Foggy Melson | The Search for Christopher Wilder Murder Victim Teresa Gonzalez in Miami, Fla. (February 28, 1984) @foggymelson | Uploaded September 2023 | Updated October 2024, 2 hours ago.
Christopher Bernard Wilder (March 13, 1945 – April 13, 1984), also known as the Beauty Queen Killer and the Snapshot Killer, was an Australian-American serial killer[1] who abducted and raped at least twelve young women and girls, torturing and killing at least eight of them during a six-week, cross-country crime spree in the United States in early 1984. Wilder's series of murders began in Florida on February 26, 1984, and continued across the country through Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Nevada and California, with attempted abductions in Washington and New York. Wilder was killed during a struggle with police in New Hampshire on April 13, 1984. Since his death, he has also been considered a suspect in many unsolved murders, including the unsolved 1965 murder of two teenaged girls in his native Sydney.
The first murder attributed to Wilder was that of 20-year-old Rosario Teresa Gonzalez, a spokesmodel distributing samples of aspirin at the Miami Grand Prix.[12] On February 26, 1984, Gonzalez was last seen leaving the racetrack between noon and 1:00 p.m. with a Caucasian man in his thirties. Her blue 1980 Oldsmobile Cutlass was later found parked near Dupont Plaza. Wilder frequented the Grand Prix as a driver and competed in the IMSA GTU series, which was held at the racetrack, on the day of Gonzalez' disappearance.[13]
On March 5, Wilder's former girlfriend, Miss Florida finalist Elizabeth Ann "Beth" Kenyon, went missing. She dated Wilder for a period of time, and was proposed to by him, but she declined due to their age difference; she is believed to have been last seen with him at a gas station near Miami. Her car was found six days later abandoned at the Miami Airport.[14] Gonzalez was an aspiring model at the time of her disappearance and had participated in the Miss Florida beauty pageant along with Kenyon. Neither woman's remains have ever been found.
On March 18, Wilder led 21-year-old Theresa Anne "Terry" Wait Ferguson away from the Merritt Square Mall in Merritt Island. He murdered Ferguson and dumped her body at Canaveral Groves, where it was discovered on March 23. His next victim was 19-year-old Linda Grover from Florida State University, whom he abducted from the Governor's Square Mall in Tallahassee and transported to Bainbridge, Georgia, on March 20. She had declined his offer to photograph her for a modeling agency, after which he assaulted her in the mall parking lot. Wilder tied Grover's hands, wrapped her in a blanket and put her in the trunk of his car. She was then taken to a motel and subjected to rape and torture. Grover ultimately escaped and locked herself in the bathroom, where she began pounding on the walls. Wilder fled in his car, taking all of Grover's belongings with him.
Christopher Bernard Wilder (March 13, 1945 – April 13, 1984), also known as the Beauty Queen Killer and the Snapshot Killer, was an Australian-American serial killer[1] who abducted and raped at least twelve young women and girls, torturing and killing at least eight of them during a six-week, cross-country crime spree in the United States in early 1984. Wilder's series of murders began in Florida on February 26, 1984, and continued across the country through Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Nevada and California, with attempted abductions in Washington and New York. Wilder was killed during a struggle with police in New Hampshire on April 13, 1984. Since his death, he has also been considered a suspect in many unsolved murders, including the unsolved 1965 murder of two teenaged girls in his native Sydney.
The first murder attributed to Wilder was that of 20-year-old Rosario Teresa Gonzalez, a spokesmodel distributing samples of aspirin at the Miami Grand Prix.[12] On February 26, 1984, Gonzalez was last seen leaving the racetrack between noon and 1:00 p.m. with a Caucasian man in his thirties. Her blue 1980 Oldsmobile Cutlass was later found parked near Dupont Plaza. Wilder frequented the Grand Prix as a driver and competed in the IMSA GTU series, which was held at the racetrack, on the day of Gonzalez' disappearance.[13]
On March 5, Wilder's former girlfriend, Miss Florida finalist Elizabeth Ann "Beth" Kenyon, went missing. She dated Wilder for a period of time, and was proposed to by him, but she declined due to their age difference; she is believed to have been last seen with him at a gas station near Miami. Her car was found six days later abandoned at the Miami Airport.[14] Gonzalez was an aspiring model at the time of her disappearance and had participated in the Miss Florida beauty pageant along with Kenyon. Neither woman's remains have ever been found.
On March 18, Wilder led 21-year-old Theresa Anne "Terry" Wait Ferguson away from the Merritt Square Mall in Merritt Island. He murdered Ferguson and dumped her body at Canaveral Groves, where it was discovered on March 23. His next victim was 19-year-old Linda Grover from Florida State University, whom he abducted from the Governor's Square Mall in Tallahassee and transported to Bainbridge, Georgia, on March 20. She had declined his offer to photograph her for a modeling agency, after which he assaulted her in the mall parking lot. Wilder tied Grover's hands, wrapped her in a blanket and put her in the trunk of his car. She was then taken to a motel and subjected to rape and torture. Grover ultimately escaped and locked herself in the bathroom, where she began pounding on the walls. Wilder fled in his car, taking all of Grover's belongings with him.
