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Flat-Tire murders

Between February 1975 and January 1976, at least twelve girls and women were murdered in Broward and Dade (now Miami-Dade) County, Florida, their bodies found in or near South Florida canals; the case remains formally unsolved though investigators have named two deceased suspects in connection with two of the victims.

UNSOLVED1975

Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, Florida

3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
The skyline of Downtown Fort Lauderdale, Florida. — location anchor for the case
The skyline of Downtown Fort Lauderdale, Florida. — location anchor for the case — Credit: CC BY-SA 4.0

The Flat-Tire murders refer to a series of unsolved killings of girls and women in Broward and Dade (now Miami-Dade) County, Florida, between February 1975 and January 1976. The name comes from investigators' belief that in at least two cases, the offender deflated the tires of victims' vehicles before the attacks. A total of twelve victims are listed as part of this suspected series, all found in or near South Florida canals, streams, or embankments.

Investigators described the suspected perpetrator as a white male, aged 20–25, well-dressed, physically athletic, likely of above-average intelligence, and possibly a sexual sadist who used charm to gain victims' trust before luring them to his car. A $1,000 reward was offered for information leading to his capture. Law enforcement theorized the same offender may have committed additional murders across several states beginning in the early 1970s, possibly starting in California, with a total of thirty-five such murders recorded.

Victims identified in the case include Judith Ann Oesterling (19), Barbara Davis Stephens (23), Arietta Marie "Renie" Tinker (17), Nancy Lee Fox (19), Barbara Susan "Barbie" Schreiber (14), Belinda Darlene Zetterower (14), Robin Leslie Losch (14), Ronnie Sue Gorlin (27), Elyse Rapp (21), Mary Coppolla (15), Marlene Annabelli (27), and Michelle Winters (17). Most were found sexually assaulted and/or beaten before death, with bodies disposed of in canals or wooded areas; some cases, such as those of Schreiber and Zetterower, involved gunshot wounds rather than the pattern of sexual assault seen in other victims. Vehicles belonging to some victims, including Ronnie Sue Gorlin and Elyse Rapp, were found abandoned with deflated or slashed tires, giving the case its name.

In August 2023, the Broward County Sheriff's Office announced that DNA evidence collected from the clothing of two victims, Barbara Schreiber and Darlene Zetterower, had been used to identify a suspect: Robert Clark Keebler, a known felon who died in 2019. Investigators at the time believed Keebler had an accomplice whose identity was initially unknown. In May 2025, the Sheriff's Office announced that the second suspect had been identified as Lawrence Stein, another felon who died in 2005. Deputy Andrew Gianino stated that he personally believes these two crimes are unrelated to the remaining cases in the broader series.

No living suspect has been charged, and the broader series of killings attributed to the so-called Flat-Tire murderer remains officially unsolved.

Key facts

Victims
Belinda Darlene Zetterower, Nancy Lee Fox, Ronnie Sue Gorlin, Michelle Winters, Judith Ann Oesterling, Barbara Davis Stephens, Mary Coppolla, Robin Leslie Losch, Barbara Susan Schreiber, Elyse Rapp, Marlene Annabelli, Arietta Marie Tinker
Date
1975
Location
Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, Florida
Case status
unsolved

Case timeline

  1. 1975-02-01

    Judith Ann "Judy" Oesterling goes missing from Dade County.

  2. 1975-02-03

    Oesterling's body found in a canal bordering Broward and Dade counties.

  3. 1975-02-12

    Barbara Davis Stephens goes missing after saying she would travel to Coral Gables.

  4. 1975-02-20

    Stephens' body found in a wooded lot near Miami.

  5. 1975-04-09

    Arietta Marie "Renie" Tinker dropped off at the Hippopotamus Lounge in Hollywood, Florida.

  6. 1975-04-12

    Tinker's body found floating in the Snake Creek Canal in Miramar, Florida.

  7. 1975-06-13

    Nancy Lee Fox last seen walking to a laundromat in West Palm Beach.

  8. 1975-06-15

    Fox's body found in a canal parallel to Highway 27 in Broward County.

  9. 1975-06-18

    Barbara Susan Schreiber and Belinda Darlene Zetterower last seen leaving Schreiber's home in Hollywood.

  10. 1975-06-19

    Schreiber and Zetterower's bodies found along the Highway 27 canal near Andytown, Florida.

  11. 1975-07-08

    Robin Leslie Losch reported missing after failing to return home from summer classes.

  12. 1975-07-10

    Losch's body found in the Highway 27 canal.

  13. 1975-07-22

    Ronnie Sue Gorlin goes missing after leaving her Miami Beach apartment.

  14. 1975-07-23

    Gorlin's body found in the Graham Canal.

  15. 1975-07-30

    Elyse Rapp last seen at a Hollywood mall; her rented car later found with a deflated tire.

  16. 1975-07-31

    Rapp's body found in the same canal where Gorlin was found.

  17. 1975-10-17

    Mary Coppolla and Marlene Annabelli arrive in Fort Lauderdale from Pennsylvania.

  18. 1975-10-26

    Coppolla and Annabelli's bodies found strangled in a dump outside Fort Lauderdale.

  19. 1976-01-11

    Michelle Winters' body found floating in Snapper Creek in Pembroke Pines.

  20. 2023-08

    Broward County Sheriff's Office announces DNA identification of Robert Clark Keebler as a suspect in the Schreiber and Zetterower murders.

  21. 2025-05

    Broward County Sheriff's Office announces identification of Lawrence Stein as a second suspect in the same case.

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People

  • Belinda Darlene Zetterower

    VICTIM

    Found dead June 1975 along the Highway 27 canal near Andytown, Florida.

  • Robert Clark Keebler

    CHARGED

    Named by Broward County Sheriff's Office in August 2023 as a suspect, identified via DNA from clothing of two victims; died in 2019 prior to any prosecution.

  • Nancy Lee Fox

    VICTIM

    Found dead June 1975 in a canal parallel to Highway 27, Broward County.

  • Ronnie Sue Gorlin

    VICTIM

    Found dead July 1975 in the Graham Canal.

  • Michelle Winters

    VICTIM

    Found dead January 1976 in Snapper Creek, Pembroke Pines.

  • Judith Ann Oesterling

    VICTIM

    Found dead February 1975 in a canal bordering Broward and Dade counties.

  • Barbara Davis Stephens

    VICTIM

    Found dead February 1975 in a wooded lot near Miami.

  • Mary Coppolla

    VICTIM

    Found strangled October 1975 in a dump outside Fort Lauderdale.

  • Robin Leslie Losch

    VICTIM

    Found dead July 1975 in the Highway 27 canal.

  • Barbara Susan Schreiber

    VICTIM

    Found dead June 1975 along the Highway 27 canal near Andytown, Florida.

  • Elyse Rapp

    VICTIM

    Found dead July 1975 in the Graham Canal.

  • Lawrence Stein

    CHARGED

    Named by Broward County Sheriff's Office in May 2025 as a second suspect connected to the same two-victim case; died in 2005 prior to any prosecution.

  • Andrew Gianino

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    Broward County Sheriff's Office deputy who commented on the suspects and the broader case.

  • Marlene Annabelli

    VICTIM

    Found strangled October 1975 in a dump outside Fort Lauderdale.

  • Arietta Marie Tinker

    VICTIM

    Found dead April 1975 in the Snake Creek Canal, Miramar, Florida.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Archival records

  • The skyline of Downtown Fort Lauderdale, Florida. — location anchor for the case

    archival location

    The skyline of Downtown Fort Lauderdale, Florida. — location anchor for the case

    Credit: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source

Places

Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, Florida

26.1224, -80.1373

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
Between February 1975 and January 1976, at least twelve girls and women were murdered in Broward and Dade (now Miami-Dade) County, Florida, their bodies found in or near South Florida canals; the case remains formally unsolved though investigators have named two deceased suspects in connection with two of the victims.
Where did the murders happen?
Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, Florida.
What is the current status of the case?
Status: unsolved.
More cases in Florida

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICFlat-Tire murdersWikipedia · 2026-07-10
  2. PRESSSuspect identified in 1975 murder of two teen girls in Browardnbcmiami.com · 2026-07-10
  3. PRESSFlorida unsolved serial killer casescrimezzz.net · 2026-07-10

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