Who is Sean Michael Lannon? Former military man says he killed 16 people, including ex wife and man who abused him
A man has arrested in St Louis following a nationwide manhunt, who was wanted for five murders. Shockingly, after his arrest eight days ago, the man confessed to killing as many as 16 people.
Identified as Sean Michael Lannon, the man confessed during a preliminary hearing for the murders he's been charged with. Among his other victims is also his ex wife Jennifer, whom he had allegedly reconciled with; and another man who had sexually abused Lannon in the past.
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Who is Sean Michael Lannon?
The 47-year old Lannon was arrested on March 12 in St Louis in relation to a murder in South Jersey, and four deaths in New Mexico, including that of his own wife. During a preliminary hearing for the death of Michael Dabkowski, 66, in East Greenwich, New Jersey, Lannon made the shocking confession about the other murders. He is currently being held at the Salem County Jail and had appeared for court via video, where he mentioned even dismembering some of his unverified New Mexico victims after luring them to his home.
WPVI reports that Lannon used to be a member of the military and has a history of drug abuse and violence in his records. He is currently behind bars after being charged with the death of Dabkowski, who was found beaten to death with a hammer on March 8. During the preliminary hearing of the same, he mentioned he killed "11 other individuals who were drug dealers." Assistant Gloucester County Prosecutor Alec Gutierrez said: "He admitted to killing a total of 16 people... 15 being in New Mexico and one in the State of New Jersey. It's my understanding that the FBI is assisting New Mexico in their investigation."
WPVI has reported that Lannon has a history of drug abuse and a violent record, and that he used to be a member of the military. The judge in the case has ordered Lannon to remain behind bars at this time.
The murder of Michael Dabkowski
According to Unger, the Dabkowski had also tried to seduce Lannon and attacked him with a hammer first before Lannon hit him. Lannon claimed Dabkowski had sexually abused him as a child and still possessed compromising photos of them together which he was trying to obtain. "That relationship quickly turned into an abusive one where Mr. Dabkowski sexually abused Mr. Lannon," his public defender Frank Unger said. "He was repeatedly sexually assaulted and during that time the victim in this case documented those sexual assaults, those rapes, by taking pictures of himself with Mr. Lannon in sexually compromised positions."
After trying to break into one home in New Jersey, Lannon was scared off when he tried to do the same to a neighbor's house. Then he went to Dabkowski and allegedly committed the murder. Lannon was still driving Dabkowski's SUV when caught with the murder weapon, authorities revealed. He was charged with burglary, robbery, theft, and first-degree murder in the Dabkowski case. He was also charged with burglary and possession of a weapon for the other alleged break-in.
During the preliminary hearing for the same Lannon also mentioned the other 15 people that he killed in New Mexico, claims NBC10. Prosecutors still haven't been able to verify whether the claims of the other murders are legitimate. Grants Police Department Lt. David Chavez is however not considering Lannon as a suspect in the other 11 murders he has confessed too; his victims aren't clear either.
Landon murdered ex wife Jennifer
Lannon was initially linked to the four New Mexico deaths that were revealed after bodies were found in a car at the parking garage at Albuquerque International Sunport airport on March 5. He hasn't yet been charged with any of those murders even though one of them involved his ex-wife Jennifer, 39. The couple had divorced in 2019 and share three children together.
Court records reveal Lannon took their kids to New Jersey on March 4 and left them with his ex-in-laws. He told them he was going job hunting in the area. The couple had reconciled at this point and Jennifer was going to be returning to New Jersey as well. Lannon had meanwhile traveled instead to Virginia, under false identities, with no report on what he did there.