Wilma Ida Woods, a 49-year-old woman, was found deceased on December 29, 1973. Her nude body was discovered behind a sand dune in Pasco County, Florida, approximately 100 feet from the highway. Woods had been strangled, and her death was one of several unsolved murders in the region during that time. She was employed as a bartender on Franklin Street in downtown Tampa and had a history of arrests, with over 100 recorded incidents, including charges of open profanity and disorderly conduct. Her last arrest occurred on December 5, 1973.
Authorities investigated her murder as part of a broader pattern of killings in the area, which became associated with the possible serial killer known as the "Gulf Killer." Between 1971 and 1978, a series of murders involving fourteen women and two men took place in Pasco County and the wider Tampa Bay area. While some believed the murders were connected to a single perpetrator, others speculated that they resulted from feuding pimps, criminal organizations, or a sexually depraved individual. At least eight of the victims, including Woods, had ties to sex work along the Dale Mabry Strip.
Despite investigations, no definitive suspect was identified in Woods' murder. The case remained unsolved, and authorities were unable to determine whether her death was linked to the other killings attributed to the Gulf Killer. The broader investigation into the series of murders led to the convictions of two individuals, Wirtjes in 1979 and Hardagree in 1980, but it was unclear whether they were responsible for Woods' death. The uncertainty surrounding the case left lingering questions about the true nature of the crimes and whether additional perpetrators remained unidentified.
Woods' murder was later discussed in true crime circles, including a podcast episode that explored the killings of four women in Pasco County between 1973 and 1977. The episode examined the similarities between the victims, their connections to the adult entertainment industry, and the locations where their bodies were found. A serial killer named Gerald Stano confessed to one of the murders but later recanted, casting further doubt on the investigation. Stano claimed to have killed as many as 41 people, but when questioned, he failed to provide Pasco authorities with accurate details regarding Woods' case.
The unresolved nature of Woods' murder remains a haunting reminder of the dangers faced by vulnerable individuals in the area during that time. The lack of closure for her case, along with the broader series of killings, continues to be a subject of speculation and discussion among crime researchers and enthusiasts.
