Crime & Safety

Meet the Man Selling an Alleged Hickory St. Nightmare Killer's Jailhouse Letters

Here's the guy selling alleged Nightmare on Hickory Street murderer Bethany McKee's letters, among other things.

We got a chance to send San Diego artistβ€”and merchant of murder memorabiliaβ€”Kelly "Dark Vomit" Hutchison some questions. And HutchisonΒ took the time to send us back some answers.

Hutchison's the one selling letters penned by Bethany McKee of Joliet's own Nightmare on Hickory Street murders. Here's what he had to say:

Q:Β Did you write Ms. McKee and did she write you back?

A: I have never written to Ms. McKeeβ€”although very tempted. I find her case to be quite fascinating and tragic.

Q: If so, did she know her letters would be sold?

A: I couldn't imagine she knows who I am, let alone know that her lettersΒ might beΒ up for sale.

Q: If not, did someone sell you the letters? Or do people sell items through your site, like with eBay?

A:I acquired her letters through a fellow collector. I made aΒ trade withΒ some of my own artworkΒ for a collection of various prisoner letters, in which her letters were included.Β Many inmate letters and artΒ are collected like baseball cards, being bought, sold, and traded. I have a particular interest in collecting true crime items of a historical nature and felt that her case had garnished enough media attention, thatΒ it made it worthy to list. eBay prohibits the sales of these types of items. I cater to more of an underground market.

Q: What's the strangest thing you've listed?

A: That would be Dana Gray's (The Pampered Killer)Β prison worn panties.Β It is not often thatΒ panties of notorious killers pop up on the market.Β I can't say there is much historical nature with that one.Β But hey ... I figure if someone wants to get their kicks offΒ serial killer panties ... it's none of my business ... and they areΒ available ifΒ they want them.

Q:What's the strangest thing you've sold?

A: Locks of Charles Manson's hair.

Q: What's the most expensive itemΒ listed/sold?

A: Charles Manson Prison ID Card. It was recently sold for $4,500 ... I have sellers remorse about it, asΒ it was an extremely rare item. I can easilyΒ imagine, within just a few years, thatΒ itΒ willΒ be worth whole lot more thanΒ that.Β I put the money towards the purchase ofΒ a "Patches the Clown" painting by John Wayne Gacy. I have been wanting one, for some time. ...so I'll get over it.

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