Ottis Toole (1947-1996) was an American serial killer whose exact body count will never be known. Multiple states had holds on him, but with Florida providing the hospitality, there was no need to invest in trials.

Toole was sentenced to death in Florida for the arson murder of George Sonenberg. His death sentence was reversed due to procedural error, and he was serving several life sentences when he died of liver failure.

Much has been made of his confessions and recantations, with many predictably throwing up their hands in frustration and concluding he never killed anyone. Those admirers of Friar Occam would be mistaken.

Having worked on the defense of Toole & Lucas in four North Florida murder cases; having interviewed the investigators in a number of other cases; having interviewed Toole himself; having lived with his boss/landlady for two years; having gone to court over his confession to a double homicide in Colorado; and having Lucas offer me eighteen unsolved homicides, I'm quite comfortable saying that both Lucas & Toole were prolific serial killers.

Here are selected clips from prison interviews done in 1991.

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