JOHN ERIC
ARMSTRONG
BACKGROUND
• Born November 23, 1973
• Husband and father of two kids
• Graduated from New Bern High School as
an unmemorable student with no discipline
problems
• Former USS Nimitz sailor
• Worked as a ship’s serviceman on the USS
Nimitz from 1993 through 1999, where he
received two good conduct medals
• His 2-month-old brother Michael died from
a sudden infant death syndrome.
• At the age of 5, Armstrong rode his bike
into speeding traffic "He said he wanted to
be with his baby brother"
• Father was abusive
TROUBLE
WITH THE
LAW IN
EARLIER
LIFE?
• John Eric Armstrong was not in
trouble with the law in his earlier
years.
CRIMES
THAT HE
•
WAS
CONVICTED
•
OF
Convicted for the killing of Joran in
January 2000, and for the murder of
34-year-old Kelly Hood
He then plead guilty to killing Robbin
Brown, 20, Rose Felt, 32, and Monica
Johnson, 31, all Detroit prostitutes (5
total)
• Second-degree murder, and as a result
he was sentenced to 31 years of life in
prison for the murders of Brown, Felt
and Johnson.
• Second Degree Murder: is a murder
that is not premeditated or planned in
advance
EVIDENCE
• DNA testing
• He confessed
• Past history with his father
(abuse)
• Fingerprints
WHAT WAS •
HIS
SENTENCE?
Charged with Second-degree murder,
and as a result he was sentenced to 31
years of life in prison for the murders
of Brown, Felt and Johnson.
• Second Degree Murder: is a murder
that is not premeditated or planned
in advance
• All together he received two life
sentences plus 31 years as punishment
for his killings.
THE TRUTH
COMES OUT
• Through DNA testing the
investigators were able to link
Armstrong to one of the
murders, and upon his arrest,
he confessed to killing other
prostitutes and 11 other
murders that he committed
around the world, from 19931998, while in the Navy
QUOTES
• "He said he wanted to be
with his baby brother"
(his brother died at age 5
NICKNAMES
• “Baby doll” (name
on license plate)
• “Opie” (nickname
in the Navy)
LABELING
THEORY
• Once a woman enters into prostitution, often as a result of difficulties in
childhood or her teen years and often coerced by relatives or pimps, it is very
difficult for her to exit this lifestyle. This is where the labeling theory enters
the picture. Once labeled as promiscuous or as a sex worker by the police or
peers, the road to a normal way of life for these women is often virtually
impossible to navigate successfully. The labeling theory may apply especially
in the case of transgendered prostitutes who are doubly stigmatized both by
their gender differences and their prostitution, where they experience a “a
host of issues ranging from sexual identity conflict, shame, and isolation.
There is little literature on point regarding labeling theory and prostitution;
however, there is a great deal of literature available regarding labeling and
drug use. A more deviant self-label at baseline predicted greater drug use at
research follow-up, giving direct support to the labeling concept of resulting
deviance. Once self labeled, it is extremely difficult for the labeled person to
shed his or her stigma. In addition, self-label and drug use was found to be
cyclical, indicating that once adolescents categorize themselves as drug users
after that behavior has occurred, they are likely to stay stuck in that mindset
and to limit their associations to cohorts who engage in like criminal behavior.
CONTINUED
• Drug use goes hand-in-hand with prostitution, whether the
drug use occurs prior to prostitution and drug users drift
into prostitution, or it is used antiseptically post prostitution
to numb feelings of self loathing or rage. It appears that self
labeling whether as a drug user or as a prostitute is a selfperpetuating and vicious cycle. According to the conflict
theory, those practicing certain behaviors are “labeled” by
those in power. Once labeled, it is extremely difficult to
avoid internalizing that label and escaping it. Among Black
women who are prostitutes, they face the double bind of the
cultural stereotypes of Black women as hypersexual and
“animalistic.”
DETERRENCE
• John Eric Armstrong should be punished and detained
from society and used as an example of crime
deterrence because of what he did. Killing prostitutes is
not right at all. These women are trying to make a living
just like me and you. Killing all of those people and
getting out of jail for what you did would and should
not be normal at all. Imagine the guilt he would face the
next time he sees a woman. Maybe he wouldn’t think of
anything of it, but this man should get the fullest
sentence and should never be able to see the outside
world again.