Known for beating women, Gilyard had been accused of rape several times, but the allegations never stuck.. until he was charged with the rape of a 13 year-old girl in 1975. After serving nine months in prison, he returned to Kansas City where he began killing. During the day, Gilyard worked a normal job as a trash-collection supervisor, and at night he would prowl the streets of Kansas City killing women. All 13 of his victims were prostitutes. He would pick a prostitute, have sex, then would strangle them with with whatever he could get his hands on. Gilyard often left the bodies of the women in vacant lots and secluded areas. After being found guilty for six of the murders, he was sentenced to life.
