Peter Kudzinowski

He was quickly transported to Jersey City to stand trial. The state brought in a medical expert, who characterized Kudzinowski as possessing a psychopathic personality. The defense brought its own experts who analyzed the X-rays made after the diving accident in his youth. He was found guilty of first-degree murder on January 17, 1929. When asked if he had anything to say before the sentence was passed, Kudzinowski remained silent. He was sentenced to die in the electric chair at Trenton State Prison in the week of February 24. Kudzinowski stated he was ready to die and felt he would probably commit more murders if he were ever set free again.

Kudzinowski also admitted to murdering Julia Mlodzianowski, a five-year-old girl from Jersey City, who was at a school picnic at Lake Hopatcong on August 19, 1928, although after he was captured, he told reporters he "had doubts" that he had actually murdered her.

Kudzinowski met seven-year-old Joseph Storelli in a "half drunk" state late afternoon on November 17, 1928, on First Avenue in East Village, New York. Kudzinowski accosted two other children at the same location, but they ran away. Kudzinowski lured the boy away with the promise of a box of candy and a visit to a motion picture show. He then took him by the Port Authority Trans-Hudson train to Journal Square in Jersey City and finally walked him to the New Jersey Meadowlands near Secaucus. When Joseph tried to get away, Kudzinowski knocked him down and hit him several times. Worrying that the boy's cries would attract passing cars, Kudzinowski slashed his throat, covered the body with the boy's overcoat, and left him.

Kudzinowski was jailed in Detroit for public intoxication. He confessed to Storelli's murder to his jailer, who laughed at him. Kudzinowski was released after sobering up. On December 3, 1928, Kudzinowski drunkenly staggered up to a police traffic booth and told the officer there that he was wanted by the police. Upon being asked whether he meant for murder, he replied "You'll find out." In jail again, Kudzinowski was interviewed by Detroit detectives who obtained the rough edges of his confession. He was primarily motivated to confess by the weight of his conscience, stating "I'm willing to pay the penalty, and the sooner it's over, the better. I had to confess. It was troubling me."

Kudzinowski was considered a suspect in the disappearance of Billy Gaffney, who vanished in 1927. Albert Fish would later claim to have murdered Gaffney. Kudzinowski and Fish committed their crimes in the same time span and geographic area, and both killed children. He was also a suspect in the murder of Irving Pickelny, who disappeared from Brooklyn in February 1927.

After Kudzinowski was jailed for seven-year-old Joseph Storelli's murder in 1928, he also confessed to two other murders. Kudzinowski murdered 20-year-old Harry Quinn in Scranton on March 8, 1924. The two were friends and were traveling to Spring Brook Township, where Quinn was looking to land a job with the Spring Brook Water Supply Company. Kudzinowski had introduced himself as "Ray Rogers" and "Roy Lambert" to some of Quinn's family members on what turned out to be the last day they would hear anything from Quinn.

Peter Kudzinowski (August 13, 1903 – December 21, 1929) was an American serial killer whose known victims were 20-year-old Harry Quinn, five-year-old Julia Mlodzianowski, and seven-year-old Joseph Storelli, for whose murder he went on trial.

Peter Kudzinowski was born on August 13, 1903, in Dickson City, Pennsylvania, to Polish immigrant parents Paul and Veronica. He is frequently and incorrectly referred to as Polish-born. He was the youngest of four boys and grew up in the Scranton area.