Theodore Streleski

Theodore Streleski was a graduate student in mathematics at Stanford University who murdered his former faculty advisor, the professor Karel de Leeuw, with a ball peen hammer in August 1978. Shortly after the murder, Streleski turned himself in to the authorities, claiming he felt the murder was justifiable homicide because de Leeuw had withheld departmental awards from him and demeaned Streleski in front of his peers. Streleski described how at one point, de Leeuw had insulted his shoes.

Streleski had been pursuing his doctorate in the mathematics department for nineteen years and he felt that the Stanford faculty was unfairly withholding his degree. Streleski also confessed to having the names of de Leeuw's colleagues on a "hit list".

During his trial Streleski told the court he felt the murder was "logically and morally correct." Streleski was convicted of second degree murder and he served seven years in prison for his actions.

Streleski was eligible for parole on three occasions, but turned it down as the conditions of his parole required him to not set foot on the Stanford campus. Upon his release in 1985, he said, "I have no intention of killing again. On the other hand, I cannot predict the future."

External links

* [http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2003/julaug/dept/century.html A commemorative article by Stanford's alumni association]
* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,959900,00.html Time.com, "American Notes Crime - Unrepentant about Murder" dated 23 Sep 1985]