14. Alexander Pearce murdered and ate multiple people whilst imprisoned on the island of Tasmania, claiming that the flesh of humans was better tasting than fish or pork
Alexander Pearce was an Irish convict sentenced in 1819 to penal transportation to Van Diemen’s Land, known today as Tasmania, for a period of seven years as punishment for “the theft of six pairs of shoes”. During his time in Tasmania, Pearce became a habitual criminal, eventually escaping his captivity on May 18, 1822, with a reward of £10 issued for his recapture; charged with absconding and forging an order, Pearce was sentenced to transportation to the penal colony at Sarah Island in Macquarie Harbour. On September 20, 1822, Pearce, in collaboration with seven fellow convicts, escaped during day labor. After fifteen days on the run, the starving men drew lots to determine who was to be butchered for food whereupon Robert Greenhill, the self-appointed group leader, murdered the unlucky man with an ax. This act scared three of the companions, who fled back to the harbor. Allying himself with Greenhill to escape the ax himself, eventually it was just the pair left. Striking first, Pearce brutally murdered Greenhill and consumed his corpse. After 113 days, Pearce was eventually caught and imprisoned at Hobart before being sent back to Macquarie Harbour
Less than a year later, Pearce escaped for the second time. Accompanied by a young convict, Thomas Cox, Pearce was recaptured in less than ten days. Found with parts of Cox’s body in his pockets, despite still possessing edible rations, it became clear that Pearce had willfully murdered and ate his companion. Charged with murder, Pearce confessed he had killed and ate Cox because he was unable to swim across the King’s River. Duly convicted, Pearce was hung on July 19, 1824, at Hobart Town Gaol. Reportedly, his last words before his execution were: “Man’s flesh is delicious. It tastes far better than fish or pork.”