Post by Sher on Jun 2, 2005 16:12:20 GMT -5
Bobby Joe Long seemed almost destined to become a serial killer. Born with the extra X chromosome, thought by some to possibly cause violent behavior, and the recipient of numerous head injuries. Making matters worse was his home life which was highlighted by sharing a bed with his mother until his teens and later marrying a dominant woman who only contributed to his feelings of inadequacy. All this left Long with a raging sex drive that thrived off of violence.
In 1980 Long embarked on a serial rape spree that eventually earned him the moniker the 'Classified Ad Rapist' due to his modus operandi of answering ads at homes of women who alone or who's husbands were off at work. Sadly, he was arrested and convicted of a rape in 1981 but successfully had the conviction overturned, allowing him to continue his activities. Predictably he graduated to murder after committing as many as fifty rapes.
Oddly, Long's victim preference changed when he killed. When engaged in his rape spree he seemed to prefer the normal, everyday housewife-type but his murder victims consisted mostly of prostitutes and the like, women that were likely easier for him to kill and often would not be missed very badly. By November of 1984 he had successfully murdered at least nine such females, eventually fouling up when he let a victim escape alive. The woman reported her attacker to police and they picked up Long about two weeks later, too late for one poor woman who had become victim number ten just two days after the slayer's inexplicable act of leniency.
Charged with nine murders and the rape of the survivor, Long was eventually sentenced to death twice and life several times. He has stymied Florida's efforts to carry the sentences through however, successfully gaining two new trials in one of the killings though he was found guilty and re-sentenced to death both times. As of this writing he still sits on death row seventeen years after his arrest.
In 1980 Long embarked on a serial rape spree that eventually earned him the moniker the 'Classified Ad Rapist' due to his modus operandi of answering ads at homes of women who alone or who's husbands were off at work. Sadly, he was arrested and convicted of a rape in 1981 but successfully had the conviction overturned, allowing him to continue his activities. Predictably he graduated to murder after committing as many as fifty rapes.
Oddly, Long's victim preference changed when he killed. When engaged in his rape spree he seemed to prefer the normal, everyday housewife-type but his murder victims consisted mostly of prostitutes and the like, women that were likely easier for him to kill and often would not be missed very badly. By November of 1984 he had successfully murdered at least nine such females, eventually fouling up when he let a victim escape alive. The woman reported her attacker to police and they picked up Long about two weeks later, too late for one poor woman who had become victim number ten just two days after the slayer's inexplicable act of leniency.
Charged with nine murders and the rape of the survivor, Long was eventually sentenced to death twice and life several times. He has stymied Florida's efforts to carry the sentences through however, successfully gaining two new trials in one of the killings though he was found guilty and re-sentenced to death both times. As of this writing he still sits on death row seventeen years after his arrest.