Crazy Eight's History
Crazy Eight got her name when a police officer misunderstood an infinity symbol, which was carved into the chest of her first victim,, for the number eight. Leslie wanted to go by the name “Infinity” to symbolize that nothing ever ends, but because the officer told the media about the eight that was carved into the body, Crazy Eight was the name that the media dubbed her.
Leslie's targets were individuals known for their Underworld connections. It is still unknown if she was a mercenary or if she killed simply because she enjoyed it. It wasn't until she murdered Senator Ray Hartwell that she made a name for herself and received the full attention of the authorities. As she was in the process of outrunning the police,
Wonder Man, of the Avengers, intercepted her and took her down. A badly bruised Beth Hartwell, the late senator’s wife, was escorted from their home under the suspicion that Crazy Eight attacked her as well.
The district attorney wanted to make sure Leslie Ann Shappe could stand trial and not use the insanity plea, so he asked
Doctor Leonard Samson to evaluate her state of mind. After interviewing Leslie,
Samson determined that she was well aware of her actions despite her erratic behavior during the interview, and testified to that in court. She was found guilty and sentenced to death. On the day of her execution, Leslie asked to see
Samson again to supposedly say her peace, but tried to escape.
Samson had to restrain her and strap her into the electrocution chair.
Samson apologized to her right before the switch was thrown, and Leslie Ann Shappe was no more.
Beth Hartwell, who attended the execution, would not stop crying and told
Samson that it should have been her in that chair. Beth showed
Samson a picture of Leslie and her when they were teenagers and told him the truth that her husband, Ray, beat her. Beth had confided this to Leslie hoping that she would end her suffering and even offered to pay her. She never came forward with the information to help Leslie because she was afraid.
Samson was disgusted knowing that Crazy Eight had paid the ultimate price for trying to help her friend in such a misguided way. Leslie’s last words haunted
Samson as he left the prison when he agreed that “It never ends.”
