Paul John Knowles Paul John Knowles ( 1946 – November 18 , 1974 ) was an American spree killer tied to the deaths of eighteen people in 1974 , though he claimed to have taken thirty-five lives . Born in Florida in 1946 , he was first convicted at the age of nineteen , and in the years following he spent more time in prison . In 1974 , he was granted parole and sought to marry Mrs. Angela Covic , with whom he had corresponded from prison . Allegedly because of something a psychic told her , she ended the relationship . After this rejection , Knowles went on a murderous spree across northern Florida . He was eventually caught in Georgia , but while he was claiming to assist officers in finding the officer 's pistol he had used in his last two murders , he tried to escape and was shot dead by a police officer . The murders Alice Curtis was a 65-year-old resident of Jacksonville , Florida . Knowles gagged her on July 26 , 1974 , while stealing her belongings . She choked to death on her gag . Lillian and Mylette Anderson , aged eleven and seven respectively , were strangled early August 1974 and subsequently dumped in a nearby swamp . Marjorie Howe lived in Atlantic Beach , Florida . She was strangled with a nylon stocking . The motive , apparently , was that Knowles stole her television . Victim # 5 remains unnamed . She was a hitchhiker , whom Knowles raped and strangled . Kathy Pierce was strangled with the cord of her telephone on August 23 , 1974 . Her three-year-old son , who was also present , remained unharmed . William Bates met his fate on September 3 , after having shared some drinks with Knowles in Lima , Ohio . His body was not discovered until October . His car , money and credit cards were all taken by Knowles . Emmett and Lois Johnson were out camping in Ely , Nevada , where Knowles murdered both on September 18 , 1974 . Charlynn Hicks was a woman whose motorcycle broke down in Sequin , Texas . Knowles raped her before strangling her and dragging her body through some barbed wire . This was on the 21st of September . Ann Dawson , from Birmingham , Alabama , met Knowles on September 23 . They traveled together for a while , until Knowles killed her on the September 29 . Her body was never found . Doris Hovey was fifty-three years old and lived in Woodford , Virginia . She was shot dead by Knowles with her husband 's rifle on the October 19 , 1974 . Carswell Carr and his daughter met Knowles on November 6 in Macon , Georgia , and invited him over to his house . Subsequently , Knowles stabbed Carr but is said to have had a he art attack before Knowles strangled his fifteen-year-old daughter . He attempted to have sexual intercourse with her body , but failed . Edward Hilliard and Debbie Griffin were hitchhiking near Macon , Georgia , on November 2 . Hilliard 's body was found in nearby woods , but Griffin 's remains were never discovered . Knowles was not proven to have murdered them , but he was under very strong suspicion . Trooper Charles Eugene Campbell Trooper Campbell was abducted while on patrol and shot by Knowles in Pulaski County , Georgia . James Meyer was a businessman who was taken hostage along with Trooper Campbell . Knowles handcuffed them to a tree and shot them with the trooper 's gun . References J.H.H. Gaute and Robin Odell , The New Murderer 's Who 's Who , 1996 , Harrap Books , London Sandy Fawkes , Killing Time , 1977 , London Georgina Lloyd , One was not enough , 1976 , London External links More information from crimelibrary.com Categories : 1946 births | 1974 deaths | American murderers | Spree killers | Deaths by firearm | People shot dead by police 