The Infamous Story Of 'Lobster Boy' Grady Stiles Jr.

The question of who is Grady Stiles (Lobster Boy) cracks open a strange and disturbing tale. Grady Stiles was born to the famous Stiles family and followed in family footsteps to become a sideshow performer.

When the fame dissipated, his life took a series of hellish turns, which would lead him to commit murder.

Today, we’re taking a deep dive into the life, murder plot, and death of the ‘Lobster boy.’ We’ll also learn about the people in his life who suffered because of his violent actions.

Who Was Lobster Boy?

Photo credit: Sometimes Interesting

For over a century, the Stiles performing family experienced a rare medical condition known as ectrodactyly. This congenital abnormality made their hands look like lobster claws. The middle fingers were ‌missing or fused to both the thumb and pinky.

Grady’s family used this deformity to their advantage and started a circus called ‘The Lobster Family.’ This was popular during the early 20th century and earned them a reputation as entertainers and performers.

Grady Stiles, who became the famous freak known as Lobster Boy, was born into the Stiles family in 1937. Grady’s father, Grady Stiles III, was already part of a circus act and included his children in the show.

Unlike the rest of his family, Grady’s condition was far more severe. Besides his hands, his feet were also affected, and he used a wheelchair.

Since he primarily used a wheelchair, Grady developed incredible upper body strength, something that ‌contributed to his crimes later in life.

Throughout his childhood, Grady toured with his family and traveled the carnival circuit. The family did well and earned anywhere from $50,000 to $80,000 per session. Since Stiles traveled the carnival circuit for most of his life, it should come as no surprise that he eventually fell in love and married another carnival worker.

The name of Grady’s wife changes depending on the source you read. Some say Mary, and others say Teresa. In this piece, we’ll be referring to her as Mary. Together, Mary and Grady had two children.

Grady Stiles Tragic Personal Life

Mary and Grady lived happily for a time, but as the children grew, their lives took a darker turn. Throughout Grady’s life, he battled with anger issues, which he took out on his wife and children. Grady also drank a lot - a deadly combination.

Grady used his profound strength and was physically abusive to his wife and children.

It is alleged that Grady once ripped his wife’s IUD from her body during a fight. He would also regularly use his claw-like appendages to choke her.

After enduring years of abuse, Mary filed for divorce and left Grady, taking the children with her. Mary later remarried another circus performer, Harry. Harry was known as ‘The World’s Smallest Man.’

Grady also remarried his new wife, a young woman named Barbara Browning. While everything seemed alright for a while, the lives of the Stiles family were about to take a darker turn.

The Murder

Grady’s anger issues and drinking didn’t subside after Mary filed for divorce. In fact, they led to first-degree murder.

Here’s what happened.

Grady’s eldest daughter, Donna, was rumored to be his favorite because of her conventional hands and feet. She was his daughter from his previous marriage. She was engaged and planning a wedding. However, Grady wasn’t a fan of Donna’s fiance. While no one knows exactly what happened, it is assumed that Grady invited Donna’s finance over to his house for a conversation.

However, once Donna’s finance arrived, Grady pulled out a shotgun and murdered him. According to a chilling scene from Lobster Boy'' biographers - Donna held her dying fiance in her arms while Grady smiled and said, “I told you I would kill him.”

Unfortunately, because of his failing health, Grady evaded a hefty prison sentence and was let off by the court. While he was found guilty, he never faced justice.

Photo credit: Sometimes Interesting

The Death of Grady Stiles Jr

After Grady was let off a second-degree murder charge, and despite all the abuse she endured, Mary remarried Grady. They remained married for a few years. Unsurprisingly, this time did not differ from the first. Mary was subjected to many cases of abuse, both physical and mental.

A few years after the remarriage, Mary reached her limit. She enlisted the aid of a teenage neighbor kid, Chris Wyant, and her son, Harry Glenn Newman Jr, to help her murder her husband. Mary paid $1,500 and helped conceive the plan.

One night, Chris took a gun a friend had purchased for him and shot Grady dead at a point-blank range.

During the trial, Mary and Chris admitted guilt. Mary spoke at length about the abuse she suffered at the hands of Lobster Boy Grady Stiles. She said, “My husband was going to kill my family. I believe that from the bottom of my heart.”

Her family was not the only people with disdain for Grady. Only ten people attended his funeral, and nobody volunteered as a pallbearer to carry his coffin.

Conclusion

For a significant portion of their lives, the Stiles family was being convicted or tried for murder. First with the failed trial of Grady and then his wife, Mary.

While the life of Grady Stiles was complex and disturbing, one thing is certain. He was not well-loved. Grady Stiles was so disliked amongst his community and family that almost no one attended his funeral.

Feel like reading stories of inspiring humans who have overcome their physical challenges instead? Check out our articles on Phreeque.com.