Casanova serial killer

It's not uncommon for serial killers to report a larger death total than what's entered on the official record. This may happen due to counting errors, bodies never resurfacing, or the killer trying to achieve a higher level of fame.

Serial killers tend to have specific hunting grounds. Much like everything else from the typical serial killer profile, though, Knowles took a different approach. He was only active for four months - July to November - but he managed to kill people in several states. After the killing in Virginia, he bounced back and forth between Florida and Georgia until he was finally caught.

The Casanova Killer's death count could have been even higher if four of his victims hadn't gotten away. In October , Knowles picked up two hitchhikers. Instead of helping them reach their destination, Knowles planned on murdering them.

Fortunately, a police officer intervened by stopping the killer for a minor traffic infraction. Knowles was spooked and released the two hitchhikers. Next, Knowles had a short-term romantic relationship with journalist Sandy Fawkes , but he let her walk away on November He had hinted to her what he had done, and she was wary of him.

When she decided to end things, he did not retaliate against her. Almost immediately after, Knowles abducted Susan Mackenzie - the wife of one of Fawkes's friends - pointed a gun at her, and demanded she have sex with him. Mackenzie was able to get away and informed local police officers.

There have been a few serial killers who have attracted attention due to their physical appearance. For example, Ted Bundy is often referred to as being handsome and charming. Many considered and still do Knowles a very handsome man. As a result of his good looks, newspapers began calling him the Casanova Killer. Knowles was engaged to Angela Covic after receiving parole for a petty crime in May The two met after they corresponded as pen pals while he was serving time in prison.

He moved out to California to be with his future bride, but what he didn't know was that his prison romance had already fizzled. Covic reportedly visited a psychic after the Casanova Killer's release. Whether or not the psychic actually had real powers, she did warn Covic to steer clear of a new man in her life. Knowles was characterized as dangerous during this psychic reading, which is definitely an understatement.

Based on this advice, Covic called off the wedding. But she called off the wedding almost immediately, and sent him back to Florida. Heartbroken and angry, he got into a bar fight in July and was sent back to prison. When he escaped, he started his violent killing spree. Getting turned down by her at the last minute may have been devastating for Knowles. In fact, he claims to have killed three people the night she broke up with him. These murders are still unconfirmed.

Serial killers typically have a specific MO modus operandi that they follow for their kills. A prime example of an MO is TV's Dexter Morgan staging his kill rooms, using the same kill kit, and choosing victims who are criminals. Knowles didn't have any known rituals, motives, or MO he used when selecting and killing victims.

Former police officer Jimmy Josey outright told reporters the Casanova Killer had no discernible motive or pattern. He was a martial arts expert. He was tough. He was mean. It is worth noting that some speculate Knowles's motive was to attain notoriety. There's no way to know whether or not that's true, though, because Knowles died before disclosing any of that information. All of the Casanova Killer's victims could still be alive today if not for a lapse in prison security.

Knowles was in and out of lockup for most of his life, and ended up back in jail yet again on July 26, , after getting into a fistfight at a bar. Unfortunately, the detention cell that held Knowles in Jacksonville, FL, was no match for the criminal. Instead of keeping him off the streets, he broke free after picking the cell's lock. If security measures had prevented this type of action, Knowles may have stayed in prison long enough to not murder at least 18 people.

The Casanova Killer committed some small crimes during his early years. He got drunk and picked up a fight with the bartender. The fight got heated up and led Knowles to stab the bartender. He was dead on the spot. He spun off from there. On the way, year-old Ima Jean Sanders was walking back home and was never spared by Knowles. He claimed that he saw Angela in Ima and strangled her to death.

This was the starting of the gruesome murder career of Paul John Knowles. He stole her belongings and abducted her sister. However, after driving for half an hour he dropped her off unharmed. While on his run away from Florida on November 17, the police caught him. This was the twentieth crime he committed according to them. Knowles confessed his crimes right from the ones he committed since Angela broke up with him. On July 26, , Knowles killed Alice Curtis, 65 years old, and stole her money and car.

He stayed low until August 1st. On August 1, , he killed the Anderson sisters and stole their credit cards. While staying put, he lived in an enclosure with hardly few contacts.

This is when he met Marjorie Howie, 49 years old and a divorcee. It was not a long-term relationship and she intended for a sexual relationship alone and invited him over to her house near Atlantis beach, Florida.

That night he strangled and killed her and stole her television set. He befriended them. On September 18, he stole their credit cards and tried to escape, but he was caught by the two sisters which led him to shoot both. They were dead on the spot. The next week he abducted Charlynn Hickl and Seguin Texas. He killed Seguin and raped Charlynn after which she was strangled to death.

After the Texas couple incident, Knowles traveled to Alabama. He did not commit any crime for a while and met a new lady, Ann Dawson who worked as a prominent beautician. She joined as his travel companion. He did not have much money due to which she paid their bills of regular expenses.

Around September 28 Knowles stabbed her, the reason for which he never told. Her body was dumped in the Mississippi River, but could not be found to date. In the following month of October, what followed was a killing spree ranging from five victims. A solid reason as to why Knowles committed these crimes was never mentioned by him to the police. Chances are that he could have been mentally ill.

But the psychologist who analyzed him stated that the only disturbance he was facing then was depression.