Investigators revisit Florida serial killer case as search resumes for possible additional victims

Florida began searching a Hernando County spot this week for imaginable further victims linked to convicted serial slayer Billy Mansfield, decades aft 4 bodies were discovered during an probe tied to his family.

The hunt began Monday, and involves investigators from the Hernando County Sheriff's Office, the FBI and the State Attorney's Office, who are excavating an country astatine Dry Creek Ranch aft cadaver dogs alerted determination during a caller search.

FOX 13 Tampa Bay reported that authorities person been searching wooded areas adjacent ranch spot arsenic portion of the investigation.

The hunt stems from a years-long effort by authorities to revisit accusation connected to Mansfield, whose household lived connected Centerwood Avenue successful Hernando County.

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Investigators hunt a Hernando County spot connected Tuesday portion authorities proceed examining accusation tied to convicted serial slayer Billy Mansfield, shown astatine right. (FOX 13 Tampa)

According to Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis, Billy Mansfield and his brother, Gary Mansfield, traveled to California successful the precocious 1970s, and became progressive successful a homicide investigation.

Information developed during that lawsuit led Hernando County investigators to get a hunt warrant for spot connected to the Mansfield family, wherever 4 bodies were discovered successful the aboriginal 1980s.

Two of the 4 victims were identified comparatively quickly, portion investigators aboriginal identified a third. Authorities person precocious developed familial genealogy leads that could assistance place the remaining unfortunate and find surviving relatives.

Authorities person agelong suspected determination whitethorn beryllium further victims.

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Theresa Fillingim is shown successful an undated photograph. Fillingim was among the victims linked to convicted serial slayer Billy Mansfield. (FOX 13 Tampa)

Nienhuis said Billy Mansfield antecedently indicated determination could beryllium much bodies successful Hernando, Pasco and Pinellas counties, but investigators were incapable to scope an statement that would person provided further accusation successful speech for reduced charges.

The sheriff's bureau reopened portions of the probe astir 3 years ago, reviewing thousands of lawsuit files and conducting interviews with Mansfield with assistance from national and authorities authorities.

Investigators antecedently excavated different determination identified during the reappraisal but recovered nary quality remains. A continued introspection of records yet led authorities to hunt further areas northbound and westbound of anterior hunt sites.

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Elaine Ziegler, left, and Sandra Jean Graham are shown successful undated photos. Both were victims linked to convicted serial slayer Billy Mansfield. (FOX 13 Tampa)

Cadaver dogs searched an country adjacent Fort Dade Avenue and Citrus Way connected Monday but recovered nary denotation of buried quality remains. At Dry Creek Ranch, however, the dogs produced capable alerts to punctual investigators to statesman digging.

"We're cautiously optimistic we mightiness really find something," Nienhuis said.

The sheriff noted that immoderate aboriginal prosecution is improbable due to the fact that of the property of the case, but said investigators stay committed to identifying imaginable victims and providing answers to families who whitethorn person spent decades wondering what happened to their loved ones.

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The hunt remains ongoing.

Mansfield's sanction resurfaced nationally past year, aft helium confessed to the sidesplitting of an Ohio teen whose outpouring interruption disappearance had remained unsolved for decades.

In January 2024, Mansfield confessed to sidesplitting 18-year-old Carol Ann Barrett much than 4 decades earlier.

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Barrett's assemblage was recovered successful a ditch on Interstate 95 successful Jacksonville, Florida, connected March 24, 1980. A time earlier, the Ohio autochthonal had been enjoying outpouring interruption successful Daytona Beach erstwhile she was kidnapped from her motel.

For decades, investigators had small much than Barrett's assemblage and a composite sketch of a fishy based connected interviews with her friends. The lawsuit remained unsolved until investigators revived it astir 2017.

Mansfield yet confessed to Barrett's abduction and execution aft astir 2 years of interviews with investigators. He was 24 years aged astatine the clip of her death.

Mansfield is presently serving a beingness condemnation successful California and 4 concurrent beingness sentences successful Florida successful transportation with the murders of 5 women and girls betwixt 1975 and 1980.

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He buried respective of his victims beneath his Spring Hill location connected Florida's Gulf Coast, astir 2½ hours from Daytona Beach, wherever Barrett was abducted.

Mansfield pleaded blameworthy to a California execution to debar the decease punishment successful Florida and has been incarcerated since 1982.