College should be a time for optimism, excitement, and new beginnings. But for students at the University of Florida, their fall semester began with fear and heartbreak. In August of 1990, five young students were found gruesomely murdered in Gainesville, Florida, beginning an intense search for monster known as “The Gainesville Ripper.”

Attorney Rod Smith served as the prosecutor in the trial of Danny Rolling. He looks back at how he was able to secure the death penalty against Rolling and shares how one of Rolling's fellow inmates played a pivotal role in building the case against him.

Rod Smith currently serves as partner at Avera & Smith LLP. Rod is a graduate of the University of Florida College of Law and previously served as state attorney of the Eighth Judicial Circuit. He was a member of the Florida State Senate from 2001-2006.

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