Born & Raised to Murder: How the State of Florida conceived, fostered and reared a serial killer
Co-authored by Judge Irene Sullivan (retired) and Institute founder Dewey Caruthers
Click to read Book Preview that includes photos
The upcoming death penalty trial of Florida serial killer Leo Boatman, known as the “Ocala Forest Killer,” will serve as the final chapter to the book written about him called “Born & Raised to Murder: How the State of Florida conceived, fostered and reared a serial killer.” Boatman has murdered three people and awaits trial, expected in early 2022, for his alleged fourth killing.
The book chronicles Boatman’s entire life, starting with his birth at a mental institution that was the result of his mother being raped by a guard or fellow patient, to sexual abuse by family and friends that began before age 4.
During his adolescence, Boatman experienced physical torture and sexual abuse in a foster home that was later closed due to its treatment of children.
As a teenager, he spent six years in juvenile detention and prison facilities, which included a military-style boot camp later shut down for severe abuse and fatalities. This made him the longest incarcerated juvenile in Florida’s history.
When Boatman left prison in 2006, he was not offered any transitional resources like a halfway house or probation officer.
What did the State of Florida think was going to happen?