A MUGSHOT OF DR. ROBERT DAVID LITTLE (!)
CASE OVERVIEW: In April 1991, a jury acquitted Indiana State University professor Robert David Little of charges he assisted and even supervised serial killer Larry Eyler in the 1982 sadistic bondage slaying of Steven Agan, 23.
Little, who had a previous teaching stint at the University of Wisconsin at Madison before being hired by ISU, was secretly Eyler's sugardaddy for nearly a decade.
During that time the duo shared an apartment and a townhouse together, and Professor Little even paid Eyler's legal expenses when he was on trial for the brutal murder of another young man, although acting as the star witness against him.
Eyler in turn testified for the prosecution in Little's subsequent murder trial, stating that, when he stabbed Agan to death, the professor of library sciences was present and ordered him to do it so he could take photographs for his private 'snuff' collection.
Eyler also said that Little
had actively participated in stabbing the victim, who was gagged and bound with rope to a beam in
a deserted farm shed. And that Little took part in other similar ritualistic assaults and killings of young men throughout the midwest, events which he additionally photographed.
In all there were 21 such murders that Larry Eyler finally confessed to as he lay dying of AIDS in prison. Four of which he insisted the portly 50-year-old professor had acted as his accomplice in perpetrating.
Eyler took polygraph exams in support of these contentions and passed every one of them.
Moreover, prior to the Highway Murderer's apprehension, FBI had released a profile of the suspected serial killer to local police departments who were collectively hunting for the mystery man.
In it, they advised investigators that their main suspect was a muscular younger male violently conflicted about his homosexuality, but who was at times being joined by a second killer: A mature, educated, well respected male from the community who was using the killer's youth to ensnare victims for perverse sexual gratification.
Expert profilers had described both Eyler and Robert David Little to the letter, with the only exception being that the professor had never married.
Vermilion County prosecutor Mark Greenwell portrayed the professor's role in the killing spree in more specific and graphic detail: "For more than 20 years," Greenwell informed the jury, "Little solicited
teenagers and young men and used his power, money and influence to get
what satisfied him sexually."
Little had planned to take the witness stand in his own defense but at the last minute he declined, forcing his elderly and infirmed mother to swear that he was with her on the day of the murder.
However, other evidence clearly indicated Little had never left town at all, and that he had carefully orchestrated his movements after the fact, in an effort to establish an alibi the moment he learned that Eyler had been arrested...
I am seeking Robert David Little's arrest photo and any other mugshots of him that may be floating out there in the ether. Any other updated info would be swell to have, too.
These all appear to have been expunged from the web over the years, but, nevertheless, somebody may have stored a few choice photographs and data someplace. I would greatly appreciate the public's assistance in this aspect of my project.
Please use the comment box below to ping me if you have any info--
E.R.
I am from that area and moving back there, but keep in touch with people. I will ask some of my researcher, reporter, genealogist friends and see if they can come up with anything. I have tons of friends in the Vigo county area. I will ask around and see if anyone knows he is still around that area. I know that he was receiving retirement benefits from ISU in 2010, he is listed on the alumni site. How can you get all your pictures espioneged from the web? I didn't even know you could do that. I have the book about them Freed to Kill, its packed up right now, but I wonder if a picture of him is possibly in the book, it has been years since I have read it. Someone has to know him in the area. It's a small area.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure I found a photo. I am sending it to a few friends to make sure it is him to be sure. Anyways I questioned a few people who live in the area he lived in and I was told he lives in Wisconsin now. I don't know how true that is, but if it's true I found it to be quite ironic with all the deaths happening.
ReplyDeleteA DOUBLE THANK YOU, PEONYDOE -- I knew you'd come up with something.
ReplyDeleteYour assistance is much appreciated. Ping me when you know for sure the photo you located is a match up.
BTW: I also thought that region's Smiley hot zone was curious in light of his being around there for so long.
I have my own theory concerning these drownings, as is obvious, and some aspects of it don't always jive with longstanding ones, but, nonetheless, I just wanted to nose around some here and see what gives. Because it's not about who's theory is the best...it's about which one is correct and leads to arrests and convictions.
I also disbelieve that, even though acquitted, the professor was innocent of these sadistic slayings (described in above post) -- it seems likely that in some he definitely participated as Eyler said, and in all he was an onlooker.
Casting further doubts on the integrity of the trial proceedings is the fact that he was paying Eyler's attorney while at the same time being the star witness against him. A pretty shocking conflict of interest that surely influenced the direction of things...in favor of this devious professor.
Talk soon--
E.R.
I'm from that area until the last 4 years. I was very young when this all happened with Little and Eyler. But my dad is a cop and I know all the evidence was thrown out which would have convicted Little. Ya Little paid the lawyer which makes it a bit sketchy. Eyler had nothing to lose while on his death bed he swore Little was a part of the murders and basically the master mind. A couple of the boys bodies were yes butchered, but found along banks of water. I have a ton of researcher friends, cop friends and reporter friends and genealogist friends who I plan to share this picture with and see what they say. Two friends one from Newport, Indiana and my other friend from Terre Haute said yes the picture is him. But I want to ask a few other people for sure. It is the only damn photo I can find on him and I don't know what is up with that. But I do know there are photos of him in the 1976 Indiana state university year book, but I can't seem to access one. I did call and ask my ex husband (ugh) and ask him if he could point him out in the picture I have, but he couldn't remember even though he went to that college also. My Uncle was a professor there about 8 years ago and I have been trying to get a hold of him for a confiation of his picture also, plus I have a membership to a newspaper archive I am digging through for more on him also. But with having had the flu I haven't had a chance to look through a lot, but I plan to get my oldest son to help me too. So soon I should know something and will let you know as soon as I know.
ReplyDelete4-11-91
Delete•
1. AnonymousApril 28, 2016 at 2:28 PM
i met david little while a student at indiana state in the cunningham library. he approached me and introduced himself stating over and over that he would like to help me and he would do anything, absolutely anything i needed. he was really the weirdest person i had ever met in my life up to that point. the thing i remember most was his skin. it was slick , smooth , and shiny. some thing that is reffered to as waxed fruit skin and is associated with severe mental disease. i was a shame and a sham that he was let go. his lawyer was a person without a soul
There are two boys Larry Eyler confessed to murder, but have still not been identified. I am trying to help get the boys "home". I am convinced one of the boys was in Dr. Little's class at one time. the boy was killed in late 1983. please go to our website www.wthitv.com and search Larry Eyler. there you will see the boys' composites. PLEASE help us if you recognize them! I am a reporter at the tv station. Patrece Dayton
DeleteI remember when this happened. I had just moved in to the area and become friends with Danny's brother Tracy. My heart always seems to go back to this time as it was such a sad time around that area for many people. My thoughts have always remained on that trouble day. I was just 14 when this happened and can remember it as if it were yesterday. I will always hold this family close to my heart.
ReplyDeleteThese kind of vicious but random murders tend to be most haunting because they speak to the influence of luck and chance on a person's destiny, as opposed to the more common kinds of slayings: crimes of passion and/or revenge.
DeleteIf he hadn't been there at that moment in time ... if he hadn't accepted a ride ... if ... if ... if... that is what loved ones and a community are forever left with when someone haplessly falls prey to a serial killer.
Thank you for dropping by Killing Killers and for posting a comment. Insight and firsthand knowledge like you've provided here is invaluable.
E.R.
I attended Indiana State when Eyler was killing. We were driving north of Vigo County and came upon dozens of state police cars surrounding a barn along the rode. We guessed at that time the police had found another body, and they had as we learned in the news. A Indiana state police officer, now passed away, showed me pictures of the killings. Unbelievable how Little and Eyler would tie their hands and feet together behind the victim's back, then use the same rope to hang the person from their hands and feet. This placed the victim in a sort of horizontal position face down. They'd cut out the abdomen and gut the victims. While the trials were active, we would see Little walking across campus. he was about 5'6", pudgy, white hair, thick glasses, sloppy dresser, and his pants were so long that his "suit" pants were frayed on the bottoms from dragging the ground. As young crazy kids, we'd yell at him saying, "Who's next?" What's for dinner?" You murdered those people and Eyler is taking the fall for you." I know that was over the top but how could an animal like that still be employed at ISU. They found VHA movies in his bedroom of the killing. He was an accessory and premeditated murderer. And since he knew felonies were being committed, he aided and abetted, obstructed the investigation, and committed "misprision of a felony" under 18 USC 4.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your very interesting comment and contribution today. I agree -- in light of certain forensics and facts, it is indeed curious how the professor managed to so effectively extricate himself from this case.
DeleteE.R.
That was so very rude. The family might read this and be offended by the language that is so gory that it compelled you to repeat it. Too bad the policeman was not professional or ethical and showed the photos. My compassion for his family and their loss. But it is probably best he is not a trooper anymore. Discretion is an asset. Some have it some are too slow to instill it. Bet if it was his son he would not have shared.
DeleteFind him a must.
ReplyDeleteDr. Little is living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - I think. I happen to know a member of the Eyler family who still lives in Indiana. I see her a few times a year. I used to live a few blocks from the site of the Danny Bridges murder in Rogers Park here in Chicago. You can contact me if you'd like: shadeoftrees@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteRobert D. Little's Current address and phone: http://www.whitepages.com/name/Robert-D-Little/Milwaukee-WI/5p70ujc
ReplyDeleteLooks like after Terre Haute he moved to NYC for many years - a good place to "disappear" - and lived in numerous apartments there. Then moved to Milwaukee. Be sure to click on "View More" (there are several iterations of "view more") to open all the previous addresses. There is a long list of addresses in NYC and at the bottom is "Terre Haute". At the top - most recent - is Milwaukee.
http://radaris.com/~Robert-Little/131573170
PS: Good luck tracking him down.
ReplyDeleteAlso...Peonydoe, above, mentioned that there is a photo of him in the 1976 ISU yearbook. I was just googling to see if there were digitized copies of their yearbooks and there are - better yet they are available online for free. Here is the link to the 1976 copy:
ReplyDeletehttp://visions.indstate.edu:8888/cdm/ref/collection/isuarchive/id/23109
Unfortunately, the text to the free ISU yearbooks is not searchable but i was able to find the page he is on by searching thru e-yearbooks.com which is searchable where I found the page he is on (I don't have a paid membership to that though so I could only view the thumbnail - but that sent me on my quest to find a free digitized version...) I just found the corresponding page with info about him and his photo in the free digitized yearbooks! Scroll down the thumbnails and click on the thumbnail to the page that ends in 00124 (ie: isa-isusycamore-1976-00124). His photo is on the bottom rt of that page (the top of the page begins with the header "Clarivoyant...". He has longish hair, round face and thick glasses. In this '76 photo he would be ~38 years old (he was 53 during his trial in '91) - today he'd be 76.
And in case you want to check for more photos from surrounding years here is the link to the entire collection:
http://library.indstate.edu/archives/exhibits/yearbooks.htm
Univ of Wisc Madison also has free digitized yearbooks if you want to search thru them: http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/UW/UW-idx?type=browse&scope=UW.UWYearBks
While attending I.S.U and after Little's acquittal, I was conducting research in the Cunningham Memorial Library's basement which was precisely where Little's office was still located. I was using the men's latrine and in strolled Little washing out his coffee cup. I knew at that point in time if he made any sudden moves I was prepared to go on the counteroffensive and only then would "Justice" be served.
ReplyDeleteVermillion County is either has the most inept court officers and/or has the most corrupt court system in the State. This is still true in 2015. Perry Hollowell (appointed after the sheriff resigned to take a position with the then new Hoosier Lottery) allowed accepted gifts for the jail from Little (microwave oven, pizza for everyone including prisoners and jailers, several nights each week). Little was also taken from jail to attend a barbecue given by the prosecutor with the judge in attendance also. The current Circuit Court has become a revenue producing system with deferred prosecutions and alternative sentencing producing a very large slush fund. These funds are then dolled out to departments considered good earners. Quite similar to the Racketeering and extortion rackets run by the Mafia. A good many are also involved in gun deals of very large magnitudes crossing national borders. Another Attorney just built a 5000 square foot mansion priced at nearly 5 million dollars. Said to have a huge built in gun vault in the basement. Be careful with your work, for the Vermillion Court will not protect your rights to do so. Considering the county has the highest unemployment rate in the State of Indiana, one has to wonder at the litigators wealth accumulation.
ReplyDeleteHi. I’m working on a media project concerning Robert David Little. As of now it looks to be a 6 episode Docu Series. I’m very interested in learning more about your knowledge of the Professor. Please contact me at todd@smalltownbigstory.com. Thanks!
Deletei met david little while a student at indiana state in the cunningham library. he approached me and introduced himself stating over and over that he would like to help me and he would do anything, absolutely anything i needed. he was really the weirdest person i had ever met in my life up to that point. the thing i remember most was his skin. it was slick , smooth , and shiny. some thing that is reffered to as waxed fruit skin and is associated with severe mental disease. i was a shame and a sham that he was let go. his lawyer was a person without a soul
ReplyDeleteThere are photos of this creep / slime / killer who is doomed!
ReplyDeleteYes, he looks like you'd expect him to look, and see the recent discovery of a body that is blamed on someone else. Little was in a lot of places due to his perversion / possession and his now-doomed soul.
The Professor
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPdACWha8RI
I was a student in Little's library science classes after his acquittal. He was much thinner then and always had a bottle of water with him, turning the cap constantly as he taught. Got on my nerves. I did learn a lot and got my degree but it was definitely uncomfortable. The classes were very small and everyone had heard the stories.
ReplyDeleteHe has a relative named Larry d little..... Facebook him. Has pics of who I think is robert david little
ReplyDeleteWhat ever became of the wrongful death suit brought against Little by Bridges family in 1992? There's mention of Little being sued but nothing online about the outcome.
ReplyDeleteAnyone ever look into if little found a new partner and started killing as the smiley face killers they target the same men usually drugging them and he moved to New York,Wisconsin he’s at the right place at the right time he very well could be the master mind behind this murders as well I believe he coached Larry and when he got caught he found himself a new student to teach his vile ways to may his god forgive him because mine will not
ReplyDeletehttps://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100038966887925 Name change? Could have taken Larry’s name as a reminder looks a lot like him
ReplyDeleteRobert D Little from Milwaukee, WI
ReplyDeleteAge: 84 years old
(414) 224-6461
929 N Astor St, Apt 2305, Milwaukee, WI, 53202-3486
https://nuwber.com/person/563a19ad4fd2d7d714ffd36c
See this- 3200 Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL, 60657-3966
ReplyDelete(414) 224-6461
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nwitimes.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fcrime-and-courts%2Fserial-killer-who-terrorized-nwi-some-victims-nameless-long-after-21-murders%2Farticle_5e94bb64-38a4-56ce-a01a-616d362b41bc.html&psig=AOvVaw1AWvWySMs6eH0bp_9dWxY8&ust=1690569731969000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBAQjRxqFwoTCODpupfFr4ADFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE
ReplyDelete