The Gainesville Ripper, later identified as Danny Rolling, was a serial killer who terrorized the University of Florida campus in August 1990, killing five students in a matter of days. The first victim was 17-year-old Sonja Larson, who was found murdered in her apartment on August 24, 1990. Over the next few days, four more students were killed, including Christina Powell, Cassandra Hailey, Christa Hoyt, and Manny Taboada. The investigation into the murders was one of the largest in Florida history, involving multiple law enforcement agencies and hundreds of officers. In September 1990, Rolling was arrested in Ocala, Florida, after a traffic stop, and was later linked to the murders through forensic evidence. He was executed in 2006 for the murders of the five University of Florida students. The Gainesville Ripper's crimes had a profound impact on the city of Gainesville and the University of Florida, leading to increased security measures and a greater sense of awareness among students and faculty.