The Killers

Within 24 hours, President Johnson was on television, personally announcing the arrest of the four assailants and vowing to exterminate the KKK.A March 28 Detroit News article gave profiles of the four men who were arrested: Collie Leroy Wilkins Jr., 2l, single, self-employed auto mechanic. Had previous convictions. Not released on bail.

Gary Thomas Rowe Jr., 34, of Birmingham, Ala., divorced, unemployed, father of four children. (At the time, it was not known he was an FBI informant). Released on $50,000 bond.Eugene Thomas, 42, worked at Fairfield Steel works; married, father of three children, free on $50,000 bond.William Orville Eaton, 4l, retired steel worker, married, father of five children, free on $50,000 bond Since the Klansmen could not be charged with murder in federal courts, the Wilkins, Thomas and Eaton were charged in December 1965 under an 1870 law with conspiring to deprive Liuzzo of her civil rights..

An Alabama jury had already acquitted Wilkins of the murder of Liuzzo. Gary Rowe, who had been an FBI informer for five years, testified against the three in the federal trial. A lawyer for the KKK trio called Rowe a "traitor" but his testimony was convincing. On December 3, the three were convicted on criminal conspiracy charges in the death of a civil rights worker. President Johnson, Dr. King, and others hailed the verdict.

The three Klansmen were sentenced to 10 years in prison. The three Klansmen charged with killing Mrs. Liuzzo, from left, Collie LeRoy Wilkins Jr., Eugene Thomas, and William Orville Eaton. Things went differently in the Alabama court. Eugene Thomas was tried for murder in September, 1966 and acquitted. Wilkins was tried twice for murder, in May and October of 1965;, and was acquitted both times. Eaton died of a heart attack in 1966.Liuzzo's body was returned home to Detroit on March 27, 1965. A Detroit News reporter visited the home on Marlowe where her husband Anthony, daughter Penny, l8 and son Thomas, l3 were trying to cope. Viola's sister was caring for the youngest children, Sally, 6 and Anthony Jr., l0. Another daughter, Mrs. Mary Johnson, l7 was on her was to Detroit from Georgia. Shifts of Teamsters kept watch at the home and their wives cooked and cleaned.There were at least 1,000 telegrams delivered to the home and 15,000 arrived at Teamster headquarters from politicians, religious leaders, celebrities, and ordinary citizens. An aide to President Johnson called the family several times. Memorial services were planned. The evening before, Anthony Liuzzo talked with the president who told him the four Klansmen had been arrested. Liuzzo thanked Johnson and said, "I don't think she died in vain because this is going to be a battle, all out as far as I'm concerned...My wife died for a sacred battle, the rights of humanity. She had one concern and only one in mind.