Gerald Stano By: Steven Prigg

Background Birth Name: Paul Zeininger Given up for adoption at six months of age Declared unadoptable Adopted by the Stanos (very loving parents) Average student in school (C’s and D’s). Excelled in music. Bed wetter until the age of 10

Background Cont. Described as an “animal” Graduated high school at the age of 21 Did not attend college.

Early Offenses Stealing money from his father’s wallet Paid track and field members to finish behind him in races (Cheating/Rigging the race) Chronic liar (demonstration of deviance) Told police he had been killing in the 70’s (this was when he was 18-20 years old) No charges came from these early killings Not enough physical evidence

Crime(s)/Charges Most active murder streak in Florida Convicted of first degree murder Murdered 41 women Stayed with Ted Bundy, other serial killer. Sentenced to death by the electric chair March, 23, 1998.

Evidence/Controversy Girls had gone missing in the area of Stano’s residence both in New Jersey and in Florida. Bodies of the victims Controversy with the death of 17 year old Cathy Lee Scharf. Stano supposedly raped and murdered Scharf White pubic hairs found on the body of sharp did not match Stano’s DNA.

Nickname, Cultural Reference “Serial Confessor” Book: Blind Fury, biography of serial murdered Gerald Eugene Stano. Author: Anna Flowers No direct quotes found

Social Control Theory Gerald Stano’s deviant actions can be explained using the Social Control Theory of sociology. As a young boy he would go against social norms of lying, and stealing from his dad’s wallet. He would use this money to rig the track meets that he would run in order to finish in first place. Social norms go against this because in order for any competition to be fair, all competitors have to try to compete at the same quality.

Social Control Theory Socially, Stano had severed the relationships of many of his high school peers. He graduated high school at the age of 21 which leads me to believe that he lost all connection with many of the children he was raised with. Not going to college also separated Stano from building new relationships with others; possibly leading to his desire to murder young women. Even from a young age, Stano being put up for adoption was against social norms.

Social Control Theory Though adoptions are not socially unacceptable, more times than not, a child grows up with his or her biological parents. He had lost the relationship with his biological mother, leading to him being a juvenile. His adopting parents were loving and may have avoided punishing Stano for violent behavior. This did not institute strong morals in Stano as a boy, inevitably leading to his criminal rampage.