Daniel Harold Rolling

Serial Killer

Daniel Harold Rolling: The Gainesville Ripper

Overview

Daniel Harold Rolling, commonly known as Danny Rolling and later called the Gainesville Ripper, was an American serial killer responsible for eight known murders in Louisiana and Florida. Born on May 26, 1954, in Shreveport, Louisiana, Rolling developed a lengthy criminal history involving burglary, armed robbery and violence before committing the murders for which he became notorious. His crimes were marked by unlawful entry into private homes, surprise attacks, sexual violence and the deliberate staging of victims' bodies. Rolling murdered three members of one family in Shreveport on November 4, 1989. Less than a year later, he killed five college students in Gainesville, Florida, during a four-day period in August 1990. The Gainesville murders created widespread panic in a city preparing for the beginning of a new academic term. Students began traveling in groups, adding locks to their homes and leaving town because authorities did not know when or where the killer might strike again.

Early Life and Criminal History

Rolling grew up in a deeply troubled household. Accounts presented during his later court proceedings described his father, a police officer, as physically and emotionally abusive toward Rolling, his brother and their mother. Rolling struggled in school, had difficulty maintaining employment and repeatedly came into conflict with the law. By adulthood, he had accumulated convictions for burglary, robbery and other offenses in several states. His background did not excuse his later actions, but it became an important subject during the penalty phase of his murder case. Mental-health specialists who examined him described serious personality disorders and abnormal sexual interests. Prosecutors maintained that Rolling remained fully responsible for crimes that required planning, preparation and repeated decisions to continue attacking defenseless people. ...

Confirmed Victims: (8)

Julie Grissom Age: (24), Date of Death: November 4, 1989

Survivors:

James Rolling

Danny Rolling - Wikipedia