James Delano Winkles
Overview
James Delano Winkles was a Florida murderer, kidnapper, rapist, and suspected serial killer who was convicted for the murders of Elizabeth Graham and Margo Delimon. He was born on December 18, 1940, in Oakman, Alabama, and later lived in Florida under the name Jimmy Delano Hawk. Winkles became known not only for the two murders that were proven in court, but also for his later claims that he had killed many more women between the late 1960s and early 1980s. Those wider claims were never proven, and authorities were only able to convict him for the murders of Graham and Delimon.
Winkles was already serving a life sentence for a violent kidnapping when he confessed in 1998 to two older unsolved murders in Pinellas County, Florida. His confessions gave investigators details about the abductions, the captivity of the victims, the methods of murder, and the disposal of remains. The crimes showed planning, restraint, deception, and an effort to prevent identification of the victims after death.
Confirmed Victims
- Elizabeth Margaret Graham — Graham was 19 years old and worked for a mobile dog grooming business called The Pampered Poodle. She disappeared on September 9, 1980, after being sent to an address connected to a service call. Winkles abducted her in the Largo and Pinellas County area of Florida. Court summaries state that she was killed in September 1980 after being held for several days. Her skull was later found in the Steinhatchee River area on July 3, 1981, and was identified years later through DNA testing.
- Margo Delimon — Delimon, also identified in some records as Margaret or Margo Dilemon, was a 39-year-old real estate salesperson. She disappeared on October 3, 1981, after meeting Winkles in connection with real estate property showings in the Pinellas County area. Court records state that she was killed sometime between October 3 and October 21, 1981, after being held captive for several days. Her headless body was found in Citrus County on October 21, 1981, and identified by fingerprints in August 1983. Her skull was found in Hernando County on May 23, 1982.
Elizabeth Graham
Elizabeth Graham was targeted through her work. Winkles had seen a young woman connected to The Pampered Poodle, a mobile grooming service, and called the business to arrange a service appointment at an abandoned house. The woman he originally hoped to lure did not arrive. Instead, Graham was sent to the address. Winkles decided to carry out the abduction anyway.
When Graham arrived, Winkles attacked her, restrained her, and forced her into his vehicle. He punctured a tire on the grooming van to make it look disabled and stole a small amount of money from her purse. He then took Graham away from the scene. According to his confession and later court summaries, he held her captive for several days, sexually assaulted her, and kept her restrained.
Winkles later said he decided to kill Graham because he believed she had learned where she was being held and would be able to identify him. He gave her medication that made her sleep, then shot her in the head. After the murder, he burned clothing and other items and buried her body in Pinellas County. He later returned to the grave, removed the head, took out the teeth and lower jaw, and disposed of the skull in the Steinhatchee River. The skull was found on July 3, 1981, but Graham was not conclusively identified until many years later, after DNA testing became available.
Margo Delimon
Margo Delimon was targeted through her real estate work. Winkles met her while posing as someone interested in property. On October 3, 1981, Delimon was expected to show property, and she disappeared after meeting him. Her car was found, but she was gone.
Winkles later confessed that he kidnapped Delimon and held her captive for several days in a vacant or abandoned house near his grandmother’s house. During that time, he sexually assaulted her repeatedly. As with Graham, Winkles said he decided to kill Delimon because she could identify him and the location where she had been held.
Delimon was killed by an overdose of sleeping pills. Winkles buried her body in Pinellas County, then later moved the remains to Citrus County. He also separated and disposed of her skull in Hernando County after removing teeth. Her headless body was found on October 21, 1981, in Citrus County. Her skull was discovered on May 23, 1982. The body was identified by fingerprints in August 1983.
Pattern of the Crimes
The murders of Graham and Delimon showed a clear pattern. Winkles selected women who were working alone or could be lured through their jobs. He used false appointments and isolated locations. He had prepared his vehicle so a victim could not easily escape, and investigators later described an “abduction kit” that included restraints, gags, medication, liquor, and other items used to control victims.
In both confirmed murders, the victims were abducted, restrained, held for several days, sexually assaulted, and killed after Winkles decided they could identify him. In both cases, he attempted to hide or destroy evidence after death. He buried the bodies, returned later, removed heads or identifying features, and disposed of remains in different counties. These actions delayed identification and kept both cases unsolved for many years.
Earlier Kidnapping Case
Before he confessed to the murders of Graham and Delimon, Winkles was already in prison for the kidnapping of Donna Maltby. That case involved a similar method of control and violence, but Maltby survived. Her case became important because it showed that Winkles had used careful planning, restraints, and a modified vehicle to trap victims. He received a life sentence for that crime, and while serving that sentence he eventually contacted authorities about the two unsolved murders.
Confession and Conviction
In February 1998, Winkles contacted authorities while incarcerated and said he had information about the murders of Elizabeth Graham and Margo Delimon. He gave detailed statements about both cases. His information matched facts known to investigators, including details about the victims, the circumstances of their disappearances, and the locations and condition of remains.
On March 25, 1999, Winkles was indicted for two counts of first-degree murder. He later pleaded guilty to both murders. On April 14, 2003, he was sentenced to death for the murder of Elizabeth Graham and to death for the murder of Margo Delimon. The Florida Supreme Court later upheld his convictions and death sentences.
Claims of Additional Victims
Winkles claimed that he had killed many more women, sometimes saying the number was as high as 62. He suggested that some of those killings had occurred across Florida between 1967 and 1981. However, those claims were not proven in court. Authorities could not confirm the larger number, and Winkles did not provide enough usable information to identify or solve dozens of additional cases. Because of that, Graham and Delimon remain his confirmed murder victims.
Death
James Delano Winkles died on September 9, 2010, at Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, Florida, while still on death row. He was 69 years old. His death came exactly thirty years after Elizabeth Graham disappeared on September 9, 1980.
Legacy of the Case
The James Winkles case remains disturbing because of the long delay between the murders and the convictions, the careful planning involved in the abductions, and the unanswered questions surrounding his claims of many more victims. The confirmed cases of Elizabeth Graham and Margo Delimon show a predator who used ordinary work appointments to isolate women, then relied on restraint, intimidation, and concealment to commit and hide his crimes. Although Winkles tried to present himself as a man finally confessing out of remorse, the details of his crimes showed years of deception, violence, and calculated attempts to erase evidence and delay justice.
