Sadly, the biographical information about this graduate is from her death certificate and from news articles about her tragic death.

Norma Dae Lee Frye was born on December 5, 1923 in Washington County, Pennsylvania. Her parents were Charles Raymond Frye and Catherine V. Miller. She had one sibling, a brother, Philip Keith Frye, who was killed in an auto accident in 1949 while serving in Europe with the U. S. Army. Philip's wife, the former Marianne Swart, and their two children, Philip and Linda, lived with the Frye family after his death. [Spellings "Philip" and "Marianne" from marriage record.]

On Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 1952, Norma Frye, 29, married Donald Keifer Watkins, 41, whom she had met while she was a school nurse and he was a teacher in the local school system. He subsequently quit his teaching position and was working as a welder while attending graduate school at the University of Pittsburgh.

On March 7, 1953, three months and eight days after her marriage, Norma and her mother were murdered by Donald Keifer Watkins. He told police he had been planning the murder of his wife for five weeks.

It was a Saturday, and "a long heated argument began about 11:00 a.m." and continued after Watkins, Norma, and her mother returned from shopping. Shortly after 2:00 p.m., he followed Norma into the dining room/kitchen and began shooting. According to a news article, "When she fell to the floor, he kept pumping bullets into her face," for a total of ten shots at her.

Mrs. Frye ran to the hallway phone to call police, but Watkins shot her twice at the phone. He later claimed he had not intended to kill his mother-in-law.

Norma's sister-in-law was a witness to the escalating hostilities and, as the two women were being shot, Marianne and her children escaped. Marianne later told police that Watkins had tried to slit Norma's throat two weeks earlier.

Norma and her mother are buried at Washington Cemetery, Washington County, Pennsylvania.

Donald Keifer Watkins was adjudged insane. On May 21, 1953, he was sent to Farview State Hospital for the criminally insane, where he remained for twenty-two years. Records reveal that he had been deemed insane by the Marine Corps in 1939 and had been sent to St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D. C., where he spent the next seven years. He was released in 1946 and returned to Washington, Pennsylvania. He earned a degree at Duquesne University and was employed as a teacher in Washington County when he met Norma Frye.

In 1986, an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette names this Donald Keifer Watkins as one of the first babies born at the Magee-Womens Hospital when it opened in 1911. Additional research led to articles in the Pittsburgh Press, dated November and December 1985, saying that Magee Hospital was looking for men and women who were born there in 1911. Apparently, Donald Keifer Watkins responded.

The family history of Donald Keifer Watkins is unclear, and confirmation of the identities of his parents has not been achieved.

Donald Keifer Watkins was born on August 15, 1911. Whether he was actually born at Magee Hospital in Pittsburgh is not known, but he said he was born there.

Donald Watkins, 8, is found in the 1920 Federal Census of Washington County, Pennsylvania, as the "son" of Charles W. Watkins, 44, and his wife Ada, 46.

At the time of the 1930 census, Donald Watkins, 18, lived with Charles and Peryl Cassady, and was listed as "hired help." Peryl was Ada's daughter.

Charles Washington Watkins was born on August 1, 1876. His first wife was Blanche Lewellen, the daughter of William and Jennie Lewellen of Washington County. The divorce of Charles and Blanche wasn't final until 1917, but in the 1910 census, Blanche, marital status divorced, was living with her parents, as well as her two children, Percy Watkins, 4, and Willard Watkins, 3. She was still living with son, Willard, in 1930. By 1940, she had married Joseph Yanovich. Blanche died in 1956.

Following his divorce from Blanche Lewellen, Charles W. Watkins, 41, married Ada Mae Jones Keifer, 43, on December 15, 1917 in Washington County. Ada Mae was the widow of Edward Riggs Keifer, who died of Acute Tuberculosis on July 20, 1908. Edward Keifer is buried at Raccoon Cemetery in Candor, Washington County. Ada's parents are stated on the marriage record as William A. Jones and Adaline Fisher (Sarah Ada in some records). Edward R. Keifer (b Mar 1873), a carbon setter, and Ada Keifer (b Jan 1874), are found in the 1900 Federal Census at 76 Climax Street, Pittsburgh (South Hills), with their two daughters, Pearl, born September 1892, and May, born September 1897, according to the census. Also in the home was a "niece," Ada Jones, age 12, and a male boarder.

Donald Watkins had the middle name "Keifer." Edward R. Keifer was the son of Governor Keifer, a glass blower, and Elizabeth Davis, found in Scott Township, Allegheny County, in 1880. Governor was a widower, age 45, and had daughters, Maggie, 19, Blanch, 15, Clara, 14, and Sarah, 11. Edward was 8 in 1880. Also in the home was Mr. Keifer's mother-in-law, Margaret Davis. But it was Edward Keifer's widow, Ada, and her daughter, Sadie Peryl, who had a connection to Donald Watkins.

At the time of the 1910 census, Edward R. Keifer was deceased and his widow, written as Mary instead of May/Mae, had moved with her two daughters from Pittsburgh to Washington County. "Perle" Keifer was 18, and her sister was 13. They had two boarders living in the home, one being Charles Cassidy, the man who became Pearl/Peryl's husband before the 1920 census. The mother, Mary (Ada May/Mae), is listed as having 3 children, all living. No third child has been found.

Donald Keifer Watkins was born on August 15, 1911 - in Pittsburgh - and, as stated, in the 1920 census, he was listed as the son of Charles W. and Ada Watkins.

Ada Mae Keifer Watkins died on June 21, 1924 in Pittsburgh. She is buried at Raccoon Church Cemetery, along with her first husband, Edward R. Keifer, and their two daughters, Sadie Peryl Keifer and Eda Mae Keifer Wilson, the latter having died in 1941. (Eda Mae's death certificate information provided by her sister, "Pearl Cassidy.") Ada was listed as a widow at the time of her death at West Penn Hospital, but she might have been separated or divorced from Charles W. Watkins. He died January 3, 1955 in Westmoreland County, at which time his wife was Helen.

At the time of the 1930 census, Peryl (Sadie Peryl Keifer), 37, was still married to Charles Cassady, 42, a farmer born in West Virginia. Donald Watkins, 18, lived with them and was listed as "hired help."

Following the murders in 1953, Sadie Keifer - aka Sadie Peryl Keifer - is quoted in a news article, saying that she had helped raise Donald Keifer Watkins. She stated that his mother was alive but she had left him with the Keifers. She also said she was the only relative that Donald knew. When Sadie Peryl died in 1979, her gravestone was engraved with "Sadie Peryl Keifer." (It is likely that Sadie divorced Cassidy.)

So who were Donald's parents?

It does not seem likely that Blanche Lewellen, the first wife of Charles Watkins, was the mother. She was legally married to Charles W. Watkins at the time of Donald's birth in 1911, but they were separated and she and her two sons lived with her parents. And why would she give a son the middle name "Keifer?" And his name must have been Donald Keifer Watkins from the beginning because Magee Hospital apparently had a record of it 75 years later.

Ada Mae Jones Keifer Watkins seemed, at first, to be the most likely candidate to have been Donald's mother. She might have had a relationship with Charles Watkins - or someone else - after her husband died in 1908/1909. Then she married Charles Watkins after he was divorced in 1917. But Ada died in 1924. At the time of the murders in 1953, Ada's daughter, Sadie (Peryl), stated to a reporter that Donald Watkins' unnamed mother was still alive. - Still, Ada can't be ruled out. Her name was Keifer, hence Donald Keifer, and perhaps she was in a relationship with Charles Watkins years before they married in 1917, then had their baby in Pittsburgh.

Ada's daughter, Sadie Pearl/Peryl Keifer, was born in 1892 and would have been about 19 when Donald was born. There would have been quite a stigma regarding unwed mothers at time, and that was still the case in 1953 when the murders occurred. Was Sadie Peryl Keifer possibly his mother? That would partially explain his middle name, Keifer, but not the Watkins. But, as indicated in the 1920 census, Charles W. and Ada Watkins were raising Donald as their son. Sadie Pearl/Peryl stayed in touch with Donald for many years, and she said she was a relative. She might have been Donald's mother, and her mother, Ada Keifer Watkins, decided to raise Donald as her own.

After Sadie Peryl's mother, Ada, died, Donald Watkins lived with Peryl and her husband, Charles Cassidy, as indicated in the 1930 census. - In any case, Sadie Keifer said she was the only relative Donald knew..... On his WWII Draft Registration card, 1946, Sadie Keifer is named as his "foster sister."

Donald Keifer Watkins died on February 24, 1996. He is buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Sharpsburg, Allegheny County. His service as a Marine is noted on his tombstone. According to the U. S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010, Donald K. Watkins enlisted 11 May 1936 and was released on 8 Dec 1939. At the time of the 1940 Federal Census, he was a patient at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C. He was still there when he filled out a Draft Registration Card in 1946. (The World War II draft operated from 1940 until 1947.)

As stated earlier, while Donald Watkins was in the Marines, he served in China, 1936-1939. A description of the "China Marines" is provided on Wikipedia. Watkins allegedly sustained a head injury in China, but no information about lasting effects has been found.

The circumstances of the birth and childhood of Donald Keifer Watkins remain a mystery.

After compiling these news articles, a google search of Donald Keifer Watkins led to author Diane Cameron, who has written a book about him - Never Leave Your Dead (2016). Of all things, Donald Keifer Watkins was her step-father! He was released from Farview after 22 years, and, years later, he married her 70 year old mother!

Ms. Cameron's book focuses on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which Watkins might have incurred during his pre-World War II Marine Corps service in China, as well as in the seven years he spent as a psychiatric patient at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D. C. She also wrote, in general, about the infamous Farview State Hospital, the ultimate release of Watkins, and his inclusion in her family.

Unfortunately, there is almost nothing in the book about the murder victims, or about Watkins' family and childhood in Washington, Pennsylvania. She mentions that he was a foster child, but it does not appear that he was, per se.

Far too many easily verifiable facts are misstated, both in the book and in the author's online presentations. In particular, the dramatic Prologue at the beginning of the book bears no resemblance to the true facts of the murders. It causes one to wonder why it was necessary to completely revise the story of the murders, when the true story was pretty horrific.

Norma was not Donald's high school sweetheart. She did not wait for him during his Marine Corps service; she was 13 when he enlisted. She met him during the brief time he was a teacher and she was the school nurse.

All accounts indicate that Norma was killed first, her mother second, and he stated he did not intend to kill the mother.

He did not leave early from his job as a school teacher on the day of the murders; he was employed as a welder, and it was Saturday. Therefore, he did not leave work "in a state of despair," nor did Mrs. Frye admonish him for leaving his teaching job early that day.

He did not spare Norma's face, according to a news article.

She was not shot after she returned from work; it was a Saturday. Norma, her mother, and Watkins had gone shopping that morning.

They were married just over 3 months, not 7 months.

He was not wearing a suit that "his wife had given him for his new job" as a teacher. He was employed as a welder, not a teacher, at the time of the murders.

He did not go to any gun cabinet and get a gun that he had used for hunting, etc. Reports indicate he had borrowed the murder weapon.

The mother-in-law was not shot in the kitchen as she was preparing dinner. She was shot after Norma, as she was at the hallway phone trying to call for help.

Donald was almost 25 when he joined the Marines in 1936, so had no "22 year old eyes."

There was no "Mrs. Kiefer" [sic] who slapped Donald Watkins.

"Pearl," identified only as a foster child in the book, was actually nineteen years his senior, and was definitely never a foster child.

There was apparently no genealogical research done.

After reading the book a second time, it was still impossible to distinguish actual quotes from the colorful, apparently contrived, scenarios written about Donald Watkins... Perhaps he did experience trauma and torture, and subsequently PTSD, but the personal information about him is so vague and deficient in detail that no real conclusions can be drawn.