Season 4

In the Darkness

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An elusive serial rapist is on the prowl in South Florida in the early 1980s during the height of Miami’s cocaine-fueled crime wave. He is a cunning, dangerous predator who stalked dozens of women, then ambushed them late at night in the safety of their own homes. He became known as the Pillowcase Rapist for the way he hid his identity. None of his victims ever saw his face, and he left behind few clues. For four decades, he evaded capture despite one of the most ambitious manhunts in South Florida history. Then, an extraordinary stroke of luck promises to finally crack the case. Who was the man beneath the pillowcase? And how did he escape capture for so many years?

Episode 1

Alisian Lakes

In the early morning hours of Sept. 6, 1981, a young flight attendant is jolted out of sleep by a barking dog and a flower pot falling over on her balcony. As she starts to get up, she's attacked and raped by an intruder who hides his face with a pillowcase. It's just the beginning of a terrifying spree of attacks across Miami. A young detective named Dave Simmons takes over the cases and quickly realizes that he’s dealing with one of Florida’s most prolific serial rapists.

Episode 2

Dangerous Paradise

As the police strain under Miami’s deadly cocaine-fueled crime wave, the Pillowcase Rapist is striking with impunity. After a school teacher is raped in her apartment in late 1983, Detective Simmons and his team are stunned to learn that the suspect returned to her apartment a second time — a brazen and unsettling escalation by the dangerous rapist.

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Episode 3

The Stakeout

With public pressure mounting, Detective Simmons tries a long-shot tactic to catch the Pillowcase Rapist. Meanwhile, other important clues surface including a shoe print left in the dirt. Police are starting to get a clearer picture of their elusive suspect.

Episode 4

It’s in the Blood

A rogue killer cop confesses. A flasher draws scrutiny. A man rapes two elderly women. Are any of these potential suspects the Pillowcase Rapist? A new type of blood testing may carry the answer. It’s the most significant clue yet in the case.

Episode 5

‘Blind as a Bat’

After five years and dozens of terrifying attacks, the rapist makes his first big mistake. But publicity comes with a price. When the attacks come to an abrupt stop, Detective Simmons and his investigators are left wondering if the case has gone cold.

Episode 6

A Stroke of Luck

An unexpected break comes nearly 40 years after the last known attack of one of South Florida’s most wanted fugitives. And it reveals new details about the crime spree that shook South Florida. The identity of the notorious Pillowcase Rapist is finally revealed.

About the Host

David Schutz is the host and producer of Felonious Florida. He has been a journalist for more than three decades and is currently the assistant managing editor at the South Florida Sun Sentinel, where he oversees the newsroom’s multimedia, visuals and audience teams. Previously, David was a visual journalist for the Boston Globe. He is a graduate of the School of Journalism at Northeastern University in Boston.

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Sexual Violence Resources

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual violence, you can get confidential support from the National Sexual Assault Hotline. Find them online at RAINN.org. Or call the toll-free number at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

To report tips about the cases featured in any of our episodes, contact the FBI’s anonymous tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or visit FBI.gov.

Credits

Felonious Florida is produced by the South Florida Sun Sentinel in association with Wondery.

Season 4: In the Darkness was reported, written and produced by David Schutz.

Editing by Robin Webb, Gretchen Day-Bryant and Julie Anderson.

Sound design and production by Sean Pitts. Soundtrack by DeWolfe Music.

Website design and development by KarBel Multimedia. Illustrations by John DeLucca.

Special thanks to retired Det. Sgt. Dave Simmons for his assistance with this season.