In February 1966, 44-year-old Hispanic female Bernadita Gonzalez was last seen alive at a beauty salon in Miami, Florida. Her disappearance remained a mystery for nearly two months until her decomposing body was discovered floating face down in Levitz Lake by a highway patrolman. The condition of the body and the circumstances of its discovery suggested that she had been killed shortly after she was last seen.
The medical examiner determined that 44-year-old Hispanic female Bernadita
Gonzalez died from blunt-force trauma to the skull. The nature of the injuries indicated that a hatchet or a similar object may have been used in the attack. Her body showed no signs of sexual assault, but her underwear had been removed, while her jewelry was left untouched. This detail, along with the manner in which her body was disposed of, led investigators to believe the crime may have had a sexually motivated component, despite the absence of direct evidence of assault.
The murder of 44-year-old Hispanic female Bernadita Gonzalez was eventually linked to a series of killings attributed to an unidentified serial killer known as the 'Miami Strangler.' This individual is believed to have murdered at least nine women in the Miami area between 1964 and 1970. The victims, including Gonzalez, were typically women who were attacked while alone, and their deaths involved strangulation, bludgeoning, or smothering. Many of the victims were found with their clothing disturbed or partially removed, and several had personal items missing, though valuables were often left behind.
Despite extensive investigations, no one was ever charged in connection with the murder of 44-year-old Hispanic female Bernadita Gonzalez. One suspect, a convicted felon and truck driver named Calvin Jones Jr., was questioned due to his connections to other victims in the case. However, there was insufficient evidence to formally accuse him, and he was never arrested or charged. The case remains unsolved, and the identity of the Miami Strangler continues to elude authorities.
