Adam Leroy Lane is a convicted murderer and serial killer who was dubbed the Highway Killer because his crimes took place near the highway, which he frequently traveled due to his job as a trucker.
Murders
Lane committed the murders while he made his way through the Northeast during the summer of 2007. He had a DVD in his truck of the 2002 horror filmHunting Humans, about a serial murderer who stalks his victims before killing them. He also carried two knives and choke wire. His first known victim was Darlene Ewalt, who lived near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She was stabbed and killed on 13 July 2007. At the time, she was talking on the telephone in the backyard. Lane stabbed her to death while her family was inside the house. Lane's second victim was a woman named Patricia Brooks, whom he stabbed on 17 July 2007 in York County, Pennsylvania. She survived. His third victim was a woman in New Jersey by the name of Monica Massaro. He stabbed and killed her a day before he committed his final crime. His final crime transpired when he made a stop on I-495 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, broke into a house on 30 July 2007, and attacked a 15-year-old girl with a knife. Her parents awoke to the sounds of her struggling. Her 135-pound mother and 160-pound father were able to subdue the 245-pound Lane and wrestle the knife he was carrying away from him, though the mother suffered knife cuts. Chelmsford Police were contacted, arrived at the scene, and arrested him. While it has been speculated by law enforcement authorities that he has been involved with other murders in other parts of the country due to his extensive trucking routes, this has not been proven. He has refused to comment to police or the general public about this speculation.
Investigation
Lane was linked to Ewalt by DNA on his knife. He was linked to Brooks similarly. Police also discovered gloves with his DNA and one of his victim's blood.
Trials and imprisonment
Lane received a 25–30 year sentence in Massachusetts for the attack on the teenage girl. New Jersey sentenced him to 50 years for the murder of Monica Massaro. In Pennsylvania, Lane pleaded guilty in order to avoid the death penalty. He was sentenced to 10–20 years for the attempted murder of the woman in York County, and to life for the murder of Darlene Ewalt. He is serving his sentences in State Correctional Institution – Fayette.
The story has been presented in the Dateline NBC series and 48 Hours Mystery episode, "Live to Tell: Hunting Humans", and episode 2, season 1, of Nightmare Next Door and the episode 5, season 7, of Castle. Also, it was featured in Readers Digest July 2011 in an article entitled "Caught in the Act." Also in Season 1 of , episode 2 titled "Call the Coroner".
