Edward Edwards Guilty of Four Murders from 70's and 80s

JEFFERSON, Wis. (CBS/AP) It isn't often that a child aspires to be a criminal, but for native Ohioan Edward Edwards, it was his goal. As recounted in his autobiography, "Metamorphosis of a Criminal," a nun asked a young Edwards what he wanted to be when he was older. His response: "Sister, I'm gonna be a crook, and I'm gonna be a good one."

In 1955, Edwards escaped from an Akron jail, fled across county and made a living robbing gas stations. A mask was unnecessary for Edwards: he wanted to be famous. In 1961, Edwards earned a spot on the FBI's Most Wanted Fugitives List and was ultimately caught in Atlanta.

It wasn't until 1967 that a federal prison guard convinced Edwards to turn his life around.

He went on a motivational speaking spree prompting others to choose a straight and narrow path. Eight years after the release of his memoir Edwards found honest work as a handyman.

That was the story, anyway.

In 1977 in Ohio, 18-year-old Judith Straub of Sterling and 21-year-old Bill Lavaco were shot at point-blank range and killed.

In 1980, 19-year-old high school sweethearts Kelly Drew and Tim Hack vanished after a wedding reception in Wisconsin. Weeks later, their bodies were found in the woods. According to investigators, Drew was strangled and Hack was stabbed.

In 2007, Wisconsin investigators extracted DNA taken from semen on Drew's pants to state analysts. In June 2009, the DNA results confirmed a match to Edwards. Police arrested Edwards last July for the murders of Drew and Hack.

In April, Edwards confessed to the Ohio murders.

Edwards, 76-years-old, diabetes-ridden and feeble, pleaded guilty in a Wisconsin courtroom Wednesday to the murders of Drew and Hack. On Friday, he pleaded guilty to the murders of Straub and Lavaco. Edwards was sentenced to two life terms in Ohio. He will be sentenced later in Wisconsin but must first serve his sentence in Ohio, where he won't be eligible for parole consideration until he is 97.

Looks like the kid who wanted to be a criminal got his wish.