Bruce Mendenhall, known as the “Truck Stop Serial Killer,” was convicted on Wednesday (January 22) for the murder of Carma Purpura in Indiana. Mendenhall, a former truck driver, is already serving two life sentences for the murders of two women in Tennessee. The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office announced the conviction, marking Mendenhall’s third murder conviction.
“It is my hope that today’s verdict brings resolution to Carma’s family and others who have waited years for answers and accountability after losing their loved ones,” prosecutor Ryan Mears said in a statement.
Mendenhall, now 73, was initially arrested in 2007 for the murder of Sara Nicole Hulbert, who was found fatally shot at a truck stop in Nashville, Tennessee. During the investigation, he implicated himself in other killings across various states. In 2010, he was convicted of first-degree murder for Hulbert’s death and sentenced to life in prison. In 2018, he received another life sentence for the murder of Symantha Winters, whose body was discovered in a trash bin at a truck stop in Lebanon, Tennessee.
The conviction for Purpura’s murder came after a jury trial in Indianapolis. Former Nashville police detective Sgt. Pat Postiglione, who was instrumental in Mendenhall’s arrest, testified about the evidence found in Mendenhall’s truck, including blood-soaked items and women’s clothing. Sentencing for the murder of Carma Purpura is scheduled for February 13.
Recent Comments