April 5, 2025 • 8 mins
In this gripping episode of our true crime podcast, we delve into the brutal 1984 murder of Karen Gregory, a young woman found dead in her Florida home just days after moving in. What seemed like a promising new chapter in her life quickly turned into a chilling mystery that would haunt the town of Gulfport for years. We break down the disturbing crime scene details, early missteps in the investigation, and the shocking identity of the killer—revealed years later through persistence and forensic breakthroughs. This case is a haunting reminder of how even the most trusted faces can hide dark secrets. Tune in as we examine one of Florida’s most unsettling true crime stories, exploring justice, betrayal, and the long road to the truth.
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Sources:
https://www.oxygen.com/an-unexpected-killer/crime-news/karen-gregory-killed-by-neighborhood-watch-captain-george-lewis
https://www.oxygen.com/an-unexpected-killer/crime-news/karen-gregory-killed-by-neighborhood-watch-captain-george-lewis
https://www.victimsofthestate.org/FL/Lewis.html
https://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/criminal/former-firefighter-george-lewis-convicted-in-1984-gulfport-murder-dies-in/2186636/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJJEGNleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQZh4gJMkCd5gDzqVdi9GFVZylmN1FwgOMMyl0I0Ih6RAMZv7jqRQoKnXw_aem_PrH8cVQv_p7CsWiatQgleg
#truecrime #murder #mystery
👉 Subscribe for weekly deep dives into unsolved murders, cold cases, and notorious crimes from across the country.
Follow us on Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bloodstainedbackstories/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloodstainedbackstories/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/BloodstaindB
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bloodstainedbackstories
Discord: https://discord.gg/ByrDwT4pQE
Sources:
https://www.oxygen.com/an-unexpected-killer/crime-news/karen-gregory-killed-by-neighborhood-watch-captain-george-lewis
https://www.oxygen.com/an-unexpected-killer/crime-news/karen-gregory-killed-by-neighborhood-watch-captain-george-lewis
https://www.victimsofthestate.org/FL/Lewis.html
https://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/criminal/former-firefighter-george-lewis-convicted-in-1984-gulfport-murder-dies-in/2186636/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJJEGNleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQZh4gJMkCd5gDzqVdi9GFVZylmN1FwgOMMyl0I0Ih6RAMZv7jqRQoKnXw_aem_PrH8cVQv_p7CsWiatQgleg
#truecrime #murder #mystery
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to Bloodstained Backstories, the true crime podcast where
we uncover the chilling stories hidden in plain sight. I'm
your host Jason and I'm your host Summer. In this episode,
we delve into the haunting case of George Lewis, a
trusted firefighter and neighborhood Watch captain in Gulfport, Florida. Beneath
(00:21):
his facade of community service lay a dark secret that
would shock everyone who knew him. Join us as we
unravel the tragic murder of Karen Gregory, a talented artist
whose life was brutally cut short in nineteen eighty four.
Through twists turned and a trail of evidence that took
years to piece together, we explore how a man meant
to protect his community became its greatest threat. Stay tuned
(00:44):
for a story of betrayal, justice, and the shadows that
linger in the most unexpected places.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
George Lewis lived in Gulfport, Florida. He was a firefighter
and a neighborhood crime Watch volunteer. He was a person
with no criminal history. The crime was committed in a
house caddy corner to his own.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
The victim was a thirty six year old female who
had just moved into her boyfriend's house. Her boyfriend was
out of town at a conference. It was her first
night and only night staying alone in her boyfriend's house.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
A neighborhood woman was called by Gregory's boyfriend to check
on her, as he hadn't heard from her. He wanted
to make sure she was all right. The neighborhood went
to the house and knocked on the door. She then
peeked into the window and saw Gregory lying on the
floor in what looked like a pool of blood. She
immediately called nine one one and waited for the police
(01:47):
to arrive.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
The police found a broken glass, suggesting that there was
a struggle of some sort. There was a pool of
blood around Gregory's head, and she had stab wounds around
her neck. Gregory was only partial, which led detective to
suspect that she had been sexually assaulted. There were also
bloody footprints on the floor, but no blood on the
bottom of Gregory's feet. This led police to believe the
(02:11):
footprints were those of her killer.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Neighbors were interviewed. Many reported having heard screams on the
night Gregory was believed to have been killed. None had
called the police because they could not identify where the
screams had come from.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Investigators interviewed Lewis. He told the investigators that he had
been working on his vehicle in his garage that night
and he was playing the radio. He did hear a
faint scream, but upon hearing the scream, he stated he
had gone out to the street to look up and down,
but didn't see anything. Then he added that only strange
(02:45):
thing he did see was a man driving up to
Gregory's boyfriend's house, walking up to the door, and then
walking to the car parked out front, leaving a note
on the car, and then he left.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Investigators knew exactly what Louis was referring to. During their investigation,
they found a note on a car from someone named Peter,
who stated that he had stopped by and had not
seen anyone.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Authorities track down Peter, who was Gregory's friend. He agreed
to give police his fingerprints and footprints, and they allowed
him to leave, but they were still very suspicious of Peter.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
The results of Gregory's autopsy showed that she had been
stabbed dozen enough times and his throat had been slit.
She had been tortured and raped and was killed about
a day and a half before anyone had found her.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
Gregory's boyfriend returned home from his conference and met with police.
He voiced his suspicions about Peter, who he said was
trying to get close to Gregory David. The boyfriend maintained
his innocence, and there was not enough evidence linking either
man to the crime.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Approximately five months after to the murder, police got a
new clue. Someone who lived a few blocks away said
she heard the screams that night, but that it was
a long, sustained scream. This was totally different from what
they had heard from Lewis. Lewis, if you remember, stated
he heard a faint scream, so police brought Lewis in
(04:21):
again for questioning. He still maintained that he had only
heard a faint scream, but this time he added a
new detail. Now Lewis was claiming that he had seen
a tall man with red hair standing near a tree
in the front of the house. Gregory's boyfriend owned he
was unable to explain why he had not stated that.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Before police investigated the tip, they showed pictures of alleged
suspect prowlers in the neighborhood, and he was not able
to identify any of them as the person he saw
that night.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Then the case was broken wide open. Investigators were still
talking to women of the community about an alleged prowler.
One woman described to them of her being watched by
a man, but the man ran away. As she got
closer to the window. She identified the man as Lewis.
Police was shocked as they did not expect that at all.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Police brought Lewis in for questioning again. He did admit
to hanging around the neighbor's window, but he claimed he
was doing his duties as a neighborhood watch. He took
a polygraph test being questioned about the keeping accusations and
Gregory's murder, and guess what, he failed the polygraph.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Once again, Lewis changed his story. He was now stating
that a man he threatened him and that made Lewis
nervous and he failed to test again. Authorities then collected
Lewis's bought prince and fingerprints.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Police researched Lewis's past, and they were very surprised when
they received information that he allegedly imp used his previous
wife and was involved in a swingers club. Lewis's friends
also spoke to authorities and told them that Lewis had
shown sexual interest in Grigory before she moved in with
her boyfriend. She had even made a comment about wanting
(06:15):
to have an orgy with her.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Are you ready for this? When police brought Lewis in
again for questioning, he had a new story. Imagine that.
This time, he stated he went up to the window
and saw her lying on the floor and went inside
to help her. He saw her throat was cut, which
is a detail only the killer would know, so police
(06:39):
did not buy his story.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
The FBI completed its analysis of the bloody footprint left
at the crime scene, and it matched Lewis's footprint. Upon
hearing his footprint match the bloody footprint left inside the house,
Louis's story changed again. This time, he admitted that he
entered the house and came up to the body. He
got sick, went to the bathroom and vomited. He then
(07:05):
ran like a scared rabbit. He also stated he tried
to be helpful, but thought it best not to mention
that he walked away from the murder scene. Now, if
this story is true, why didn't he call for help?
Why didn't he call nine one one, and why would
his story change so many times?
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Lewis had legitimate reason to fear that reporting the crime
would lead to a murder being pinned on him. He
was in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and
stepped in the victim's blood. Lewis was clearly in an
incriminating situation. His failure to report the murder crime cannot
be used as evidence as guilt.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
The police believed that Lewis waited until David was out
of town and attacked. Gregory. Lewis was arrested for rape
and murder in March of nineteen eighty six. He was
found guilty and sentenced to life without parole. J Lewis
died in prison in twenty fifteen at the age of
fifty two.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Thanks for tuning into Bloodstained Backstories. Don't forget to follow
us on social media to stay updated, share your thoughts,
and connect with fellow crime enthusiasts. You can watch us
anywhere you listen to your favorite podcast Spotify, Apple Podcasts,
or you go to platform. Make sure to hit that
subscribe button so you never miss an episode. Join us
(08:27):
next week as we uncover another chilling case. Until then,
stay safe and stay curious,
Welcome back to Bloodstained Backstories, the true crime podcast where
we uncover the chilling stories hidden in plain sight. I'm
your host Jason and I'm your host Summer. In this episode,
we delve into the haunting case of George Lewis, a
trusted firefighter and neighborhood Watch captain in Gulfport, Florida. Beneath
(00:21):
his facade of community service lay a dark secret that
would shock everyone who knew him. Join us as we
unravel the tragic murder of Karen Gregory, a talented artist
whose life was brutally cut short in nineteen eighty four.
Through twists turned and a trail of evidence that took
years to piece together, we explore how a man meant
to protect his community became its greatest threat. Stay tuned
(00:44):
for a story of betrayal, justice, and the shadows that
linger in the most unexpected places.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
George Lewis lived in Gulfport, Florida. He was a firefighter
and a neighborhood crime Watch volunteer. He was a person
with no criminal history. The crime was committed in a
house caddy corner to his own.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
The victim was a thirty six year old female who
had just moved into her boyfriend's house. Her boyfriend was
out of town at a conference. It was her first
night and only night staying alone in her boyfriend's house.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
A neighborhood woman was called by Gregory's boyfriend to check
on her, as he hadn't heard from her. He wanted
to make sure she was all right. The neighborhood went
to the house and knocked on the door. She then
peeked into the window and saw Gregory lying on the
floor in what looked like a pool of blood. She
immediately called nine one one and waited for the police
(01:47):
to arrive.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
The police found a broken glass, suggesting that there was
a struggle of some sort. There was a pool of
blood around Gregory's head, and she had stab wounds around
her neck. Gregory was only partial, which led detective to
suspect that she had been sexually assaulted. There were also
bloody footprints on the floor, but no blood on the
bottom of Gregory's feet. This led police to believe the
(02:11):
footprints were those of her killer.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Neighbors were interviewed. Many reported having heard screams on the
night Gregory was believed to have been killed. None had
called the police because they could not identify where the
screams had come from.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Investigators interviewed Lewis. He told the investigators that he had
been working on his vehicle in his garage that night
and he was playing the radio. He did hear a
faint scream, but upon hearing the scream, he stated he
had gone out to the street to look up and down,
but didn't see anything. Then he added that only strange
(02:45):
thing he did see was a man driving up to
Gregory's boyfriend's house, walking up to the door, and then
walking to the car parked out front, leaving a note
on the car, and then he left.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Investigators knew exactly what Louis was referring to. During their investigation,
they found a note on a car from someone named Peter,
who stated that he had stopped by and had not
seen anyone.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Authorities track down Peter, who was Gregory's friend. He agreed
to give police his fingerprints and footprints, and they allowed
him to leave, but they were still very suspicious of Peter.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
The results of Gregory's autopsy showed that she had been
stabbed dozen enough times and his throat had been slit.
She had been tortured and raped and was killed about
a day and a half before anyone had found her.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
Gregory's boyfriend returned home from his conference and met with police.
He voiced his suspicions about Peter, who he said was
trying to get close to Gregory David. The boyfriend maintained
his innocence, and there was not enough evidence linking either
man to the crime.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Approximately five months after to the murder, police got a
new clue. Someone who lived a few blocks away said
she heard the screams that night, but that it was
a long, sustained scream. This was totally different from what
they had heard from Lewis. Lewis, if you remember, stated
he heard a faint scream, so police brought Lewis in
(04:21):
again for questioning. He still maintained that he had only
heard a faint scream, but this time he added a
new detail. Now Lewis was claiming that he had seen
a tall man with red hair standing near a tree
in the front of the house. Gregory's boyfriend owned he
was unable to explain why he had not stated that.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Before police investigated the tip, they showed pictures of alleged
suspect prowlers in the neighborhood, and he was not able
to identify any of them as the person he saw
that night.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Then the case was broken wide open. Investigators were still
talking to women of the community about an alleged prowler.
One woman described to them of her being watched by
a man, but the man ran away. As she got
closer to the window. She identified the man as Lewis.
Police was shocked as they did not expect that at all.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Police brought Lewis in for questioning again. He did admit
to hanging around the neighbor's window, but he claimed he
was doing his duties as a neighborhood watch. He took
a polygraph test being questioned about the keeping accusations and
Gregory's murder, and guess what, he failed the polygraph.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Once again, Lewis changed his story. He was now stating
that a man he threatened him and that made Lewis
nervous and he failed to test again. Authorities then collected
Lewis's bought prince and fingerprints.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Police researched Lewis's past, and they were very surprised when
they received information that he allegedly imp used his previous
wife and was involved in a swingers club. Lewis's friends
also spoke to authorities and told them that Lewis had
shown sexual interest in Grigory before she moved in with
her boyfriend. She had even made a comment about wanting
(06:15):
to have an orgy with her.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Are you ready for this? When police brought Lewis in
again for questioning, he had a new story. Imagine that.
This time, he stated he went up to the window
and saw her lying on the floor and went inside
to help her. He saw her throat was cut, which
is a detail only the killer would know, so police
(06:39):
did not buy his story.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
The FBI completed its analysis of the bloody footprint left
at the crime scene, and it matched Lewis's footprint. Upon
hearing his footprint match the bloody footprint left inside the house,
Louis's story changed again. This time, he admitted that he
entered the house and came up to the body. He
got sick, went to the bathroom and vomited. He then
(07:05):
ran like a scared rabbit. He also stated he tried
to be helpful, but thought it best not to mention
that he walked away from the murder scene. Now, if
this story is true, why didn't he call for help?
Why didn't he call nine one one, and why would
his story change so many times?
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Lewis had legitimate reason to fear that reporting the crime
would lead to a murder being pinned on him. He
was in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and
stepped in the victim's blood. Lewis was clearly in an
incriminating situation. His failure to report the murder crime cannot
be used as evidence as guilt.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
The police believed that Lewis waited until David was out
of town and attacked. Gregory. Lewis was arrested for rape
and murder in March of nineteen eighty six. He was
found guilty and sentenced to life without parole. J Lewis
died in prison in twenty fifteen at the age of
fifty two.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Thanks for tuning into Bloodstained Backstories. Don't forget to follow
us on social media to stay updated, share your thoughts,
and connect with fellow crime enthusiasts. You can watch us
anywhere you listen to your favorite podcast Spotify, Apple Podcasts,
or you go to platform. Make sure to hit that
subscribe button so you never miss an episode. Join us
(08:27):
next week as we uncover another chilling case. Until then,
stay safe and stay curious,
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