Offender Record · OFF-2026-062
Bob Erler (photo from the Radford University biography)
Robert John Erler
Also known as Bob Erler, Bruce Strickland
Sex
Male
Race
Caucasian
Height
5'10"
Born
1943
Custody
Released
States
TX, FL, AZ
Distinguishing featuresSuffered severe head injuries from high-speed police chase in 1968 and boxing concussion in 1963; severe migraines with nausea, dizziness and blackouts
Custody
Released from Arizona State Prison at Florence around 1983 on lifetime parole after serving approximately 15 years; became Christian evangelist and prison chaplain
This record documents arrests, charges and convictions reported by courts, law enforcement agencies and news organizations. Every statement is tied to a cited source with an archived copy. A charge is an accusation, not proof of guilt; a person charged is presumed innocent unless convicted. Solve the Case does not allege that this person committed any offense beyond what the cited records state, and this record is not a suggestion that the person is connected to any unsolved case. How records are built, corrected and removed.
Summary of the record
Robert John Erler was a Green Beret and Hollywood, Florida police officer convicted in 1969 of second-degree murder of a 12-year-old girl and attempted murder of the child's mother in Dania, Florida in August 1968. After shooting both victims in the head with a .22 caliber pistol, Erler called police to turn himself in, earning the nickname "Catch Me Killer." Sentenced to 99 years and 6 months in Florida State Prison, Erler was later transferred to Arizona State Prison at Florence and released on lifetime parole around 1983.
Documented Arrests, Charges and Convictions
Dispositions are shown exactly as the cited records report them. Pending charges are updated when a court acts; a record with no remaining conviction or pending charge is removed from the site.
Offense date Aug 12, 1968, Dania, Florida
Attempted murder
Broward County Sheriff's Office, Florida · Broward County Circuit Court, Florida · Arrested Sep 15, 1968 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: included in 99 year 6 month term
The victim was an adult woman, mother of the murdered child. Erler shot her five times in the head with a .22 caliber pistol. She survived and was later found at Fort Lauderdale Airport, but was unable to positively identify Erler in a lineup initially.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Erler, Bob; Catch Me Killer Spreads the Word in Prisons; Preacher's Job to Be Offered To Ex-Policeman in Prison
Offense date Aug 12, 1968, Dania, Florida
Second-degree murder
Broward County Sheriff's Office, Florida · Broward County Circuit Court, Florida · Arrested Sep 15, 1968 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: 99 years 6 months
Victim was a 12-year-old girl. Erler shot her five times in the head with a .22 caliber pistol inside his mobile home after she and her mother had nowhere to stay. He also shot her mother five times in the head, wounding but not killing her.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Erler, Bob; Catch Me Killer Spreads the Word in Prisons; Preacher's Job to Be Offered To Ex-Policeman in Prison
Pattern and Background
Victim counts and the pattern of the offenses as stated by courts, agencies and the cited reporting. Suspected counts are what officials have said publicly, not a finding of this site.
1
Victims convicted
1
Victims confessed
Active years
1968–1968
Victim profile
Children, Family members
Stated motive
Anger or revenge, Sexual
Range from home
local
Confessed
Yes
Education
high school
Marital history
Married, Separated
Children
1
Places Lived, Worked and Frequented
Each place and date range comes from a cited record. Dates marked approximate are as reported. Know a place that is missing? Use Edit record under the photo; a moderator reviews it before it appears.
AZ
Phoenix, Arizona
approx. 1943 – 1968 · Grew up in Phoenix area; moved to Alabama City, Arizona early in life
Phoenix, Arizona
approx. 1965 – 1968 · Rented a house with wife and child
Phoenix, Arizona
Sep 15, 1968 – Sep 15, 1968 · Arrested after Maricopa County lawmen surrounded his mother's house
Phoenix, Arizona
approx. 1973 – 1974 · Escaped from jail in 1973; recaptured in March 1974 after dyeing hair black and using assumed name Bruce Strickland
Arizona
approx. 1974 – 1974 · Fort Grant · Transferred to minimum security facility
Florence, Arizona
approx. 1974 – 1983 · Arizona State Prison at Florence; transferred back from Fort Grant due to escape risk
FL
Florida
1965 – 1965 · North American Boat Corporation
Hollywood, Florida
1967 – 1968 · Hollywood Police Department; graduated Broward County Police Academy in 1968
Dania, Florida
1967 – 1968 · Dania Police Department
Florida
Sep 15, 1968 – 1977 · Florida State Prison
TX
Fort Sam Houston, Texas
1965 – 1965 · Army Green Beret; attended Special Forces Medical School · army
Timeline
1943
Robert John Erler born in Adams, Massachusetts.
1963
Erler suffered severe concussion during amateur boxing match against Florentino Fernandez, after which he woke with blood soaking his pillow from his ears.
1965
Erler joined the Army as a Green Beret and attended Special Forces Medical School at Fort Sam Houston.
Aug 12, 1968
Erler shot a 12-year-old girl five times in the head and attempted to murder her mother by shooting her five times in the head with a .22 caliber pistol inside his mobile home.
Aug 12, 1968
Erler suffered severe brain concussion from high-speed police chase while on duty.
Sep 15, 1968
Erler surrendered to Maricopa County lawmen at his mother's house in Phoenix and was arrested for the murder and attempted murder.
Sep 24, 1968
Dorothy Clark, mother of the child victim, was unable to positively identify Erler in a line-up.
Nov 05, 1968
New Republican judge assigned to Erler's trial.
1969
Erler convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 99 years and 6 months in Florida State Prison.
Jan 27, 1969
Trial began for Robert John Erler.
1973
Erler escaped from jail.
1974
Erler transferred to Fort Grant minimum security prison in Arizona.
1974
Erler accepted Christ as his Savior and admitted to the murder of Marilyn Clark while imprisoned.
1974
Erler transferred back to Florence maximum security because he was classified as runaway risk for minimum security.
Mar 1974
Erler recaptured after escape; had dyed his hair black and used assumed name Bruce Strickland.
Mar 26, 1974
Dorothy Clark admitted to lying on the stand about events the night she and her daughter were shot.
1977
Erler transferred from Florida State Prison to Arizona State Prison at Florence.
1980
Erler ordained by North Phoenix Baptist Church while still imprisoned.
1983
Erler released from Arizona State Prison at Florence on lifetime parole after serving approximately 15 years.
Sources
Solve the Case is never the original source. Each item below is the public record a statement on this page rests on, with an archived copy where one exists.
Other · International Network of Prison Ministries ·
Board of Directors: Bob Erler“Bob Erler, an ex-Green Beret, became a police officer in Hollywood, Florida and soon was known as a supercop”
Other · Police Books ·
Bob Erler“Bob Erler, an ex-Green Beret, became a police officer in Hollywood, Florida; while jogging he came across a lady and her 12-year old daughter with no place to stay. Suddenly Bob went berserk and shot the lady and her daughter”
Other · Wikipedia ·
They Called Me the Catch Me Killer“Bob Erler was working as a policeman when he was charged and convicted of murder; he then comes back to Christ and his guilt regarding the murder he actually committed”
Other · Radford University Department of Psychology ·
Radford University serial killer biography: Erler, Bob“Erler sentenced to 99.5 years in prison; charged with attempted murder of Dorothy Clark and murder of her 12 year old daughter”
News report · Deseret News ·
Catch Me Killer Spreads the Word in Prisons“A jury convicted him of second-degree murder in 1969, and a judge sentenced him to a 991/2-year term in the Florida State Prison”
News report · The Washington Post ·
Preacher's Job to Be Offered To Ex-Policeman in Prison“Robert J. Erler, 34, a former Hollywood, Fla., police officer, was convicted in 1968 of killing a 12-year-old girl and wounding her mother”
Discussion
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