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which was close to his sister's house. However, as they had insufficient evidence for an arrest, Kaprat was instead put under 24-hour surveillance while detectives continued to search for any ties to the other killings. To do so, an undercover officer was dispatched to give him a lift to his parents' house, and during the trip, Kaprat complained that his girlfriend was furious at him for having a strange bite mark on his neck. This, coupled with the fact that multiple cigarette butts were found at the crime scenes, allowed authorities to gather enough evidence to link him to the murders.
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sane at the time of the crimes, Kaprat was charged with first-degree murder. During the proceedings, a tape-recorded interview between Kaprat and a detective was played which showed that Kaprat had repeatedly asked for the interview to be stopped so he could smoke a cigarette. In it, the detective repeatedly shouted at him and called him a liar, which Kaprat's attorney argued was tantamount to coercion; on the other hand, prosecutors excused it by pointing out that the detective was simply calling him out on his lies.
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murder, Kaprat claimed that he thought she was having a heart attack after the rape and had stomped on her to "put her out of her misery." As a result, he was charged with four counts of murder; two counts of attempted murder; four counts of sexual battery; six counts of residential burglary involving battery; five counts of arson and one count of robbery. The news of his arrest sparked renewed interest in the Bugay murder as authorities now believed that Kaprat would be willing to properly confess to it.
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Because she had been buried under a stack of bedding and pillows which were then set on fire, it was determined that the killer likely attempted to burn the home down, but the fire had failed to spread. With the announcement of yet another death of an elderly woman in the area, the FBI was called in to help the investigators as suspicions began to arise that there was a serial killer in the area. Local residents started reinforcing their door locks and arming themselves should they be the next target.
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well, with the jury in that case also recommending a death sentence. Throughout both proceedings, Kaprat expressed no interest in the proceedings and reportedly spent most of the time reading a book. His family members unsuccessfully pleaded with jurors to spare him the second death sentence, saying that Kaprat had told detectives that he would like them to shoot him, and that he had slashed one of his wrists on the eve of his first trial.
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community, as
Garrity, affectionately called "The Cookie Lady", was well-liked and respected by everyone. The starting point of the fire was determined to be an electrical malfunction in Garrity's bedroom, with the fire being spread by her bedroom fan. Due to the circumstances, it was ruled as accidental and Garrity's death was also ruled as such.
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those weaker and smaller than him. Due to this, his teachers resorted to giving him plush toys so he could redirect his anger to them, punching and kicking them. He reportedly started drinking at age 12 and developed an addiction to alcohol, which landed him in juvenile treatment centers and juvenile courts on numerous occasions.
258:. By that time, the Kaprat family were facing some strife, as the elder Kaprats divorced and their daughter, Ruthie, experienced marital problems with her husband threatening to torch her car. Despite his hot temper, Kaprat was well-liked by his family and relatives, and was noted for his interest in the
369:
and a friend of
Goldsmith's. Upon investigating the home, police found her charred body inside, which had been bound with duct tape and showed signs of sexual assault. Riddell's death was labeled a homicide, and due to the suspicious frequency of violent crimes in the area, authorities announced that
333:
On August 7, 1993, a fire broke out at the Spring Hill home of 80-year-old Sophia
Francis Garrity, a retired public relations employee from New Jersey who lived by herself. By the time the firemen had arrived to extinguish the flames, she had perished in the blaze. The incident came as a shock to the
313:
at his parents' home in
Hernando County, but was later arrested for violating it and was imprisoned until May 7, 1993. By that time, his wife had divorced him due to his aggressive behavior towards their children and his volatile temper (which she believed was a projection of his own alleged physical
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store using his credit card. Upon further investigation of this clue, they identified the man as Kaprat, who by then had returned to New Jersey. In early March, after learning that an arrest warrant had been issued for him, Kaprat called a detective in the
Hackettstown Police Department and expressed
414:
After a ten-day trial, Kaprat was found guilty of the murder after the jury deliberated for eight hours. They subsequently recommended a death sentence, and after the trial ended, Kaprat was ordered to stand trial for the murder of Dawe. Not long after, he was additionally convicted of her murder as
308:
Before being put on trial, investigators attempted to link Kaprat with an unrelated arson attack on another man committed the day after Bugay's murder, but could not charge him due to a lack of evidence. At the trial itself, it was determined that Kaprat's confession was not overtly reliable, and he
410:
In
January 1995, Kaprat's trial for the murder of Riddell began. From the very beginning, it was closely monitored by residents of Hernando County due to its high-profile nature and the viciousness of the crimes, which were described as the worst in the county's history. After being ruled sober and
386:
By
October 8, an arrest warrant was issued for him, as well as search warrants for his place of residence, car and samples of his pubic hair. Kaprat was arrested near his parents' home that very same day, and on the following morning, he confessed to the crimes. In his testimony concerning the Dawe
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A few days after Dawe's death, an anonymous tipster phoned the police and suggested that they investigate Kaprat, a previously convicted felon who had been charged with a murder two years prior. To the investigators' surprise, his fingerprints matched those found on a garage window at Dawe's house,
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The final incident occurred on
September 26, when 87-year-old Lorraine "Alice" Burnham Dawe, a retired athlete, was found beaten to death at her mobile home in Spring Hill. Authorities determined that she had been sexually assaulted and killed after her assailant had repeatedly stomped on her neck.
364:
In the weeks following
Goldsmith's death, a number of elderly women living in the area began receiving harassing phone calls from what was thought to be the same caller. On September 2, yet another fire erupted in Brookridge, this time at the mobile home of 79-year-old Lydia Riddell, a retired food
431:. His death was met with relief from the victims' family members, most of whom said that he deserved what he got; at the same time, they expressed their condolences to his own family members. As a result of his death, the charges in the remaining cases were dropped and they were officially closed.
246:
when he was still young, and according to neighbors, they were considered to be upstanding citizens. Although described as intelligent and obsessed with reading books, Kaprat, who was nicknamed "Mike" by family members, was also known to be a very violent and easily angered bully who would attack
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just two years prior. The fire caused an estimated $ 65,000 in damage, completely destroying the mobile home in the process. An investigation into the matter determined that the cause was likely an electrical short in the master bedroom, and the case was subsequently dismissed as accidental.
434:
The two inmates responsible for the murders, Mario Lara and
Rigoberto Sanchez-Velasco, were both convicted of two counts of third degree murder. Sanchez-Velasco was executed for his respective crime in 2002, while Lara remains imprisoned on an unrelated life term for a double murder.
318:. After his release, Kaprat wrote a letter to his attorney in New Jersey, alleging that his eldest son had attempted to kill his younger brother and had sexually molested his mother, but these allegations could not be substantiated.
349:, they were unable to provide any useful testimony that could identify their assailant. This was further complicated by the apparent lack of a weapon or motive, which left the authorities at a standstill.
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his desire to turn himself in. On March 9, Kaprat surrendered himself to authorities, and soon after extradited back to Florida to charges of first-degree murder, armed robbery and forgery.
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going off. Upon arriving at the scene, firefighters took care of the fire, which had been set in the home but had failed to spread before it was put out. Both Whitneys were transported to
337:
Ten days later, 84-year-old William "Bill" Whitney and his 83-year-old spouse Alice were found beaten up at their home in Spring Hil after a neighbor heard Bill screaming and the couple's
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in Tampa by a man who had been sunbathing. Bugay had been reported missing the previous morning, and injuries on his head indicated that he had been beaten to death with either a
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402:. As his death was thought to be directly linked to the attack committed by Kaprat, prosecutors considered charging him with first-degree murder in the case.
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254:, and in November 1982, he married his pregnant girlfriend, Nora Niederhaus. Even after the birth of his two sons, Kaprat continued to drink and smoke
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238:, one of two children born to refrigeration mechanic Edwin "Skip" Kaprat Jr. and his wife Ruth, a real estate agent. The family moved to the
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After his release, Kaprat started work as a machinist at the Padgett-Swann Machinery Company, which allowed him to commute between
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of footprints and tire tracks found near the crime scene in the hopes of finding clues that would let them catch the killer.
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On April 19, 1995, Kaprat and another inmate, Charles Street, were both stabbed to death by two inmates at the
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Just hours after Bugay's body was found, authorities were notified that someone had purchased gasoline from a
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from 1991 to 1993, with a majority of his victims being elderly women. Convicted for two of the killings and
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On February 22, 1991, the body of 27-year-old Lee Anthony Bugay III was found in a mangrove near the
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was thusly convicted on the forgery charge and dealing in stolen property. He was then placed under
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they would be reviewing the Goldsmith case to see whether it was related to this incident or not.
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or a pipe. His vehicle was later found at a nearby boat ramp, and investigators took
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The Killers Among Us: Examination Of Serial Murder And Its Investigations
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345:, but because Bill had been severely injured, and Alice suffered from
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521:"Edwin Bernard 'Mike' Kaprat and the bad old days of serial killers"
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The day after, another fire was reported in the nearby community of
105:
819:
Paul De La Garza, Sue Carlton and Kit Troyer (October 12, 1993).
636:
Paul De La Garza, Sue Carlton and Kit Troyer (October 12, 1993).
268:. In October 1990, he and his wife moved to his parents' home in
177:
833:
301:
946:. Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on June 27, 2022
712:. Tampa Bay Times. August 11, 1993 – via Newspapers.com.
575:
Collins Conner, Kit Troyer and Dan DeWitt (October 18, 1993).
549:
Collins Conner, Kit Troyer and Dan DeWitt (October 18, 1993).
272:, where they planned to start a new life with their children.
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Edwin Bernard Kaprat III was born on September 21, 1964, in
926:
911:
931:. Tampa Bay Times. p. 112 – via Newspapers.com.
916:. Tampa Bay Times. p. 110 – via Newspapers.com.
823:. Tampa Bay Times. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
790:. Tampa Bay Times. p. 78 – via Newspapers.com.
775:. Tampa Bay Times. p. 88 – via Newspapers.com.
742:. Tampa Bay Times. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
727:. Tampa Bay Times. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
640:. Tampa Bay Times. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
579:. Tampa Bay Times. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
553:. Tampa Bay Times. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
680:. Tampa Bay Times. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
603:. Tampa Bay Times. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
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On November 19, William Whitney, who had been left in a
981:"Rigoberto Sanchez-Velasco Is Put to Death for Murder"
834:
John Lawson III and Cindy Harger (November 23, 1993).
210:, rapist, and arsonist who committed six murders in
250:After his 16th birthday, Kaprat dropped out of the
802:"Deaths prompt Spring Hill residents to bar doors"
884:"Serial murder suspect found guilty in 2nd trial"
656:"Suspect in Tampa slaying gives up in New Jersey"
314:abuse as a child), and he had dropped out of the
1000:
964:: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (
808:. September 29, 1993 – via Newspapers.com.
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394:following the attack, died at his son's home in
202:(September 21, 1964 – April 19, 1995), known as
901:. The Tampa Tribune – via Newspapers.com.
899:"2nd jury recommends death sentence for Kaprat"
886:. The Tampa Tribune – via Newspapers.com.
838:. The Tampa Tribune – via Newspapers.com.
821:"Tampa murder linked to serial killing suspect"
638:"Tampa murder linked to serial killing suspect"
485:
466:
927:Kim Gilmore and Justin Blum (April 21, 1995).
912:Kim Gilmore and Justin Blum (April 21, 1995).
896:
881:
653:
1109:People from Independence Township, New Jersey
871:. Tampa Bay Times – via Newspapers.com.
853:. Tampa Bay Times – via Newspapers.com.
760:. Tampa Bay Times – via Newspapers.com.
698:. Tampa Bay Times – via Newspapers.com.
851:"Kaprat trial to start today in Brooksville"
577:"Suspect remembered as a child full of rage"
551:"Suspect remembered as a child full of rage"
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616:
455:List of serial killers in the United States
377:
866:
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1134:Serial killers murdered in prison custody
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696:"80-year-old woman killed in house fire"
1124:Prisoners who died in Florida detention
1119:Prisoners sentenced to death by Florida
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869:"Hernando County jury convicts Kaprat"
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678:"Suspect jailed in 4 elderly killings"
601:"Suspect jailed in 4 elderly killings"
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1104:People convicted of murder by Florida
1059:American prisoners sentenced to death
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836:"Elderly man beaten in Hernando dies"
758:"Woman, 70, dies in mobile home fire"
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527:from the original on January 13, 2022
159:August 1991 – September 1993
649:
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612:
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1054:American people convicted of murder
897:Rachel Spector (January 22, 1995).
882:Beth McMurtrie (January 21, 1995).
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694:Brian Chichester (August 8, 1993).
557:
539:
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944:"Two indicted in murder of Kaprat"
857:
684:
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467:Louis R. Mizell (September 1994).
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1144:Violence against women in Florida
1084:Serial killers from New York City
1029:1995 murders in the United States
1019:1993 murders in the United States
1014:1991 murders in the United States
654:Rebecca Bryant (March 11, 1991).
644:
617:Bill Duryea (February 22, 1991).
607:
486:Steven A. Egger (July 24, 2001).
244:Independence Township, New Jersey
929:"Killer's death brings no tears"
914:"Killer's death brings no tears"
786:Kit Troyer (September 3, 1993).
771:Kit Troyer (September 3, 1993).
710:"Fatal fire started by accident"
1094:Hackettstown High School alumni
1034:20th-century American criminals
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867:Dan DeWitt (January 13, 1995).
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740:"Elderly couple beaten in home"
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725:"Elderly couple beaten in home"
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676:Kit Troyer (October 10, 1993).
599:Kit Troyer (October 10, 1993).
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849:Dan DeWitt (January 3, 1995).
756:Kit Troyer (August 19, 1993).
738:Kit Troyer (August 18, 1993).
723:Kit Troyer (August 18, 1993).
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519:Dan DeWitt (August 20, 2013).
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343:Bayfront Health St. Petersburg
316:Hillsborough Community College
1:
1089:Deaths by stabbing in Florida
788:"Fire death labeled homicide"
773:"Fire death labeled homicide"
505:
445:Capital punishment in Florida
225:
1139:Torture in the United States
979:Ron Word (October 3, 2002).
942:Justin Blum (May 23, 1995).
471:. Penguin Publishing Group.
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1129:Serial killers from Florida
1099:People convicted of forgery
662:– via Newspapers.com.
625:– via Newspapers.com.
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396:Hancock County, Mississippi
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1114:People murdered in Florida
287:Courtney Campbell Causeway
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1079:Criminals from New Jersey
619:"Man found dead on beach"
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378:Arrest and investigation
252:Hackettstown High School
216:Hernando County, Florida
200:Edwin Bernard Kaprat III
33:Edwin Bernard Kaprat III
1049:American murder victims
1044:American male criminals
358:Havertown, Pennsylvania
329:Hernando County murders
1069:American sex offenders
265:Dungeons & Dragons
16:American serial killer
425:Florida State Prison
270:Spring Hill, Florida
70:Florida State Prison
523:. Tampa Bay Times.
367:Media, Pennsylvania
365:store manager from
347:Alzheimer's disease
281:Murder of Lee Bugay
155:Span of crimes
124:First degree murder
95:"The Granny Killer"
82:Cause of death
1039:American arsonists
220:sentenced to death
206:, was an American
43:September 21, 1964
991:on June 27, 2022.
660:The Tampa Tribune
325:and Spring Hill.
204:The Granny Killer
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1074:Crime in Florida
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64:(1995-04-19)
23:Edwin Kaprat
1024:1995 deaths
1009:1964 births
490:. Pearson.
260:Middle Ages
242:section of
86:Stab wounds
1003:Categories
985:The Ledger
506:References
497:0130179159
478:0425143643
354:Brookridge
226:Early life
126:(2 counts)
39:1964-09-21
429:death row
400:pneumonia
291:tire iron
256:marijuana
960:cite web
950:June 27,
531:June 27,
525:Archived
439:See also
236:New York
173:State(s)
106:Deceased
51:New York
276:Murders
178:Florida
164:Country
146:Victims
141:Details
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323:Hudson
302:Texaco
97:"Mike"
76:, U.S.
53:, U.S.
419:Death
406:Trial
212:Tampa
135:Death
966:link
952:2022
533:2022
492:ISBN
473:ISBN
262:and
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29:Born
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