Elizabeth Margaret Graham, a 19-year-old white female, was tragically murdered on September 14, 1980. Her death was later confirmed to be the result of a gunshot wound. Graham’s body was discovered in Florida, and the circumstances surrounding her death initially left investigators with few leads. However, the case eventually drew attention due to its similarities with other violent crimes occurring in the region during that time.
The investigation into Elizabeth Margaret Graham’s
murder revealed that she had been sexually assaulted prior to being killed. Her case was one of several involving young women who had been attacked and murdered in Florida in 1980, prompting law enforcement to consider the possibility of a serial offender. Among the suspects initially considered was William “Billy” Mansfield Jr., a convicted serial killer responsible for the deaths of multiple women and girls between 1975 and 1980. Mansfield had buried several victims at his family’s property in Spring Hill, Florida, and was known for targeting young females. However, despite the similarities in victim profiles and modus operandi, Mansfield was ultimately ruled out as the perpetrator in Graham’s case.
The breakthrough came when James Delano Winkles, a white male serial offender born in 1940, was arrested in early 1982. Winkles had a history of violent crimes, including rape and murder, and was later convicted for the deaths of two women: Elizabeth Margaret Graham and Margo Delimon. Winkles confessed to the murder of Graham, admitting that he had shot the 19-year-old white female on September 14, 1980. His confession, along with corroborating evidence, led to his conviction and a death sentence.
Winkles remained incarcerated at Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, Florida, until his death from natural causes on September 9, 2010. His criminal history spanned over a decade, and he was suspected in numerous other cases, though not all were conclusively linked to him. The arrest and conviction of Winkles brought closure to the case of Elizabeth Margaret Graham, ensuring that the individual responsible for her death was held accountable.
