Gold Sock Killer
Unidentified Serial Killer
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Broward County, Florida
TIME PERIOD
July – August 1973
VICTIMS
3 confirmed
Between July and August 1973, an unidentified serial killer, known as the Gold Sock Killer, murdered a woman and two teenage girls in Broward County, Florida, using socks as his weapon of choice. The first victim, Jonina Gudjonsdottir Kelpien, was found dead in her car on July 15, 1973, while the other two victims were attacked shortly thereafter. The case remains unsolved, with the perpetrator still at large.
Theories surrounding the Gold Sock Killer suggest that the perpetrator may have had a specific modus operandi related to the use of socks for strangulation, indicating a potential psychological motive tied to the act. Speculation also arises from the fact that one victim was seen shortly before her murder, and the presence of a man who claimed to have been questioned by police at the same convenience store raises questions about possible witnesses or connections to the killer. Community discussions often focus on the lack of apprehension and the possibility that the killer may have continued to operate undetected after these initial murders.
Gold Sock Killer
Overview
The Gold Sock Killer is the chilling moniker given to an unidentified American serial killer responsible for the brutal murders of a woman and two teenage girls in Broward County, Florida, during the summer of 1973. The nickname originates from the horrific method he employed to strangle his victims with socks—most notably, a gold-colored sock that was used in two of the cases. This chilling case remains unsolved, leaving a haunting legacy on the community and law enforcement.
Quick Facts
- Born: Unknown
- Other names: Sock Strangler
- Years active: July – August 1973
- Criminal status: Unidentified
- Motive: Sexual
- Victims: 3 killed, 1 survived
- Country: United States
- State: Florida
- Weapon: Socks (different colors)
- Date apprehended: N/A
Murders
Jonina Kelpien
The nightmare began on the night of July 15, 1973, when 42-year-old Jonina Gudjonsdottir Kelpien was viciously attacked. She was beaten and strangled to death using a gold-colored stretch sock inside her car, which was parked in the driveway of her Fort Lauderdale home. In a heart-wrenching detail, her dog was found alive in the backseat when police arrived.
Kelpien was last observed around 3:00 a.m., walking to her car while intoxicated. Some reports suggest she was seen in a nearby convenience store around this time. Just thirty minutes later, a man entered that very store, claiming he had been questioned by police regarding a woman's murder. Despite this ominous connection, Kelpien's body wasn't discovered until 7:00 a.m. the following morning, dragged about a mile from her home and dumped in the yard of a residence on the 200 block of Northeast 12th Avenue. An autopsy revealed that she had engaged in sexual intercourse shortly before her tragic death.
Attempted Murder
On July 25, 1973, the killer struck again, this time attempting to murder a 25-year-old woman in her first-floor apartment located on the 400 block of Northeast 16th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. At 9:15 p.m., as she entered her home, the assailant wrapped a sock around her neck. In a desperate fight for her life, she kicked and screamed, causing chaos in her apartment as a coffee table was overturned and they collapsed onto the couch. The attacker, described as a slim, blonde-haired white man, fled the scene, likely fearing that her screams would summon help. Notably, he had gained entry by prying open a window and rifled through her purse before the assault. The police quickly connected this attempted murder to Kelpien’s case due to the use of a sock.
Teresa Ann Williams
The investigation took a grim turn on August 8, 1973, when two men hunting for land crabs stumbled upon the body of Teresa Ann Williams, a 17-year-old girl, in a marshy area off Sheridan Street in Hollywood, Florida. Her remains were in a state of advanced decomposition, making it difficult to determine whether she had been sexually assaulted, but a maroon sock was found wrapped around her neck. Strikingly, she was only wearing a bra and a top, while a pile of clothing believed to be hers was located nearby.
Teresa was last seen alive about ten blocks away on August 3, and her car was later discovered with a flat tire in the parking lot of an apartment complex. Tenants alerted the police after hearing her cat meowing from the backseat, a tragic reminder of her disappearance.
Marisue Curtis
The case escalated further on August 28, 1973, with the disappearance of Marisue Curtis, a 16-year-old girl. She was last seen at her apartment complex on Surf Road at 8:00 p.m., wearing a swimsuit and a jacket. After stepping downstairs for about thirty minutes, she told a friend she had to return upstairs.
The following morning, at 7:00 a.m., a construction worker discovered her nude body submerged six inches below the surface of the Intracoastal Waterway, held down by two concrete blocks. A black sock was found tied around her neck, a grim signature of the killer.
Investigation
Following Jonina Kelpien's murder, investigators launched an extensive inquiry, beginning with questioning known sex offenders in the area. They surveilled the crime scenes and interrogated over 200 individuals, with 35 of them undergoing lie detector tests—all of which they passed. Forensic analysts determined that the socks used in Kelpien's murder and the attempted murder came from different pairs, indicating a unique modus operandi.
One strong suspect emerged—a man who had strangled a woman to death with a scarf in her Broward County apartment in February 1974. Investigators noted striking similarities between this murder and the Gold Sock Killer's methods. He was questioned about the sock stranglings but ultimately wasn’t charged in connection to those murders.
The chilling nature of these crimes, combined with the elusive identity of the Gold Sock Killer, has left a lingering fear throughout Broward County, and the case remains a haunting unsolved mystery.
Sources
- Shelton, Jacob (November 18, 2022). "50 Chilling Unsolved Mysteries Of The 1970s." Groovy History. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
- Burns, Michael (2021). The Flat Tire Murders: Unsolved Crimes of a South Florida Serial Killer (illustrated ed.). McFarland. pp. 23–31. ISBN 9781476645223.
- McEvoy, George; Lackeos, Nick (1973-07-26). "Girl Fights Off Strangler; Gold Sock Clue Checked." Archived from the original on 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
- Litinsky, Ruby. "Hollywood Girl Victim Of Sock Strangler." Archived from the original on 2022-08-10. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
- Burns, Michael (2021). The Flat Tire Murders: Unsolved Crimes of a South Florida Serial Killer (illustrated ed.). McFarland. p. 187. ISBN 9781476687308.
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First Murder Victim
Jonina Kelpien is beaten and strangled with a gold sock in her car.
Attempted Murder
A woman fights off an attacker who tried to strangle her with a sock.
Strong Suspect Identified
A man who strangled a woman in February 1974 is questioned as a suspect in the Gold Sock Killer case.
Investigation Begins
Police begin questioning sex offenders and surveilling crime scenes after Kelpien's murder.
Second Murder Victim
Teresa Ann Williams, 17, is found dead with a maroon sock around her neck.
Third Murder Victim
Marisue Curtis, 16, is discovered dead in the Intracoastal Waterway with a black sock around her neck.
Between July and August 1973, an unidentified serial killer, known as the Gold Sock Killer, murdered a woman and two teenage girls in Broward County, Florida, using socks as his weapon of choice. The first victim, Jonina Gudjonsdottir Kelpien, was found dead in her car on July 15, 1973, while the other two victims were attacked shortly thereafter. The case remains unsolved, with the perpetrator still at large.
Theories surrounding the Gold Sock Killer suggest that the perpetrator may have had a specific modus operandi related to the use of socks for strangulation, indicating a potential psychological motive tied to the act. Speculation also arises from the fact that one victim was seen shortly before her murder, and the presence of a man who claimed to have been questioned by police at the same convenience store raises questions about possible witnesses or connections to the killer. Community discussions often focus on the lack of apprehension and the possibility that the killer may have continued to operate undetected after these initial murders.
Gold Sock Killer
Overview
The Gold Sock Killer is the chilling moniker given to an unidentified American serial killer responsible for the brutal murders of a woman and two teenage girls in Broward County, Florida, during the summer of 1973. The nickname originates from the horrific method he employed to strangle his victims with socks—most notably, a gold-colored sock that was used in two of the cases. This chilling case remains unsolved, leaving a haunting legacy on the community and law enforcement.
Quick Facts
- Born: Unknown
- Other names: Sock Strangler
- Years active: July – August 1973
- Criminal status: Unidentified
- Motive: Sexual
- Victims: 3 killed, 1 survived
- Country: United States
- State: Florida
- Weapon: Socks (different colors)
- Date apprehended: N/A
Murders
Jonina Kelpien
The nightmare began on the night of July 15, 1973, when 42-year-old Jonina Gudjonsdottir Kelpien was viciously attacked. She was beaten and strangled to death using a gold-colored stretch sock inside her car, which was parked in the driveway of her Fort Lauderdale home. In a heart-wrenching detail, her dog was found alive in the backseat when police arrived.
Kelpien was last observed around 3:00 a.m., walking to her car while intoxicated. Some reports suggest she was seen in a nearby convenience store around this time. Just thirty minutes later, a man entered that very store, claiming he had been questioned by police regarding a woman's murder. Despite this ominous connection, Kelpien's body wasn't discovered until 7:00 a.m. the following morning, dragged about a mile from her home and dumped in the yard of a residence on the 200 block of Northeast 12th Avenue. An autopsy revealed that she had engaged in sexual intercourse shortly before her tragic death.
Attempted Murder
On July 25, 1973, the killer struck again, this time attempting to murder a 25-year-old woman in her first-floor apartment located on the 400 block of Northeast 16th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. At 9:15 p.m., as she entered her home, the assailant wrapped a sock around her neck. In a desperate fight for her life, she kicked and screamed, causing chaos in her apartment as a coffee table was overturned and they collapsed onto the couch. The attacker, described as a slim, blonde-haired white man, fled the scene, likely fearing that her screams would summon help. Notably, he had gained entry by prying open a window and rifled through her purse before the assault. The police quickly connected this attempted murder to Kelpien’s case due to the use of a sock.
Teresa Ann Williams
The investigation took a grim turn on August 8, 1973, when two men hunting for land crabs stumbled upon the body of Teresa Ann Williams, a 17-year-old girl, in a marshy area off Sheridan Street in Hollywood, Florida. Her remains were in a state of advanced decomposition, making it difficult to determine whether she had been sexually assaulted, but a maroon sock was found wrapped around her neck. Strikingly, she was only wearing a bra and a top, while a pile of clothing believed to be hers was located nearby.
Teresa was last seen alive about ten blocks away on August 3, and her car was later discovered with a flat tire in the parking lot of an apartment complex. Tenants alerted the police after hearing her cat meowing from the backseat, a tragic reminder of her disappearance.
Marisue Curtis
The case escalated further on August 28, 1973, with the disappearance of Marisue Curtis, a 16-year-old girl. She was last seen at her apartment complex on Surf Road at 8:00 p.m., wearing a swimsuit and a jacket. After stepping downstairs for about thirty minutes, she told a friend she had to return upstairs.
The following morning, at 7:00 a.m., a construction worker discovered her nude body submerged six inches below the surface of the Intracoastal Waterway, held down by two concrete blocks. A black sock was found tied around her neck, a grim signature of the killer.
Investigation
Following Jonina Kelpien's murder, investigators launched an extensive inquiry, beginning with questioning known sex offenders in the area. They surveilled the crime scenes and interrogated over 200 individuals, with 35 of them undergoing lie detector tests—all of which they passed. Forensic analysts determined that the socks used in Kelpien's murder and the attempted murder came from different pairs, indicating a unique modus operandi.
One strong suspect emerged—a man who had strangled a woman to death with a scarf in her Broward County apartment in February 1974. Investigators noted striking similarities between this murder and the Gold Sock Killer's methods. He was questioned about the sock stranglings but ultimately wasn’t charged in connection to those murders.
The chilling nature of these crimes, combined with the elusive identity of the Gold Sock Killer, has left a lingering fear throughout Broward County, and the case remains a haunting unsolved mystery.
Sources
- Shelton, Jacob (November 18, 2022). "50 Chilling Unsolved Mysteries Of The 1970s." Groovy History. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
- Burns, Michael (2021). The Flat Tire Murders: Unsolved Crimes of a South Florida Serial Killer (illustrated ed.). McFarland. pp. 23–31. ISBN 9781476645223.
- McEvoy, George; Lackeos, Nick (1973-07-26). "Girl Fights Off Strangler; Gold Sock Clue Checked." Archived from the original on 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
- Litinsky, Ruby. "Hollywood Girl Victim Of Sock Strangler." Archived from the original on 2022-08-10. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
- Burns, Michael (2021). The Flat Tire Murders: Unsolved Crimes of a South Florida Serial Killer (illustrated ed.). McFarland. p. 187. ISBN 9781476687308.
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 Murder Victim
Jonina Kelpien is beaten and strangled with a gold sock in her car.
Attempted Murder
A woman fights off an attacker who tried to strangle her with a sock.
Strong Suspect Identified
A man who strangled a woman in February 1974 is questioned as a suspect in the Gold Sock Killer case.
Investigation Begins
Police begin questioning sex offenders and surveilling crime scenes after Kelpien's murder.
Second Murder Victim
Teresa Ann Williams, 17, is found dead with a maroon sock around her neck.
Third Murder Victim
Marisue Curtis, 16, is discovered dead in the Intracoastal Waterway with a black sock around her neck.