GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan – A convicted murderer shocked detectives when he made a deathbed confession to killing 11 women, just days before he died while serving a life sentence for another murder. Gary Artman, who was serving a life sentence for the murder of Sharon Hammack, admitted to killing nearly a dozen women moments before he succumbed to lung cancer.
According to sources, Artman confessed to the murders of 11 women, with 10 of the killings occurring in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Despite the confession, he was only convicted of one murder – the 1996 killing of 29-year-old Sharon Hammack, who was pregnant with her third child at the time of her death.
Artman was identified as a suspect in Hammack’s murder through forensic genealogy in August 2022, bringing closure to a case that had been unsolved for years. Despite DNA evidence linking him to the crime, Artman maintained his innocence, even denying involvement in Hammack’s murder after being found guilty.
Before his death, Artman confessed to the additional murders, providing valuable information to detectives in hopes of solving these cold cases. He met with investigators three times prior to his death, sharing crucial details that could potentially bring closure to the families of the victims.
One of the victims, Cathleen Dennis, was the mother of a young boy who had been searching for answers since her disappearance. Detective Andy Hinds was able to bring justice to the son of one of Artman’s victims, providing closure for a family that had been impacted by unsolved cases for many years.
Despite Artman’s confession and death, police agencies in West Michigan are continuing to investigate the case, comparing Artman’s provided details to other unsolved crimes in the area to potentially bring closure to more families impacted by his heinous actions.