Joseph Edward Duncan

The Fifth Nail

  Active for 10 years
(1996-2005) in United States

5

CONFIRMED
VICTIMS

7

POSSIBLE
VICTIMS
Jump to:
  1. Summary
  2. Serial Killer Profile
  3. Serial Killer Type
  4. General Information
  5. Characteristics
  6. Childhood
  7. Cognitive Ability
  8. Incarceration
  9. Death
  10. 10 Timeline Events
  11. Serial Killers Active During Spree
  12. Boolean Statistical Questions
  13. 11 Books About Joseph Edward Duncan
  14. 3 External References
  15. Internal References

Joseph Edward Duncan (Joseph Edward Duncan III) an American serial killer and child rapist known as The Fifth Nail. He was a child molester active between 1996 and 2005. Duncan was convicted of killing a California boy in 1997 and four members of an Idaho family in 2005. He confessed to two 1996 murders in Washington state, but has not been formally charged. Ducan would kidnap, rape and murder victims. Duncan maintained a personal website, entitled The Fifth Nail. He killed at least one victim by hitting them with a hammer. Joseph Duncan is currently on death row at USP Terre Haute in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Joseph Edward Duncan Serial Killer Profile

Serial Killer Joseph Edward Duncan (aka) The Fifth Nail, was active for 10 years between 1996-2005, known to have ( 5 confirmed / 7 possible ) victims. This Serial Killer was active in the following countries: United States

Joseph Edward Duncan was born (Joseph Edward Duncan III) on February 25th 1963 in Tacoma, county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. His father, Joseph Edward Duncan Jr.

Joseph Edward Duncan a homosexual, pedophile male citizen of the United States of America. He completed 13 years of school, attended some college, no degree received. He gained part of his education while attending North Dakota State University. He never married. He had no children.

Prior to his spree he had commited crimes, served time in jail, and served time in prison.

In 1996 (Age 32/33) Joseph Edward Duncan started his killing spree, during his crimes as a serial killer he was known to torture, rape, and murder his victims. Joseph Edward Duncan used a weapon and was in possession of a firearm during his crimes. He was known to kill victims at his own home. At least one victim was tied, bound, or otherwise restrained during the crime.

He was arrested on July 2nd 2005 (Age 42), convicted on December 3rd 2007 (Age 44), sentenced to death at United States Penitentiary, Terre Haute, Indiana, US. He was convicted on charges of murder, rape and other possible charges during his lifetime.

Joseph Edward Duncan died on March 28th 2021 (Age 58), cause of death: stage IV brain cancer, glioblastoma at United States Penitentiary, Terre Haute, Indiana, US.

Profile Completeness: 75%
serial killers by profile completeness

Joseph Edward Duncan has been listed on Killer.Cloud since November of 2016 and was last updated 3 years ago.

Joseph Edward Duncan a known:

Joseph Edward Duncan
Serial Killer Profile:

Updated: 2021-04-03 Collected by Killer.Cloud
General Information
Name: Joseph E. Duncan III
Nickname: The Fifth Nail
Victims: 5 - 7
Years Active: 1996 - 2005
Ages Active: 32/33 - 41/42
Active Countries: United States
Convicted Of: murder, rape
Life Span: 1963 - 2021
Characteristics
Gender: Male
Citizenship: United States of America
Sexual Preference: homosexual, pedophile
Astrological Sign: Pisces
Feb 18 - Mar 20
Birth Month: February
Marital Status: never married
Children: no children
Living With: N/A
Occupation: serial killer
Childhood Information
D.O.B.: Feb 25, 1963
Birth Name: Joseph Edward Duncan III
Given Name: Joseph
Birth Location: Tacoma, county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States
Birth Order: N/A
Siblings: N/A
Raised By: N/A
Birth Category: N/A
Mother: N/A
Father: Joseph Edward Duncan Jr

Cognitive Ability
IQ: N/A
Highest School: 13 years of school
Highest Degree: some college, no degree
Educated At: North Dakota State University

Incarceration
Arrested: Jul 2, 2005 (Age 42)
Convicted: Dec 3, 2007 (Age 44)
Sentence: death
Prison Location: United States Penitentiary, Terre Haute, Indiana, US
Executed: N/A
Previous Crimes: TRUE
Previous Jail: TRUE
Previous Prison: TRUE

Death Information
Death Date: Mar 28, 2021 (Age 58)
Cause of Death: stage IV brain cancer, glioblastoma
Death Location: United States Penitentiary, Terre Haute, Indiana, US
Killed In Prison: FALSE
Suicide: FALSE
10 Timeline Events of Serial Killer
Joseph Edward Duncan

The 10 dates listed below represent a timeline of the life and crimes of serial killer Joseph Edward Duncan. A complete collection of serial killer events can be found on our Serial Killer Timeline.

Date Event Description
Feb 25 1963Joseph Edward Duncan was born in Tacoma, county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States.  #19630225
Feb 25 1983
(Age 20)
20th Birthday
Feb 25 1993
(Age 30)
30th Birthday
1996
(Age 32/33)
Joseph Edward Duncan started his serial killing spree. #1996
Feb 25 2003
(Age 40)
40th Birthday
2005
(Age 41/42)
Joseph Edward Duncan ended his serial killing spree. #2005
Jul 02 2005
(Age 42)
Joseph Edward Duncan arrested. #20050702
Dec 03 2007
(Age 44)
Joseph Edward Duncan was convictedand sentenced to death at United States Penitentiary, Terre Haute, Indiana, US.  #20071203
Feb 25 2013
(Age 50)
50th Birthday
Mar 28 2021
(Age 58)
Joseph Edward Duncandied.cause of death:stage IV brain cancer, glioblastomaat United States Penitentiary, Terre Haute, Indiana, US. #20210328
Back to top Serial Killers Active During

The following serial killers were active during the same time span as Joseph Edward Duncan (1996-2005).

Serial Killers By Active Year


23 / 40
ANSWERED
Serial Killer
Boolean Questions:
Killer
Question
Killer
Answer
Total
Answered
previous crimes TRUE 367
previous jail TRUE 352
previous prision TRUE 336
kill at killers home TRUE 320
used weapon TRUE 453
used gun TRUE 451
rape TRUE 453
torture TRUE 426
bound TRUE 406
suicide FALSE 225
killed in prison FALSE 218
kill at victims home FALSE 323
stalk FALSE 418
blindfold FALSE 363
strangle FALSE 443
sex with body FALSE 430
mutilated FALSE 447
ate part of body FALSE 451
drank blood FALSE 442
posed body FALSE 365
totem body part FALSE 365
totem personal item FALSE 354
robbed FALSE 418


Books that Mention Joseph Edward Duncan

Book: Serial Killer Rapists (mentions serial killer Joseph Edward Duncan)
Kevin Smith
Serial Killer Rapists
Book: True Stories of Law & Order: SVU (mentions serial killer Joseph Edward Duncan)
Kevin Dwyer
True Stories of Law & Order: SVU
Book: The Big Book of Serial Killers (mentions serial killer Joseph Edward Duncan)
Jack Rosewood
The Big Book of Serial Killers
Book: Stolen in the Night (mentions serial killer Joseph Edward Duncan)
Gary C. King
Stolen in the Night
Book: Criminology: Theories, Patterns, an... (mentions serial killer Joseph Edward Duncan)
Larry Siegel
Criminology: Theories, Patterns, and Typologi...
Book: Process Dynamics and Control (mentions serial killer Joseph Edward Duncan)
Dale E. Seborg
Process Dynamics and Control
Book: Serial Murder (mentions serial killer Joseph Edward Duncan)
Ronald M. Holmes
Serial Murder
Book: Whither Opportunity? (mentions serial killer Joseph Edward Duncan)
Greg J. Duncan
Whither Opportunity?

11 Books that mention Serial Killer
Joseph Edward Duncan

ISBN10 Book Title Killers
1733630619 Serial Killer Rapists 266
1101220422 True Stories of Law & Ord... 1
1548119644 The Big Book of Serial Ki... 60
0312942052 Stolen in the Night 1
049500572x Criminology: Theories, Pa... 1
0470128674 Process Dynamics and Cont... 1
1412974429 Serial Murder 26
1610447514 Whither Opportunity? 1
1530040094 Sicko 1
146027752x When Things Seem Odd 6
149096679x 100 of the Most Famous Se... 17

Joseph Edward Duncan III (born February 25, 1963) is an American convicted serial killer and child molester who is on death row in federal prison in conjunction with the 2005 kidnappings and murders of members of the Groene family of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. He is also serving 11 consecutive sentences of life without parole in conjunction with the same crimes as well as the 1997 murder of Anthony Martinez of Beaumont, California.

Wikipedia
External References
  1. Q4154853 on www.wikidata.org, Retrieved on Dec 20, 2018.
  2. Joseph E. Duncan III on en.wikipedia.org, Retrieved on Dec 20, 2018.
  3. Juan Ignacio Blanco, Joseph Edward DUNCAN III on murderpedia.org, Retrieved on Dec 20, 2018.
Internal References

Joseph Edward Duncan is included in the following pages on Killer.Cloud the Serial Killer Database

  1. #24 of 38[ Page 2 ] of Serial Killers with birthdays in February
  2. #32 of 40[ Page 3 ] of Pisces Serial Killers sorted by Confirmed Victims
  3. #63 of 89[ Page 5 ] of Serial Killer Torturers sorted by Confirmed Victims
  4. #143 of 651[ Page 10 ] of the A-Z List of Serial Killers
  5. #164 of 651[ Page 11 ] of serial killers sorted by Years Active
  6. #201 of 327[ Page 14 ] of Serial Killers active in the United States
  7. #202 of 307[ Page 14 ] of Serial Killer Rapist sorted by Confirmed Victims
  8. #312 of 651[ Page 21 ] of serial killers sorted by Profile Completeness
  9. #407 of 651[ Page 28 ] of serial killers sorted by Confirmed Victims
Statistics:
Serial Killers Statistics, charts Joseph Edward Duncan is included in: Active Serial Killers by Country, Serial Killers By Gender, Age of Serial Killer by Date, Killers By Astrological Sign, Killers By Birth Month, Serial Killers IQ Level, Highest Degree Achieved, Sexual Preference, Active Serial Killers by Year and Statistical Boolean Questions.
Years Active: