David Murray

Serial Killer

David Murray and the Unresolved Murders of Elderly Residents in Columbus, Mississippi

A Suspected Serial Killer

David Solomon Murray has been described as a suspected serial killer because of his possible connection to a disturbing series of murders committed against elderly residents of Columbus, Mississippi, between 1996 and 1998. However, Murray has been convicted in only one of those cases: the murder of Mack Fowler. Authorities have not publicly established that Murray killed the other four victims, and those deaths should be regarded as separate, unresolved investigations rather than confirmed crimes committed by him. The five victims lived within a relatively small area of Columbus, with their homes reportedly located within approximately three miles of one another. Each victim was older, most lived alone, and each was attacked inside a private residence. Several victims were bound, gagged, strangled, or stabbed. The similarities frightened local residents and led investigators to consider whether one person might have been targeting elderly people who could be overpowered inside their homes.

The Murder of Mack Fowler

Mack Fowler, a retired farmer, was killed inside his home near Propst Park in Columbus on July 8, 1996. Fowler was beaten and stabbed during an attack that appeared to move through several rooms of the residence. Investigators believed the struggle began near the front of the house and continued toward the rear, where Fowler was found. Evidence inside the home indicated that Fowler had fought desperately against his attacker. Blood was discovered throughout portions of the residence, and investigators recovered a bloody towel and other physical evidence that would eventually become crucial to the case. Property was also believed to have been removed from the house, causing authorities to treat the killing as a murder committed during a robbery. Murray was reportedly an invited guest in Fowler's home on the night of the killing. Despite the evidence preserved at the scene, investigators did not initially have a DNA profile in law-enforcement databases that could identify the person responsible. Fowler's murder therefore remained unsolved for more than twenty years. ...

Confirmed Victims: (1)

Mack Fowler Age: (72), Date of Death: 1996

Suspected Victims:

George Wilbanks Age: (75), Date of Death: 1997-11-02

Robert Hannah Age: (61), Date of Death: 1998-10-13

Louise Randall Age: (80), Date of Death: 1998-10-21

Betty Everett Age: (67), Date of Death: 1998-11-17

Arrest made in Columbus cold case tied to string of elderly murders