The Flat-Tire Murders

Overview

The Flat-Tire murders represent a haunting series of unsolved homicides that gripped Broward and Dade (now Miami-Dade) County, Florida, between February 1975 and January 1976. The chilling moniker stems from the investigators' belief that the perpetrator had a sinister habit of deflating the tires of his victims' cars, a detail that adds a layer of psychological manipulation to this already tragic saga. Ultimately, twelve girls and women were suspected victims, with their bodies found in or near the ominous waters of South Florida canals.

Quick Facts

• Victims: 12–35+
• Span of Crimes: 1975 – 1976 (Confirmed)
• Country: United States
• States: Florida, possibly others
• Date Apprehended: Never apprehended

Crimes

The suspected killer was characterized as a white male aged between 20 and 25, described as well-dressed, athletic, and possessing an attractive demeanor. Authorities believed he might have been married, intelligent—possibly with an above-average IQ—and exhibiting traits of a sexual sadist. His charm seemed to lure potential victims into a false sense of security, allowing him to manipulate them into his vehicle. To incentivize information leading to his capture, a $1,000 reward was offered.

What’s particularly intriguing is the theory that this perpetrator may have been responsible for other murders across various states dating back to the early 1970s, starting in California. The common thread among the victims, who bore physical resemblances to each other, was a tragic fate: they were often beaten, raped, stripped, and then discarded in canals, streams, or alongside embankments. In total, investigators recorded thirty-five such murders, creating an unsettling pattern that pointed to a calculated and remorseless killer.

Victims

Let's delve deeper into the lives of the victims, many of whom were young and full of potential, only to have their futures tragically cut short:

• Judith Ann “Judy” Oesterling, 19, vanished on February 1, 1975, after leaving her job at a massage parlor in Dade County. Just two days later, her body was discovered in a canal straddling Broward and Dade County.

• Barbara Davis Stephens, 23, went missing on the evening of February 12, 1975, after claiming she was off to visit a friend in Coral Gables. Her car, a cream-olive-silver 1973 Chevrolet Camaro, was found later, but her body was located on February 20 in a wooded area. Disturbingly, while she was clothed, her underwear had been pulled down, and she bore multiple stab wounds to the abdomen.

• Arietta Marie “Renie” Tinker, 17, was dropped off by her husband at the Hippopotamus Lounge in Hollywood, Florida, on April 9, 1975. Her body was found three days later in the Snake Creek Canal, with detectives suspicious of foul play despite no obvious signs of violence.

• Nancy Lee Fox, 19, from West Palm Beach, was last seen on June 13, 1975, walking to a laundromat. Her body surfaced in a canal on June 15; she had suffered a blunt force trauma to the head and strangulation before being disposed of in the water.

• Barbara Susan “Barbie” Schreiber and Belinda Darlene Zetterower, both 14, were last seen on June 18, 1975, leaving Schreiber's home. Tragically, their bodies were discovered the next day, lying side by side along a canal, both shot to death. They were found fully clothed, with no conclusive evidence of sexual assault.

• Robin Leslie Losch, 14, was reported missing on July 8, 1975, after failing to return home from summer classes. Her body was discovered on July 10, with an arm protruding from the Highway 27 canal. Unlike many other victims, she was fully clothed.

• Ronnie Sue Gorlin, a 27-year-old respiratory therapist, went missing on July 22, 1975. The next day, her naked body was found in the Graham Canal. Signs of sexual assault and multiple stab wounds were evident on her body. Her car, a rented burgundy-white Oldsmobile Cutlass, was discovered nearby with a slashed tire.

• Eight days later, on July 30, 1975, Elyse Rapp, 21, from New York City, disappeared after going shopping. Her car, a rented yellow Chevrolet Vega, was found in the mall parking lot with a deflated tire. Sadly, her body was discovered in the same canal as Gorlin’s, with drowning determined as the cause of death, though she had been sexually assaulted beforehand.

• On October 26, 1975, Mary Coppolla, 15, and Marlene Annabelli, 27, arrived in Fort Lauderdale from Pennsylvania. Their bodies were found strangled with a rope in a dump outside the city nine days later.

• Finally, Michelle Winters, 17, was found floating in the Snapper Creek on January 11, 1976. Last seen in Fort Lauderdale, friends noted her depression and hitchhiking tendencies, leading investigators to consider her possibly entering her killer's vehicle willingly.

Suspects

Fast forward to August 2023, when the Broward County Sheriff's Office unveiled a breakthrough: they identified a known felon, Robert Clark Keebler, as a suspect through DNA evidence collected from the clothing of victims Barbara Schreiber and Darlene Zetterower. Tragically, Keebler had passed away in 2019, and investigators suspected he might have had an accomplice, whose identity remained unknown at that time.

Then in May 2025, the Sheriff's Office announced that they had identified a second suspect: Lawrence Stein, another felon who died in 2005. However, Deputy Andrew Gianino expressed skepticism, believing these crimes might not be connected to the broader series of murders.

Conclusion

The Flat-Tire murders stand as a chilling reminder of the darkness that can lurk beneath the surface of society. With a cloud of unresolved cases and haunting similarities, this series of crimes continues to capture the attention of true crime enthusiasts and investigators alike, as they strive to piece together the puzzle of a killer who evaded justice for decades.

Sources

• Barbara Malone (August 27, 1975). " 'Jack Ripper' hunted in 2 canal murders" . The Miami News.
• "Canal killings may be connected to 33 other similar slayings" . Williamson Daily News . August 28, 1975.
• Edna Buchanan and Brad Swanson (August 6, 1975). "The 8 Murders Along the Canals of Dade and Broward Counties, The Deadly Puzzle Began" . Evening Independent.
• "Blonde abandons cars, disappears" . The Miami News. February 14, 1975.
• Bill Osinski (July 24, 1975). "Similarities in 6 area murders probed by Dade, Broward cops" . The Miami News.
• "2 Florida Girls Slain On Way to Friend's" . The Pittsburgh Press . June 21, 1975.
• "FLAT TIRE MURDER RONNIE GORLIN ELYSE RAPP" . The Miami News . 1975-08-27. p. 1.
• Jon Hall (August 2, 1975). "Killer's play; vandalize cars, then offer help" . The Miami News.
• Dave Casey (October 30, 1975). "She Came To Escape Her Cares; Instead She Found Violent Death" . Sun-Sentinel.
• "Mother Makes Appeal in Michelle's Murder" . Sun-Sentinel. January 15, 1976.
• Hamacher, Brian (August 23, 2023). "Suspect identified in brutal 1975 murder of two teen girls in Broward" .
• "Detectives solve brutal 1975 cold case murder of 2 teens in Broward: Sheriff" . WTVJ . May 22, 2025. Archived from the original on May 23, 2025.

For those seeking further context and depth, the case remains a captivating topic within the realm of true crime literature and ongoing investigations.