Documentary
United States of America
Danny Rolling, also known as the Gainesville Ripper, was a serial killer who terrorized the college town of Gainesville, Florida in 1990. Over a period of three days in August, Rolling broke into the apartments of five young students, and brutally murdered them using a variety of weapons including a knife, a machete, and a hammer.
The horrifying murders sent shockwaves through the community, and a massive manhunt was launched to catch the killer. It wasn't until a few months later that Rolling was finally apprehended, thanks in part to the help of his own father who turned him in.
During his trial, Rolling claimed that he was possessed by an evil spirit named "Gemini" and that the murders were committed to appease this demon. He was ultimately found guilty of all five murders, and was sentenced to death.
The Gainesville Ripper's crimes inspired the hit 1996 horror movie Scream, directed by Wes Craven. The film, which starred Neve Campbell, Drew Barrymore, and David Arquette, told the story of a group of teenagers who are stalked and killed by a masked serial killer using a variety of weapons.
Despite his heinous crimes, Danny Rolling's legacy lives on, both in the true crime community and in popular culture.
