decades before. He was convicted of his crimes against Kelly Van Cleave, and then admitted to the murder of Angie Montaño, and his crimes against Cynthia Vigil. He died eight months after sentencing, having served two and a half years.

On August 28, 2008, A TV show broadcast on the Investigation Discovery channel called Wicked Attraction reported that "on May 28th, 2002, he (David Parker Ray) was transferred to the Lea County Correctional Facility in Hobbs, New Mexico to serve the remainder of his sentence. While being transferred, he was taken to a holding cell, where he slumped over; dead of a massive heart attack...". Although Ray had been on medication for high blood pressure and heart problems for many years, the coroner report stated that there were no medications in his system upon death.

External links

• Photo gallery from the investigation and arrest

References

1. http://www.desertjournalonline.com/2001archive/Headliners%20for%20July%206,%202001.htm#1
2. Angie Montaño died due to a drug related incident after Ray was incarcerated, this was reported by attending medical personnel although the authorities stated to the press that it was due to pneumonia.
3. http://www.desertjournalonline.com/5-31-02%20Headliners.htm#3