"The Southland Strangler" John Floyd Thomas Jr.

Killer Stories with Harvey Guillén

Spotify Studios

True Crime, Education, History

4.7 • 30.7K Ratings

🗓️ 13 October 2022

⏱️ 36 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In the late 1950s, a Los Angeles native started a crime spree that would stretch into the ‘80s. John Floyd Thomas Jr. spent those decades terrorizing his hometown, targeting women aged 50 and older who lived alone, and occasionally even going to jail for his assaults. But it’s not until the early aughts, and the creation of the Cold Case Homicide Unit, that that LAPD is able to pin him with multiple rapes and murders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Due to the graphic nature of this killer's crimes, listener discretion is advised.
0:07.3	This episode includes discussions of gun violence, murder, and sexual assault.
0:12.1	We advise extreme caution for children under 13.
0:20.4	February 18, 1976 was a cool brisk night in Westchester, a neighborhood said in southwest
0:26.6	Los Angeles.
0:28.1	Outside an apartment complex, fog rolled in from the Pacific, and street lights flickered
0:32.8	on.
0:33.9	All the while, 39-year-old John Floyd Thomas Jr. lurked in the shadows.
0:40.1	He watched as his prey, 67-year-old Elizabeth McEwen pulled into the parking lot.
0:46.5	She was a retired school administrator, unmarried and lived alone, which made her the perfect
0:52.1	target for John.
0:54.4	Elizabeth parked her 65-shevel and turned off the engine, perhaps thinking about the wonderful
0:59.5	ballet she'd just seen.
1:01.8	With no knowledge of who was watching her, she likely walked from her car to her apartment
1:06.1	door, pulled out her key.
1:09.7	And John seized his opportunity.
1:12.3	With Elizabeth's guard down and door ajar, he reportedly attacked and pulled her inside.
1:18.4	This was the start of a series of killings that haunted Los Angeles and detectives for
1:23.8	years to come.
1:33.8	Hi, I'm Greg Poulson.
1:35.8	This is Cereal Killers, a Spotify original from Parkhaast.
1:39.9	Every episode we dive into the minds and madness of Cereal Killers.
	...

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