7/29/2015 – Charleston, WV — A ‘John’ who was killed by his own gun at the hand of the prostitute he had procured, and then attempted to strangle, may be a previously unidentified serial killer according to police.
Neal Falls, 45, of Oregon, allegedly responded to an online ad for prostitution posted to Backpage.com on July 18. In reply, Falls was directed to the woman’s Charleston apartment, located behind another residence.
According to the female, almost immediately after Falls arrived, the two got into an altercation.
According to published accounts, “Nearly immediately after [Falls] stepped into [the prostitute’s] apartment, he said ‘live or die’ and a struggle ensued,” Lt. Steve Cooper of the Charleston, West Virginia, police department said. Falls is also reported to have told the woman that he was going to be going to prison for a long time.
During the attack the woman reportedly grabbed a rake to defend herself as Falls was trying to choke her from behind. Falls then laid his gun down so that he could get the rake out of the woman’s hands and continue to strangle her. That is when the woman grabbed Falls’ gun, pointed it blindly over her back and fired it once – killing Falls.
The woman then ran to a neighbor’s and the neighbor called 911.
The female is reported to have suffered multiple minor injuries, including a broken vertebrae and was admitted to the hospital.
After police arrived and began securing the crime scene they realized Falls’ violent outburst may not have been an isolated incident. Inside Falls’ SUV police found numerous disturbing items, including, a machete, shovel, two axes, assorted knives, double-headed ax, bullet proof vest, several sets of handcuffs, bleach, and a list of local prostitutes.
Falls, one of 10 siblings, is reported to have not had contact with his immediate family since his mother died in January.
Investigators feel there is a strong possibility that Falls may be responsible for the disappearance and even murder of other women engaged in prostitution – Some of which were found dismembered.
So far detectives are looking for connections to murders in Ohio and Nevada. Evidence gathered by police shows Falls lived in those areas during the time of other unsolved crimes. All together law enforcement is looking for links into as many nine unsolved disappearances or murders.
The FBI has been called in to aid in the investigation.
The killing of Falls has been ruled self defense.
