Grady Stiles
Encyclopedia
Grady Franklin Stiles, Jr. (June 26, 1937 - November 29, 1992) was a freak show
performer. His deformity
was ectrodactyly
, where the finger
s and toes are fused together to form claw
-like extremities. Stiles' stage name was the "Lobster Boy".
. Stiles was the sixth in a line that began with the birth of William Stiles in 1805. Grady Stiles' father was a sideshow attraction in a traveling carnival
when his son was born and added him to the act at a young age. Stiles married twice and had four children, two of whom also had ectrodactyly. Stiles and his two children toured together as The Lobster Family. When not traveling with the carnival the Stiles family lived in Gibsonton
, Florida
where many other carnival performers lived during the winter season.
In 1978, Stiles shot and killed his oldest daughter's fiance on the eve of their wedding. He was brought to trial where he openly confessed to killing the man and was convicted of third degree murder. He was not sent to prison as no state institution was equipped to care for an inmate with ectrodactyly. Stiles was instead sentenced to fifteen years probation
.
Stiles stopped drinking thereafter, and during this period remarried his first wife, Maria. However, he soon began drinking again and his family claimed that he became even more abusive. In 1992 Maria and her son from a previous marriage, Harry Glenn Newman Jr., hired a seventeen year-old sideshow performer named Chris Wyant to kill Stiles for $1500. Wyant shot him three times in the back of the head on November 29, 1992, killing him instantly. All three were brought to trial and convicted. In her defense, Maria Stiles told the judge, "My husband was going to kill my family. I believe that from the bottom of my heart. I’m sorry this happened, but my family is safe now."
Wyant was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 27 years in prison. Harry Newman was given life in prison for his role as the mastermind and Maria was given 12 years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder.
wrote a book on the case called Lobster Boy: The Bizarre Life and Brutal Death of Grady Stiles Jr., and E!
made a True Hollywood Stories episode based on the case titled "The Murder of Lobster Boy". A&E Network
also made a City Confidential
episode based on the case called "Gibsonton: The Last Side Show
".
Stiles' likeness appears on the CD cover for Silverchair
's Freak Show
.
A person like Grady, going by the name of "Lobster Boy", appears in a Deadpool comic. Deadpool was hired to assassinate him, but fails when he figures out he is possessed by Xaphan
, a fallen angel, and starts possessing the souls. He was later saved by the two Ghost Rider
s, but at the end is shot again in the head by Deadpool for being cruel to other freaks.
American Freakshow: The Terrible Tale of Sloth Boy, a graphic novel published by IDW Publishing
tells the tale of Dante Browning, a carnival sideshow performer with clawed hands who, because of his abuse and cruelty to his family, is shot to death by a hit man hired by his wife and stepson while in his home in Gibsonton, Florida
.
Freak show
A freak show is an exhibition of biological rarities, referred to as "freaks of nature". Typical features would be physically unusual humans, such as those uncommonly large or small, those with both male and female secondary sexual characteristics, people with other extraordinary diseases and...
performer. His deformity
Deformity
A deformity, dysmorphism, or dysmorphic feature is a major difference in the shape of body part or organ compared to the average shape of that part.Deformity may arise from numerous causes:*A Genetic mutation*Damage to the fetus or uterus...
was ectrodactyly
Ectrodactyly
Ectrodactyly, sometimes referred to as the “Lobster-Claw Syndrome” involves the deficiency or absence of one or more central digits of the hand or foot and is also known as split hand/split foot malformation...
, where the finger
Finger
A finger is a limb of the human body and a type of digit, an organ of manipulation and sensation found in the hands of humans and other primates....
s and toes are fused together to form claw
Claw
A claw is a curved, pointed appendage, found at the end of a toe or finger in most mammals, birds, and some reptiles. However, the word "claw" is also often used in reference to an invertebrate. Somewhat similar fine hooked structures are found in arthropods such as beetles and spiders, at the end...
-like extremities. Stiles' stage name was the "Lobster Boy".
Family history
The Stiles family had a long history of ectrodactylyEctrodactyly
Ectrodactyly, sometimes referred to as the “Lobster-Claw Syndrome” involves the deficiency or absence of one or more central digits of the hand or foot and is also known as split hand/split foot malformation...
. Stiles was the sixth in a line that began with the birth of William Stiles in 1805. Grady Stiles' father was a sideshow attraction in a traveling carnival
Traveling carnival
A traveling carnival is an amusement show that may be made up of amusement rides, food vendors, merchandise vendors, games of chance and skill, thrill acts, animal acts or sideshow curiosities. A traveling carnival is not set up at a permanent location, like an amusement park, but is moved from...
when his son was born and added him to the act at a young age. Stiles married twice and had four children, two of whom also had ectrodactyly. Stiles and his two children toured together as The Lobster Family. When not traveling with the carnival the Stiles family lived in Gibsonton
Gibsonton, Florida
Gibsonton is an unincorporated census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. The population was 14,234 at the 2010 census....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
where many other carnival performers lived during the winter season.
Murder
Stiles was an alcoholic and was abusive to his family. Due to his ectrodactyly, he was unable to walk. While he often used a wheelchair, he most commonly used his hands and arms for locomotion. He developed incredible upper body strength that, when combined with his temper and alcoholism, made him dangerous to others.In 1978, Stiles shot and killed his oldest daughter's fiance on the eve of their wedding. He was brought to trial where he openly confessed to killing the man and was convicted of third degree murder. He was not sent to prison as no state institution was equipped to care for an inmate with ectrodactyly. Stiles was instead sentenced to fifteen years probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
.
Stiles stopped drinking thereafter, and during this period remarried his first wife, Maria. However, he soon began drinking again and his family claimed that he became even more abusive. In 1992 Maria and her son from a previous marriage, Harry Glenn Newman Jr., hired a seventeen year-old sideshow performer named Chris Wyant to kill Stiles for $1500. Wyant shot him three times in the back of the head on November 29, 1992, killing him instantly. All three were brought to trial and convicted. In her defense, Maria Stiles told the judge, "My husband was going to kill my family. I believe that from the bottom of my heart. I’m sorry this happened, but my family is safe now."
Wyant was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 27 years in prison. Harry Newman was given life in prison for his role as the mastermind and Maria was given 12 years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder.
Media
Fred RosenFred Rosen (author)
Fred Rosen is a former columnist, for the Arts and Leisure Section of The New York Times, Rosen is now a true crime author in the United States.-Biography:Rosen was born in Brooklyn, New York. He suffered from dysthymia for a number of years.-Writing:...
wrote a book on the case called Lobster Boy: The Bizarre Life and Brutal Death of Grady Stiles Jr., and E!
E!
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...
made a True Hollywood Stories episode based on the case titled "The Murder of Lobster Boy". A&E Network
A&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
also made a City Confidential
City Confidential
City Confidential is an American documentary television show, transmitted on the A&E Network, which singled out a community during each episode and investigated a crime that had occurred there. Rather than being a straighforward procedural, the installments began by focusing on the history and...
episode based on the case called "Gibsonton: The Last Side Show
Side Show
Side Show is a musical about Daisy and Violet Hilton, conjoined twins who make a change from being a circus act to becoming famous stage performers in the 1930s. The show was written by Bill Russell and Henry Krieger . The show starred Alice Ripley as Violet and Emily Skinner as Daisy...
".
Stiles' likeness appears on the CD cover for Silverchair
Silverchair
Silverchair were an Australian rock band, which formed in 1992 as Innocent Criminals in Merewether, Newcastle with the line-up of Ben Gillies on drums, Chris Joannou on bass guitar and Daniel Johns on vocals and guitars. The group got their big break in mid-1994 when they won a national demo...
's Freak Show
Freak Show (album)
Freak Show is the second studio album from Australian rock band Silverchair. Freak Show was released on 3 February 1997. The album also gives listeners a glimpse into the band's experimental side, as can be heard in "Petrol & Chlorine" and "Cemetery"...
.
A person like Grady, going by the name of "Lobster Boy", appears in a Deadpool comic. Deadpool was hired to assassinate him, but fails when he figures out he is possessed by Xaphan
Xaphan
In Collin de Plancy's book, Dictionnaire Infernal, Xaphan was one of the fallen angels. He rebelled with Satan, and is a demon of the 2nd rank. He is said to have an inventive mind and came up with the idea to set fire to heaven before he and the other fallen were cast out...
, a fallen angel, and starts possessing the souls. He was later saved by the two Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider (comics)
Ghost Rider is the name of several fictional supernatural antiheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Night Rider and subsequently to Phantom Rider.The first supernatural Ghost Rider is...
s, but at the end is shot again in the head by Deadpool for being cruel to other freaks.
American Freakshow: The Terrible Tale of Sloth Boy, a graphic novel published by IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
tells the tale of Dante Browning, a carnival sideshow performer with clawed hands who, because of his abuse and cruelty to his family, is shot to death by a hit man hired by his wife and stepson while in his home in Gibsonton, Florida
Gibsonton, Florida
Gibsonton is an unincorporated census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. The population was 14,234 at the 2010 census....
.