In the autumn of 1974, a 29-year-old man named James Meyer became an unsuspecting victim in a cross-country reign of terror. Meyer, a businessman from Delaware, was in Florida for work when his path tragically intersected with that of Paul John Knowles, a man who would come to be known as the 'Casanova Killer.' On November 16, 1974, Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Charles E.
Campbell, 35, pulled over a stolen vehicle, unaware that the driver was the man responsible for a string of violent crimes across multiple states. During the traffic stop, Knowles managed to disarm the trooper and take him hostage in his own patrol car.
Using the trooper's vehicle and its emergency lights, Knowles then pulled over another car, driven by James Meyer. Forcing both men into Meyer's car, Knowles drove them north into Georgia. The grim journey ended in a secluded wooded area in Pulaski County. There, Knowles handcuffed both Meyer and Trooper Campbell to a tree and shot them execution-style with the trooper's service weapon. Their bodies were discovered several days later by a pair of deer hunters on November 21, 1974, ending a frantic search for the missing men.
The suspect, Paul John Knowles, had escaped from a Florida prison in July of that year and embarked on a violent spree that left a trail of victims. His charm and good looks often disarmed those he encountered, earning him his notorious nickname. After the murders of Meyer and Campbell, Knowles continued his flight from the law. He was eventually captured on November 17, 1974, in Henry County, Georgia, after a high-speed chase and a massive manhunt that ended when he was cornered by an armed civilian.
In custody, Knowles began to confess to numerous murders, claiming a total of 35 victims, though authorities could only substantiate 18. His cooperation with law enforcement proved to be short-lived. On December 18, 1974, while being transported by a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent and a sheriff to locate a murder weapon, Knowles allegedly attempted to escape. According to the officers, he managed to pick the lock on his handcuffs and grab for one of their guns. In the ensuing struggle, Knowles was shot and killed, bringing a violent end to his deadly rampage. No trial would ever take place for the murder of James Meyer or the many other victims of the Casanova Killer.
