The Flat Tire Murders: Unsolved Crimes of a South Florida Serial Killer

by Michael P. Burns

South Florida in the 1970s was one of the nation's most dangerous locations. Behind the image of sun and surf, young women were the victims of a brutal killer. In the mid-1970s, over a dozen young women were murdered and found in canals. These cases became known as the Flat Tire Murders and the Canal Murders. Only one case was ever solved. More than four decades have passed since these crimes, and no arrests were ever made.

This is the first book to explore these murders in depth, as well as a bizarre series of murders occurring in the years earlier, known as the Gold Sock Stranglings. Interviews with the detectives that originally worked to solve these cases provide an intimate view of the attempt to capture the killer that terrorized South Florida. In addition to the cases themselves, the reader is introduced to a number of suspects, including Ted Bundy, the man who is still suspected by detectives to this day of having committed the Flat Tire Murders. Detailed maps of South Florida illustrate the complex canal system that became the victims’ graveyard.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction

238 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2021

Reviews

[Valerity (Val) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This appears to be a well-researched book on a series of little-known South Florida murders in the 1970s. The possible culprits are many, including Bundy for a couple of them, and even spree killer Christopher Wilder, and a possibly a dirty cop, among others. A rogue’s gallery, for sure. But no charges have ever been pressed, and many of the possible perps have since died.

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series of murders is not only obscure but very little information about the case, until this book and even then because there are still a lot of facts that are fuzzy.
The author starts off with the Florida crime wave in the 1970's. The 1970's is notorious for a record crime wave. Usually discussed in terms of New York and California. California being a serial killer paradise; COME ONE, COME ALL SERIAL KILLERS! CALIFORNIA GIRLS, BEACHES, HOLLYWOOD! HIGHWAYS AS FAR YOU CAN SEE! ENJOY THE SURF, THE SUNBATHING, THE NEON LIGHT AND GLAMOUR, RAPE AND KILL!!!!

In multiple parts of California you had multiple serial killers operating at the same time, many of them just beginning their serial killer career while a few of their contemporaries were on their 3rd or even 15th year of serial murder.

In 1973 the coastal town of Santa Cruz was dubbed "The murder capital of the world" due to the crime wave and multiple serial killers active in Santa Cruz at the time. I can think of at least 4 serial killers active in Santa Cruz at the time. Two of them just beginning their careers. One them actually moved out county and state to continue killing in another state. Of course the two obvious and well known serial killers at this time were Edmund Kemper and Herbert Mullin. They also had John Frazier, a mass murderer who executed an entire Japanese family at their beautiful expensive home.

New york city had multiple serial killers at the time as well, but not as many. The crime rate over all was huge in New york including murder. New york become the "arson capital" of the world. At least 30 arson cases each and every day.

Police chief who hunted son of sam: I would say in the last 10 years the homicide rate has increased by leaps and bounds. We hit our peak probably in 1972 when The Bronx had 430 homicides.
Police chief in a decades later interview: In the mid 70's The Bronx looked like Berlin after WW2...literally looked like Berlin.

Florida apparently was the worse in terms of "per capita" though. Florida in the 1970's was more crime infested then New york apparently and of course Florida had many serial killers during the 70's. Still not as many as California.

The book talks about the "sunshine" tropic climate of the state, the crime wave in the 70's, and possibly multiple serial killers. At most two serial killers who were active. During this time period Florida had serial killers Gerard Schaefer and Ted Bundy active in Florida as well. Although before and after.

We got the Miami strangler, the Gold sock strangler, and the subject of this book The flat tire murders.

I think it's safe to say the Miami strangler was not related to the Gold sock or Flat tire murders...The Gold sock strangler and Flat tire murders, that's questionable. Could of been the same person who simply switched his M.O.

One police department thought the Gold sock stranglings were all committed by the same person and another thought they weren't; one was a robbery...which I doubt. You had a women brutally murdered with a men's gold stock, and then you had a secretary attacked in her motel room by an intruder who tries to strangle her with a GOLD sock. Ya, the gold socks were NOT a match. Not of the same pair, but come on...that seems beyond coincidence even for me.

And the other reason why the other department was skeptical and didn't think they were because of the age difference. Two of them were teens and others were in their 30's to 40's. Which to me isn't that big of a deal since many serial killers and offenders have a wide range of victims in terms of age.

The author implies he thinks the Gold sock strangler became the Flat tire killer...which is of course possible but it's also possible it wasn't the same person.

I think it's also possible that both police departments are correct. Just because several of the murders are connected, doesn't mean at least one was a copycat crime. Which has happened many times, and in one case it doesn't seem connected at all. The killer was apparently invited in by the victim and strangled the victim with pantyhose...Ya. I don't see any connection.

Looking at the map [provided by the author] in terms of the murders of Miami strangler and Gold socks strangler, it's very clear those murders were connected because both serial killers targeted their victims in a very closed vicinity of each murder. In the case of the Gold sock stranglings. You have multiple victims strangled with socks, two with gold socks [one of them being a survivor], and at least 2 or 3 more strangled with a maroon sock. All within a very close vicinity....sounds definitely like they are related.

One thing I would look out for would be different or identical knots.

I am usually very good at keeping track of each character/person/victim, etc. In this book, I was able to do that but less so. So many victims, killed or attacked by different people.

Clearly the author didn't/hasn't gone to the dumping sites and didn't interview or talk to anyone involved in the investigation. Many of them are dead, which is understandable, but there are of course a few who are still alive.

The crimes are very confusing in terms of "the canal murders". I think some are clearly connected and others were committed by other people. So it's very possible these were common dumping grounds and in some of these cases, it's safe to say there were at least two killers working together.
One victim was brutally stabbed. We get an autopsy report and the author puts the crime in perspective. He also quotes a detective who is still alive who has his theory on what happened. The detective thinks the victim was stabbed in her car, taken to the spot where she was killed, thrown/dragged into the canal. The killer then drove her car back to where she was abducted [Mall parking lot], abandoned her car and went back to where his car was parked. Which would of obviously been parked near by and left.

My view is....according to the description....the steering wheel was covered in blood. So here is my theory. The killer abducted her at or in her car. Basically he either went up to her while she was standing outside her car, took out a knife and forced her into the car. Or she was in her car about to leave when he just opened the door and got in. Either one is possible. Forced her to drive to the spot where he stabbed and killed her. Threw/dragged her body into the canal, his hands still bloody from the stabbing drove her car back to the parking lot, abandoned her car, got into his own car near by and left.

Was there blood anywhere else except for the steering wheel? And if you were planning on stabbing her and throw her body into a canal, why when she's in the car? Unless she fought and you were forced to stab her and I would think there would of been at least some fight.
Then again, the detective knows far more then I do about the crime scene evidence.

The crimes remind me of other killing fields; The Texas killing fields, The highway of tears, Ciudad Juárez, multiple cases of serial killers active around the same area around the same time.
Perfect case being the "Freeway killer" which was 3 serial killers. Some would say 2, saying the first one was not really considered the "freeway killer", but I would include him.

Journalist who covered the "Freeway killings": The freeway played such an important part because it was so easy to get away. I mean you could drive forever on different freeway exchanges. And then you had those who were badly tortured, then you had those who weren't tortured, then you had those who were thrown while the car was moving and then you had those who weren't thrown.

Most of the book is just murder, murder, murder, possible accident drowning, college girl stabbed, possible descriptions of the killer, etc.

The main detective at one point makes a very good point and observation. One I had already made. Just look at the geography. South Florida is swarmed with canals in every direction. So the canals are incidental. Now the author shows a map for context; marking key spots. Does this with the majority of murders and several of these bodies were found in the same canal/vicinity. Same general area, but I would put that down to "A good dumping ground" more so then most other canal areas.

The author does give some photos of the victims, but very few. I've tried to track down more photos of the victims but none in good enough quality. So while it's nice he gave photos of the victims I would of liked more.

The last few chapters of the book are about possible suspects and possible connections. One of them is another unsolved case; The Santa Rosa hitchhiker murders. Which to me don't sound as similiar for an important detail. Multiple victims in those murders are described as being "hogtied" and as far as we know "the canal murders" and the "Flat tire murders" didn't include any victim being "hogtied". So other then "victims look similar. Almost identical" and were found at,in,or near a creek doesn't mean anything. The author also mentions Ted Bundy of course and gives all the arguments against it and for it. I am not at all convinced Bundy committed the murders. As far as I am concerned he's ONLY a suspect because he was active in Florida. Other then that, I see zero reason.

He mentions a few other serial killers including one I had never even heard of, who apparently had two other accomplices.

Overall....I don't know what to think. Other then he probably didn't kill all of them, the flat tire murders were only related [which is unlikely] and if they weren't the only ones related to that same killer, who knows how many of the canal murders he did commit but weren't as similar to the flat tire murders.

Over all....a let down. The author clearly did not interview any of the detectives involved in the case and I doubt even went to Florida. At any time.

It does raise some questions and puts the crimes in perspective. Over all, a decent book that could and should of been far better. Decent.

"The marsh lagoon
So many want to dump their dead here
Only the water
Only the waters know what stories they bare"

"I got dark secrets
Eventually I told everybody
One day I'ma snap and leave a crime scene bloody
But they only think I'm playing
I'm just Dave from Donut Hut
They always like "What up Dave Nut?" when I show up
But that doesn't really bother me I suppose
Yet there's a darkness inside of me
Which eagerly grows
When I was younger I murdered off some neighborhood squirrels
in this abandoned garage was like my own private world
Now it's "Honey, I had a bad dream again"
I'm tripping
Demons eating me alive and burning within
I gotta feed it
I roll down another dark street
I'm trying to find something alive so I can smother out it's heartbeat"
"She kicked for a minute, not putting much in it
I never thought I'd get this bad
I'm glad I did it, I admit it
Feel so much better, a neck wetter, a throat shredder
I got blood on my sweater and I better not get a head of myself
The first matter is disposal of the body
I found the perfect spot out past my Uncle Marty's
It's some hidden lagoon where it be dark all the time
I dumped her there and got on with mine

The marsh lagoon
So many want to dump their dead here
Only the water
Only the waters know what stories they bare
Only the trees
Only the fish
Only the bugs
And only the water
Truly really know
What happened that night
When right went wrong
That's how they got there"

[Giavanna Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Flat Tire Murders: Unsolved Crimes of a South Florida Serial Killer, by Michael P. Burns, is a detailed novel about a series of murders that took place during the 1970’s. Anywhere from twelve to possibly thirty-five women were targeted, assaulted, and found dead in the Intracoastal Waterways in South Florida.

If you know me at all, you’ll know that I have a constant intake of true crime content in my daily life. I listen to podcasts during my commute to and from work, I breeze through true crime novels, and I’ve pretty much seen every documentary/limited series available to stream at the moment. My point is – I’ve seen, heard, and read so much content that finding a novel that captures and keeps my attention is proving to be difficult.

The Flat Tire Murders not only captured my attention, but it also spurred a flurry of late night google searches – dozens of open tabs, dry and bloodshot eyes, scribbled notes in margins. Despite never having heard about the murder spree in South Florida prior to receiving the novel, this case irrevocably consumed me.

Burns does a fantastic job describing the details of the case. He provides an unbiased and thorough account of the murders, going into further detail about potentially linked victims and cases. The “Suspects and Parallels” chapter was especially interesting because it potentially linked the victims of the Flat Tire Murders to widely known serial killers like Ted Bundy and Henry Lee Lucas.

I love books like these, that is to say, true crime novels written by attorneys and journalists who aren’t writing for fame or money, rather to rally interest in an unsolved case. Burns made it clear throughout the novel that the point of his writing was to draw attention to a series of crimes that have gone largely unnoticed since the 1970’s when they occurred.

Updated investigation methods and DNA are key pieces of evidence in any cold case, but especially in this one. We’ve reached a point where social influences play a huge role in investigations (I.e., Gabby Petito’s Homicide, The Murder Squad Podcast and their role in solving a 40-year-old case, etc.), and books like these are the perfect way to get the word out.

All in all, Burns’ debut was fascinating and educational, and I am looking forward to his future publications.

[Michael Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's my first book, so of course I love it! I hope everyone enjoys the book and ultimately that justice will be done for the victims.