Sinister home of a serial killer who sought the death penalty preserved with creepy dolls

Photos of the US serial killer’s home, which belonged to killer Steven Brian Pennell, include a room housing a creepy collection of dilapidated china dolls

An eerie house that once belonged to America’s only murderer who sought the death penalty is perfectly preserved to this day.

Photos of the serial killer’s home, which belonged to killer Steven Brian Pennell, include a room housing a creepy collection of dilapidated china dolls.

Another room in the house shows an intact 1980s bedroom with a yellow bedspread that looks like it was used yesterday.

Steven Brian Pennell was Delaware’s only known serial killer, suspected of five murders and convicted of two in the late 1980s.

Pennell was known to find his victims on Route 40 in Delaware, the first being AIDS nurse Shirley Ellis in November 1987, whose body was discovered by the side of the road after being bound and hit with a hammer.

He was captured a year later, in November 1988, and charged with three murders, later convicted of only two.

It was the first trial in the US to use DNA as perfectly legal evidence, with victims’ DNA found in the fibers of the carpet in Pennell’s car.

Pennell was also the only man ever convicted to voluntarily seek the death penalty, which was granted, and he was executed in March 1992.

The pictures were taken by photographer Ben James, who discovered the house in New Castle County, USA and documented his adventures on his Instagram and TikTok pages @places_forgotten.

“I take a lot of photos of abandoned houses in the States,” Ben said.

“I came across this one and everything was left behind. When I left the house, the neighbor and the sheriff came and said that this was Steven Pennell’s house.

“I had no idea who he was but he was Delaware’s only known serial killer and at one point he lived in a trailer with his wife but this was the house he lived in and apparently that’s where he killed a victim or two .

“It was a pretty spooky place because it’s in the middle of nowhere and it’s just crazy how it’s all been abandoned.

“It’s definitely one of the best documented abandoned houses I’ve ever had the privilege of photographing.

“Apparently it was left that way for many years. I think it was left alone because people don’t want to think about the story.

“It’s a pretty gloomy place and the house has a very somber atmosphere.”