Tony Alvin Ables

Serial Killer

Tony Alvin Ables: A Serial Killer's Brutal Legacy

Early Life and First Murder

Tony Alvin Ables was born on December 28, 1954, in St. Petersburg, Florida. He had a troubled childhood, with his mother abandoning the family in the 1960s, which placed significant strain on Ables and his seven siblings. Despite initially being described as an outgoing and friendly child with a talent for playing the violin, Ables began running away from home at age 13. At the young age of 16, Ables committed his first known murder. In 1970, he was involved in a robbery in St. Petersburg during which a man was killed. In March 1971, Ables pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and received a life sentence.

Release and Subsequent Murders

After serving 12 years in state prison, Ables was released on parole in 1983 and found employment as a construction worker. However, his freedom was short-lived, and his violent tendencies quickly resurfaced. On June 25, 1983, just five months after his release, Ables broke into the apartment of 84-year-old Adeline McLaughlin, a retired widow living in the Ten Eyck Hotel, a downtown retirement community overlooking Mirror Lake. McLaughlin was sexually assaulted and smothered with a pillow. Her apartment was also burglarized. Four years later, on February 14, 1987, Ables struck again. The partially clothed body of 31-year-old Deborah Kisor, described as a mental patient, was found by children playing in the woods near Roser Park. Kisor had been sexually assaulted and strangled. Notably, Ables was in a romantic relationship with Kisor at the time of her murder.

Final Known Murder and Arrest

Ables' final known murder occurred on June 4, 1990. He was involved in a physical altercation with his girlfriend and roommate, 48-year-old Marlene Burns, which resulted in her death. During the incident, Burns was pushed down the stairs and subsequently beaten and kicked. Witnesses saw Ables leaving the apartment and wiping blood off his hands. Police arrested Ables on the spot for Burns' murder. He was charged with first-degree murder and held without bail at the Pinellas County jail. ...Read More

Confirmed Victims: (4)

Man (Name Unknown) , Date of Death: 1970

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Tony Ables - Wikipedia

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