Katie Beers and other harrowing survivals in secret lairs
John Jamelske
Credit: Newscom
From 1988 until 2003, John Jamelske kidnapped and raped women, holding them captive in a concrete bunker below his Dewitt, N.Y., home. Police found a steel door in his basement, which led to an 8-foot-long crawlspace, leading to another steel door. In order to enter the torture chamber, a person would have to open the door and step down into the room using a small ladder. The only furnishings in the bunker were a mattress, a microwave, a small tub, and a bucket for a toilet. As Jamelske became more comfortable with his captives, he would take them out on the town. A 16-year-old girl used the opportunity to make two secret phone calls to her sister, leading to the apprehension of Jamelske.
