Danny Rolling, also known as The Gainesville Ripper, was an American serial murderer who killed five students over four days in late August 1990 in Gainesville, Florida. In May 1990, Rolling admitted to raping numerous of his victims, performing a triple homicide in his hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana, and trying to kill his father.
Rolling admitted to murdering eight individuals in all. Rolling was condemned to death in 1994 for the five Gainesville murders. In 2006, he was killed by lethal injection.
How a lady from Louisiana helped solve the case of five Florida student murders
On Sunday morning, four students from Idaho were brutally stabbed to death in their homes. Former medical examiner Joseph Scott Morgan asserted that the incident has caused widespread fear throughout the community akin to that of Danny Rolling, the murderer who served as the basis for the Scream movies.
In an exclusive interview with The U.S. Sun, Morgan recalled the University of Florida killings from 1990: “I remember back then the parents were afraid because of this.” And you can see the same thing happening here. According to autopsy findings, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Xana’s boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, 20, were all fatally stabbed in their Moscow homes early on Sunday morning.
At a news conference on Wednesday, the Moscow Police Department issued a warning that the student’s murderer is “still out there” and that there are few leads on a suspect. Officials concur that the assault was “targeted,” but they haven’t explained why the youngsters were picked out.
More details about the mysterious case are emerging as it was discovered that two of the victims repeatedly called a friend in a desperate attempt to get help just before it is thought they were killed, a relative of one of the victims told Inside Edition.
Gainesville Ripper
As a medical examiner during the time, the Gainesville Ripper was on the loose, Morgan, a professor, and researcher in applied forensics at Jacksonville State University sadly drew comparisons between the two incidents. Officials found Danny Rolling guilty of killing five University of Florida students in a heinous killing spree, and he was put to death.
The serial killer employed a massive KA-BAR knife made for military use to brutally murder, dismember, and, in one instance, decapitate his victims. According to the Idaho Statesman, Moscow officials are looking for a similar weapon and have even visited supply stores to see if any locals have recently sold military-grade blades.
Also Read: Who is Steven John Carell? Age, Wife, Family, Net worth, Wiki, Biography
Morgan, who also hosts the podcast Body Bags, said the house was probably a “horrifically bloody scene” based on his experience working crime scenes. According to a photo obtained by Fox News Digital, blood can be seen dripping from the house’s exterior, which Morgan calls “striking.”
About his early life and family details
Danny Rolling was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on May 26, 1954. He holds an American nationality and he belongs to the white ethnic group. His Zodiac sign is Gemini.
Danny Rolling’s father, Shreveport police officer James Rolling, informed him from birth that he was unwanted. James also assaulted and battered Danny, his mother Claudia, and his brother Kevin for trivial reasons, such as breathing in an unpleasing manner. Danny’s mother rushed to the hospital after alleging that her husband attempted to make her cut herself with a razor blade.
Documentary
Several books have been published on Danny Rolling. Kevin Williamson, the screenwriter behind the 1996 horror film Scream, was inspired by his crime spree. The Making of a Serial Killer: The True Story of the Gainesville Murders in the Killer’s Own Words was co-written by Sondra London and Rolling.
Furthermore, an episode of Errol Morris’ First Person focused on Danny Rolling’s connection with Sondra London, which evolved while he was imprisoned. Rolling and London began a love relationship, ultimately being engaged. The series explored their relationship, his artwork, and his alleged emotions of regret for the atrocities he perpetrated.
It also included a section in which Rolling used one of his hearings to openly demonstrate his adoration, serenading London in the courtroom.
Based on reports of the murders, The Gainesville Ripper, an indie feature film, was filmed in the Gainesville and Jacksonville, Florida regions in 2007. Rolling is represented by Zachary Memos in the movie.
In addition, Rolling was the focus of an episode of the Court TV program Body of Evidence: From the Case Files of Dayle Hinman (airing in the UK on Discovery Channel as Crime Scene USA: Body of Evidence) and an episode of Forensic Factor titled Killing Spree, which debuted on Discovery Channel Canada and was later broadcast in the United States on the Science Channel.
A 2010 episode of Cold Blood focused on Rolling, while the 2012 episode of Motives and Murders, “Not Again,” made a passing reference to her. He was seen in a Nightmare Next Door episode from 2015.
2013 edition
A 2013 edition of the TV documentary series The Real Story included a discussion about the film Scream. It was broadcast on July 28, 2013, and it goes into gruesome detail about Rolling’s killings. On the Gainesville killings of 1990, the novel Drifter is based.
Rolling was the inspiration for the song Harold Rollings Hymn, which appeared on the John 5 album The Devil Knows My Name in 2007. The case was covered in an episode of Murder Made Me Famous that aired on November 24, 2018.
You may also like: Who is Wesley Brownlee? Stockton Ca serial killer found with the gun, Aged 43, Family
The case was covered in the first episode of Mark of a Killer, “Posed to Kill.” Four Days, Five Murders is a 2020 television special and podcast special produced by WUFT News that documents thoughts on the case thirty years later.
2021 Edition
The murder case was featured in a 2021 episode of the ABC primetime real crime television series 20/20. The paranormal documentary Scream: The True Story, starring Steve Shippy and Cindy Kaza, made its television debut on January 14, 2022, on Discovery+.
In Rolling’s boyhood house in Shreveport, Louisiana, Shippy, and Kaza carry out a paranormal investigation. Rolling created artwork when he was incarcerated at Florida State Prison and was on death row. His creations are an illustration of murderabilia.
Who is Danny Rolling’s Wife?
When O’Mather Halko Married Danny Rolling on September 6, 1974, at the United Pentecostal Church in Shreveport, she was 19 years old.
However, because of his aggressive behavior, their marriage was over within a few years. The couple’s daughter was born. Other than that, because Rolling is the reason Halko is in the news, we can only focus on his story.
