Construction zones are often seen as places of progress and creation. We see cranes, hear a lot of noise, and expect new buildings. But sometimes, these busy places can become scenes of unbelievable crimes. While accidents are a known risk, this list looks at something much darker. We’re talking about murders happening right where people work to build our world. Get ready for ten of the most shocking and sad stories of construction site murders. These true events show that danger can come from unexpected places.
10. Jealousy Turns Fatal for New York Flagger
In the spring of 2021, Lizbeth Mass, a friendly construction flagger in New York, was about to take her lunch break. Her boyfriend, Dwayne Walker, visited her on-site. Another friend, Jose Reyes, also stopped by with lunch. Lizbeth introduced the two men. Suddenly, Reyes became jealous and quickly left. He returned moments later with a gun and shot Lizbeth six times. As she lay bleeding, Reyes tried to escape.
He didn’t get far. Walker, who had witnessed the horrific event from his car just feet away, drove towards Reyes, hitting him with his vehicle. Walker then began to physically confront Reyes. Bystanders gathered around until an undercover IRS agent who happened to be nearby intervened and arrested Reyes. He was later charged with murder, manslaughter, and other serious offenses. Walker faced no charges for his actions.
9. Overtime Proves Deadly for Florida Drywaller
Clifford Backmann, a 56-year-old father, decided to work some overtime on a Saturday in 2009. He was alone, finishing up his drywall work in a Jacksonville, Florida condominium. As he was nearing the end of his shift, an unknown man approached him and shot him in the back. The attacker stole Backmann’s wallet and fled.
Amazingly, Backmann didn’t die right away. He managed to dial 911 and speak with the operator. However, he could only give a brief description of the robber before losing consciousness. Tragically, emergency services didn’t arrive in time to save his life. The case eventually went cold, and no one was ever arrested for his murder. Despite this tragedy, something positive emerged: Backmann’s son founded Project Cold Case. This organization works to bring public attention to unsolved cases and has become a national success.
8. Fired Carpenter Blasts Boss at Luxury Condo Job Site
Luxury condos in Manhattan often sell for millions, but few residents consider the lives of the construction workers who build them. The Waterline Square development became the site of a shocking murder-suicide during its construction in 2017. Carpenter Samuel Perry had recently been fired for insubordination. Instead of moving on, he chose a path of violent revenge against his former boss.
Two days after losing his job, Perry returned to the construction site early in the morning. He found his supervisor, Christopher Sayers, working on the 38th floor and shot him in the head. Perry then walked away, reportedly joking and laughing with coworkers he encountered as if nothing had happened. However, when he reached the 5th floor, Perry shot himself in the head. Construction on Waterline Square continued, and condos there are still available for those with deep pockets.
7. Road Worker Killed as Ex Takes Fight to the Streets
On the morning of July 20, 2022, an Illinois road crew arrived at their worksite to a grim discovery. One of their colleagues, Edward Stallman, had been killed in what initially appeared to be a worksite collision. However, sadness soon turned to shock when the autopsy results came in. Stallman hadn’t died from the crash; he had been stabbed to death.
The investigation quickly focused on those close to him. Detectives learned that Stallman had recently attended a difficult custody hearing with his ex-wife, Alexis. Prosecutors moved swiftly, charging her with three counts of first-degree murder and domestic battery. The case is still making its way through the courts, with Alexis pleading not guilty. A jury trial will ultimately decide her fate. If convicted, she could face more than 60 years in prison.
6. Electrician Slays Three over Workplace Argument
Shaun Runyon, Kevin Lanusse, Dewlon Donell, and Gregory Dolezal were part of a traveling electrician crew. In 2021, their work brought them to Florida, where they hoped to enjoy the sunny weather. However, things took a dark turn when Runyon got into a heated argument with his supervisor, Lanusse. The fight escalated, and Runyon punched Lanusse before leaving the job site. Everyone assumed he had gone back home to Pennsylvania.
But Runyon returned, armed with a baseball bat and seeking revenge. Early on a Saturday morning, he entered the rental apartment where the workers were staying. He brutally beat Lanusse and Donell to death with the bat as they slept. When their coworker Dolezal awoke and tried to escape, Runyon stabbed him to death with a knife. The killer fled but was soon apprehended by police. He claimed the men had sexually assaulted him, a story investigators found unbelievable. Runyon is currently in jail, facing 11 charges, including three counts of first-degree murder.
5. Teasing Turns Deadly for Missouri Roofer
Falls are a common cause of death for roofers. However, Israel Valles-Flores didn’t die from a fall. His life was tragically cut short by his coworker, Miguel Navarro. The two men from Missouri were on a roofing job in Wisconsin in 2018. By all accounts, they were talking normally. But when Flores started teasing Navarro, the situation escalated horrifically. Navarro grabbed a circular saw and slashed his colleague’s throat.
One witness stated there was no clear argument before the attack. Flores had even handed the saw to Navarro. Instead of cutting shingles, Navarro turned the tool on Flores, attacking his face and neck. Flores fell onto the garage roof, where he died from his injuries. Navarro later claimed he had been drugged, but no evidence supported this. No clear motive for this gruesome crime was ever established. Navarro eventually pleaded guilty to murder and received a 30-year prison sentence.
4. Apprentice Slashed to Death in Grim Fantasy World
Jacob Bravo, a plumber’s apprentice, was working at a construction site near the beach in Oceanside, California. He lived on-site. One morning in 2017, after a nighttime visit to the nearby seashore, tragedy struck. Bravo was found dead in his bed, covered in blood. He had been fatally stabbed while he slept. The strangest part? A man named Mikhail Schmidt confessed to the murder that very same morning.
Schmidt and Bravo had no prior relationship. Schmidt claimed he saw Bravo walking home, followed him, and then murdered him simply because he craved the taste of blood. He also made bizarre claims about being implanted with government nanobots that supposedly forced him to commit the act. Police were doubtful of his conflicting stories. Prosecution experts testified that Schmidt was likely faking insanity. He was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. Despite an appeal, he remains incarcerated.
3. Carpenters Killed Senselessly in Home Invasion
In 2000, Wayne Shumaker, Corby Meyers, and Lynn Ganger were constructing a pole barn in an upscale Indiana neighborhood. While they were working, they heard a disturbance coming from the main house. Unbeknownst to them, a burglary was in progress. When one of the carpenters went to investigate, the robbers spotted him. Fearful of being identified, the burglars decided to eliminate all potential witnesses.
The burglars, Robert Washington and Phillip Stroud, entered the pole barn. They tied up all three carpenters, robbed them of their valuables, and then shot each one in the back of the head in an execution-style killing. A coworker discovered the horrific scene the next morning, shocking the wealthy neighborhood. The criminals were eventually caught and convicted. It was later revealed that an ex-girlfriend of the property owner had orchestrated the burglary. She was also convicted but was later released from prison.
2. Botched Robbery Puts Tile Specialist on the Floor
Installing tile isn’t generally considered a dangerous job, but it proved fatal for Chris Kneubuehl in 2017. The contractor was laying tile at a local fast-food restaurant after business hours. He had a crew with him, but that didn’t deter robbers Xavier Fleming and Nicholas Ivy. The two men broke into the restaurant and, in a bizarre demand, ordered Kneubuehl to use a tile saw to try and open the restaurant’s safe.
Tragically, Kneubuehl suffered from a heart condition. As he was held at gunpoint and forced to attempt this impossible task, he began to have trouble breathing. He managed to get the safe open but soon collapsed, losing consciousness. Despite his crew’s desperate pleas for the robbers to call an ambulance, they refused. Kneubuehl died from a stress-induced heart attack. Both robbers were later caught and pleaded guilty in connection with his death.
1. Serial Killer Used Workplace to Dump Bodies
California’s highways hide many secrets. Some of these dark secrets began to surface when Mack Ray Edwards, a pedophilic serial killer, started a shocking confession. Edwards worked as a heavy equipment operator, building freeways from the 1940s until 1970. During this long period, it’s believed that Edwards murdered at least six children, though the exact number remains unconfirmed.
Edwards used his construction sites as clandestine burial grounds for his victims. He expertly used his trade tools to ensure their bodies would likely never be found. However, once he decided to confess, police launched investigations. They excavated several old worksites and successfully recovered the remains of three victims. Edwards committed suicide in prison in 1971. Efforts are still underway to locate and uncover the rest of his victims, bringing some measure of closure to their families.
These stories show a shocking side of what can happen on construction sites. Places meant for building and growth became scenes of terrible violence. It’s a sad reminder that even in busy work areas, human anger and evil can lead to tragic ends. The people in these stories went to work like any other day, not knowing it would be their last.
What are your thoughts on these disturbing cases? Do you know of any other similar incidents?
