The summer of 1990 was a time of terror in Gainesville, Florida, as a serial killer known as the Gainesville Ripper claimed the lives of five people. The first victim was Sonja Larson, a 17-year-old high school student who was found dead in her apartment on August 24, 1990. Over the next few days, four more victims were found, all of whom had been brutally murdered. The killer, later identified as Danny Rolling, was a 31-year-old drifter who had a history of mental illness and violence. Rolling's crimes were marked by their brutality and randomness, and he became known as the Gainesville Ripper due to the gruesome nature of his attacks. The investigation into the murders was one of the largest in Florida's history, with hundreds of leads and tips being followed up on. Rolling was eventually caught on September 7, 1990, after a witness reported seeing him near one of the crime scenes. He was found guilty of the murders and sentenced to death, and was executed by lethal injection on October 25, 2006. The Gainesville Ripper's crimes had a lasting impact on the community, with many residents still remembering the fear and terror they felt during that summer.