Cecil Henry Floyd

Serial Killer

Cecil Henry Floyd: The Multi-State Murder Spree of 1973-1974

Cecil Henry Floyd was an American serial killer whose crimes stretched across several states during a violent robbery spree in 1973 and 1974. At least six murders were attributed to him in Indiana, Florida, Nebraska, and Kansas. Floyd later claimed that he had killed eleven people, but investigators were never able to verify all of those additional confessions. His known crimes were generally opportunistic: victims were encountered at fairs, homes, motels, gas stations, or while traveling, and several were killed for extremely small amounts of money or easily stolen property.

Confirmed and Attributed Victims

• Henry Michael Maser, 15 Died July 23, 1973, near Lebanon in Boone County, Indiana. His body was discovered in underbrush six days later, on July 29. Maser had been attending the Boone County Fair before he disappeared. He was shot three times, and Floyd later admitted taking approximately $5 from his wallet.
• Barney M. Rycyk, 56 Died November 14, 1973, at the Durands Motel in Union Park, Florida. Rycyk, who operated the motel with his brother Stanley, was killed during a robbery involving Floyd and Thomas Mattingly. Contemporary accounts described Rycyk as having been struck repeatedly with a claw hammer. Approximately $20 was taken.
• Karen Chitwood, 17 Died February 20, 1974, in her apartment in Orlando, Florida. Her husband discovered her bound and gagged inside their home. She had suffered severe head injuries and four stab wounds to the chest. Investigators determined that a small television and clock radio had been stolen.
• Leslie Johnston, 22 Her recorded date of death is May 11, 1974, the date she disappeared from Orlando, Florida. Her body was discovered approximately one week later in a heavily wooded area. She had been shot three times in the upper body. Floyd later confessed to killing Johnston and gave investigators an account of a struggle involving his handgun.
• Lester Schmidt, 24 Died July 13, 1974, after being found critically wounded at a Phillips 66 service station near Aurora, Nebraska. Schmidt had been shot three times. He was transported to Aurora Memorial Hospital but died without regaining consciousness. The station's cash register and approximately $500 were taken.
• Dickinson County John Doe An unidentified man, estimated to have been approximately 25 to 31 years old, whose remains were discovered July 24, 1974, on a dirt road near Upland in Dickinson County, Kansas. His precise date of death has never been established; forensic estimates placed his death roughly ten days to two weeks before the discovery of his remains. He had been shot numerous times with a small-caliber firearm. Floyd admitted killing an unidentified hitchhiker in Kansas and was linked by investigators to this case.

The Murder of Henry Michael Maser

Floyd's first confirmed murder occurred on July 23, 1973, near the Boone County Fair in Lebanon, Indiana. Fifteen-year-old Henry Michael Maser had attended the fair with a friend but became separated from him. Floyd encountered the teenager while traveling with other people in the area. Maser was shot three times and robbed of his wallet, which contained only about five dollars. Floyd abandoned the teenager's body in an area of underbrush. Maser remained missing for several days before his body was discovered on July 29. The investigation initially produced confusion when another man, a carnival worker connected to an unrelated automobile theft, came under suspicion. He was ultimately cleared. Floyd was not immediately arrested for Maser's death, allowing his interstate crime spree to continue. After Floyd was eventually captured in 1974, he confessed to the Indiana killing. He was later convicted of Maser's murder and received a life sentence. ...

Confirmed Victims: (6)

Henry Michael Maser Age: (15), Date of Death: 1973-07-23

Cecil Henry Floyd | Murderpedia