In the late 1940's families in one area of Tulsa, Oklahoma were frightened and nervous. Over a six year period several women had been slaughtered by person or persons unknown. This killer seemed to follow a strict protocol of seeking victims in a limited area, removing a screen from the back of the house and silently slipping inside. More than once he stayed around long enough to make a sandwich or otherwise enjoy the hospitality of his victim's abode before slipping out once more into the unknown. On more than one occasion, he slipped past sleeping family members and never woke them. All attacks occurred in a narrow box of neighborhoods bordered by a railroad and the business district.
Victims:
- Mrs. Helen (Hellen) Brown, beaten to death in her apartment, on July 16, 1942
- Mrs. Clara Stewart and Mrs. Jack Green in 14 January 1943
- Mrs. Pat Campbell also listed as Panta Lou Liles, a red-haired Navy wife, 15 May 1945.
- Mrs. J. B. Cole, age 38, along with her 13 yr. old daughter Doris Cole and a 14 year old friend, Levon Gabbard, where all attacked, but survived, receiving severe injuries on July 1, 1948.
- Mrs. Ruth Norton, killed in her apartment, that same night in July of 1948.
Plus other women who were beaten and survived. There may be other deaths unattributed and unknown, as is so often, unfortunately, the case in such matters as serial killers.
All of these were women who died in the time, place and parameters of the other killings. In addition, several murders in Texas also featured redheads.
According to the book Necrophilia: Forensic and Medico-legal Aspects by Anil Aggrawal, the killer was identified as Charles Floyd. The indication was that he was sentenced to life imprisonment in Texas and actually died in a mental institution. This source identifies only a Mrs. Brown (1942), Stewart and Green (1943), a Niles (a corruption of Panta Lou Liles) (1945), the wounded mother and daughter (1948) and Ruth Norton (1948) as his victims.
According to this source he had a penchant for redheads and was a voyeur until it no longer satisfied his dark hungers and then he killed and abused the victims post death.
An inmate from the asylum at Vinita, Oklahoma was closely examined by police. He had been institutionalized after an earlier slaying but had recently been released. There may be a gap between the murders that might fit such a scenario: 1942-1945. Then, the murders/assaults in 1948. This assumes the killer remained in Oklahoma for those years. It has been suggested this individual and Floyd are one and the same.
There are still gaps in this story as validation for the Charles Floyd suspect is still lacking. Searching through newspapers in Texas and Oklahoma has yet to prove this name in association with the crimes or any crimes of murder. It is possible if he were a mental patient he might have fallen under privacy restrictions and his absence might be explained.
It is very strange, however, that a death of serial killer might go so unremarked. Is it surprising because we are so familiar with a constant deluge of data - significant and meaningless - about every event that happens in society? Perhaps it is just an example of putting the emphasis where it should be in such cases; the killer fades into the background and the focus is on the loss of the person they killed...the person taken from the world by evil.
It is very strange, however, that a death of serial killer might go so unremarked. Is it surprising because we are so familiar with a constant deluge of data - significant and meaningless - about every event that happens in society? Perhaps it is just an example of putting the emphasis where it should be in such cases; the killer fades into the background and the focus is on the loss of the person they killed...the person taken from the world by evil.
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