ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel The Infographics Show Dumb Ways to Die – Stupid Criminals Edition
Crime doesn’t pay, or so the saying goes. Today, we’re diving into some stories that prove just how true that is. Welcome to Dumb Ways to Die — Criminal Edition, where we explore the unfortunate fates of some individuals who made questionable choices.
In 1980, Michael Godwin from South Carolina was charged with the murder of Mary Elizabeth Royem. He was already on a work release from prison for a previous robbery. Convicted and sentenced to death, his sentence was later changed to life in prison. Ironically, Godwin met his end while trying to fix a pair of earphones, accidentally electrocuting himself.
In 2017, Hidr Korkmaz, a drug dealer turned informant, was set to testify against a crime boss. Sadly, he died in a freak accident while fishing when his hook struck an electricity pole. Despite asking for protection, it came too late.
In 2019, a suspected rhino poacher in South Africa’s Kruger National Park met a grim fate. Entering the park illegally, he was trampled by an elephant, and his remains were likely consumed by wildlife.
Cockfighting is a risky and controversial activity. In 2011, Jose Luis Ochoa from California died after being injured by a rooster with a blade attached to its leg. This incident highlights the dangers associated with such activities.
In a bizarre twist, a spam text message saved lives when a would-be bomber was killed by her own device due to an unexpected notification, foiling her planned attack.
John Chau attempted to contact an isolated tribe in the Andaman Islands, despite warnings. His illegal attempts to reach the island led to his tragic demise at the hands of the tribe.
In Belgium in 2009, two thieves tried to rob an ATM using dynamite but miscalculated, destroying the entire building. One thief died, and the other was found under the rubble.
In 2010, in England, a young man was electrocuted while trying to steal copper from railroad tracks. His friend was injured but managed to call for help, though it was too late for him.
In 1990, David Zaback attempted to rob a gun shop in Washington but was shot during the encounter, leading to his death.
In South Africa, a mugger sought refuge in a zoo after a robbery but was mauled by tigers.
In 2000, Augusto Lakandula tried to hijack a flight in the Philippines but died when he attempted to jump from the plane with a makeshift parachute.
Bojan Bešić, a small-time criminal in Croatia, tried to start a fire in his prison cell to escape but tragically perished in the flames.
Andrew C. Thornton II, a former police officer turned drug smuggler, died when his parachute failed to open after jumping from a plane. His story is linked to the infamous Cocaine Bear, which also met a tragic end after consuming a large quantity of the drug.
If you enjoyed these stories, be sure to check out Dumb Ways to Die – British Edition and Dumbest Ways to Die – USA Edition for more intriguing tales.
Choose one of the stories from the article and conduct further research on the background and aftermath of the event. Prepare a short presentation to share with the class, focusing on the lessons that can be learned from the incident and how it reflects the consequences of criminal behavior.
Pick a story from the article and write an alternate ending where the criminal makes a different choice that leads to a better outcome. Share your story with the class and discuss how different decisions could have changed the course of events.
Participate in a class debate on the topic “Do the consequences of these criminal acts serve as effective deterrents for future crimes?” Use examples from the article to support your arguments and engage in a thoughtful discussion on crime prevention.
In groups, choose one of the incidents from the article and role-play a crime scene investigation. Assign roles such as detectives, witnesses, and suspects. Work together to piece together the events and present your findings to the class.
Create an illustration or comic strip depicting one of the stories from the article. Focus on capturing the key moments and the moral of the story. Display your artwork in the classroom and explain the message behind your illustration.
Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript, removing explicit references to violence and sensitive topics while maintaining the overall narrative:
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Arteries slashed by aggressive roosters. A misguided robber who thought a gun store would be an easy target. A rogue missionary encountering the arrows of islanders who prefer to be left alone. Crime doesn’t pay, or so they say. Today, we’re going to look at individuals whose actions help prove that old adage true. This is Dumb Ways to Die — Criminal Edition.
In 1980, Michael Godwin, a 21-year-old from South Carolina, was charged with the murder of 24-year-old Mary Elizabeth Royem. She had been found in her apartment, and Godwin was on a work release from local prison at the time. He had previously served time for a robbery. The case went to trial in 1981, and Godwin was convicted and sentenced to death. However, his sentence was later commuted to life in prison after a retrial cleared him of a related charge. Tragically, Godwin met his end while trying to fix a pair of earphones and accidentally electrocuted himself.
In 2017, Hidr Korkmaz, a 42-year-old drug dealer and informant, was set to testify against a criminal kingpin when he was found dead. His death was ruled an accident while fishing, where his fishing hook accidentally struck an electricity pole. Korkmaz had asked for protection but sadly did not receive it in time.
In April 2019, a search in South Africa’s Kruger National Park for a suspected rhino poacher yielded only a pair of pants and a skull. The poacher had entered the park illegally and was reportedly trampled by an elephant, with his body likely consumed by wildlife shortly thereafter.
Cockfighting is a controversial activity where roosters are pitted against each other. In 2011, Jose Luis Ochoa, a 35-year-old man from California, tragically died after being injured by one of the roosters during a fight. The rooster had a blade attached, and when it jumped at Ochoa, it caused a serious injury. Similar incidents have occurred elsewhere, highlighting the dangers associated with such activities.
In a bizarre twist, a spam text message saved lives when a would-be bomber was killed by her own device due to an unexpected notification. The incident occurred during a planned attack, which was foiled by this unfortunate mistake.
John Chau, while not a criminal in the traditional sense, engaged in illegal activity when he attempted to contact an isolated tribe in the Andaman Islands. Despite warnings, he made multiple attempts to reach the island, ultimately leading to his tragic demise at the hands of the tribe.
In Belgium in 2009, a pair of thieves attempted to rob an ATM using dynamite but miscalculated the amount needed, resulting in the destruction of the entire building. One thief was killed, and the other was later found under the rubble.
In 2010, in England, a young man was electrocuted while attempting to steal copper from railroad tracks. His friend was injured but managed to call for help, though it was too late for him.
In 1990, David Zaback attempted to rob a gun shop in Washington but was shot during the encounter, leading to his death.
In South Africa, a mugger sought refuge in a zoo after committing a robbery but was unfortunately mauled by tigers.
In the Philippines in 2000, Augusto Lakandula attempted to hijack a flight but met a tragic end when he tried to jump from the plane with a makeshift parachute, leading to his death.
Bojan Bešić, a small-time criminal in Croatia, attempted to start a fire in his prison cell to escape but tragically perished in the flames.
Lastly, Andrew C. Thornton II, a former police officer turned drug smuggler, died when his parachute failed to open after he jumped from a plane. His story is tied to the infamous Cocaine Bear, which also met a tragic end after consuming a large quantity of the drug.
If you enjoyed this video, be sure to watch Dumb Ways to Die – British Edition and Dumbest Ways to Die – USA Edition.
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This version maintains the essence of the original content while ensuring it is more appropriate for a wider audience.
Crime – An action or omission that constitutes an offense that may be prosecuted by the state and is punishable by law. – The rise in cybercrime has prompted governments to implement stricter regulations to protect citizens’ personal information.
Death – The end of the life of a person or organism. – The death of the influential leader led to a period of political instability and uncertainty in the region.
Accident – An unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury. – The industrial accident prompted a review of safety protocols to prevent future occurrences.
Robbery – The action of taking property unlawfully from a person or place by force or threat of force. – The bank robbery was meticulously planned, but the culprits were eventually apprehended by the authorities.
Prison – A building where people are legally held as a punishment for a crime they have committed or while awaiting trial. – The prison reform initiative aims to reduce recidivism by providing inmates with education and vocational training.
Drug – A substance used in the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of a disease or as a component of a medication. – The psychology of addiction explores how certain drugs can alter brain chemistry and behavior.
Fishing – The activity of catching fish, either for food or as a sport. – Overfishing has become a significant environmental concern, threatening marine biodiversity and the livelihoods of coastal communities.
Poacher – A person who illegally hunts or catches animals, typically on land that is not their own. – Conservation efforts are underway to protect endangered species from poachers who exploit them for profit.
Escape – To break free from confinement or control. – The prisoner’s escape from the high-security facility raised questions about the effectiveness of the security measures in place.
Violence – Behavior involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something. – The study examined the impact of media violence on adolescent behavior and aggression.
