Serial Killer: Paul John Knowles (The Casanova Killer)

[Midnight Man 2]

Paul John Knowles, a.k.a. "Lester Daryl Gates" aka "Daryl Golden" was an American spree killer, also known as The Casanova Killer, tied to the deaths of 18 people in 1974, though he claimed to have taken 35 lives. Born in Orlando, Florida, his father gave him up to live in foster homes and reformatories after he was convicted of a petty crime. Knowles himself was first incarcerated at the age of 19, and in the years following he spent more time in prison. In 1974, he was granted parole and sought to marry Mrs. Angela Covic, with whom he had corresponded from prison. Allegedly because of something a psychic told her, she ended the relationship. After this rejection, Knowles went on a murderous spree across northern Florida. He was eventually caught in Georgia and sent back to Florida. In early 1974, Knowles was serving time in the prison at Raiford, Florida when he began corresponding with a California divorcee, named Angela Covic. Angela visited the prison long enough to accept his proposal of marriage. She was then instrumental in getting Knowles released from prison by paying for the lawyers used to win his release. When he was granted parole and released following the stint at Raiford Prison, Knowles flew directly to San Francisco to marry Angela Covic.

Highly agitated at the rejection by Covic, Knowles traveled back home to Jacksonville, Florida. He was soon arrested after a bar scuffle and was jailed again. He avoided a quick trip back to prison on this occasion by picking a lock and escaping on July 26, 1974. After escaping, Knowles went on a murderous spree across the country starting that same night in Jacksonville. He was eventually caught in Georgia, but while he was claiming to assist officers in finding the officer's pistol he had used in his last two murders, he tried to escape and was shot and killed by a police officer. Paul John Knowles was a man with an I.Q. of 129, an excellent musician and a disco dancer. He was so good a dancer that when he would get on the dance floor, others would get off the dance floor just to watch him.

Paul John Knowles was a lean, red-haired joy killer who taped his own confession to fourteen murders and told a Georgia sheriff that he had killed eighteen times in seven states. "I ask him to tell me how many people he had killed," said Georgia Sheriff Earl Lee, who had custody of Knowles for two weeks in December of 1974. "He made a figure 18 in the palm of his hand. I said where did you kill them?" Knowles wrote out several states on a peace of scrap paper, showed it to Sheriff Earl Lee and then burned the piece of paper. Sheriff Earl Lee describes Knowles as "intelligent and mean as hell." Knowles was charged with seven killings in Georgia, Florida and Ohio. Georgia Law Enforcement officers were fearful of an escape attempt and moved him from county to county. In early December 1974, Knowles was transferred to the Douglas County, Georgia Jail, which was under Sheriff Earl Lee. On December 18, 1974, Sheriff Earl Lee and G.B.I. Agent, Ronnie Angel were taking Knowles to Henry County, where Knowles had dumped a weapon he had taken from the Florida State Trooper he had Killed.

While traveling on I-20 close to Lee Road, Knowles picked his handcuffs with a paper clip. Knowles then leaned over the seat and grabbed Sheriff Earl Lee's gun, discharging it through the holster. Sheriff Earl Lee, who was driving tried to control the car and struggle with Knowles at the same time. During the struggle Agent Ronnie Angel, without hesitation whipped out his own pistol and shot Knowles point blank in the rear of the Sheriff's car; killing him instantly.

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