The fact that he not only killed but also ate children cemented his place in American history as the human version of the Boogie Man. It was the murder of Grace Budd that sent Albert Fish to the electric chair. His father, Randall, was 75 years old at the time. His mother, Ellen, was 43 years younger than her husband. Albert was the youngest of 4 living children. By the time Albert was 5, his elderly father had passed away. His mother was faced with the difficult decision to put her children in an orphanage until she could find a way to support them on her own. Fish was frequently subjected to physical abuse.

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However, it is not known whether he was referring to rapes or cannibalization, nor is it known if the statement was truthful. Fish was a suspect in at least five murders during his lifetime. He confessed to three murders that police were able to trace to a known homicide , and he confessed to stabbing at least two other people. Fish was apprehended on December 13, , and put on trial for the kidnapping and murder of Grace Budd.
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Albert Fish was first known as Frank Howard. He responded to an ad looking for work placed in the newspaper by Edward Budd. Edward Budd was an 18 year-old boy determined to make something of himself. He stated that he would like to have Budd come work with him at his farm, telling the story of his six children and how his wife had left them. Howard planned to come pick them up a few days later to take them back to his farm to begin work. He came over for a visit the following morning and the family invited him to stay for lunch. Explaining that he had to attend a birthday party before he could take the boys to the farm, he asked if Gracie would like to join him. With his gracious attitude and friendly nature, the Budds gave Gracie permission to attend the party. That evening, Howard did not return and Gracie vanished. The family reported her disappearance to the local police and an investigation began.
Albert Fish claimed to have raped, murdered, and mutilated as many as people, though he has only 3 confirmed victims and is suspected of only a handful more. Albert Fish was born in Washington, D. His father was 75 and his mother was He had three older siblings but spent much of his youth in an orphanage. His mother hallucinated, both his brother and sister had diagnosed mental illnesses along with his uncle.