On October 10, 1970, Regina Bonnanno, a 48-year-old white female who was deaf and mute, was found dead in her Miami, Florida apartment. Her death was one in a string of brutal killings attributed to an unidentified serial killer known as the 'Miami Strangler,' who was active between 1964 and 1970. The Miami Strangler was believed to have murdered at least nine women, all in the Miami area, using methods that included strangulation, bludgeoning, and smothering.
The crimes were marked by a disturbing level of violence and often bore signs of sexual motivation, though none of the victims were directly sexually assaulted.
Regina Bonnanno's body was discovered bound to her bed. A bra and scarf had been tied tightly around her neck, and her head was shoved into a pillowcase. Additionally, her mouth had been stuffed with a pair of panties. The scene suggested a deliberate and sadistic method of killing, consistent with the other murders linked to the Miami Strangler. Like many of the other victims, Regina Bonnanno was found in her own home, indicating that the killer may have targeted women who were alone and vulnerable.
Despite the similarities among the victims and the clear pattern of the crimes, no one was ever arrested or charged in connection with Regina Bonnanno's murder or the other killings attributed to the Miami Strangler. Investigators did identify one potential suspect: a man named Calvin Jones Jr., a truck driver with a criminal record who had previously been convicted of multiple felonies. Jones had connections to at least two of the victims, including one whose tire he had changed shortly before her death. However, there was insufficient evidence to charge him, and he was never formally accused of any of the murders.
The case remains unsolved, and the identity of the Miami Strangler is still unknown. The murders, including that of 48-year-old white female Regina Bonnanno, continue to haunt the history of Miami's unsolved crimes.
