Eddie Mosley
Florida Serial Killer and Rapist
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
TIME PERIOD
1973-1987
VICTIMS
8 confirmed
Eddie Lee Mosley, an American serial killer and rapist, was active in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, between 1973 and 1987, where he is confirmed to have murdered at least eight women, with estimates suggesting he may have committed up to 16 murders and numerous rapes. His criminal activities began in November 1971, culminating in his arrest on May 17, 1987, after being identified by multiple victims. Mosley was a prime suspect for many years but was not apprehended until DNA profiling linked him to the crimes. His wrongful convictions of Frank Lee Smith and Jerry Townsend, who spent a combined 37 years in prison for crimes Mosley committed, highlight significant failures in the investigation. Mosley was involuntarily committed following his arrest and remained in custody until his death on May 28, 2020, in Marianna, Florida.
Eddie Mosley is believed to have committed at least 16 murders and numerous rapes, with some speculating that his true victim count could be much higher. His arrest in 2001 came after years of being a prime suspect, leading to discussions about the failures of the justice system that allowed two innocent men to be wrongfully convicted for his crimes. Investigators and the public continue to debate the extent of his criminal activities and the potential for more undiscovered victims.
The Sinister Legacy of Eddie Mosley
A Troubled Beginning
Born on March 31, 1947, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Eddie Lee Mosley entered the world as the third of ten children in a family fraught with challenges. Complications during his birth left young Eddie with acute respiratory issues, a precursor to the difficulties that would follow him throughout his life. As he grew, signs of intellectual disability and psychological instability emerged, compounded by anterograde amnesia which caused him to repeat second grade multiple times. By the age of 13, his academic journey came to an abrupt end as he left school while still in the third grade.
Struggling to navigate a life of poverty, Eddie's teenage years were marked by an antisocial demeanor. The lack of education forced him into low-skilled jobs, but financial strain soon nudged him into the realm of crime. Between 1965 and 1971, Mosley found himself arrested nine times on various charges, including indecent behavior, robbery, assault, attempted rape, and murder. These offenses led to 5 and a half years in prison and nearly six years in psychiatric facilities.
A Reign of Terror
From November 1971 to July 1973, the northwestern part of Fort Lauderdale witnessed a spate of nearly 150 rapes of women and girls. The perpetrator was consistently described as a young, tall Black man with an athletic build and a scar on his left cheek. Using the threat of physical violence, he would lure his victims to isolated locations where he choked and sexually assaulted them.
On July 23, 1973, three women identified Mosley as their attacker, based on his physical resemblance to the rapist's composite sketch. His arrest led to more than 40 victims identifying him as their assailant, though he was only charged with assault and rape due to insufficient evidence for the suspected rape-murders of two young girls. A mental evaluation declared Mosley insane, resulting in a five-year commitment to the Florida State Hospital. During his incarceration, the series of similar crimes ceased.
Mosley was transferred to South Florida State Hospital in Pembroke Pines in February 1979. After completing a five-month treatment, he was deemed no longer a threat to society and released under the condition of outpatient psychiatric treatment. He returned to his parents' home, but in the following months, seven young girls were found raped and murdered nearby. Mosley, once again the prime suspect, fled to Lakeland, where his grandmother resided.
In Lakeland, Mosley became the suspect in the disappearances of Ida Eagles and Letha Mae Williams. Though arrested and interrogated, he was released due to the lack of bodies. He returned to Fort Lauderdale and was arrested on April 12, 1980, while attempting another rape. This led to a 15-year prison sentence. While incarcerated, the skeletal remains of Eagles and Williams were discovered. Mosley's aggressive behavior in prison prompted his family to appeal his conviction, which was overturned due to procedural errors, shortening his sentence. On December 15, 1983, he was paroled.
Renewed Suspicion and DNA Revelations
In January 1984, Mosley was a suspect again after the bodies of Geraldine Barfield and Emma Cook were found raped and suffocated. Arrested for another rape on May 17, 1984, Mosley pleaded not guilty, claiming consensual sex in exchange for drugs. He was acquitted in October 1984. Yet, the Broward County Sheriff's Office, seeing a pattern, contacted the FBI, which developed an offender profile that matched Mosley. He came under scrutiny again in the spring of 1987 after the murder of Sentreyl Love.
Arrested for theft on May 17, 1987, Mosley's blood group matched semen samples from several murder victims. During interrogation, he offered a convoluted alibi that ultimately led to his confession of the murders of Teresa Giles and Emma Cook. His trial commenced on July 22, 1987, where witnesses testified to his aggressive behavior. An IQ test showed an intelligence level of 51, leading to a ruling of incompetence to stand trial. Consequently, on October 23, 1987, he was sentenced to compulsory treatment at the Florida State Hospital.
Exonerations and Final Years
Mosley's DNA linked him to several murders, including Loretta Young Brown, Vetta Turner, Sonja Yvette Marion, Terri Jean Cummings, Emma Cook, and Teresa Giles. Notably, his DNA also cleared Frank Lee Smith of the 1985 murder of Shandra Whitehead, a conviction based on incorrect eyewitness testimony. Tragically, Smith died of cancer on death row just months before DNA evidence proved his innocence.
Similarly, Mosley's DNA exonerated Jerry Frank Townsend, wrongfully imprisoned for the murder of Naomi Gamble and others. Townsend was released on June 15, 2001, after 22 years in prison.
Attempts to connect Mosley to other murders, such as those of Santrail Lowe and Arnette Tukes, failed due to DNA mismatches, yet he remained a suspect. Despite clear evidence of his crimes, Mosley was declared insane in 2001, preventing imprisonment. He spent his final years in a low-risk unit, exhibiting good behavior and even allowed supervised trips to Walmart.
Death and Legacy
In the 2010s, declining health led to Mosley's transfer to the Sunland Center in Marianna. Diagnosed with pneumonia, he was moved to Jackson Hospital where he died on May 28, 2020, at the age of 73. COVID-19 was later determined to be the cause of his death.
Eddie Mosley's life left a scar on Fort Lauderdale, with a legacy defined by wrongful convictions and a haunting question of how many lives he truly destroyed.
Sources
- Wikipedia URL: Eddie Mosley
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First Recorded Rapes
Almost 150 rapes of girls and women recorded in Fort Lauderdale.
Identified as Rapist
Three rape victims identify Eddie Mosley as their assailant.
Released from Hospital
Mosley released from Florida State Hospital after treatment.
Arrested for Attempted Rape
Mosley arrested while attempting to rape a young girl.
Final Arrest
Mosley arrested for theft; DNA matches him to multiple murders.
Trial Begins
Trial starts with testimonies from sex workers about Mosley's behavior.
DNA Evidence Links to Murders
DNA tests confirm Mosley's involvement in multiple murders.
Townsend Released
Jerry Townsend exonerated after Mosley's confession to murders.
Death of Eddie Mosley
Eddie Mosley dies in hospital due to pneumonia and COVID-19.
Eddie Lee Mosley, an American serial killer and rapist, was active in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, between 1973 and 1987, where he is confirmed to have murdered at least eight women, with estimates suggesting he may have committed up to 16 murders and numerous rapes. His criminal activities began in November 1971, culminating in his arrest on May 17, 1987, after being identified by multiple victims. Mosley was a prime suspect for many years but was not apprehended until DNA profiling linked him to the crimes. His wrongful convictions of Frank Lee Smith and Jerry Townsend, who spent a combined 37 years in prison for crimes Mosley committed, highlight significant failures in the investigation. Mosley was involuntarily committed following his arrest and remained in custody until his death on May 28, 2020, in Marianna, Florida.
Eddie Mosley is believed to have committed at least 16 murders and numerous rapes, with some speculating that his true victim count could be much higher. His arrest in 2001 came after years of being a prime suspect, leading to discussions about the failures of the justice system that allowed two innocent men to be wrongfully convicted for his crimes. Investigators and the public continue to debate the extent of his criminal activities and the potential for more undiscovered victims.
The Sinister Legacy of Eddie Mosley
A Troubled Beginning
Born on March 31, 1947, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Eddie Lee Mosley entered the world as the third of ten children in a family fraught with challenges. Complications during his birth left young Eddie with acute respiratory issues, a precursor to the difficulties that would follow him throughout his life. As he grew, signs of intellectual disability and psychological instability emerged, compounded by anterograde amnesia which caused him to repeat second grade multiple times. By the age of 13, his academic journey came to an abrupt end as he left school while still in the third grade.
Struggling to navigate a life of poverty, Eddie's teenage years were marked by an antisocial demeanor. The lack of education forced him into low-skilled jobs, but financial strain soon nudged him into the realm of crime. Between 1965 and 1971, Mosley found himself arrested nine times on various charges, including indecent behavior, robbery, assault, attempted rape, and murder. These offenses led to 5 and a half years in prison and nearly six years in psychiatric facilities.
A Reign of Terror
From November 1971 to July 1973, the northwestern part of Fort Lauderdale witnessed a spate of nearly 150 rapes of women and girls. The perpetrator was consistently described as a young, tall Black man with an athletic build and a scar on his left cheek. Using the threat of physical violence, he would lure his victims to isolated locations where he choked and sexually assaulted them.
On July 23, 1973, three women identified Mosley as their attacker, based on his physical resemblance to the rapist's composite sketch. His arrest led to more than 40 victims identifying him as their assailant, though he was only charged with assault and rape due to insufficient evidence for the suspected rape-murders of two young girls. A mental evaluation declared Mosley insane, resulting in a five-year commitment to the Florida State Hospital. During his incarceration, the series of similar crimes ceased.
Mosley was transferred to South Florida State Hospital in Pembroke Pines in February 1979. After completing a five-month treatment, he was deemed no longer a threat to society and released under the condition of outpatient psychiatric treatment. He returned to his parents' home, but in the following months, seven young girls were found raped and murdered nearby. Mosley, once again the prime suspect, fled to Lakeland, where his grandmother resided.
In Lakeland, Mosley became the suspect in the disappearances of Ida Eagles and Letha Mae Williams. Though arrested and interrogated, he was released due to the lack of bodies. He returned to Fort Lauderdale and was arrested on April 12, 1980, while attempting another rape. This led to a 15-year prison sentence. While incarcerated, the skeletal remains of Eagles and Williams were discovered. Mosley's aggressive behavior in prison prompted his family to appeal his conviction, which was overturned due to procedural errors, shortening his sentence. On December 15, 1983, he was paroled.
Renewed Suspicion and DNA Revelations
In January 1984, Mosley was a suspect again after the bodies of Geraldine Barfield and Emma Cook were found raped and suffocated. Arrested for another rape on May 17, 1984, Mosley pleaded not guilty, claiming consensual sex in exchange for drugs. He was acquitted in October 1984. Yet, the Broward County Sheriff's Office, seeing a pattern, contacted the FBI, which developed an offender profile that matched Mosley. He came under scrutiny again in the spring of 1987 after the murder of Sentreyl Love.
Arrested for theft on May 17, 1987, Mosley's blood group matched semen samples from several murder victims. During interrogation, he offered a convoluted alibi that ultimately led to his confession of the murders of Teresa Giles and Emma Cook. His trial commenced on July 22, 1987, where witnesses testified to his aggressive behavior. An IQ test showed an intelligence level of 51, leading to a ruling of incompetence to stand trial. Consequently, on October 23, 1987, he was sentenced to compulsory treatment at the Florida State Hospital.
Exonerations and Final Years
Mosley's DNA linked him to several murders, including Loretta Young Brown, Vetta Turner, Sonja Yvette Marion, Terri Jean Cummings, Emma Cook, and Teresa Giles. Notably, his DNA also cleared Frank Lee Smith of the 1985 murder of Shandra Whitehead, a conviction based on incorrect eyewitness testimony. Tragically, Smith died of cancer on death row just months before DNA evidence proved his innocence.
Similarly, Mosley's DNA exonerated Jerry Frank Townsend, wrongfully imprisoned for the murder of Naomi Gamble and others. Townsend was released on June 15, 2001, after 22 years in prison.
Attempts to connect Mosley to other murders, such as those of Santrail Lowe and Arnette Tukes, failed due to DNA mismatches, yet he remained a suspect. Despite clear evidence of his crimes, Mosley was declared insane in 2001, preventing imprisonment. He spent his final years in a low-risk unit, exhibiting good behavior and even allowed supervised trips to Walmart.
Death and Legacy
In the 2010s, declining health led to Mosley's transfer to the Sunland Center in Marianna. Diagnosed with pneumonia, he was moved to Jackson Hospital where he died on May 28, 2020, at the age of 73. COVID-19 was later determined to be the cause of his death.
Eddie Mosley's life left a scar on Fort Lauderdale, with a legacy defined by wrongful convictions and a haunting question of how many lives he truly destroyed.
Sources
- Wikipedia URL: Eddie Mosley
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
Loading comments...
First Recorded Rapes
Almost 150 rapes of girls and women recorded in Fort Lauderdale.
Identified as Rapist
Three rape victims identify Eddie Mosley as their assailant.
Released from Hospital
Mosley released from Florida State Hospital after treatment.
Arrested for Attempted Rape
Mosley arrested while attempting to rape a young girl.
Final Arrest
Mosley arrested for theft; DNA matches him to multiple murders.
Trial Begins
Trial starts with testimonies from sex workers about Mosley's behavior.
DNA Evidence Links to Murders
DNA tests confirm Mosley's involvement in multiple murders.
Townsend Released
Jerry Townsend exonerated after Mosley's confession to murders.
Death of Eddie Mosley
Eddie Mosley dies in hospital due to pneumonia and COVID-19.