Oct 26, 2026 · 1 hr 1 min · 27 segments
Before he became the “Gainesville Ripper,” Danny Rolling was a broken child in a violent home, and the demons inside him were only just beginning to stir. In today's first Killer of the Week episode…
Vanessa RichardsonHostTristin EngelsGuestDanny's father, James Rowling, grew up around numerous family members with severe mental illness, including schizophrenia.
When James was a child, he reportedly witnessed a relative slit his own wife's throat.
But he never said this to Claudia Wilkinson, who he married in Georgia in 1953 when he was 22 and she was 19. so two weeks after their wedding when the young bride found out she was pregnant james lashed out at her claudia was completely taken aback she thought her husband would be excited but now he was a completely different man according to claudia james became prone to angry outbursts including one incident when he threw her against a wall then choked her until she almost passed out That was Claudia's breaking point.
She packed her bags and left their home in Georgia to stay with her parents in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Shortly after, on May 26, 1954, Claudia gave birth to a baby boy named Danny Harold Rowling.
He showed up at Claudia's parents' house and begged for her to take him back.
Claudia believed him, and the couple moved into a small, garage-style apartment in Shreveport.
James had a military background, which he used to get a job as a police officer.
His violent urges soon came rushing back, and he directed them at his son.
Claudia later said that when Danny was just a year old, James got frustrated with teaching him to crawl and kicked him down the hallway.
Danny's father, James Rowling, grew up around numerous family members with severe mental illness, including schizophrenia.
When James was a child, he reportedly witnessed a relative slit his own wife's throat.
But he never said this to Claudia Wilkinson, who he married in Georgia in 1953 when he was 22 and she was 19. so two weeks after their wedding when the young bride found out she was pregnant james lashed out at her claudia was completely taken aback she thought her husband would be excited but now he was a completely different man according to claudia james became prone to angry outbursts including one incident when he threw her against a wall then choked her until she almost passed out That was Claudia's breaking point.
She packed her bags and left their home in Georgia to stay with her parents in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Shortly after, on May 26, 1954, Claudia gave birth to a baby boy named Danny Harold Rowling.
He showed up at Claudia's parents' house and begged for her to take him back.
Claudia believed him, and the couple moved into a small, garage-style apartment in Shreveport.
James had a military background, which he used to get a job as a police officer.
His violent urges soon came rushing back, and he directed them at his son.
Claudia later said that when Danny was just a year old, James got frustrated with teaching him to crawl and kicked him down the hallway.
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