FL FL - Sumter Co, 'Little Miss Panasoffkee', WhtFem 17-24, 470UFFL, Feb'71

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Some artist reconstructions of what Little Miss Panasofke may have looked like.
She was found in February 1971 and has remained unidentified for the past 53 years.

LINK:
 
Hi all! So, I am perhaps working in a potentially opposite way here (i.e. finding the identity of the killer before the identity of the victim), but I was wondering if perhaps serial killer Gerald Stano might have been LMP’s murderer. Here are my basic assessments regarding Stano and possible relevant points to LMP…

Location: Northern Florida and Mid-Florida, regardless of East or West Coast, were Stano’s main areas of activity.
  • Lake Panasoffkee is within this area of activity.

Time: While Stano’s first recorded and substantiated murder is in Gainesville, FL in 1973, according to Stano’s own admission, he began killing as early as 1969 when he was about 18. He was not caught until 1980.
  • LMP’s murder was in 1971, a potentially prime year for Stano’s time range.

Victims: Stano’s targets were all female hitchhikers, runaways, and/or sex workers between the ages of 12-35.
  • Many sources suspect LMP was in her late teens to early-mid 20s, and may have been a hitchhiker and/or runaway, which would have made her a prime target for Stano.

Method: Stano was an opportunist, committing murder with whatever method(s) he saw fit and at his disposal at the time - strangulation, beating, shooting, stabbing, drowning, or a combination of the aforementioned methods.
  • The strangulation of LMP would fit into one of Stano’s known killing methods. Also, Stano was about 5’9” tall and 180 lbs. Thus, his waist would have been roughly 36” in size, matching the size of belt used in the strangulation of LMP.

Deposition: Stano did not seem to have one single method of disposing of victims. In the majority of his murders, Stano’s victims were found fully dressed, with no signs of sexual assault, and were not buried.
  • LMP was fully dressed, unassaulted, and unburied. Additionally, 3 of Stano’s known victims (Branch, Bickrest, Goodson) were found floating in a body of water, like LMP.

Motive: Stano’s motives never appeared to be robbery or sexual assault, just simply murder.
  • LMP was found to have jewellery on and to not have been sexually assaulted.

A lot of things with Stano’s style and methods add together for LMP to have been one of his victims.

The only thing I can’t seem to find a solid answer for is: Was Stano in Florida in late 1970/early 1971?

No source I’ve read gives me a definitive timeframe of exactly when Stano was in Florida, aside from the murders he was known to have committed in Florida starting in 1973. The information has been frustratingly vague about when he may or may not have been in Florida prior to 1973.

The general information is that Stano’s family moved to Florida in the early 70s, what year, I don’t know. But, I think it is reasonable to presume the family also visited Florida before relocating there, as their primary reason for moving was because to be close to and care for his grandparents who lived there.

Yet, the info itself remains vague when it states that Stano himself began living in Florida near the start of his adulthood. So when is that, 18? 20? At the time of LMP’s murder, Stano would have been 19, which would coincide with the vague “start of adulthood” period that sources mention.

Anyway, I just wanted to run some thoughts by here and keep this case in the forefront. LMP’s case has intrigued me for years and it’s downheartening that she has yet to be identified or her killer to be found. If this type of post is not the kind that is meant for this thread or forum, let me know, it is my first post so I don’t want to step out of line.
 
Rhysiare said:
Hi all! So, I am perhaps working in a potentially opposite way here (i.e. finding the identity of the killer before the identity of the victim), but I was wondering if perhaps serial killer Gerald Stano might have been LMP’s murderer. Here are my basic assessments regarding Stano and possible relevant points to LMP…

Location: Northern Florida and Mid-Florida, regardless of East or West Coast, were Stano’s main areas of activity.
  • Lake Panasoffkee is within this area of activity.

Time: While Stano’s first recorded and substantiated murder is in Gainesville, FL in 1973, according to Stano’s own admission, he began killing as early as 1969 when he was about 18. He was not caught until 1980.
  • LMP’s murder was in 1971, a potentially prime year for Stano’s time range.

Victims: Stano’s targets were all female hitchhikers, runaways, and/or sex workers between the ages of 12-35.
  • Many sources suspect LMP was in her late teens to early-mid 20s, and may have been a hitchhiker and/or runaway, which would have made her a prime target for Stano.

Method: Stano was an opportunist, committing murder with whatever method(s) he saw fit and at his disposal at the time - strangulation, beating, shooting, stabbing, drowning, or a combination of the aforementioned methods.
  • The strangulation of LMP would fit into one of Stano’s known killing methods. Also, Stano was about 5’9” tall and 180 lbs. Thus, his waist would have been roughly 36” in size, matching the size of belt used in the strangulation of LMP.

Deposition: Stano did not seem to have one single method of disposing of victims. In the majority of his murders, Stano’s victims were found fully dressed, with no signs of sexual assault, and were not buried.
  • LMP was fully dressed, unassaulted, and unburied. Additionally, 3 of Stano’s known victims (Branch, Bickrest, Goodson) were found floating in a body of water, like LMP.

Motive: Stano’s motives never appeared to be robbery or sexual assault, just simply murder.
  • LMP was found to have jewellery on and to not have been sexually assaulted.

A lot of things with Stano’s style and methods add together for LMP to have been one of his victims.

The only thing I can’t seem to find a solid answer for is: Was Stano in Florida in late 1970/early 1971?

No source I’ve read gives me a definitive timeframe of exactly when Stano was in Florida, aside from the murders he was known to have committed in Florida starting in 1973. The information has been frustratingly vague about when he may or may not have been in Florida prior to 1973.

The general information is that Stano’s family moved to Florida in the early 70s, what year, I don’t know. But, I think it is reasonable to presume the family also visited Florida before relocating there, as their primary reason for moving was because to be close to and care for his grandparents who lived there.

Yet, the info itself remains vague when it states that Stano himself began living in Florida near the start of his adulthood. So when is that, 18? 20? At the time of LMP’s murder, Stano would have been 19, which would coincide with the vague “start of adulthood” period that sources mention.

Anyway, I just wanted to run some thoughts by here and keep this case in the forefront. LMP’s case has intrigued me for years and it’s downheartening that she has yet to be identified or her killer to be found. If this type of post is not the kind that is meant for this thread or forum, let me know, it is my first post so I don’t want to step out of line.
Click to expand...
Great theory!
Welcome to Websleuths!
 
There seems to be a wide difference in reports regarding clothing and jewelry found on or around Little Miss Panasofke.

Initial reports and press releases stated that she was found wearing only her under clothes and that no other clothing was found. No mention was made about any jewelry.

More recent information describes in detail a green outfit being found on or near her body and that a lot of jewelry was also found.

There also seems to be a wide variation in the various artist conceptions as to what she looked like.

The case is now 53 years old, and she remains unidentified, and her murder unsolved.

Hopefully new insights will move the case forward toward some resolutions.
 
Rhysiare said:
Hi all! So, I am perhaps working in a potentially opposite way here (i.e. finding the identity of the killer before the identity of the victim), but I was wondering if perhaps serial killer Gerald Stano might have been LMP’s murderer. Here are my basic assessments regarding Stano and possible relevant points to LMP…

Location: Northern Florida and Mid-Florida, regardless of East or West Coast, were Stano’s main areas of activity.
  • Lake Panasoffkee is within this area of activity.

Time: While Stano’s first recorded and substantiated murder is in Gainesville, FL in 1973, according to Stano’s own admission, he began killing as early as 1969 when he was about 18. He was not caught until 1980.
  • LMP’s murder was in 1971, a potentially prime year for Stano’s time range.

Victims: Stano’s targets were all female hitchhikers, runaways, and/or sex workers between the ages of 12-35.
  • Many sources suspect LMP was in her late teens to early-mid 20s, and may have been a hitchhiker and/or runaway, which would have made her a prime target for Stano.

Method: Stano was an opportunist, committing murder with whatever method(s) he saw fit and at his disposal at the time - strangulation, beating, shooting, stabbing, drowning, or a combination of the aforementioned methods.
  • The strangulation of LMP would fit into one of Stano’s known killing methods. Also, Stano was about 5’9” tall and 180 lbs. Thus, his waist would have been roughly 36” in size, matching the size of belt used in the strangulation of LMP.

Deposition: Stano did not seem to have one single method of disposing of victims. In the majority of his murders, Stano’s victims were found fully dressed, with no signs of sexual assault, and were not buried.
  • LMP was fully dressed, unassaulted, and unburied. Additionally, 3 of Stano’s known victims (Branch, Bickrest, Goodson) were found floating in a body of water, like LMP.

Motive: Stano’s motives never appeared to be robbery or sexual assault, just simply murder.
  • LMP was found to have jewellery on and to not have been sexually assaulted.

A lot of things with Stano’s style and methods add together for LMP to have been one of his victims.

The only thing I can’t seem to find a solid answer for is: Was Stano in Florida in late 1970/early 1971?

No source I’ve read gives me a definitive timeframe of exactly when Stano was in Florida, aside from the murders he was known to have committed in Florida starting in 1973. The information has been frustratingly vague about when he may or may not have been in Florida prior to 1973.

The general information is that Stano’s family moved to Florida in the early 70s, what year, I don’t know. But, I think it is reasonable to presume the family also visited Florida before relocating there, as their primary reason for moving was because to be close to and care for his grandparents who lived there.

Yet, the info itself remains vague when it states that Stano himself began living in Florida near the start of his adulthood. So when is that, 18? 20? At the time of LMP’s murder, Stano would have been 19, which would coincide with the vague “start of adulthood” period that sources mention.

Anyway, I just wanted to run some thoughts by here and keep this case in the forefront. LMP’s case has intrigued me for years and it’s downheartening that she has yet to be identified or her killer to be found. If this type of post is not the kind that is meant for this thread or forum, let me know, it is my first post so I don’t want to step out of line.
Click to expand...
Interesting theory for sure! My gut feeling has always been that she was a victim of domestic violence but it's honestly just that...a gut feeling. Statistics would also support a domestic situation over a serial killer, however, it is certainly possible.
You mentioned the belt in your post. This is something that had always bothered me: putting myself in the killer's mindset I cannot understand why he would have left the belt around her neck. He took the time to transport her to the lake and dispose of her...why not take the murder weapon with you and dispose of it separately? It just seems like an odd detail to overlook. If it was left there on purpose...kind of like a look what I did thing then I have to admit that seems more like something a serial killer would do.
 
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