Gym massacre gunman's chilling blog

A warped gunman plotted a killing spree on a web log for months before murdering three women and wounding nine others in a gym.

George Sodini, 48, who also killed himself, had been planning the massacre since January because women kept spurning his advances.

His twisted online diary, in which he complained of not having had a girlfriend since 1984, said he had "chickened out" of executing his sick plot earlier in the year.

Sodini also admitted that this time he had carried out a practice run 24 hours earlier.

His last blog before setting out to murder said he was staying focused because "Tomorrow is the big day".

He signed off: "Death lives!" Late on Tuesday night, Sodini barged into a Latin dance class in the LA Fitness gym of Collier Township in Pennsylvania.

Without saying a word he turned off the lights, pulled two guns from a gym bag and opened fire. He then shot himself.

The 10-minute killing spree left Heidi Overmier, 46, Elizabeth Gannon, 49, and Jody Billingsley, 38, lying dead. At least nine women were seriously wounded.

Sodini used the web to broadcast his problems in meeting women, difficulty making friends and his fear of losing his job.

Sickeningly, the killer also used it to plot his revenge as far back as 2008. His ramblings reveal how he lost his nerve on his first try.

On January 6, he wrote: "It is 6.40pm, about hour and a half to go. God have mercy."

He later added: "It is 8:45PM: I chickened out! Hell!" Four months later he wrote that his relationship problems "have gotten worse over a 30-year period".

In a further bizarre twist, Sodini's blog then told how he had turned to booze and drugs after being teetotal for 20 years.

He tried getting drunk and doped up to get the courage to kill.

On May 5 he wrote: "To pull the exit plan off, it popped into my mind to just use some booze. I want to do this before I get laid off... But don't seem to have the balls.

Life is over, who cares?" His last entry was this week. He wrote: "I took off today, Monday, and tomorrow to practise my routine and make sure it is well polished. I need to work out every detail, there is only one shot.

"Also I need to be completely immersed into something before I can be successful.

"I haven't had a drink since Friday at about 2.30pm. Total effort needed. Tomorrow is the big day."

Last night, people who were in the gym hall when Sodini opened fire recalled the panic and carnage.

Stacey Falk, 26, said: "All I could hear were shots and screams."

Basketball player Richard Walker, 23, carried one injured woman to safety.

He said: "She kept repeating, 'He's going to kill me!' Then she collapsed."

Local police chief Charles Moffat added: "I have never seen anything quite like this."

HIS SICK DIARY

Jan 6: I can do this... It is 6.40pm, about hour and a half to go. God have mercy... It is 8.45pm, I chickened out! S***! I brought the loaded guns, everything. Hell!

Aug 4: Took off today, Monday, and tomorrow to practise my routine and make sure it is well polished. I need to work out every detail, there is only one shot... I haven't had a drink since Friday. Total effort needed. Tomorrow is the big day... Need to remain focused and absorbed COMPLETELY. Last time I tried this, in January, I chickened out. Maybe soon, I will see God and Jesus... Death Lives!