Marybeth Tinning: Schenectady’s Infamous Baby Killer

A Troubling History

Marybeth Roe Tinning, born on September 11, 1942, in Duanesburg, New York, is one of America's most infamous murderers and suspected serial killers. Convicted for the murder of her four-month-old daughter, Tami Lynne, in December 1985, Tinning is suspected in the mysterious deaths of her eight other children over a span of fourteen years. Initially believed to be caused by genetic issues, these deaths raised no suspicion until Tami Lynne’s asphyxia was confirmed as a homicide.

The Pattern of Loss

Tinning’s children’s deaths began with her third child, Jennifer, in 1972. An alarming pattern emerged as each subsequent child experienced life-threatening incidents that led to their untimely deaths, which were often attributed to natural causes or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Even the death of her adopted son, Michael, in 1981, failed to raise red flags among the authorities.

The Turning Point

In a shocking twist, Tinning confessed to murdering not just Tami Lynne but also previously deceased children, claiming her confession was coerced. Forensic evidence later indicated that Tami Lynne's death was caused by smothering. By 1987, she was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to 20 years to life in prison, although her attorneys argued her confession was invalid.

Life After Conviction

Marybeth Tinning's life in prison saw her denied parole six times, during which she expressed a lack of clear remorse and struggled to recollect her actions. However, in 2018, after 31 years behind bars, she was granted parole. Now living under supervision in Schenectady County, her story serves as a haunting reminder of a mother’s tragic descent into darkness.