The Casanova Killer

The Life and Crimes of Paul John Knowles

De: Mark Stokes

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

He was charismatic, cunning, and capable of manipulating nearly anyone who crossed his path—earning him the chilling nickname The Casanova Killer. The Casanova Killer pulls back the veneer of charm to expose the terror lurking beneath. Knowles embarked on a four‑month killing spree in 1974, leaving a trail of victims across multiple states—Florida, Ohio, Nevada, Texas, Alabama, Virginia, and Georgia. He was officially tied to at least 18 murders, though he claimed up to 35, before his capture and death in late 1974.

Through detailed research, this book reconstructs Knowles’s sequence of terror—from his escape from prison and the shockingly swift escalation into violent crime, to the terrifying abuse of trust that allowed him to remain undetected for months. It retraces key moments: the horrifying scenes of his murders; the hostage situations; the abandoned murder confessions mailed to his attorney—transcripts that were later tragically destroyed in a courthouse flood. Drawing from court records, survivor testimonies, media archives, and newly uncovered narrative threads, this account presents both the facts and the emotional toll of Knowles’s rage.

But this book is more than a catalogue of horror—it’s a dark exploration of how charisma can conceal brutality, of how systemic lapses and incredulity enabled a predator to strike repeatedly. It honours the memories of those lost, including the often overlooked, and it celebrates the resilience of survivors. The Casanova Killer forces us to confront the uncomfortable truth of how easily evil can slip through the cracks—and why vigilance, empathy, and remembering the silenced are our best deterrents.