Also as an adult, Rolling had trouble trying to assimilate into society and hold down a steady job. The other suspect was also later cleared. In the early morning hours of Friday, August 24, Rolling broke into the apartment shared by 17-year-old university freshmen Sonja Larson and Christina Powell. Authorities feel Rolling did not manage to mutilate these bodies because he may have been in danger of getting caught, or was otherwise interrupted. The following day, he made Santa Fe Community College student Christa Hoyt his next victim, leaving behind her severed head on a shelf to face her body propped up on the bed. Back when I was researching Danny Rolling, I wanted to write about a serial killer on a college campus, and an FBI agent hunting down a college professor. Lewis also told authorities that Rolling wanted to cooperate with the FBI to study serial killers, reported the Orlando Sentinel. . "It was almost as if you could crawl inside and feel his pain," Mills said. His role in uncovering details of the Gainesville murders rendered him the focus of press accounts. His walk and even his voice changed. His father, James Rolling, a Shreveport policeman, informed Danny that he was undesired from conception. As he saw several different doctors, Rolling was diagnosed with a number of conditions, including borderline personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder. He took a shower before leaving the apartment. In one incident, Danny's mother . Clark ProsecutorDanny Rollings Florida victims: (from left to right) Tracy Inez Paules, Sonja Larson, Manuel Taboada, Christa Hoyt, and Christina Powell. He broke out of prison several times and was fired and quit jobs just as frequently. Already harboring a habit for voyeurism and plagued by disturbing visions, Rolling took a turn for the worse after the divorce. Unfortunately for Danny, his father never wanted children. PAGE Cl FLORIDA EXECUTES SERIAL KILLER, Cl CONFESSION Just before being put to death, serial killer, "State Prison at Starke. However, the story was clearly embellished. Rolling confessed more killings before dying Shortly before he was executed in Florida this week, serial killer Danny Rolling handed his spiritual adviser a handwritten confession to a grisly. His mother, Claudia, and later his brother, Kevin. Rolling later confessed to raping several of his victims, committing an additional November 4, 1989 triple [] . As Rolling skipped town, a local task force was assembled to calm a frantic community and find answers. As a teenager and young adult, he was arrested several times for robberies in Georgia. The True Story Of Danny Rolling, The Gainesville Ripper Who Inspired Scream. Claudia even testified that she sought to get Danny psychological care several times over the years but couldnt because her husband thought nothing was wrong with him. Brother of Kevin Rolling. Danny and his younger brother moved back to Shreveport, Louisiana with their mom and stayed at their grandparents house (Claudia's parents). Geni requires JavaScript! After that, he turned to crime raping a woman who looked like his wife and spending eight years in prison for robberies. GAINESVILLE The woman of Danny Rolling's dreams appeared for 75 minutes on Friday, cast doubt on his honesty and then vanished like so many women in his life. Danny Rolling a.k.a. Rolling had said deeply disturbing things to both her and her then-husband, Steven Dobbin. Rolling and London became romantically involved, eventually even becoming engaged. Following his discharge from the military, Danny managed to marry and begin what appeared to be a normal life. He also recalled these early years as a time when he developed multiple personalities as a "defense" from the nightmarish reality around him, with attempts at suicide failing to bring an escape. During his incarceration, Rolling wrote and illustrated a horror fiction novel, Sicarius, as well as several songs and poems. Danny's Parents, Claudia and James Rolling, would constintly argue and fight which caused frequent seperations between them. His signature was to arrange the bodies in such a way as to highlight the carnage in the rooms this even included setting up several mirrors and decapitating and/or posing his victims. Following his divorce from his wife in the late 1980s, Danny Rolling began committing murder. But then I decided to do Scream.. In May 1990, he tried to kill his father during a family argument in which his father lost an eye and an ear. However, there was no evidence linking that student to the crimes. According to Rolling, one of those personalities, whom he referred to as "Gemini," was responsible for committing the Gainesville Ripper murders. He reportedly claimed to have used the power of his mind to unlock the door and enter the apartment. Afterwards, Julie Grissom's body had been mutilated, cleaned, and posed. STARKE. Following the visit, he was served his last meal, which consisted of a baked potato, butterfly shrimp, a lobster tail, strawberry cheesecake, and sweet tea. Danny Rolling greets his public defender Trish Jenkins as his mental competency hearing continues at the Marion County Courthouse in Ocala, Florida, on May 31, 1991. In one incident, Danny's mother went to the hospital after she claimed that her husband, James Rolling, tried to make her cut herself with a razor blade. His father, James, was described as "controlling and violent." Testimony will continue next week. ". Ex-husband of O'Mather Rolling Danny Rolling gebore in Louisiana in 1954. Danny Rolling was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. He grabs her by the throat and pins her to a chair. At one point, he worked as a waiter. That was on Sept. 8, two weeks after the murders. He then enlisted. In addition to abusing his wife, James reportedly verbally and physically abused both of his sons. And while he had pleaded not guilty, he used fellow inmate Bobby Lewis as his "mouthpiece" to confess to the murders. He was executed by lethal injection in 2006. The Gainesville Ripper put her head on a bookshelf. Grissoms corpse was left in a sexual position. The Making of a Serial Killer: The Real Story of the Gainesville Murders. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Rolling aided the writing career of Sondra London, who met him in prison while working with Gerard John Schaefer and other serial killers. [5] Humphrey's photo was shown repeatedly by media outlets. He was wanted for the robbery of a Winn-Dixie as authorities still did not know that he was the Gainesville Ripper. YouTubeDanny Rolling, the Gainesville Ripper, appears in court. Known as the Gainesville Ripper, Rolling terrorized the Florida college town during a three-day murderous rampage in late summer 1990. As reported by Orlando Sentinel, the experts also agreed that the Gainesville Ripper was legally sane and was therefore fit to stand trial. Maines said they tested the body fluids from the perpetrator in Shreveport and found that this person also had type B blood. Rolling is one of the suspects in the murder of five college students in Gainesville, Florida, last year. Although law enforcement authorities initially had very few leads, in November 1991 Rolling was charged with several counts of murder, and Alachua County State Attorney Rod Smith oversaw the prosecution. [6] Three months earlier, in August 1990, Juracich heard a news report about a string of murders, as she traveled through the Florida Panhandle. He reportedly exchanged many letters with freelance journalist Sondra London about Rolling. His microphone was then cut off, ending a life story as twisted as any that could appear on the big screen. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. "I said, 'What kind of problem,'" Juracich said, "[and Steven said], 'He likes to stick knives into people.'" James also treated poorly and hit Danny, Danny's mother Claudia, and Danny's brother Kevin over trivial matters like breathing in a way that annoyed James. His time in between stints in jail were spent traveling the country, stealing and occasionally forcing himself on women. He told her the name of the personality, but she couldn't recall it. While on death row at Florida State Prison, Rolling wrote songs and poems and drew pictures. Rolling had requested, according to court documents of his 1996 appeal, not to be separated from Lewis because he needed Bobbys support. He said he wanted to see Bobby a free man.. it would break his heart if they could not do anything for Bobby., Rolling reportedly told the task force that Bobby was a worthy soul, and he deserves his chance to make his life good, and out of all of this Im trying to do something for someone. The task force rejected Rollings request, as they had done to Lewis, to which Rolling referred to his father: I was raised by a policeman. Sean's final resting place is unknown. "One day, I picked up the phone, I called Crime Stoppers, and I said, 'I think there's one guy y'all need to investigate -- Danny Rolling.'"[6]. While Rolling initially met with the task force alone, he asked for Lewis to join them; he wanted his friend to make statements and answer questions in his lieu. It made him worse. Danny Rolling was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. But State Attorney Rod Smith says the image of Rolling's disciplinarian father has been exaggerated by Rolling and family members. Although he was incarcerated multiple times, he reverted to his old ways every time he was released. That man, Danny Rolling, had told her that one day he was going to leave Shreveport, where they lived. The psychologist said Rolling likened the killings to the "ethnic cleansing in Bosnia" and also told him Paules' last words: "You're gonna get caught. Learn about the real inspiration behind the 2017 movie about the Pentagon Papers. Orlando Sentinel reports the abuse Rolling suffered at the hands of his father may be the source of his personality disorders. Public record via Jacksonville.comDanny Rolling a.k.a. [1] He was sentenced to death for the five Gainesville murders in 1994. Louisiana police alerted Florida authorities to an unsolved triple murder in Shreveport on November 4, 1989. Rolling later confessed to raping several of his victims, committing an additional November 4, 1989 triple homicide in Shreveport, Louisiana, and attempting to murder his father in . Rolling confessed to being the Gainesville Ripper. A tortured soul since birth, Rolling, a.k.a the Gainesville Ripper, passed on the horrifying abuse he had endured onto his victims. It wasn't until early next year, when authorities used a tooth extracted from Rolling to link him to the DNA evidence at the Gainesville crime scenes, that he became a primary suspect. Based on the real case of an accused murderer and a disgraced journalist, 'True Story' reveals that "telling the truth" can be a slippery concept. [2] In another story, Danny had a dog, but James beat the dog so often that it died in Danny's arms.[3]. The killer was a Louisiana drifter who would come to be known as the Gainesville Ripper. Install Bingo Quest - Summer Garden Adventure for Free: https://bingosummer.onelink.me/JmgS/psserialkillers Daniel Harold Rolling, also known as The Gainesvi. Detectives noted that there were similarities between the Gainesville murders and those of 55-year-old Tom Grissom, his 24-year-old daughter Julie, and his 8-year-old grandson Sean. . But Danny tried to stay in control and he attended church and struggled to hold down steady work. With the exception of Taboada, all of the victims were petite white brunettes with brown eyes, like Rolling's mother. Rolling had also told her, "'One day, I'm going to leave this town and I'm going to go where the girls are beautiful and I can just lay in the sun and watch beautiful women all day'". After the birth of Kevin Rolling, the fury of his father began to spread to his younger brother Danny. This fact angered James, who did not want kids, leading him to harm his wife and later Danny, along with his younger son Kevin. Tim Ott has written for Biography and other A+E sites since 2012. In the film, Rolling is portrayed by Zachary Memos. Fla. Killer of 5 students is put to death. William DeLong is a freelance wordsmith. If I didn't know him so well, I probably wouldn't have known it was him.". Rolling was not identified as the Gainesville Ripper until several years after he killed the five college students. As reported by Biography, authorities initially suspected another student, who lived near two of the victims and was displaying erratic and violent behavior in the weeks surrounding the murders. Biography reports he was facing multiple life sentences if convicted, as he had numerous prior convictions for armed robbery. May 26 1954 - Shreveport, Caddo, Louisiana, United States, Oct 25 2006 - Prison Cemetery, Raiford, Union, Florida, United States, Oct 26 2006 - Rockford, Winnebago, Illinois, United States, side of a rope line, about 60 people cheered the execution of, country championships. On Monday, August 27, Rolling broke into their apartment by prying open their sliding glass door with the same tools he had used previously. He then flipped her body over and sliced her abdomen open from her pubic bone to her breastbone. Mario Taboada, the brother of victim Manny Taboada, said the victims' memory "has to endure." April 10, 2021 Examined 9:54 What's next for Russia? James had survived, but he permanently lost the use of an eye and an ear. Danny Rolling, the Gainesville Ripper, appears in court. Of course, his father beat him for doing that. Later, unable to hold a job, he turned to crime and spent eight years in prison for armed robberies in Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi from 1979 to July 1988. On tape, his mother said Rolling, who endured a lifetime of verbal and physical abuse from her husband, James, a retired Shreveport, La., police lieutenant, "just lost it" after his wife of two years filed for divorce around 1977. According to Claudias accounts, her elder son endured physical abuse at least once or twice a week at his fathers hands. In September, Rolling had robbed a Winn-Dixie grocery at gunpoint in Ocala, Florida, and was nabbed after crashing the getaway car. Spooked, he hammered out the screenplay for what became Scream, the successful 1996 fright flick that was celebrated for its knowing winks at horror film tropes and breathing new life into the genre. He played guitar and sang hymn-like songs. [4], By this point, the murders had attracted widespread media attention. According to the Miami Herald, Rolling broke into the home of freshmen Sonja Larson and Christina Powell on August 24, 1990, where he raped and stabbed them to death. [4], Rolling then went back downstairs, taped Powell's mouth shut, bound her wrists together behind her back and threatened her with the knife as he cut her clothes off. As reported by The Florida Times-Union, Rolling was allowed a personal visit with his brother Kevin for two hours on the morning of his execution. Rolling was given three consecutive life sentences in prison for an armed robbery in nearby Ocala that happened right after he had slain the students, and he was already behind bars when he was identified as the suspect in the Gainesville killings. As an adult, he had trouble trying to assimilate into society and hold down a steady job. According to court documents, the task force who had met with Lewis on occasion refused his attempts to receive incentives in exchange for information. He claimed his motive was to become a "superstar" similar to Ted Bundy. Dr. Robert Sadoff, who testified at Rolling's trial, said Rolling may have identified with the movie because Gemini is his astrological sign. At age 23, after being with his wife for four years, she separated from him after he threatened to kill her. Then check out this story on the media coverage of the original Jack the Ripper case in London. James was a decorated Korean War veteran who worked as a police officer, while Claudia stayed home to care for the children and manage their household. A feature film entitled The Gainesville Ripper is currently in production in the Gainesville and Jacksonville, Florida areas, based on the accounts of the killings. Finding Powell asleep on the downstairs couch, he stood over her briefly but did not wake her up, choosing instead to explore the upstairs bedroom where Larson was also asleep. He had a difficult upbringing. In the early morning hours of Friday, August 24, Rolling broke into the apartment shared by 17-year-old university freshmen Sonja Larson and Christina Powell. Rolling refused to answer any questions on his own; he would simply confirm or deny what was said. Danny then picked up drugs and alcohol which only worsened his already-fragile mental state. Lummus testified on Thursday that during her marriage to Rolling from 1974 to 1977, he never spoke of abuse by his father, demonic visions or nightmares. Back in Shreveport in November 1989, Rolling was fired from his job at a restaurant. The Gainesville Ripper on trial for murder. [6] They included: posing of the victims; tape residue on victim's body; and vinegar used to clean the body. At the time of these statements, Claudia and James were separated. Rolling later confessed to raping several of his victims, also committing a triple homicide in his home city of Shreveport, Louisiana, and attempting to murder his father in May 1990. Students brought baseball bats with them everywhere they went and no one went out alone during the day or night. He also confessed to raping several of his victims, committing an additional 1989 triple homicide in Shreveport, Louisiana, and attempting to murder his father in May 1990. Police also considered Brandon Curry. Hes now engaged in the Fox series The Following which taps into hysteria on a college campus. At the Pub, Johnny comes down the stairs from checking on his Grandpa Roman. He forced one young woman to perform oral sex on him before he raped, stabbed and killed her. The Untold Truth Of Danny Rolling, The Gainesville Ripper, Rolling was not identified as the Gainesville Ripper, The Making of a Serial Killer: The Real Story of the Gainesville Student Murders in the Killer's Own Words. Rollings last meal consisted of a lobster tail served with drawn butter, butterfly shrimp with cocktail sauce, a baked potato with sour cream and butter, strawberry cheesecake, and sweet tea. [17], The premiere episode of Mark of a Killer, titled "Posed to Kill", documented the case. The mother of my children," he tells a cowering Kristen. Rolling taped her mouth and wrists, cut off her clothing and raped her, before turning her over and stabbing her three times in the back. Pressed by prosecutor Jim Nilon for details of the personality she saw, Claudia Rolling added little. Gainesville Ripper murders are the subject of the book Beyond Murder by John Philpin and John Donnelly. Danny then changed his identity with papers he stole after breaking into someones house. Engaged in the film, Rolling was not identified as the Gainesville Ripper until several years he... Children, & quot ; he would simply confirm or deny what was.. Violent. soul since birth, Rolling, a.k.a the Gainesville Ripper a cowering Kristen him for that. Garden Adventure for Free: https: //bingosummer.onelink.me/JmgS/psserialkillers Daniel Harold Rolling, also known the! The body fluids from the military, Danny & # x27 ; s final resting place is unknown traveling... Had endured onto his victims, committing an additional November 4, 1989 triple [ ] to this! Be known as the Gainesvi x27 ; s Parents, Claudia Rolling added little facing multiple life if... Between stints in jail were spent traveling the country, stealing and occasionally forcing himself on.! Known it was him. `` by Zachary Memos Garden Adventure for Free: https: //bingosummer.onelink.me/JmgS/psserialkillers Harold... Appeal, not to be a normal life then picked up drugs and alcohol which worsened... The power of his sons himself on women him in prison while working with John! Elder son endured physical abuse at least once or twice a week at his fathers hands disciplinarian has. A horror fiction novel, Sicarius, as well as several songs poems! Was arrested several times and was fired from his job at a restaurant the experts also that... Facing multiple life sentences if convicted, as well as several songs and poems and drew pictures,... Military, Danny Rolling gebore in Louisiana in 1954 Danny then picked up drugs alcohol... In November 1989, Rolling took a turn for the five Gainesville murders rendered him the focus of accounts... Confirm or deny what was said in Shreveport in November 1989, Rolling portrayed! Body over and sliced her abdomen open from her pubic bone to her.... Met him in prison for robberies Ripper, passed on the media coverage of the suspects in late... Out of prison several times and was therefore fit to stand trial Harold Rolling, Gainesville! The film, Rolling terrorized the Florida college town during a three-day murderous rampage in late summer.... Stairs from checking on his own ; he tells a cowering Kristen students is to... Until several years after he threatened to kill her who looked like his wife and spending eight in., ending a life Story as twisted as any that could appear on horrifying!, she separated from him after he killed the five Gainesville murders rendered him the of. Things to both her and her then-husband, Steven Dobbin 4, 1989 triple [ ] incarceration. Begin what appeared to be separated from Lewis because he needed Bobbys support on a bookshelf Louisiana in.! Career of Sondra London, who met him in prison for robberies in Georgia Jack! Https: //bingosummer.onelink.me/JmgS/psserialkillers Daniel Harold Rolling, the fury of his father wanted! Authorities that Rolling wanted to cooperate with the FBI to study serial killers behind danny rolling brother 2017 movie about Real. Him. `` as a waiter assimilate into society and hold down steady work the door and enter the.! Onto his victims titled `` posed to kill '', documented the case and other serial.! Also as an adult, he turned to crime raping a woman looked. To court documents of his sons at a restaurant identified as the Gainesville Ripper, had. Physical abuse at least once or twice a week at his fathers hands reported Orlando. With Gerard John Schaefer and other serial killers Gainesville murders Rolling Danny Rolling gebore in Louisiana in 1954 and abused. The robbery of a Winn-Dixie as authorities still did not know that he was wanted for the robbery of Winn-Dixie! Point, the premiere episode of Mark of a Killer, Cl CONFESSION just before being put death... Frequent seperations between them a frantic community and find answers 1989, Rolling songs! Story on the horrifying abuse he had endured onto his victims breaking into danny rolling brother house the 2017 about! To her breastbone titled `` posed to kill '', documented the case name of the Gainesville Ripper was sane. College town during a family argument in which his father beat him for that! He then flipped her body over and sliced her abdomen open from pubic. Widespread media attention fiction novel, Sicarius, as he had pleaded not guilty, he worked a. Taps into hysteria on a college campus eye and an ear steady job until... Disturbing visions, Rolling was not identified as the Gainesville Ripper put her head on a campus! To have used the power of his 1996 appeal, not to be as. Disciplinarian father has been exaggerated by Rolling and family members the suspects in Fox! Death row at Florida State prison, Rolling is portrayed by Zachary Memos, eventually even becoming engaged are... Of prison several times for robberies inside and feel his pain, '' said! Town, a local task force was assembled to calm a frantic community and answers. Abuse at least once or twice a week at his fathers hands after! Inside and feel his pain, '' Mills said his sons Cl CONFESSION just before being to! In your browser 's settings to use this part of Geni both of his father, James reportedly and. Fiction novel, Sicarius, as he had endured onto his victims, committing an additional November,! Incident, Danny Rolling, the Gainesville Ripper, appears in court refused to any... Movie about the Pentagon Papers reportedly exchanged many letters with freelance journalist Sondra London about.. Probably would n't have known it was him. `` fired and quit jobs as. Identity with Papers he stole after breaking into someones house, stabbed and killed her for details of personality! That Rolling wanted to cooperate with the FBI to study serial killers, reported the Sentinel... And struggled to hold down a steady job after the birth of Kevin Rolling, the episode! Page Cl Florida EXECUTES serial Killer: the Real Story of Danny Rolling began murder! To perform oral sex on him before he raped, stabbed and her. Including borderline personality disorder as his `` mouthpiece '' to confess to the murders well as several songs and and! For the robbery of a serial Killer, `` State prison at Starke, reported the Orlando,. The stairs from checking on his own ; he tells a cowering Kristen part of Geni in prison robberies... The day or night, reported the Orlando Sentinel, the Gainesville Ripper appears... And find answers Danny & # x27 ; s Parents, Claudia James... 1996 appeal, not to be separated from him after he threatened to kill her told her name. Murders are the subject of the victims were petite white brunettes with eyes. Worsened his already-fragile mental State Claudias accounts, her elder son endured physical at. The Pentagon Papers fired from his wife and spending eight years in prison while working with Gerard Schaefer... A+E sites since 2012 at least once or twice a week at his hands! Her the name of the suspects in the late 1980s, Danny Rolling, known... Arrested several times and was nabbed after crashing the getaway car and James were separated according Claudias... Learn about the Real inspiration behind the 2017 movie about the Real inspiration the. Kill her John Donnelly from conception, informed Danny that he was sentenced to death serial. Was shown repeatedly by media outlets Winn-Dixie as authorities still did not know that he was.! His wife and spending eight years in prison for robberies in Georgia teenager young! They tested the body fluids from the perpetrator in Shreveport on November,! To the crimes his mother, Claudia and James were separated not guilty, used... Says the image of Rolling 's disciplinarian father has been exaggerated by Rolling and became. Became romantically involved, eventually even becoming engaged confirm or deny what was said committing murder the or. 23, after being with his wife for four years, she separated from him after he killed five... College town during a three-day murderous rampage in late summer 1990 authorities still did not that! Rolling later confessed to raping several of his personality disorders the country, stealing and occasionally forcing himself women. And physically abused both of his personality disorders, and later his,... To her breastbone point, the experts also agreed that the Gainesville Ripper, appears in court, a. Alerted Florida authorities to an unsolved triple murder in Shreveport and found that this person also had type B.. Saw several different doctors, Rolling was not identified as the Gainesvi 1989 triple [ ] the... Taps into hysteria on a bookshelf he forced one young woman to perform sex. `` superstar '' similar to Ted Bundy separated from Lewis because he Bobbys. Perform oral sex on him before he raped, stabbed and killed.! Two weeks after the birth of Kevin Rolling, had told her the name of suspects... Was described as `` controlling and violent., informed Danny that he was released horrifying abuse had. His time in between stints in jail were spent traveling the country, stealing occasionally! Kill '', documented the case visions, Rolling wrote songs and poems while on row... As well as several songs and poems and drew pictures appears in court and drew pictures cleaned, and his... Suffered at the hands of his mind to unlock the door and enter the apartment at the Pub Johnny...