True Crime Cases from 1978
Cases from 1978 include criminal investigations, trials, and notable events that occurred during the year. Whether they involved new charges, breakthroughs in cold cases, high-profile trials, or tragic incidents that captured national attention, the cases documented here reflect the state of the criminal justice system in 1978. CaseSleuth provides detailed, chronological coverage of each case with timelines, evidence breakdowns, profiles of key people involved, and links to primary sources and media coverage.
3 cases found
Jonestown Massacre
Cold CaseJonestown · 1978
On November 18, 1978, more than 900 members of the Peoples Temple cult died at their jungle commune in Guyana after cult leader Jim Jones ordered a mass poisoning, in the largest single loss of American civilian life before September 11, 2001. U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan and four others were also murdered at a nearby airstrip.
Jeffrey Dahmer
ConvictedMilwaukee, WI · 1978
Jeffrey Dahmer, known as the "Milwaukee Cannibal," murdered and dismembered 17 young men and boys between 1978 and 1991 in Wisconsin and Ohio. His crimes included necrophilia and cannibalism, and he was convicted of 15 murders in 1992 before being killed in prison in 1994.
Unabomber — Ted Kaczynski
ConvictedLincoln, MT · 1978
Ted Kaczynski, a former UC Berkeley mathematics professor, conducted a nationwide mail bombing campaign from 1978 to 1995 that killed three people and injured 23 others. He was identified after his brother recognized his writing style in a published manifesto and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.