How Veronica Compton Went From Interviewing The Hillside Strangler To Becoming His Accomplice

In the 1970s, the Los Angeles area was terrorized by a perpetrator called the "Hillside Strangler," who raped and murdered 10 women. Later on, it was revealed that the horrific crimes were done by two individuals who were cousins: Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono Jr. In addition, Bianchi murdered two other women by himself. According to Biography, Bianchi and Buono lured their victims by posing as police officers. The two were arrested in 1979. Bianchi was sentenced to six life terms while Buono was given life in prison without parole.

In 1980, Bianchi received a letter from a freelance screenwriter named Veronica Compton who wanted to interview him for research for a screenplay she was writing. The two exchanged letters and Compton eventually visited Bianchi in prison to conduct the interview, per The Seattle Times. She fell in love with Bianchi quickly, and her feelings toward him were so strong that she was willing to commit murder for him.

Together, Kenneth Bianchi and Veronica Compton came up with a plan to make it appear that the Hillside Strangler was still at large and muddy Bianchi's case. Bianchi convinced Compton that he would be released if the authorities think they have the wrong person. The plan was for Compton to abduct a woman and strangle her like Bianchi and his cousin did to their victims. Since the two men sexually assaulted the women they killed, Compton had to leave semen on her victim to make the crime look the same (via A&E TV).

Compton carried out the crime, but it didn't go as smoothly as they planned. While scoping potential victims at a bar, Compton met a 26-year-old named Kim Breed. Compton was able to lure the woman to a motel room and attempted to strangle her, but Breed was stronger than her. She was able to overpower Compton and immediately escaped and reported the incident to authorities. According to The Spokesman-Review, Compton had a vial of semen with her that she planned to inject into Breed to make it appear that she was raped. Compton was convicted of first-degree attempted murder and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

Veronica Compton eventually lost interest in Kenneth Bianchi. While in prison, she started corresponding with another serial killer, Doug Clark, who killed his victims with the help of his girlfriend. They were called the "Sunset Strip Killers." According to a sexologist professor, John Money, Compton may have had hybristophilia, which is described as a person who has a sexual attraction to individuals who commit violent crimes (via Medium). Compton said, however, that she did not have a romantic relationship with Clark.

In an interview with The Seattle Times, Compton said that she had been using drugs when she was involved with Bianchi. "I gave him control. He told me what drugs to take, what to drink and what to do," she stated. In 1987, Compton met James Wallace, a professor who taught legal affairs and visited prisons to give lectures. In the course of two years, the two corresponded with each other, and they began a romantic relationship. They married in prison in 1989 and four years later, Compton gave birth to their daughter. She was released from prison on parole in 2003.