Paul John Knowles

Casanova Killer, Lester Daryl Gates

  Active for 1 year
(1974) in United States

20

CONFIRMED
VICTIMS

35

POSSIBLE
VICTIMS
Jump to:
  1. Summary
  2. Serial Killer Profile
  3. Serial Killer Type
  4. General Information
  5. Characteristics
  6. Childhood
  7. Cognitive Ability
  8. Incarceration
  9. Death
  10. 5 Timeline Events
  11. Serial Killers Active During Spree
  12. Boolean Statistical Questions
  13. 14 Books About Paul John Knowles
  14. 5 External References
  15. Internal References

Paul John Knowles an American serial killer known as The Casanova Killer. Knowles was convicted of killing twenty victims in 1974. His crimes ranged from petty theft, multiple escapes, kidnapping, abduction, rape and murder. He claimed to have killed thirty-five. He was raised in foster homes, reformatories and later served multiple prison sentences. He was released from prison in 1974, and within two months he was rearrested for stabbing a bartender. He escaped custody by picking the lock to his detention cell at a jail in Jacksonville, Florida. He was later captured, attempted escape again this time ending in three fatal shots issued by Georgia Bureau of Investigation Agent Ronnie Angel.

Paul John Knowles Serial Killer Profile

Serial Killer Paul John Knowles (aka) Casanova Killer, Lester Daryl Gates, was active for 1 year in 1974, known to have ( 20 confirmed / 35 possible ) victims. This Serial Killer was active in the following countries: United States

Paul John Knowles was born on April 17th 1946 in Orlando, Florida. He was raised by foster homes then reformatories.

Paul John Knowles a heterosexual male citizen of the United States of America. He took an intelligence quotient test before or after his crimes, Paul John Knowles had an IQ of 129. He never married. He had no children.

Prior to his spree he had commited crimes, served time in jail, and served time in prison.

In 1974 (Age 27/28) Paul John Knowles started his killing spree, during his crimes as a serial killer he was known to rob, strangle, rape, and murder his victims. Paul John Knowles used a weapon and was in possession of a firearm during his crimes. At least one victim was tied, bound, or otherwise restrained during the crime. At the time of his crimes he was living with himself, alone recently released from prison, where he was known to work as a serial killer.

He was arrested on November 21st 1974 (Age 28), sentenced to never sentenced killed while attempting escape at a jail in Jacksonville, Florida, US.

Paul John Knowles died on December 18th 1974 (Age 28), cause of death: ballistic trauma, shot three times in the chest by GBI Agent Ronnie Angel while attempting escape at in-custody transport from Jacksonville Jail to Henry County, Georgia.

Profile Completeness: 69%
serial killers by profile completeness

Paul John Knowles has been listed on Killer.Cloud since November of 2016 and was last updated 4 years ago.

Paul John Knowles a known:

Paul John Knowles
Serial Killer Profile:

Updated: 2019-05-13 Collected by Killer.Cloud
General Information
Name: Paul John Knowles
Nickname: Casanova Killer, Lester Daryl Gates
Victims: 20 - 35
Years Active: 1974 - 1974
Ages Active: 27/28 - 27/28
Active Countries: United States
Life Span: 1946 - 1974
Characteristics
Gender: Male
Citizenship: United States of America
Sexual Preference: heterosexual
Astrological Sign: Aries
Mar 20 - Apr 20
Birth Month: April
Marital Status: never married
Children: no children
Living With: himself, alone recently released from prison
Occupation: serial killer
Childhood Information
D.O.B.: Apr 17, 1946
Given Name: Paul
Birth Location: Orlando, Florida
Birth Order: N/A
Siblings: N/A
Raised By: foster homes then reformatories
Birth Category: N/A
Mother: N/A
Father: N/A

Cognitive Ability
IQ: 129
Highest School: N/A
Highest Degree:

Incarceration
Arrested: Nov 21, 1974 (Age 28)
Convicted: N/A
Sentence: never sentenced killed while attempting escape
Prison Location: a jail in Jacksonville, Florida, US
Executed: N/A
Previous Crimes: TRUE
Previous Jail: TRUE
Previous Prison: TRUE

Death Information
Death Date: Dec 18, 1974 (Age 28)
Cause of Death: ballistic trauma, shot three times in the chest by GBI Agent Ronnie Angel while attempting escape
Death Location: in-custody transport from Jacksonville Jail to Henry County, Georgia
Killed In Prison: FALSE
Suicide: FALSE
5 Timeline Events of Serial Killer
Paul John Knowles

The 5 dates listed below represent a timeline of the life and crimes of serial killer Paul John Knowles. A complete collection of serial killer events can be found on our Serial Killer Timeline.

Date Event Description
Apr 17 1946Paul John Knowles was born in Orlando, Florida.  #19460417
1974
(Age 27/28)
Paul John Knowles started his serial killing spree. #1974
Nov 21 1974
(Age 28)
Paul John Knowles arrested. #19741121
Dec 18 1974
(Age 28)
Paul John Knowlesdied.cause of death:ballistic trauma, shot three times in the chest by GBI Agent Ronnie Angel while attempting escapeat in-custody transport from Jacksonville Jail to Henry County, Georgia. #19741218
1974
(Age 28/29)
Paul John Knowles ended his serial killing spree. #1974
Back to top Serial Killers Active During

The following serial killers were active during the same time span as Paul John Knowles (1974-1974).

Serial Killers By Active Year


18 / 40
ANSWERED
Serial Killer
Boolean Questions:
Killer
Question
Killer
Answer
Total
Answered
previous crimes TRUE 367
previous jail TRUE 352
previous prision TRUE 336
used weapon TRUE 453
used gun TRUE 451
rape TRUE 453
bound TRUE 406
strangle TRUE 443
robbed TRUE 418
living with children FALSE 268
suicide FALSE 225
killed in prison FALSE 218
torture FALSE 426
stalk FALSE 418
sex with body FALSE 430
mutilated FALSE 447
ate part of body FALSE 451
drank blood FALSE 442


Books that Mention Paul John Knowles

Book: Serial Killer Stranglers (mentions serial killer Paul John Knowles)
Kevin Smith
Serial Killer Stranglers
Book: Serial Killer Rapists (mentions serial killer Paul John Knowles)
Kevin Smith
Serial Killer Rapists
Book: The Serial Killer Files (mentions serial killer Paul John Knowles)
Harold Schechter
The Serial Killer Files
Book: Serial Killers Encyclopedia (mentions serial killer Paul John Knowles)
RJ Parker
Serial Killers Encyclopedia
Book: Inside the Minds of Serial Killers (mentions serial killer Paul John Knowles)
Katherine M. Ramslan...
Inside the Minds of Serial Killers
Book: In Love with a Serial Killer (mentions serial killer Paul John Knowles)
Sandy Fawkes
In Love with a Serial Killer
Book: Date With the Devil (mentions serial killer Paul John Knowles)
Don Lasseter
Date With the Devil
Book: Muzzlers, Guzzlers & Good Yeggs (mentions serial killer Paul John Knowles)
Joe Coleman
Muzzlers, Guzzlers & Good Yeggs

14 Books that mention Serial Killer
Paul John Knowles

ISBN10 Book Title Killers
1733630600 Serial Killer Stranglers 164
1733630619 Serial Killer Rapists 266
0345472004 The Serial Killer Files 20
1494772167 Serial Killers Encycloped... 34
0275990990 Inside the Minds of Seria... 14
1844544737 In Love with a Serial Kil... 1
078602917x Date With the Devil 1
1560976284 Muzzlers, Guzzlers & Good... 2
1475004931 Sins of Henry County 1
0786420758 Murders in the United Sta... 32
1782195106 In Love with a Serial Kil... 2
1305446348 Serial Murderers and Thei... 27
1285401689 Serial Murderers and thei... 8
1980731713 The Casanova Killer 1

Paul John Knowles (April 17, 1946 – December 18, 1974), also known as The Casanova Killer, was an American serial killer tied to the deaths of 20 people in 1974, though he claimed to have taken 35 lives.

Wikipedia
External References
  1. Q3371537 on www.wikidata.org, Retrieved on Oct 15, 2018.
  2. Paul John Knowles on en.wikipedia.org, Retrieved on Jan 26, 2019.
  3. Juan Ignacio Blanco, Paul John KNOWLES on murderpedia.org, Retrieved on Jan 26, 2019.
  4. Clifford Davids, Photographs From The Arrest Of The Casanova Killer on ashevilleoralhistoryproject.com, Retrieved on Jan 26, 2019.
  5. John Paul Knowles on www.serienkillers.de, Retrieved on Feb 17, 2019.
Internal References

Paul John Knowles is included in the following pages on Killer.Cloud the Serial Killer Database

  1. #5 of 38[ Page 1 ] of Serial Killers with birthdays in April
  2. #6 of 42[ Page 1 ] of Aries Serial Killers sorted by Confirmed Victims
  3. #18 of 327[ Page 2 ] of Serial Killers active in the United States
  4. #18 of 72[ Page 2 ] of serial killers sorted by IQ Level
  5. #24 of 250[ Page 2 ] of Serial Killer Stranglers sorted by Confirmed Victims
  6. #31 of 307[ Page 3 ] of Serial Killer Rapist sorted by Confirmed Victims
  7. #55 of 651[ Page 4 ] of serial killers sorted by Confirmed Victims
  8. #324 of 651[ Page 22 ] of the A-Z List of Serial Killers
  9. #328 of 651[ Page 22 ] of serial killers sorted by Profile Completeness
  10. #651 of 651[ Page 44 ] of serial killers sorted by Years Active
Statistics:
Serial Killers Statistics, charts Paul John Knowles is included in: Active Serial Killers by Country, Serial Killers By Gender, Age of Serial Killer by Date, Killers By Astrological Sign, Killers By Birth Month, Years of School Completed, Sexual Preference, Active Serial Killers by Year and Statistical Boolean Questions.
Years Active: