The Stocking Strangler: How Carlton Gary Turned Columbus, Georgia, Into a City of Fear
Warning: This article contains disturbing descriptions of violence, including sexual violence. Reader discretion is advised.
Between 1977 and 1978, a predator stalked the quiet streets of Columbus, Georgia. His victims—elderly women living alone—were brutally raped and strangled, often with their own stockings. As the death toll climbed, so did the fear. The unknown killer, dubbed “The Stocking Strangler,” seemed to operate with terrifying precision, slipping in and out of homes undetected, leaving behind no witnesses—only terror.
Despite a massive police effort, the case went cold in April 1978. The killer had vanished, leaving behind a community paralyzed with fear. But the truth about the monster lurking in their midst wouldn’t surface for another six years—when an unrelated crime in another state cracked the case wide open.
The Break That Led to a Monster
In 1984, a murder investigation and a stolen pistol led authorities to Carlton Gary, a career criminal who had recently escaped from a South Carolina prison. Unbeknownst to the people of Columbus, Gary had been living among them during the time of the Stocking Strangler’s killing spree.
His connection to the crimes was undeniable. After his arrest, investigators discovered that Gary had a history of breaking into homes, and his movements eerily aligned with the timeline of the murders. But the most chilling detail? Gary himself admitted to being present at the scenes of six of the seven killings. He claimed he was merely there for burglaries and that an accomplice had committed the murders. However, the brutality and the pattern of the crimes told a different story.
The Trial That Shocked a City
By 1986, Gary was on trial for three of the seven murders. The prosecution presented a damning case, detailing how the victims were not randomly chosen but carefully selected. These weren’t just names in a police report—they were mothers, grandmothers, beloved church members. Each one had been terrorized in their own home, their lives ended in unimaginable horror.
After just an hour of jury deliberation, the verdict was in—guilty. Carlton Gary was sentenced to death. But even with a conviction, the case was far from over.
A Battle for Justice—or an Unraveling of It?
For more than three decades, Gary and his legal team waged an endless battle of appeals, arguing that the trial was flawed and that crucial evidence had been ignored. The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court four times. Allegations of racial bias, mishandled evidence, and misconduct in the judicial system cast a shadow over the proceedings.
Columbus had a history of racial discord, and in the early stages of the investigation, authorities initially pinned the murders on another Black man, Jerome Livas. His coerced confession—despite his clear lack of involvement—only fueled further skepticism about how the case against Gary was handled.
Despite the controversy, justice finally caught up with the Stocking Strangler. After years of failed appeals, Carlton Gary was executed by lethal injection in 2018.
The Unanswered Questions That Haunt Columbus
One chilling mystery remains: Why did he do it? Carlton Gary never fully admitted to being the Stocking Strangler. While he acknowledged being present at some of the crime scenes, he insisted that another person had carried out the killings. But authorities never found evidence of an accomplice.
What made him target elderly women? Was it a twisted urge for dominance? A deeply embedded rage? The answers may never be known. What is clear, however, is the suffering he inflicted.
One case, in particular, remains a gut-wrenching reminder of the horror: Florence Scheible, an 89-year-old woman who was nearly blind and could only walk with the aid of a walker. Her frail body was found strangled, her neck broken. The thought of such an innocent, defenseless victim facing such brutality is enough to make anyone shudder.
The Legacy of Fear
Even decades later, the terror left in the wake of the Stocking Strangler lingers in Columbus. The case serves as a grim reminder that evil can live among us, hidden behind ordinary faces, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
And for the people of Columbus, the fear may have faded, but the memory remains—etched into the very fabric of their city, forever haunted by the shadow of a killer who once walked among them.
