Serial killer dies a day after his suicide attempt
By Carlos Sadovi and Gerry Doyle
Tribune staff reporters
Published January 21, 2006
The families of the children slain by convicted serial killer David Maust had steeled themselves for the reality that he would spend his life in prison.
On Friday, however, they received the news that Maust had died one day after a suicide attempt, leaving behind feelings of relief and anger.
Michael Dennis Sr. said he believes that the deaths of his 13-year-old son and two other Indiana teens drove Maust to take his own life.
"I think my son and the other boys had a hand in having him do this to himself," he said. "The demons from all the kids that he murdered tormented him and finally he took his own life."
"Jan. 31 is my birthday and this is the best present I have ever received," Dennis said.
Maust died in a hospital bed with corrections officers nearby but no family.
Lake County, Ind., Coroner David Pastrick said Maust died of asphyxiation caused by the handmade noose.
Pastrick said Maust was on life support at St. Anthony Medical Center in Crown Point. At 7:24 a.m., his heart stopped and he was pronounced dead four minutes later.
Maust, 51, admitted in court and in a rambling suicide note that he killed five teens throughout his life.
In December, he was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to the 2003 murders of Nicholas James, 19; James Raganyi, 16; and Michael Dennis Jr., 13. They were found under a floor in Maust's Hammond home.
In Maust's suicide note, he apologized and wrote that killing the boys--along with the 1981 slaying of Donald Jones, 15, and the 1974 killing of James McClister, 13--showed him how little he deserved to live.
Don Smith, Raganyi's stepfather, said Maust's apology was "too little too late."
"I'm not thrilled that he's dead, but I'm happy," Smith said. "You'll always have that scar."
McClister's mother, Christena Harding, said she has been waiting more than 30 years for the news.
"I'm glad it's over," Harding said. "The Lord said, `You've been bad long enough, it's time to go somewhere else.'"
Maust's brother Jeffrey and his mother Eva Reyes were saddened by the news even though they had advocated for Maust receiving the death penalty.
Reyes, who Maust wrote hated him, was distraught.
"I never hated David," Reyes said. "I'm so sorry he killed himself."
Her son's death, she added, "made me see that I loved David more than I ever knew. "
His family trying to raise money to keep him out of a pauper's grave, said Jeffrey Maust said.
"He at least deserves a name on a piece of stone," he said.
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csadovi@tribune.com
gxdoyle@tribune.com
Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune
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