On August 1, 1966, Charles Whitman hauled a footlocker full of rifles and ammunition to the top of the University of Texas Tower. By the time the police finally stopped him, 16 people were dead.
It was a senseless, horrifying act that basically invented the concept of the modern mass shooting in America. But the weirdest part of the story didn't happen on the tower. It happened in the morgue.
Whitman knew something was wrong with his head. He actually left a suicide note asking for an autopsy to see if there was a physical cause for his "irrational thoughts" and "tremendous headaches." Honestly, it’s one of the few cases where a mass killer practically begged science to figure out why he did it.
The Pecan-Sized Discovery
When the medical examiner, Dr. Coleman de Chenar, opened Whitman’s skull, he found exactly what the shooter feared. Tucked deep in the right temporal lobe was a grayish-yellow mass about the size of a pecan.
💡 You might also like: Rosehip seed oil for scars: Why it actually works and what to avoid
Initially, de Chenar labeled it an astrocytoma. He didn't think it had anything to do with the murders. He figured it was just a coincidence.
But Governor John Connally wasn’t satisfied with that. He pulled together a task force of 32 experts—neurologists, psychiatrists, and pathologists—to take a second look. They re-examined the tissue and changed the diagnosis to a glioblastoma multiforme. That’s a fancy way of saying a highly aggressive, malignant tumor.
The location was the real kicker. It was pressing right against the amygdala.
Why the Amygdala Matters
You’ve probably heard of the amygdala. It’s that tiny, almond-shaped cluster that handles the "fight or flight" response. Basically, it’s the brain's alarm system.
📖 Related: Mumbai Air Quality Index: What Most People Get Wrong
In a healthy person, the prefrontal cortex—the logical part of the brain—acts like a leash, keeping the amygdala’s impulses in check. But Whitman’s tumor was essentially "poking" the amygdala 24/7.
- It was causing electrical malfunctions.
- It likely triggered sudden, uncontrollable bursts of rage.
- It might have made him feel a sense of impending doom or fear that didn't exist.
Modern neuroscientists like David Eagleman have pointed to this as a textbook case of how biology can override free will. If your brain is physically short-circuiting in the area that controls aggression, are you still "you"?
It Wasn't Just the Tumor
We can't just blame the Charles Whitman brain tumor and call it a day. That’s too simple. Life is messier than that.
Whitman was also popping Dexedrine (amphetamines) like candy to stay awake for his studies. He was dealing with a crushing, abusive relationship with his father. He’d recently seen a psychiatrist at the university and told them he felt like "sniping people from the tower," but the doctor basically just told him to come back next week.
There's a lot of debate about which factor was the "smoking gun."
👉 See also: Can I Take Advil and NyQuil Together? What Most People Get Wrong
Some experts argue the tumor was just the final nudge for a man who was already falling apart. Others, like Dr. Kenneth Earle (the neuropathologist who helped the commission), argued that the tumor would have killed him within a year anyway.
The Missing Evidence
Here is something kind of wild: we can’t actually study his brain with modern tools today.
In 2002, it was revealed that the University of Texas had "lost" or disposed of several brains in their collection, and Whitman's was reportedly among them. We’re stuck with the slides and notes from 1966.
This leaves a lot of "what ifs." Would a modern fMRI have shown the tumor lighting up his aggression centers? Probably. But we’ll never know for sure if he could have resisted the impulse.
Actionable Insights from the Whitman Case
The Charles Whitman brain tumor remains a foundational case in "neurolaw." It forces us to look at the intersection of criminal justice and brain health.
If you or someone you know is experiencing drastic personality changes, here is what the medical community suggests:
- Monitor "Organic" Changes: Sudden, uncharacteristic aggression paired with physical symptoms like chronic headaches or vision loss isn't just "stress." It’s a red flag for a neurological consult.
- The Role of the Amygdala: Understanding that certain behaviors are biological, not just "moral failings," can lead to earlier interventions. If Whitman had received a CT scan (which didn't exist in 1966), history might look very different.
- Advocate for Comprehensive Care: When someone seeks mental health help and mentions intrusive, violent thoughts, a neurological workup should be standard, not an afterthought.
The story of Charles Whitman isn't just a true crime tale. It's a reminder that our behavior is often at the mercy of the three-pound organ sitting inside our skulls. When that organ breaks, the results can be catastrophic.