Robert Francis Garrow Sr. (March 4, 1936 – September 11, 1978) was an American serial rapist and later spree killer who was active in New York State in the early 1970s.
Garrow later reported a long history of sexual dysfunction and paraphilias, committed several acts of bestiality with the farm animals he worked with throughout childhood and adolescence,[2] and would often masturbate with milking machines.
His life did not improve, however; he was fired from a series of menial jobs, including from a fast food restaurant he burglarized, and was involved in an abusive relationship with a man he later described as a sadist.
[3] In July 1973, Garrow murdered four people, including a young woman whom he kidnapped and repeatedly raped before killing, and a high school-aged camper in the Adirondacks a few days later.
[4][2] Road blocks were set up at intersections throughout Adirondack Park requiring motorists to open vehicle trunks for law enforcement to thoroughly search.
He was cornered in the woods 60 miles (100 km) north of the murder scene, and was shot in the foot, arm, and back by Environmental Conservation Officer Hilary J. LeBlanc.
Due to his alleged paralysis, however, he repeatedly requested transfer to the Elderly and Handicapped Unit (minimum security) within the medium-security Fishkill Correctional Facility.
[7] The trial court granted the attorneys' motion to dismiss the indictment on the grounds that the communications between Garrow and Belge as to the whereabouts of the bodies were protected by the attorney–client privilege, and "in the interests of justice."
As to the privilege, the court held that Belge's professional duties prohibited him from revealing information that would incriminate his client, reasoning that the Fifth Amendment rights of criminal defendants against self-incrimination would be circumvented if "compulsory disclosure can be exacted through his attorney.