In the 1980s, serial killer William Bradford lured his victims to their

In the 1980s, serial killer William Bradford lured his victims to their

In the 1980s, serial killer William Bradford lured his victims to their deaths by telling them that he was a professional photographer who wanted to take their pictures before strangling and assaulting them.

This is what he did to 21-year-old Los Angeles bartender Shari Miller in July 1984. After telling Miller that he would help her build her modeling portfolio, Bradford drove her to a remote campsite north of the city where he photographed her multiple times against the desert rock formations in the summer sun. ⁠

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Afterward, he strangled her to death, sliced off the tattoos on her calf and abdomen, removed her shirt, and dumped her body in a Hollywood alley before developing the photos to keep as mementos. But only after he was arrested did police realize the extent of his potential crimes when they found photos of 55 other women in chillingly similar poses — only one of whom has ever been identified. Learn more about history's most depraved serial killers and see the photos they took of their victims before killing them by clicking the link in our profile.⁠

William Richard "Bill" Bradford (May 18, 1946 – March 10, 2008) was an American convicted murderer and suspected serial killer and serial rapist who was incarcerated in San Quentin State Prison for the 1984 murders of his 15-year-old neighbor Tracey Campbell and barmaid Shari Miller. In July 2006, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department released a compilation of photos found in Bradford's apartment in the 1980s, depicting 54 different women in modelling poses.

As Bradford had used the promise of a modelling career to lure his known victims, and taken pictures of Miller before murdering her, police believe many of the photos depict Bradford's other victims in the moments before their deaths. Bradford died at the Vacaville prison medical facility on March 10, 2008, of natural causes.

In July 1984, while out on bail and awaiting trial for rape, Bradford met Shari Miller, a barmaid at a Los Angeles establishment called "The Meet Market".

Bradford told her that he was a professional photographer and offered to help her build a modeling portfolio. He took her to a remote campsite in the deserts north of Los Angeles (which was the site of the alleged rape for which Bradford was awaiting trial), photographed her in a variety of modelling poses, and then strangled her.

After killing her, Bradford sliced off her tattoos and removed her blouse. He then transported her body to a Hollywood parking lot, where he dumped the corpse in an adjoining alley. When the body was found, there was no identification on it, leading Miller to be labeled "Jane Doe #60".

Shortly thereafter, Bradford convinced his 15-year-old neighbor Tracey Campbell that she could be a model and took her out to the desert campsite, where he likewise photographed and strangled her. Bradford left the body there, covering the face with Shari Miller's blouse.

Arrest

Bradford came under suspicion when investigators learned that he had been the last person to see Tracey Campbell alive. This, coupled with his pending rape trial, compelled police to obtain a search warrant for Bradford's apartment; inside, they found the photos of Miller and Campbell, along with an assortment of 54 other photos of unidentified women. Police recognized the photos of Miller as "Jane Doe #60" and arrested Bradford on suspicion of murder; using a rock formation visible in one of the photos of Miller, police were able to locate the camp site in the desert where the murders had occurred.

Upon searching the site, police found Campbell's decomposed body behind the rock formation. Shortly thereafter, Bradford pleaded no contest to the rape charge he was awaiting trial for and was sentenced to eight years in prison.