Offender Record · OFF-2026-159
Danny Rolling (photo from the Radford University biography)
Daniel Harold Rolling
Also known as Danny Rolling, The Gainesville Ripper, Michael Kennedy Jr., Jesse Lang
Sex
Male
Race
White
Born
1954
Custody
Deceased
States
TX, FL, GA, LA, CA, MO, MS, AL, GE, SD, CO
Distinguishing features6 feet 1 inch tall
Custody
Executed by lethal injection on October 25, 2006
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. Where a record says named by police, no charge was ever filed: the record rests on a law enforcement agency's public identification of the deceased person, cited below. Not guilty by reason of insanity means the court found the act proven but the person not criminally responsible. 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
Daniel Harold Rolling, known as the Gainesville Ripper, was convicted of five counts of first-degree murder and three counts of sexual battery for murdering five college students in Gainesville, Florida in August 1990. He pleaded guilty to the Gainesville murders on February 15, 1994 and was sentenced to death. Rolling also confessed to murdering a family of three in Shreveport, Louisiana in November 1989—Julie Grissom, a 24-year-old woman; her father Tom Grissom, age 55; and her 8-year-old nephew Sean Grissom. Rolling was executed by lethal injection on October 25, 2006.
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 24, 1990, Gainesville, Florida
Sexual battery
Alachua County Sheriff's Office, Florida · Eighth Judicial Circuit Court, Alachua County, Florida · Docket Alachua County case · Florida statute · Arrested Sep 07, 1990 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Death by lethal injection (combined with murder convictions)
Rolling raped Sonja Larson and Christina Powell during the Gainesville murders. Three counts of sexual battery were convicted.
SourcesRolling v. State
Offense date Aug 24, 1990, Gainesville, Florida
First-degree murder
Alachua County Sheriff's Office, Florida · Eighth Judicial Circuit Court, Alachua County, Florida · Docket Alachua County case · Florida statute · Arrested Sep 07, 1990 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Death by lethal injection
On August 24, 1990, Rolling broke into the apartment of Sonja Larson and Christina Powell in Gainesville. He stabbed Larson to death while she slept, then bound Powell's mouth, raped her, and stabbed her repeatedly. Rolling posed both bodies in sexually provocative positions before leaving.
SourcesRolling v. State; Danny Rolling: The True Story Behind the Killer Who Inspired 'Scream'
Offense date Aug 24, 1990, Gainesville, Florida
Armed burglary of a dwelling with a battery
Alachua County Sheriff's Office, Florida · Eighth Judicial Circuit Court, Alachua County, Florida · Docket Alachua County case · Florida statute · Arrested Sep 07, 1990 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Death by lethal injection (combined with murder convictions)
Rolling broke into the residences of college students in Gainesville with intent to commit violence.
SourcesRolling v. State
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.
5
Victims convicted
8
Victims confessed
0
Victims suspected
Active years
1989–1990
Stated motive
Sexual, Power or control, Anger or revenge
Range from home
interstate
Confessed
Yes
Education
high school
Marital history
Married, Divorced
Children
1
Military discharge
honorable
Died
2006-10-25 · executed
Agencies
Law enforcement, prosecutors and corrections agencies the records show dealing with this person. An investigator working a case with a possible connection can start here.
Investigated Grissom family murders in Shreveport; focused Rolling as suspect
Source: Wikipedia
Florida Department of Law Enforcement · FL
Investigator Don Maines traveled to Shreveport in November 1990 to investigate Grissom murders
Source: Wikipedia
Gainesville Police Department · FL
Joint task force created with Alachua County Sheriff's Office for Gainesville murders
Source: NBC News
Marion County Sheriff's Office · FL
Held Rolling in jail after arrest on September 7-8, 1990 for burglary/robbery
Alachua County State Attorney's Office · FL
Agency case 91-3832-CFA
Prosecuted murder and sexual battery charges; Rod Smith led prosecution
Source: Wikipedia, Florida Supreme Court
Alachua County Circuit Court - Eighth Judicial Circuit · FL
Agency case 91-3832-CFA
Court case for Gainesville murders; Judge Stan Morris presided
Source: Florida Supreme Court
Alachua County Sheriff's Office · FL
Initial arrest and investigation of Gainesville murders; created task force with GPD
Shreveport Police Department · LA
Investigated 1989 Grissom family murders; alerted Florida authorities to connection
Arrested Rolling on September 8, 1990 after botched robbery in Ocala
Source: Wikipedia
Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office · FL
Investigated and prosecuted Tampa grocery store robbery on September 2, 1990
Source: Tampa Bay Times
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.
AL
Montgomery, Alabama
May 1979 – May 1979 · Armed robbery of Winn Dixie supermarket
CA
California
approx. Jan 1985 – 1985 · Visited aunt and uncle in Camarillo; hitchhiked around for 6-7 months
CO
Colorado
approx. 1985 – 1985 · Traveled to Boulder
FL
Homestead, Florida
approx. 1971 – 1972 · Strategic Air Command, Security Police, rank Airman First Class · air force
Sarasota, Florida
approx. Aug 1990 – Aug 1990 · Stayed in motel, recorded songs on August 4, 1990
Gainesville, Florida
approx. Aug 1990 – Sep 1990 · Camped in wooded area behind University of Florida
Marion, Florida
approx. Sep 07, 1990 – Dec 1990 · Marion County jail, 36 miles from Gainesville
Ocala, Florida
Sep 07, 1990 – Sep 07, 1990 · Arrested for armed robbery of grocery store; transferred to Marion County jail
Tampa, Florida
approx. Dec 1990 – Oct 1991 · Hillsborough County jail pending Tampa burglary trial
GA
Columbus, Georgia
approx. 1962 – 1963 · Family moved here temporarily
Columbus, Georgia
May 1979 – May 1979 · Armed robbery of Winn Dixie supermarket
Jackson, Georgia
approx. Aug 1979 – Jun 1984 · Georgia prison system, Medical Classification Center and Staten Correctional Facility
Columbus, Georgia
Jul 1985 – Jul 1985 · Robbed Kroger supermarket
GE
Georgia
approx. 1985 – 1985 · Traveled to Columbus area
LA
Shreveport, Louisiana
May 1954 – 1962 · Birthplace; childhood home with parents
Shreveport, Louisiana
approx. 1963 – 1971 · Returned to Shreveport, childhood home
Shreveport, Louisiana
approx. 1972 – 1975 · Lived with grandfather after Air Force discharge
Shreveport, Louisiana
approx. 1973 – 1975 · Attended Pentecostal Church
Shreveport, Louisiana
approx. 1975 – 1977 · Married, living with wife Omatha Ann Halko
Shreveport, Louisiana
approx. 1976 – 1977 · Voyeurism arrests
Shreveport, Louisiana
approx. Jun 1984 – Jan 1985 · Released from prison, returned to family
Shreveport, Louisiana
approx. Jul 1988 – Nov 1989 · Paroled from Mississippi penitentiary
Shreveport, Louisiana
approx. 1989 – Nov 1989 · Worked as restaurant waiter, fired November 4, 1989
Shreveport, Louisiana
Nov 1989 – Nov 1989 · Date of Grissom family murders
MO
Kansas City, Missouri
approx. May 1990 – Aug 1990 · Fled after shooting father in May 1990
MS
Jackson, Mississippi
approx. Mar 1986 – Jul 1988 · Convicted of Kroger robbery, 4 years sentence; escaped by swimming Snake River
SD
South Dakota
approx. 1985 – 1985 · Traveled to Black Hills
TX
Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
approx. Jun 1971 – Jun 1971 · Basic training, U.S. Air Force · air force
Known Vehicles
Vehicles and approximate dates of ownership or use, as reported in the cited records. A photo next to a vehicle is the vehicle itself as published.
1978 Buick Regal – Stolen from Christopher Osborne's apartment in Gainesville, used to drive to Tampa
1990 – 1990
Stolen keys to vehicle after burglary of student apartment
Timeline
May 26, 1954
Danny Rolling born in Shreveport, Louisiana to James Harold Rolling and Claudia Beatrice Rolling.
Jun 28, 1971
Rolling enlisted in U.S. Air Force, assigned to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
1972
Rolling discharged from Air Force after drug possession charge and disobeying orders; diagnosed with personality disorder.
Sep 06, 1974
Rolling married Omatha Ann Halko.
1975
Daughter Kiley Danielle born to Rolling and Omatha.
1977
Rolling divorced from Omatha Halko; committed first rape on woman resembling his ex-wife.
May 25, 1979
Rolling robbed Winn Dixie supermarket in Montgomery, Alabama of $800.
May 31, 1979
Rolling arrested after robbing another Winn Dixie in Columbus, Georgia; confessed to armed robberies in Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana.
Jul 31, 1979
Rolling sentenced to two concurrent 6-year terms for armed robberies.
Aug 20, 1979
Rolling processed into Georgia prison system at Medical Classification Center in Jackson, Georgia.
Oct 08, 1979
Rolling escaped from prison road gang while chopping down trees; surrendered after warning shot fired.
Jun 07, 1984
Rolling released from Alabama prison after serving prison time.
Jul 22, 1985
Rolling robbed Kroger supermarket in Columbus, Georgia of $290.
Mar 20, 1986
Rolling pleaded guilty to Kroger robbery and sentenced to 4 years in Jackson County Jail.
Apr 15, 1986
Rolling escaped from Jackson County Jail by walking off and swimming Snake River.
Jul 19, 1988
Rolling paroled from Mississippi Penitentiary under conditions to return to Shreveport.
Nov 04, 1989
Rolling fired from job at restaurant in Shreveport. Same day, he murdered Tom Grissom, age 55, his daughter Julie Grissom, age 24, and his grandson Sean Grissom, age 8, in Shreveport, Louisiana.
May 18, 1990
Rolling shot his father James Rolling in stomach and forehead in Shreveport; father survived.
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 government record · Wikipedia ·
Danny Rolling“Daniel Harold Rolling (May 26, 1954 – October 25, 2006), known as the Gainesville Ripper, was an American spree killer who murdered five college students in Gainesville, Florida, over four days in August 1990.”
News report · KSLA News ·
Murders of Tom, Julie, and Sean Grissom in Shreveport, La. - 1989“In 1989, Tom, Julie, and Sean Grissom were murdered in their family home in Shreveport. Many years later, Danny Rolling admitted to killing the family.”
News report · Biography.com ·
Danny Rolling: The True Story Behind the Killer Who Inspired 'Scream'“The jury unanimously found Rolling guilty of first-degree murder on all five counts in late March, and a month later he was sentenced to death.”
News report · NBC News ·
Serial killer Danny Rolling executed in Florida“Danny Harold Rolling, Florida's most notorious serial killer since Ted Bundy, was executed by injection Wednesday for butchering five college students in a ghastly string of slayings that terrorized Gainesville in 1990.”
News report · KSLA News ·
Shreveport Family Witnesses Serial Killer's Execution“Police believe Rolling killed the 24-year-old Grissom, her father Tom, and his eight year old grandson, Sean.”
Other · Clark Prosecutor Case Files ·
Daniel Harold Rolling #1051“He was not charged in the Gainesville slayings until 1992, while serving a life sentence for armed robbery and other crimes.”
Other · Radford University Department of Psychology ·
Radford University serial killer biography: Rolling, Danny“Timeline of Rolling's life events from birth through arrest”
Court record · Florida Supreme Court ·
Rolling v. State“On November 15, 1991, the grand jury of Alachua County indicted appellant, Danny Rolling, for these serial murders. He was charged with five counts of first-degree murder, three counts of sexual battery, and three counts of armed burglary of a dwelling with a battery.”
Court record · Avvo Legal ·
U.S. v. Danny Harold Rolling“After a week long trial, Rolling was convicted of using force, violence, and intimidation to rob the First Union National Bank in Gainesville, Florida, on August 27, 1990, and of using a handgun during the commission of the bank robbery.”
News report · Tampa Bay Times ·
Rolling found guilty in Tampa robbery“The prime suspect in the Gainesville student slayings was found guilty Thursday of robbing a Tampa grocery store and assaulting deputies while making his getaway.”
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Discussion
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