Florida Serial Killers
Since one of my favorite bloggers, Mr. Fab, is from the Sunshine State, I thought I’d dedicate this post to him. Here are a few serial killers who hit the Florida area. I wanted to make note as well that I added two pages over on the side, one for requests and one for reviews. For more information just click those links.
Danny Rolling – the Gainesville Ripper:
The monster who tortured and mutilated five young women a man who was himself the victim of almost constant physical and mental abuse in his childhood. (More Info)
The Florida Gay Bar Murders:
Gary Ray Bowles was a bisexual who cruised the Florida gay bars in the mid-1990’s looking for men to murder and rob. (More Info)
Ted Bundy:
Who doesn’t know about Bundy? He started off terrorizing the North West and after another jail break, he hopped on a bus to Florida. There he murdered college students before being captured, again. (More Info)
Bobby Joe Long:
This sexual predator hit the central region of Florida. (More Info)
Aileen Wuornos:
Probably the most well known female serial killers. She was known for murdering truckers. (More Info)
Dead Silence 
Yes, we are very proud in Florida 🙂
I moved to town about 6 years after the Rolling killings and some people were STILL sleeping with shotguns under their bed. It shook this town up for a long time.
One of the theories about why there are so many killers in Florida is because of the I-10 and I-75 interstates making it so easy to move around quickly. That and the fact that so many people move into Florida every day that it is easy blend in.
I LOVE this place!
In fact, the only thing that really keeps ME from being a serial killer is my distaste for manual labor 🙂
Hello I was looking on here for a serial killer from Florida in the 1970s last name Lightfoot. I watched a show that claimed the house they lived in was home to Lightfoot that killed 18 women in the early 1970s. I can’t find any info online and thought someone could help on this blog. Thank you inadvace…
I’m curious about this too! I’m a master of research being an attorney in Mississippi. I’m about to call bollocks on the whole light foot deal.
Me too. I’ve watched all five and I can’t find anything on this “serial killer”
I can not find a thing on the girls or the lightfoot
is it fake then
nice blog!
july
Has any one heard about a new serial killer in North Florida?
women- dismembered bodies..
2007 Northern Florida Gary Michael Hilton was at work on a few… might have been a little bit prior
Aka Gary Hilton. He was incarcerated in Florida State, West; yet now i think NC Ashville still has him on charges of murder in that state.
the “new serial killer” in n. florida is only a rumor..3 unrelated cases, gettin folks too excited…
hey,A lady where I board my horses ,husband is a deputy sheriff for all ladies who board there not to be out there late at night.He knows something but won’t say anything more than possible serial killer is in florida.I believe him
theres another in the daytona area they havent caught yet!
You forgot Ottis Toole (most likely to have killed Adam Walsh) and Henry Lee Lucas, who just happens to be a cousin of another serial killer from your list – Bobby Joe Long.
Like Herb said, there is another right now in the Daytona area and another in south Florida abducting/killing people at malls (recently featured on America’s Most Wanted).
sick just fucking sick i haope they have lernd there lessons
just wait just remember the number 36 i’m not going back to jail without the death penalty. i’ve already got 12 under my belt.
you are a sick bastard an even if your lieing you still deserve to be shot just remember you never know who has a glock 19 under there shirt an might blow your fucking head off this is to 36 or bust
To: 36 or bust, if you really have 12 under your belt – obviously you are extremely proud of your work, but far from done.
I am South Florida Journalist who has reported on at least 5 or more murders that were very much alike. In fact, I was calling them serial before LE would go that far.
All of the Women were killed in pretty much the same way but, some were moved from the original crime scene and dumped at a secondary site far away. This showed some thought. Some ended up partially wrapped in canals, others just posed behind Adult Book stores for all the see. I think you were there on a few occasions watching, getting a kick out of the crowds and in turn your work.
prostitutes are easy game. They get in your care and who will miss them – right?
I think we met again in Miami, taking Women off the street, but these were harder too find. Were you getting scared? So, many people have your method operandi or M.O by now.
You say you have 12 under your belt, but we all exaggerate. It’s nothing to be ashamed about. Good luck with the 36.
Your real number (and I’m being kind) is 6 at best.
While, I think your work is crap, and lacks a certain creativity and you are so so far from your goal – maybe it’s time to hang it up? I don’t think you have it in you anyway. Your works leaves a lot to be desired, you show no creativity, just a little forethought. Think about it?
Bottom line, boring. Just like your job, just like the many Women who see you, talk to you. The worst thing, no on listens to you. It’s not your fault, but your victims didn’t listen either. You kept them so long, they even they drowned you out. .
so/over/it.
Hi 36 or bust, I believe deep down you feel fear. And feeling fear all the time blocks out any other emotions. I feel very sorry for you. You must be hurting really bad on the inside. Best to let your inner child know everything will be ok. Just trust that someone does love you.
Going back to jail 36 or Bust? You would be going to a prison, not a jail. Why the significance of the number 36?
This is true, anyone who is familiar with lockup knows that jail is for those who are waiting for trial or court or are sentenced up to 1 year.
Prison is for those sentenced 1 year and up.
My father was the state attorney for brevard county from 1968 – 1976. he prosecuted a serial killer by the name of daniel thomas. thomas was 22 years old and a student at F.I.T. in melbourne, fl. he killed two lovers at mullet lake park by shooting them. After the murders, there was a very extenive investigation conducted by the local authorities. The investigation lasted monthes with very few leads. Apparently, someone thought thomas know something about the murders so they called him and told him they were coming to his house to talk to him.(PRETTY STUPID). He lived with mom and he had the murder weapon at his house so he went outside before the police came and opened fire on four high school students talking in the street killing two of them. I was in high school at the time withy the brother of one of the victims. I tried to find out some information about this serial killer but nothing turs up. Certainly he should be listed as one of florida’s most vicious serial killers since he took the lives of four innocent victims. Could you see if you can find anything on him? Thanks. Marty in houston
Thank you for the info, i hadn’t heard of Daniel Thomas until you mentioned him. Technically he doesn’t fit the category for a serial killer. From what you described, he sounds more like a spree killer.
Serial killers have to have at least 3 victims with a “cooling off” period in between. That period could last weeks to months.
Being that Thomas killed his last 2 out of 4 victims practicly during a stand off, it sounds like an end game strategy to me.
Thomas sounds like he falls under the spree killer category imo.
Was Thomas executed or shot by police during the stand off? He doesn’t show up in the DOC database in Florida.
today Danny would have been proven autistic. which explains not only has response to the police at his home, it also explains why your father so easily convicted him. Again there is NO EVIDENCE trying him to the LL killing. The two Witnesses, changed their number or times and tried to avoid police questions. their 11 year old son refused to talk to police. I am attempted to clear his name, even though he has died. Colleen Ballards body was exhuhumed in hopes of finding any bullets matching the guns that were illegally taken from his mothers home. None matched, nor did those of ElmerHughes. in the end he was convicted of the girls deaths but not the boys,why?
Danny was my uncle,and I am having problems finding infor on his trial.Is your father still a live?
Daniel Thomas was not a Serial killer. He was questioned about the beach lovers lane murder and was never charged with this crime.
He was charged with the two murders on Cable Lane, Palm Bay Florida , received two life sentences.
Daniel Thomas died in Florida State Prison 11-24-1998
My uncle Daniel Thomas was not a maggot.Having recently read the transcript of the trial, there is no evidence putting him at the L L murders. The guilty plea was under pressure. His attorney was a joke. Yes, he did the shootings at his home. I am continuing in efforts to clear his name and find the real killers of the couple at the creek.
deceased and released in 1998. I just started school at satellite high final year, when this happened. it was the talk of the school at the time. being new at the school, i didn’t know them, but they seemed popular from all the talk i heared. thanks to your dad for putting this maggot away
I lived in Miami from 1970-1977. I seem to remember a big case a few blocks from my house of a man who picked up hitch-hikers, chopped them up, and cemented them in his walls or buried them in his back yard. He was discovered dead in his back yard after drinking poison when a neighbor noticed he hadn’t moved in days. I can’t find anything about this, and the Miami paper only goes back to 1982 online. Does anyone remember anything about this?
Hey, We must have been neighbors. It was 2 blocks from my house but I was only 8 at the time and don’t remember much except walking by his house. I came upon this post looking for info as well. My sister remembers that 2 females escaped from him but the police didn’t believe them.
Thank you so much for your comment! I was beginning to think I was remembering it all wrong and it never happened. We must have gone to Miami Heights Elementary together because I lived there from 6 to 12 years old. It really sounds familiar that 2 girls had gotten away but I think they may have had boyfriends that didn’t. But again, it was a really long time ago. I’m just glad for some validation. THANKS!
I lived there too and went to Miami heights elem that was blocks from our house…wow I remember my parents freaked out..1969 I think…I had Mrs etheridge first grade there
Ah, Miami Heights elementary. I remember walking there since I was just inside the 2 mile limit for busing. I do remember walking by the field by the school one day and seeing a cat hanging from a tree. It scared me alot wondering who could do such a thing.
I saw no mention of Gerald Stano I met him in Daytona bch 1979 Have any info?
I live in Holly Hill in Gerald Stanos old house.
My favorite number 13. Thats where I have to make it before anything happens. 6 under my belt
Really 13 or bust what are you the son of 36 or bust lol? You are not scaring anyone.You are a fake, a phony, a pussy. You are probably empatant, sorry I don’t by your story or your friend 36 or bust.You need to go get a life and stop trying to get your 15 minutes of fame.
36 or bust or do you mean 5A or Bust? 5 A or Bust is an off roading thing folks do on the weekends
Hi, I am trying to find out about murders in the Miami area in about 1974, give or take a year. The killer cut up women and tossed their parts in the canals around the area. The newspapers dubbed him the “Canal Killer”. I know they claim it was probably Bundy but I don’t think so as the time frames don’t add up. I was a young girl at the time and he had approached me at a gas station offering to help. He was very nice looking except his eyes scared me. That same night a friend of mine brought over a sketch of him and I realized it was the guy from the gas station. My parents called the police and homicide had officers follow me to school for about two weeks as I was told, I never saw anyone follow me, but that’s what they told my parents. They also spoke with the gas station owner who told them the guy just hung around picking up girls but after I refused his help and refused to give him my name or address he never went back to that station. At the time, it was all over the news about the canal killer and now I can’t find anything about him. Thank you for your time.
I don’t know if it is related, but I lived in Miami from around 1972 to 1976. I was only 8-12 years old, but I seem to remember a serial killer that lived a couple of blocks from me. I think he picked up hitch hikers, though. He took them back to his house, killed them, and dismembered them. He then buried the part in his yard, walled them in his house, and I think one was found in his bathtub. He killed himself, I believe by drinking poison. No one realized he was dead for a few days. He looked like he was laying out in his back yard getting some sun, but when he hadn’t moved in days the police were called. I can find no information on this, but I clearly remember the news showing footage from a helicopter flying over his house and seeing the lawn chair in the yard still. We kids didn’t know him personally. He just had the house you didn’t go to on Halloween to trick or treat.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19730723&id=PvwjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gH4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7296,4090181
To IDK — That is exactly it! Thank you so much for the article. I really thought I had just remembered wrong or something. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
i dont see daniel conahan listed here either. the hog trail killer. convicted of one murder same exact method for 12 more male victims around the same time in the county next to mine and not a couple years ago the sherrifs here found 8 more sets of remains that fit his signature also from the same time frame
the victim of his who survived he tried to kill him less than a mile from where the 8 skeletons were later found
rory conde killed 6 prostitutes and was dubbed the tamiami trail strangler sentenced to death in march 2000.
GERARD SCHAEFER a florida former deputy convicted of 2 murders and 2 kidnappings and suspected of around 30 more murders who was killed in prison.
I was a prostitute in Miami when there was a girl I knew that was missing and they found her decapitated body in a suitcase in a canal.Please if anyone remembers that please let me know.Also at one time there was a serial killer in Miami that would kill working girls and they were blonde or bleached blonde hair .one girl was pregnant and they found her in Julia Tuttle Causeway .If anyone could remember those times please let me know.I know there were times that I’m lucky to be alive today.
i remember one who was killed( a latin guy) they cut him in peaces, I live in Miami and just got robbed and someone tried to snatch me and I said Ain’t nobody got time for that, and I ran for my life.
you forgot david alan gore and his cousin fred waterfield they killed plenty of girls and women….
His name was Albert Brust. The boy in the bathtub was my 2nd cousin. He was hitchhiking from Ohio to South Florida (due to a fight with his parents) when Brust picked him up along with another hitchhiker (girl). He brought them to his house and chained them inside his basement turned sex/torture chamber. He made them perform sexual acts on eachother and when my cousin refused, he was shot and dismembered in the bathtub, followed by concrete. The girl was able to get away. She was picked up by police after neighbors saw her screaming and running naked. Her mother told the police she was a pathological liar and was trying to cover up for running away. Several day later…..the police were called after the neighbor noticed Brust sitting on his back patio for several days. He committed suicide by poisoned chocolate milk.
That is exactly what I remember hearing at the time, just without knowing the name. I am very sorry for your loss, Jennifer.
You forgot several Florida serial killers. Here’s a longer but incomplete list of serial killers who operated in the sunshine state, minus the ones already listed.
Bernard Giles-at least 5 victims-1973
Paul Rowles-at least 3 victims 70s, 80s
Manuel Pardo- (police officer) 9 victims in 1986
Oscar Ray Bolin-at least 3 victims in the ’80s
William Mansfield (Weeki Wachee Acres Killer)- 5 victims in the ’70s
Cecil Floyd-at least 6 victims in the ’70s
Eddie Lee Mosley- 16 victims between 1973 and 1987
Oba Chandler-at least 4 victims in the ’80s
Charlie Brandt- at least 6 victims
Paul Durousseau- 7 victims
Francisco Del Junco – 4 victims in the ’90s
William “Crazy Bill” Lindsay – at least 8 victims between the ’70s & ’90s
John Mcrae- at least 5 victims – ’70s and ’80s
James Koedatich – at least 4 victims
Robert Rozier (NFL player) at least 7 victims between ’81 & ’86
Michael Bell- 5 victims
There are many more but these were the ones just off the top of my head. Oh yeah, since I listed Rozier I should list Yahweh ben Yahweh who was responsible, directly and indirectly, for at least 20 murders.
This page is horrible, why would people even talk this way? Stay away from the night, travel in crowds and still don’t trust you’re so-called friends. I live in Miami and went out. I’m white and got jumped by 4 latin NOES, and a black guy. Racist. Just be safe
I am looking for info about a nurse in saint pete fl that murdered resident of a nursing home that went by that went by a different name I the 80s its now gracewood manor can some one help I had heard the story before but a nurse I work with reminded me of it. sorry about the grammar
It seems to me that quite a lot of murders I hear about or read about have happened in Gainesville. Is it just that I hear about that town more or are there statistically more murders and/ or serial killers there?
A young woman by the name of Lina Fernandez was murdered in her home ,November 20,1991. She was 29 years old, young ,vibrant,decent a Heart of Gold. I dated her for a short time in Junior High School back in Maywood,Ca. where she grew up, and I know her Family and went too school with her Brother.The case is still unsolved , my gut feeling that it was a serial killer, a Coward and a Punk, who deserves to die a slow death. Like I told the Cold Case Unit, if you catch him ,just let me have 5 minutes with him in a cell, in fact give him a weapon , it won’t do the Douche bag much good. Because I will beat the living shit out of him, but let him live so they can send him to prison for life. She was butchered by this piece of Human Shit. I repeat the name of this young Woman was Lina Fernandez, age 29, murdered in her home in Miami Lakes, Florida on November 20,1991. If any has any information Please call the Cold Case Unit of the Miami Dade Police Dept. Homicide.
I think this is like creepy pasta
Also. Gary Ray Bowles.
Another sick waste of life.
Maybe one day i’ll make the list