Man suspected in 11 Cleveland deaths sends letters, cards to Internet memorabilia company

Web site posts letters from Ohio killings suspect

CLEVELAND — An Internet site devoted to selling memorabilia from serial killers has posted envelopes, letters and a Christmas card sent by a Cleveland man accused of killing 11 women and hiding their remains in and around his home.

The Web site Serialkillersink.net had the envelopes, letters and card for sale this week on the site. The letters and card, priced at $200, and envelopes, priced at $100, were sent by Anthony Sowell to employees at the Web site.

In one, Sowell tells a California woman that he is available to correspond with her.

“So if you need someone to talk to I am here for you,” Sowell wrote. “So tell me what do you want to know about me? I know what I want to know about you, what type of woman are you? Do you have a man in your life?”

Sowell has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, rape, assault and corpse abuse and is being held in the Cuyahoga County jail.

Sowell writes that he is being treated well in the jail. He mentions his ex-wife who died in 1998. He writes that he can receive money orders, but that cash should not be sent.

“I am in need of just about anything. So anything you can do to help me out is a blessing,” he writes.

On Friday, the site had one Sowell letter for sale, and a Christmas card posted for viewing.

The card, with the preprinted message “May every road you travel this season remind you that God’s gift of Jesus is with you wherever you go,” is signed “Tony Sowell.”

The Ohio attorney general’s office says inmates are not allowed to make money from crimes by selling their stories to book publishers of filmmakers.

Eric Gein, who owns the Los Angeles-based Internet company, says inmates do not get paid for the letters. He says his biggest customers are criminology professors who use the letters and artwork to teach. The site also sells personal items from inmates.

Eight states have banned inmates from sending items to companies who sell them, said Andy Kahan, director of Crime Victims Assistance for the mayor’s office in Houston. Kahan, who has led a national movement to end the practice of selling inmates’ items, says Ohio is not among those states.

“This is the beginning of the merchandising and marketing of Anthony Sowell,” he said.

Gein said he has been corresponding with inmates for 15 years and started his business four years ago.

Cuyahoga County Jail warden Kevin McDonough said Sowell has received more mail than most inmates and has received small amounts of money and several small deposits to his jail commissary account.

“A lot want to see his soul,” McDonough said. “Many people want to be his friend or pen pal.”

Information from: The Plain Dealer, www.cleveland.com