Gold Sock Killer

The Gold Sock Killer is the moniker of an unidentified American serial killer who murdered a woman and two teenage girls in Broward County, Florida, between July and August 1973. His nickname came from how he strangled his victims to death with socks; however, a gold-colored sock was only used in two instances.

Murders On the night of July 15, 1973, 42-year-old Jonina Gudjonsdottir Kelpein was beaten and strangled to death with a gold-colored stretch sock in her car, which was parked in the driveway of her Fort Lauderdale home. Her purse was missing, but her dog was alive in the backseat of the car. Her body was then dragged about a mile from her home and dumped in the yard of a house on the 200 block of Northeast 12th Avenue. Kelpien was last seen alive at 3:00 a.m. that night, walking to her car while intoxicated. Some reports state that she was seen in a convenience store at around 3:00 a.m. Thirty minutes later, a man walked into the same convenience store and told the clerk that he had been questioned by police in a woman's murder. However, Kelpien's body was not found until 7:00 a.m. An autopsy revealed that she had sexual intercourse shortly before her death.

On July 25, 1973, a woman, 25, was attacked by the perpetrator in her first-story apartment on the 400 block of Northeast 16th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. At 9:15 p.m., the perpetrator wrapped a sock around her neck as she entered her apartment. The woman fought back, kicking and screaming at her attacker. During the struggle, a coffee table had been overturned and the two fell onto the couch. The assailant then fled the scene, likely fearing that the victim's screams would alert others of the attacker. The assailant, described as a slim, blonde-haired, white man, had gained entry into the apartment by prying open a window. Before attacking the victim, he rummaged through the victim's purse, which was located in her closet. Due to a gold sock being used in both crimes, police suspected that the attack was connected to the murder of Jonina Kelpien.

Investigation After Jonina Kelpien's murder, investigators questioned sex offenders in the area. Police also surveilled the crime scenes, questioning anyone who acted suspicious near them. In total, over 200 people were questioned. 35 of these people were given lie detector tests, and each of them passed. Forensic analysts determined the socks used in Kelpien's murder and the attempted murder were from a different pair. Plaster samples of fingerprints and footprints were also taken from the crime scene of the attempted murder.