Mass murderer George Banks, spared from death penalty, dies in prison 43 years after rampage

HARRISBURG, Pa. — George Banks, one of the most notorious mass murderers in the U.S., has died

HARRISBURG, Pa. — George Banks, one of the most notorious mass murderers in the U.S., has died.

Banks, 83, died Sunday afternoon at Phoenix state prison in Pennsylvania, the state Department of Corrections said. Banks died of complications from renal neoplasm, or kidney cancer, said Montgomery County Coroner Dr. Janine Darby.

Banks had been in prison since 1982 after shooting 14 people, and killing 13, including his own children, during a rampage in Wilkes-Barre. At time, it was considered one of the worst mass murders in American history. He was convicted of 12 counts of first-degree murder and one count of third-degree murder.

Banks had been drinking at a party late at night before using an AR-15 rifle to start the rampage at his home.

Five victims were his children, ages 1 to 6. Four more were the mothers of his children. Other victims were bystanders, including an 11-year-old child who sometimes stayed with his family, a 7-year-old child and a teenager who saw Banks leaving his home armed with the rifle and recognized him.