George Banks, the convicted mass murderer who perpetrated one of Pennsylvania's deadliest shooting rampages, has died behind bars at 83 years old. The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections confirmed Banks died from natural causes while serving multiple life sentences for his horrific 1982 crime spree.
The Night of Terror That Shook Wilkes-Barre
On September 25, 1982, Banks embarked on a killing spree that would become etched in Pennsylvania's criminal history. The former security guard methodically shot 13 people across multiple locations in Wilkes-Barre, creating one of the state's worst mass murder cases.
The victims included five of Banks' own children, ranging in age from 4 to 22, along with their mothers and several bystanders caught in the path of his violence. The rampage spanned several hours and locations, leaving a community in shock and mourning.
Legal Battles and Mental Health Questions
Banks' trial became a landmark case in Pennsylvania legal history. Despite his legal team's arguments of insanity, jurors rejected his mental health defense and found him guilty on all counts. The conviction came with an unprecedented 12 death sentences and 10 life terms.
His case took another dramatic turn when a 2002 court ruling commuted his death sentence to life imprisonment without parole. This decision came amid growing concerns about Banks' mental competency and Pennsylvania's evolving standards for capital punishment cases involving severe mental illness.
Four Decades Behind Bars
Banks spent over 40 years in the Pennsylvania prison system, primarily at the State Correctional Institution at Phoenix. His advanced age and declining health ultimately led to his death from natural causes, closing one of the darkest chapters in Pennsylvania's criminal justice history.
The 1982 massacre remains one of the deadliest shooting incidents in Pennsylvania history, a grim reminder of the tragedy that continues to affect the Wilkes-Barre community and surviving family members decades later.
