Killer Stories with Harvey Guillén - “Death Row Romeo” Manuel Pardo

Episode Date: March 9, 2023

Before he earned his nickname in prison, Manuel Pardo Jr was a corrupt cop in Florida during the 1980s. But when law enforcement didn’t let him get the justice he wanted, he took the law into his own hands. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Due to the graphic nature of this killer's crimes, listener discretion is advised. This episode includes discussions of violence and murder. We advise extreme caution for children under 13. One night in April 1986, 29-year-old Manny Pardo, was hiding in a bathroom. He could hear the homeowners, Sarah Musa and Farah Cantaro, talking just outside the door. Mani took a deep breath and reached into his pocket for his 22-caliber gun. Then he attached a silencer. Mani caught his reflection in the bathroom mirror and smiled.

He looked like a warrior. And he was, a warrior for justice. Sarah and Farah had betrayed a friend of his, and now they had to suffer the consequences. Mani charged into the room pointing his gun at Sarah with expert marksmanship. He fired repeatedly, spraying her with bullets. Sarah fell to the ground and her partner screamed. Mani turned the weapon on Farah.

But when he tried to fire, the gun jammed. Mani kept his cool. He was a professional, a hero, and he could adapt. He lunged at Farah and slammed his gun into her skull repeatedly until the impact unjammed the weapon. Then Mani stood over Farah and took aim. Hi, I'm Greg Polson. This is Serial Killers, a Spotify original from Parcast.

Every episode, we dive into the minds and madness of serial killers. Today, we'll talk about the crimes of Manuel Pardo Jr., known as the Death Row Romeo. I'm here with my co-host, Vanessa Richardson. Hi, everyone. You can find episodes of serial killers and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free on Spotify. In the first part of this episode, we'll explore Manny's childhood obsession with discipline and righteousness, which led him to join the Navy and eventually the Miami PD. Later, we'll discuss how Manny left the law behind to enact his own version of justice.

As a proud vigilante, Manny believed that jail was too good for drug dealers and criminals. Instead, they deserved a more enduring punishment. Death. We've got all that and more coming up. Stay with us. This episode is brought to you by ZipRecruiter. Whether you're hiring for a role or search. for a killer. The hunt can be exhausting. When detectives looked and searched to find any kind of evidence to find the person they were looking for, like Jack the Ripper, the Golden State Killer,

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That's shopify.com slash killers. Transport your senses with Sol de Janeiro's limited edition perfume mist collection. At Sephora, sprit on lush notes of rainforest orchid and crisp sea breeze with have freshened. Paraiso. Embrace a floral and fruity scent inspired by Rio's nude beach with cheeky bikini or capture sun-kissed bliss with limonada gelada, where zesty Brazilian lemonade accord meets coconut milk and golden brown sugar. Don't miss Sol de Janeiro's limited edition perfume mist collection only at Sephora. Many of us grow up with childhood stories of heroes versus villains, good versus evil, right versus wrong. These tales of moral absolutes are usually

meant to steer us in the right direction. However, reality is more complicated than the simple narrative we heard as kids. We run into gray areas and blurred lines, situations that end up making us more empathetic. But there are some who, no matter what life throws at them, hold tight to their rigid morals. We want to actively protect the world as they see it. People like Manny Pardo. Manuel Pardo Jr. was born in 1956 in Harlem, New York. Mother Patricia was a seamstress, and his father, Manuel Sr., was a banquet waiter.

The family began calling Manuel Jr. Mani, and the nickname stuck. It suited the sweet, eager to please kid. Even as a child, Mani had a natural sense of justice. With the Pardos found a rodent in the apartment, his father wanted to set up mouse traps, but Mani wouldn't let him, saying, the creature had a right to live. Late at night, he even snuck downstairs to feed the mouse crumbs of cheese. While many infamous serial killers butchered small animals as children,

Mani was quite the opposite. Another time he even nursed a stray dog back to health. It wasn't just animals. Mani wanted to take care of the people around him too. He idolized police officers, soldiers, and firefighters, people whose job it was to enforce peace and order in the community. His sister noted his love for uniforms, but really Mani was drawn to the discipline aspect of these jobs,

He liked the idea of following and defending a set of rules. Vanessa is going to take over on the psychology here and throughout the episode. Please note, Vanessa is not a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist, but we have done a lot of research for this show. Thanks, Greg. According to a 2012 study published by psychology research, people who tend to believe in binary opposition, like black or white and good or bad,

are called dichotomous thinkers. These types of thinkers often exhibit characteristics like being harshly critical, stereotyping, and setting unrealistic standards for both others and themselves. Dichotomous thinking is also tied to internal consistency, smartness, and clear-headedness, which may be why Manny had such strong certainty in his moral compass. It's what made him the perfect Boy Scout. When Manny signed up for the Boy Scouts of America, there was literally loved more than donning the army-like shirt with its assorted patches and signature red handkerchief. It embodied everything he cared about, order, discipline, justice, and strength.

And maybe experiencing some of these ideals as a scout is what made him start to dream of joining the army. Except just as Manny was coming to respect the military, the public was starting to distrust it. It was the 1960s and the Vietnam War had been going on for years. When the U.S. first deployed soldiers to Vietnam, many Americans believed in the war. they wanted to defend democracy, human rights, and liberty itself, values that were important to many, too. But public opinion had shifted dramatically. The conflict cost the U.S. more than a billion dollars and thousands of lives. Citizens watched the horrific violence on the news nearly every night. By late 1968, only 35% of Americans still believed in the decision to send troops to Vietnam,

and 53% thought it was an outright mistake. It was no longer clear who the good guys were or what the right decision was. Bowing to public pressure, President Richard Nixon withdrew troops in 1973, finally ending U.S. involvement in the war. So, because of all this, many Americans maintained a sense of cynicism toward their government. But not many. Despite the ambiguity over the war, the teenagers still believed in the idea of right and wrong. And to Manny, the U.S. forces were always right.

In early 1974, four months after his 17th birthday, Manny dropped out of his Catholic high school to enlist in the Navy. In basic training, Manny found the discipline, strength, and order he'd come to love in the Boy Scouts. But the Navy wasn't just about rules and justice. It also held opportunities for glory. He received an award for good conduct and got a sharpshooter certification. shooter certification. And he soon made good use of these newfound skills. In 1975, Cambodian gunboats captured a U.S. cargo ship and were holding the crew hostage.

Manny geared up, boarded a helicopter, and fought in the rescue operation. The conflict lasted for three days and cost around 40 American lives. The hostages were recovered, but the endeavor was considered a poorly planned disaster. Still, Manny might not have viewed it as a failure. His participation in the rescue mission had won him a national defense medal. He was a hero. Afterwards, Manny returned to the U.S. with a newfound sense of pride. But perhaps this confidence went to his head. At one point, he put together a resume. In it, Manny wrote he served in the Vietnam War, even though he didn't join the military until a year after the war was over. As someone who built their life around order, it's unclear why Manny

lied. It's possible that he simply believed his good deeds and pure intentions meant the rules didn't apply to him. Either way, the ploy worked. Eventually, he was accepted at Miami-Dade Community College. Once enrolled, Manny earned mostly A's while still being in active service. During this period, Manny's cousin introduced him to her best friend, a young woman named Marilyn Aguilla. Manny was handsome, studious, and looked good in uniform. It's no wonder he caught Marilyn's eye. The two started dating and got married a year later. In 1978, Mani left the Navy and moved to Miami-Dade County with his new wife. It was a nice enough area, but the military vet took issue with the crime he witnessed, no matter how small. He considered all criminals

scum. It was part of his absolutist thinking, one that likely helped while he served in the military when he had clearly defined enemies. Now that he was home, he seemed to be. He seemed to be a lot of to be making every petty thief and small-time dealer into his adversaries. That's possibly why he applied to the Florida Highway Patrol's Academy. It would give him a way to put bad guys behind bars. Plus, Manny could reclaim his former glory as a star student. Which is exactly what he did. Mani thrived at the Academy. He graduated as valedictorian of his class, and his entire family cheered him on during his graduation ceremony. Surrounded by family, friends, and his wife, Mani walked across the stage as Florida's most promising new officer.

The graduate was then assigned to the police force in Miami, where he surpassed expectations as a rookie cop. In the summer of 1979, Mani earned Trooper of the Month for the entire state of Florida. It seemed that Mani, married, educated, and thriving in his job, was living his childhood dream of protecting the public. But it would only be a matter of time before he made a violent mistake. Coming up, Mani realizes his perfect life is in jeopardy. I'm Darnell Ishmael, guest host of Bass Reeves, No Master But Duty, the special four-part miniseries from Solved Murders. I am honored to take you on a journey deep into the Old West

to meet one of the greatest true crime heroes you may have never known, existed. Bass Reeves. No Master but Duty reveals the true story of a formerly enslaved man who went on to become one of the most legendary U.S. Deputy Marshals in the American West, bringing justice to over 3,000 criminals. Follow solved murders and catch all four episodes of Bass Reeves, No Master But Duty. Listen for free. Only on Spotify. Want to support your gut health? Take Activia's gut health challenge by enjoying two Activia yogurt today for two weeks and see if you feel a difference. With billions of probiotics and 20 years of scientific expertise,

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Mani was used to excellence. He'd been valedictorian of his police academy and had already won accolades while out on the job, so he might have felt pressure to live up to his own reputation, because soon the young officer began falsifying traffic tickets. His belief that he was a hero might have allowed him to justify due to do that. doing what he wanted, even if that meant breaking the rules. But in January 1980, many superiors realized what their star rookie was doing and launched a formal investigation.

At some point during this process, Manny stepped down from his post. Mani had always been the beloved son, Star Pupil, or even Trooper of the Year. This dismissal was his first major failure. It was also likely the first time his integrity was put under a spotlight. and shown to be lacking. As a self-proclaimed good guy, Mani probably hated this. Rather than Wallow, he forged ahead.

Two months later, he got a job at another police department in Sweetwater, Florida, about a 25-minute drive from Miami. But soon, Mani's righteousness got him into hot water again. That August, Mani pulled a car over. It's not clear why he did this, or why the situation escalated so quickly. But according to Manny, the man in the passenger seat, Miguel, jumped out of the car and said,

Hey, pigs, leave my friend alone. In retaliation, Manny took his walkie-talkie and smashed it into Miguel's nose. Then he arrested the man and took him to the Sweetwater jail. Once there, Miguel insisted he hadn't said anything. But rather than believe him, some other officers hit Miguel and told him they'd beat him until he admitted to the insult. When Miguel was eventually released, he wanted justice. Within two weeks, he filed a report and took a lie detector test. With the results on his side, Miguel took Manny to court.

It might have seemed like a straightforward case, but Miguel didn't stand a chance. In the 1980s, Florida is specially Sweetwater, had a reputation for corruption in its police departments. Some cops were guilty of everything from accepting bribes to murder. And now that Manny was a part of Sweetwater, they may have been willing to do everything they could to protect him. According to a 2021 article published by Law Enforcement Action Partnership, police communities often form what's called Blue Culture. In blue culture, law enforcement sticks together in the face of scrutiny. They normalize, defend, and even cover up misconduct.

Those who challenge these officers, even if they're following the law, are seen as outsiders and treated as enemies. This behavior keeps corrupt police in the system and makes reform extremely difficult. So possibly entrenched in this blue culture, Mani's priorities appeared to shift from protecting citizens to punishing them. When the time came for Mani's court appearance, he simply didn't show up. His fellow officers may have covered for him. The charges against Mani were dismissed, and he went back to work. It seems like Mani got all the wrong lessons from the episode, because a

A few years later, he returned the favor. In 1985, one of Mani's fellow cops was accused of drug smuggling in the Bahamas. Manny flew to the islands to testify on behalf of the officer. In front of the judge and jury, Manny said his comrade was innocent. Then he claimed that he and the accused officer were actually international agents on an undercover narcotics mission. It's unclear why Manny included himself in the narrative since he wasn't the one on trial. but maybe he liked thinking of himself as more important and powerful than everyone else in the room. Though he was never diagnosed, Mani's lie suggests he may have grandiose narcissistic tendencies.

A 2020 study published in personality and individual differences says that this form of narcissism shows itself in traits like a sense of superiority and entitlement, overconfidence, a willingness to lie or exploit others, and hostility when challenged. This could explain why Mani created such an unlikely story and why he made himself a star character. After all, he deemed himself special enough to ignore the law before, from forging traffic tickets to beating up law-abiding citizens. But Mani's lie was a step too far, even for the Sweetwater PD. They fired him.

It's hard to imagine the betrayal, Mani felt. He was a star cop who stuck his neck out for his fellow officers, and now, they were showing him the door. His professional life was in tatters. Much of his identity was wrapped up in being an officer of the law. But now, all that was gone. It may have been around this time that he'd turned to some questionable inspiration to help him fill the void.

We don't know when, but Manny, who'd always been drawn to authority and discipline, began collecting books on Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. It soon grew to more than just a casual interest. He hung a portrait of Hitler in his room and even tattooed his swastika on his dog's leg. Mani thought the dictator was a hero who, quote, rooted out the evil. And as someone yearning for a society with no bad people, Mani was inspired by Hitler's deranged mission. His whole life, Mani wanted to be a good guy. Now he was redefining what good meant to him. He seemed to be creating his own version of right and wrong, and he'd soon find

other like-minded people to help him enforce this belief. Soon after his dismissal, Mani's brother-in-law introduced him to a 24-year-old auto parts repairman named Rolando Garcia. Despite coming from different backgrounds, Mani and Rolando got along immediately. They went to bars and chatted all night. Before long, their discussions turned to the criminal scum that they saw in their communities, and how the justice system was deeply flawed. That's when Manny came to a realization, Sweetwater had been holding him back. He was a warrior of virtue, and the truth was he couldn't do the work he needed to do within the confines of law.

If he wanted to rid the world of evil, he had to take matters into his own hands. Mani asked Rolando to be his sidekick and help him with a mission, target drug dealers in Florida, and remove them from society permanently. It's unclear why Manny asked the repairman to help. Rolando did have some valuable contacts in the area, and perhaps Manny needed backup to give him the courage. According to a 2018 article published in Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice, there's a phenomenon called group polarization, in which a group of people, even as few as two, make decisions that are more extreme than they would make as individuals.

So it's possible that Manny never would have decided to become a vigilante. without the support he received from Rolando, the Robin to his Batman. And in return, the auto repairman may have felt empowered by Manny, who was educated, decorated, and passionate. The duo decided their first step was to infiltrate the community of criminals and drug dealers. So in late 1985, Manny and Rolando approached a drug kingpin named Ramon Alverro, known as El Negro, and offered their services. Ramon accepted the two men into his crew.

He likely knew that Manny was a corrupt cop, and maybe he thought that could come in handy down the line. For the first few weeks, Manny and Rolando made the rounds for Ramon, buying and selling cocaine, but eventually it came time for Manny to enact his plan. In January, 1986, Manny and Rolando went to the home of 33-year-old Mario Amador to purchase two kilograms of cocaine. was a civil engineer and his boyfriend, 28-year-old Roberto Alonso, was a parking lot attendant, but they sold cocaine on the side.

The couple had gotten a call from a friend warning them that Manny and Rolando were suspicious, but when the two men arrived, supposedly armed with enough cash to make a deal, Mario and Roberto let them in. Business was business. As soon as Mario took out the drugs, Manny took something out too, but it wasn't money. It was a 22-caliber pistol, equipped with a silencer. Mani pointed the gun and pulled the trigger, spraying Mario and Roberto with bullets. Both victims went down quickly. When Mani was later asked how many times he shot the victims, he said as many times as he felt was necessary.

He said, quote, I felt good doing it, so if I ran out of bullets, I put another clip in my gun. Filled with pride, Manny took out a camera and snapped pictures of the bodies. To him, this was a day of victory. He wanted to remember it. He and Rolando took the drugs and left the bodies where they were. An investigation ensued, but it didn't lead anywhere. It seemed Manny had gotten away with his first two kills. But a few days later, the ex-cop ran into a problem.

There was a rumor that the gunsmith he'd purchased. silencers from, 43-year-old Michael Millett, aka Frenchi, was actually a federal informant. True or not, Manny wasn't going to take any chances. At the end of the month, Manny and Rolando arranged a meeting with the infamous Frenchie. They picked him up in Manny's wife's car and ushered the man into the front seat. From the back, Manny pulled out a 9-millimeter pistol and shot Michael in the head, drenching his wife's Honda in blood. Quickly, the pair ditched Michael's body on an isolated dirt road,

about a quarter mile north of the Dade Broward County line. Now they just had to deal with the mess. Mani and Rolando mopped up as much blood as possible from the car, then drove it to an auto-uolstery shop. There, the car was cleaned and re-upholstered and returned to Mani's driveway. Mani relished his vigilante lifestyle and filled journals with details about the murders. He recorded his personal account, took photos, and followed each investigation closely. Perhaps the work made him miss being a cop,

because shortly after killing Michael, he filled out an application to be an officer in nearby Miramar, Florida. Though he'd clearly turned his back on the law, it seemed Manny's thirst for authority knew no bounds. A short time later, the department invited Manny to the next level of the application process, a written test. They had no idea their newest candidate was already patrolling the streets, but he wasn't arresting criminals. He was executing them. Coming up, Manny shoots himself in the foot, literally. This episode is brought to you by Prime.

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Mani had never felt more fulfilled. Beyond the confines of law and order, he could finally be the avenger he always wanted to be. In fact, he began wearing his military fatigues around town. Every hero needs a costume, after all. A 2018 paper published by the American Journal of Psychology points out that this behavior falls under a phenomenon called real-life superhero, or RLSH. It's where people use heroism as an excuse to violate social norms. Those who exhibit RLSH are also associated with extreme altruism and narcissism, meaning they want to give up their life for the well-being of others and be superior to others. Vigilantism can be a way to satisfy both of these desires, which Manny was finding out.

He'd already killed three people, but rather than experiencing guilt, he felt like a superhero. Convinced he was doing the right thing, Manny even bragged to a few companions about the murders. 23-year-old Carlos Ribeira was one of Manny and Rinaldo's most trusted confidants. They told him about each kill and even showed him pictures. Carlos kept quiet, but it wasn't because he agreed with what they were doing. He was just scared to get on their bad side. Carlos wasn't the only one having second thoughts about the duo. Ramon Alverro, the drug dealer they were working for,

didn't like what he'd been hearing about their murders. Not only did it call attention to his business, but he worried they would turn on him. Ramon continued to give them work, but tried to avoid them as much as possible. He likely suspected their rampage was just the beginning. In February 1986, a month after killing Michael, Mani and Rolando went to the home of 37-year-old Luis Robledo and 39-year-old Ulpiano Ledo.

Mani and Rolando were there under the pretences of buying cocaine. Once they got inside, Mani excused himself to go to the bathroom. There, he took his 22-caliber pistol from his pocket and attached to silencer. After a deep breath, Mani burst out of the bathroom. He fired a series of bullets at Luis and Ulpiano, killing the two men. instantly. Before leaving, Mani and Rolando went through Luis's wallet and grabbed his credit cards. Mani, per usual, took a photo of the bodies. After the murders, Mani and Rolanda decided that this time, they should take some extra precautions. Perhaps to make it seem like Luis was still alive,

Mani bought a tape recorder, a car radio, and speakers with his stolen credit cards to leave a paper trail. Rolando recruited others to do the same. At some point, Manny and Rolando reached out to some of their friends for help, including a young couple, Farah Kintero, and Saramusa. However, Farah was annoyed with Rolando. He owed her $50 and refused to pay her back. Now here he was, asking for yet another favor. Eventually, the couple complained to a mutual friend and word traveled back to Rolando, who took the insult to heart. Manny, who cared deeply about integrity and reputation, was probably furious on Rolando's behalf.

Together, they decided to make the women pay. Mani and Rolando knocked on the door of Sarah and Farah's house that April with the same murderous plan as usual. The couple let them in. Mani went into the bathroom and prepared his gun, while his sidekick kept the women busy. When he was ready, Manny stormed back into the road. room and shot Sarah several times. She fell to the ground dead. Then he turned the gun on Farah.

But before he could kill her too, the weapon jammed. Farah tried to get away, but Manny lunged at her. He slammed the gun against her head repeatedly. This unjammed the weapon and Manny shot her several times before taking off. Sarah's mother found the two women's bodies the next day and contacted the police. Officials then recovered the 22-caliber bullets from Sarah and Faris remains. While the cops looked for answers, Mani and Rolando ran into another problem. Ramon, their main contact into the world of drug dealers, had avoided them for weeks. The day after they murdered Sarah and Farah, for instance, Ramon bailed on yet another meeting. Manny realized that the drug dealer might not be useful to them after all. Plus, he was a criminal.

And if he wasn't serving up fresh targets, then perhaps he should be the next one himself. The following day, Mani and Rolando went to Ramon's house and forced him and his girlfriend Daisy Ricard into Ramon's own car. The four drove out to an isolated area. Ramon likely knew what was in store and prayed for a miracle. But none came. Eventually, Manny pulled the car over and forced the couple out. He pointed his 22-caliber gun directly at Ramon. He felt no sympathy for the man in front of him, only disgust.

Mani fired several times, killing Ramon instantly. He pointed the gun at Daisy. She wasn't a criminal, but she was with Ramon. To Manny, that made her complicit. He pulled the trigger, but once again the gun jammed. Mani slammed the weapon down onto Daisy's head, just like he had the last time. Fortunately for Mani, it worked. The gun immediately unjammed. Unfortunately for Mani, it also fired off a round directly into his ankle.

Furious and bleeding, he shot Daisy several times. Then Mani and Rolando dropped her body in a field and left Ramon's remains at a landfill. Hours later, a motorist found Daisy and a group of constructions. construction workers discovered Ramon. Police went to investigate the bodies, once again recovering the 22-caliber bullets. The perpetrator was long gone, but this time he wasn't moving quite as fast. Bleeding and in pain, many couldn't think straight. He knew he had to get to a hospital. He also knew he had to get as far away from the murders as possible. So he purchased plane tickets to New York. He and Rolando wrapped his wound as much as possible, found a wheelchair,

and drove to the airport. On the plane, when the stewardess asked what happened, Manny snapped that he'd been in a car accident. Once they landed, Manny went to a New York hospital. He told the doctors that he and Rolando were walking along Broadway when someone randomly shot him. The doctors got to work immediately and called the NYPD about the shooting.

The Metro Homicide Division was surprised when they got the call. They hadn't heard anything about gunshots in the area. When investigators looked into it, they didn't turn anything up. That led authorities to wonder if Manny might have been shot in another part of the country, then took a flight to the city. Bingo. After looking into recent flight arrivals into New York, the NYPD discovered that two men bought last-minute plane tickets from Florida to New York,

and one of the passengers had the same first name as the man in the hospital, Manuel. When flight attendants were interviewed about the last-minute passengers, passengers, one remembered Manny and said he'd been injured in an apparent car accident. By this point, it seemed clear that Manny and his accomplice were lying about something. Authorities just needed to find out what. And when doctors removed a 22-caliber bullet from Manny's ankle, the NYPD looped in Florida officials. If there were any violent crimes in the last few days using 22-caliber bullets, they wanted to

know about them. The Florida homicide detectives flagged the bodies of Ramon Alvaro and Daisy Ricard. The timing, the bullets, the strange car crash story. It all added up. It's not clear that the Florida police told the NYPD about the other crime scenes that had used that kind of ammunition too. But it's likely they saw a possible connection. Because after speaking with New York investigators,

a few Florida detectives flew in to take a look at the bullet. So while Manny was recovering in the hospital, Florida officials were close by, eagerly gathering more evidence against him. But they might not have needed to go to New York after all. Carlos Ribera, the man who listened to Manny brag about the murders and even saw pictures, heard the vigilante duo might be in trouble. He figured if he didn't speak up now, they would kill him to cover their tracks. So Carlos told the police everything he knew about Manny. and Rolando, which was enough to obtain a search warrant for Manny's apartment.

Inside Manny's room, detectives found a calendar that marked the dates of each attack, a bunch of newspaper clippings about the investigations, and even brief details about the murders he'd written in a diary. They also discovered tallies that counted the number of lives Manny claimed. A prosecutor later said that Manny had to, quote, record everything for posterity. The hero was proud of his work. Most importantly, investigators found bullet casings that matched several murders. They had more than enough to link Manny to each of the nine victims.

Mani was taken back to Florida, where his family had rallied around him. His parents and sister all insisted he was innocent and could never hurt anyone. He was a cop, not a killer. He dedicated his life to helping others. However, the evidence stated otherwise. Mani's lawyers got to work quickly, deciding to go for an insanity plea. But Mani had other ideas. The former cop took the witness stand against the wishes of his counsel.

He admitted to murdering all nine victims and said he wasn't insane at all. In front of the courtroom, Mani insisted he was doing society of favor by killing all of those drug dealers. At his sentencing, Mani said, quote, I'm not a criminal, I'm a soldier. As a soldier, I asked be given the death penalty. I accomplished my mission. In 1988, Mani got his wish and was sentenced to execution. His accomplice, Rolando, was convicted of four counts of murder

and sentenced to death as well. But Rolando eventually appealed the charge. Manny even testified at his friend's trial, declaring that Rolando, Rolando never killed anyone or plotted the murders. Mani was loyal to Rolando, but perhaps he also wanted to be a martyr and saved the people he believed were worth saving, the so-called good guys. It worked. Rolando's sentence was reduced to 25 years in prison, and he was released early in 2002.

But Manny wasn't going anywhere. He dedicated his life to ridding the world of criminals, but now he was the one behind Bollandoval. he may have felt that the world owed him a debt of gratitude. So, for the rest of his days, Mani placed lonely hearts ads in tabloids and newspapers. When women responded, he engaged in loving and seductive correspondences with them. In exchange, they sent him cash. But once he got the money, he would respond to his pen pals and accuse them of playing emotional games. He successfully scammed about 30 women.

Though Manny was eventually caught, he hadn't really broken any prison rules, and there was no way to punish him, especially considering he'd already been sentenced to death. But it did earn him his nickname, Death Row Romeo. In December 2012, after 24 years, Manny ate his last meal, a Cuban-style dinner with several of his family and friends. At 7.47 p.m., Manny took his last breath. then died by lethal injection. Though we might not ever know exactly what went on in Manny's head, the tale of a vigilante murderer trying to do good in the world might have struck a chord, at least in Hollywood.

A group of internet sleuths believed Manny was the inspiration for the TV show Dexter. It's about a Miami serial killer and cop who murdered people he deemed criminals. Like Dexter, Manny was a misguided vigilante, With his absolutist thinking, he killed drug dealers to make the world a better place. That's all they were to him. But really, those were regular people, working as engineers, secretaries, and parking lot attendants. They were sons and daughters, partners, and friends. When Mani removed them from the world, he wasn't making society a better place.

He thought he was a hero, a soldier. But by trying to act like one, he turned himself into the thing He hated most. A villain. Thanks again for tuning into serial killers. We'll be back with a new episode. You can find all episodes of serial killers

and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free on Spotify. We'll see you next time. Stay safe out there. Serial Killers is a Spotify original from Parcast. Executive produced by Max Cutler, our head of programming is Julian Boireau. Our supervising sound designer is Russell Nash

with Nick Johnson as our head of production and quality control by Spencer Howard. Stacey Nemick is our supervising editor and Derek Jennings is our writing lead. This episode of Serial Killers was written by Kit Fitzgerald, edited by Ben Carrow and Kate Murdoch, fact-checked by Catherine Barner, researched by Brian Petrus and Chelsea Wood, produced by Bruce Kitovich, and sound design by Michael Motion. Our hosts are Greg Paulson and me, Vanessa Richardson. I'm Darnell Ishmael. This February on Solved Murders, join me for a four-part miniseries on the incredible life and career of Bass Reeves, one of the preeminent U.S. deputy marshals in the American West. In Bass Rees, no master but duty, discover how a man born into slavery took freedom by force and brought over 3,000 criminals to justice, including his own sons.

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