EPISODE FOUR:
BEAUTY WAS THEIR
DEATH SENTENCE
In this hugely emotional episode of "Catching Evil," we unravel the haunting disappearance of model Rosario 'Chary' Gonzalez, a heartbreaking case that cast a dark shadow over the 1984 Miami Grand Prix. With her beauty as both a blessing and a curse, Rosario’s story serves as a chilling reminder of the dangers that lurk beneath the surface.
Rosario, a model and beauty queen winner known for her kind heart, vanished without a trace after heading to work on that fateful Sunday morning. Her fiancé, Bill Londos, was left reeling from the sudden loss, and shares how their dreams of a life together were cruelly snatched away. “This was my whole future,” he reflects, his voice filled with anguish. Bill describes the heartbreaking turmoil of not having closure, expressing the deep impact Rosario’s disappearance has had on him and her family.
He recalls the moment he learned something was wrong. After receiving a frantic call from Rosario's parents, he immediately drove five hours to help search for her. “I knew in my gut that something was very wrong,” he admits, recalling the panic that set in as hours passed without word from Rosario.
The episode delves into the frantic search efforts, with Bill and Rosario’s family desperately trying to find answers. Despite their pleas for help, the investigation faced numerous challenges as the police began piecing together Rosario’s last known movements. Witness accounts emerged, including a sketch of a man seen with her near the Miami Arena—a potential lead that offered a glimmer of hope in a growing nightmare.
As the narrative unfolds, we learn about the connection between Rosario and Christopher Wilder, the notorious "Beauty Queen Killer." Experts discuss how Wilder’s manipulative tactics often involved luring young women under the guise of modeling opportunities, a chilling pattern that fits Rosario’s story. Bill reveals how Rosario had previously encountered Wilder, recounting her discomfort during a photoshoot that had taken place at his home. “She refused to go topless, and I think that may have saved her life,” he speculates, connecting the dots between rejection and Wilder's violent tendencies.
The episode is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the terrifying reality faced by so many young women. Bill’s heartfelt memories of Rosario paint a vivid picture of a life interrupted—a beautiful soul taken too soon. “She was the nicest person in the world,” he says, his emotion palpable.
As the search for answers continues, the podcast highlights the importance of remembering the victims of such tragedies. Rosario Gonzalez’s story serves as a reminder of the hidden dangers that lurk in the shadows, waiting to strike. With each revelation, listeners are drawn deeper into the chilling world of serial killer Christopher Wilder, where beauty did indeed become a death sentence.
A HEARTBREAKING LOVE STORY
Rosario Gonzalez with fiance Bill Londos
Q: At the time of Rosario's death, did Miami have a high murder rate?
A: Yes. In 1984, Dade County, which surrounds the Miami metropolitan area, and was known as the "murder capital" of the nation, with 23.7 homicides per 100,000 population, surpassing all other major urban areas.
In a story that captures both the beauty of young love and the tragedy of loss, the romance between Bill Londos and Rosario Gonzalez stands as a poignant reminder of how swiftly life can change. At just 21 years old, Bill was deeply in love with Rosario—known affectionately as Chary—who was not only his first kiss but also the woman he planned to marry.
Their love story blossomed in the halls of Miami Dade Community College, where Bill first spotted Rosario and was instantly smitten. He waited three weeks at the same spot until fate finally brought her back into his life.
Their relationship quickly flourished, filled with dreams of a shared future. Rosario was working at the Grand Prix to help pay for their life together, making plans for their wedding just months away. But on that fateful Sunday morning, the joy of their engagement was shattered. Bill spoke to her until 2 a.m. that night, but by evening, Rosario had vanished.
Bill’s heartache deepened when her parents called him frantic, and he raced five hours to their home. The police initially hesitated to issue a missing persons report, but Bill's determination led to a search that included a witness who described seeing Rosario with a man fitting the description of serial killer Christopher Wilder. It was a chilling connection that would haunt Bill forever.
As the investigation unfolded, Bill was left feeling powerless. He has since been married and divorced four times, lamenting that “no woman will ever compare to Rosario.” The love they shared was unique, and her absence has left a void that he struggles to fill. He recalls the day they were meant to marry, spending it alone in prayer at the church, grappling with the pain of not knowing what happened to his beloved.
Despite the passage of time, Bill seeks closure. He dreams of providing Rosario with a proper resting place, wanting to pay for a grave and a headstone, alongside which he wishes to be buried one day. He still holds her wedding ring close, a symbol of the life they never had together.
Bill believes that incompetence in handling the case allowed Wilder to evade justice, leading to more victims. “There’s no reason why they shouldn’t have picked him up,” Bill asserts, recalling the anger and resentment he felt towards law enforcement. The detectives went home every day, leaving families like his in despair.
The emotional weight of Rosario’s disappearance continues to shape Bill’s life. “I don’t know if I am a better person for what happened,” he reflects, acknowledging that the tragedy has molded his character in ways he may never fully understand. “But deep down, I know it has shaped my personality over the years.”
REMEMBERING ROSARIO:
A SISTER'S TRIBUTE
As Rosario "Chary" Gonzalez’s younger sister, Lisette Hopwood carries the weight of loss and longing every day. Rosario, a vibrant model and beauty queen, was not just a sibling but a guiding light in Lisette’s life. Their bond was deep, and Lisette often felt the need to protect her older sister, who was sweet, naive, and kind-hearted. “She was the nicest person in the world,” Lisette reflects, emphasizing how Rosario’s charm drew everyone in.
When Rosario went missing just days before her wedding to fiancé Bill Londos, the family’s world shattered. “This was my whole future,” Bill expressed, mourning not just the loss of his bride-to-be but a love he would never fully reclaim. Lisette recalls the emotional turmoil that followed, with Bill spending months in anguish at her family's home, crying for the love he lost.
The impact on Lisette and her parents was profound. Their once joyful household was steeped in sorrow, leading them to forgo celebrations for years. “For many years, there was no happiness in the house,” Lisette admits, reflecting on the void left by Rosario’s absence.
Lisette understands the pain of families like those of the Wanda Beach victims. “My family never got closure,” she empathizes, highlighting the shared grief that binds them. Despite the passage of time, Lisette often feels Rosario’s presence in her life and speaks to her at night, wishing for the sisterly bond she lost. “I always wanted my daughter to have a sister,” she confesses, emphasizing the special connection that remains unfulfilled.
The impact of Rosario's disappearance has shaped Lisette’s life choices, making her a protective parent. “I never wanted to leave my kids alone,” she shares, motivated by the loss of her sister. As she navigates motherhood, she hopes to instil in her children the same adventurous spirit that defined Rosario.
In remembering Rosario, Lisette honours the love and dreams they shared, and while the pain of loss remains, the memories of her sister’s beauty and kindness continue to inspire her every day.
We Want Your Help
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5 TAKEAWAYS FROM EPISODE FOUR
1. A Haunting Disappearance: The episode centers on the tragic case of Rosario “Chary” Gonzalez, a model who vanished without a trace during the 1984 Miami Grand Prix. Her beauty, once a blessing, became a curse as her disappearance cast a dark shadow over the event, leaving her family and fiancé, Bill Londos, in despair.
2. Bill's Heartbreak: Fiancé Bill Londos shares the profound impact of Rosario's disappearance on his life. Reflecting on their stolen future together, he expresses his anguish, stating, “This was my whole future.” His emotional turmoil highlights the deep scars left by her loss and the lack of closure he still feels.
3. Frantic Search Efforts: After receiving a frantic call from Rosario's parents, Bill drove five hours to help search for her, convinced something was very wrong. The episode details the desperate search efforts by Bill and her family, as they faced numerous challenges and the growing fear of the unknown.
4. The Connection to Christopher Wilder: Experts discuss the chilling link between Rosario and Christopher Wilder, the "Beauty Queen Killer." Bill reveals that Rosario had previously encountered Wilder during a photoshoot, where her refusal to go topless may have saved her life, underscoring the dangers posed by predatory individuals.
5. A Reminder of Hidden Dangers: The episode serves as a poignant exploration of love and loss, emphasizing the importance of remembering victims like Rosario. Bill’s heartfelt memories remind listeners that beauty can sometimes attract danger and that the shadows of evil are always lurking, waiting to strike.
Book extract The Pretty Girl Killer courtesy of Penguin Random House
"Hello, Chary, I thought it was you,’ she heard someone say. She looked up and recognised him immediately. Her heart sank. It was the creepy guy she’d stupidly done a photo shoot with. She’d gone without telling her parents and had instantly regretted it.
‘Oh, hello,’ she replied, reluctantly. ‘I’m working and just on my lunch break, so I can’t stop,’ she said, moving off. He stepped forward, blocking her path. ‘I need you to come with me right now, do you understand?’ he said, staring over her shoulder, his eyes cold. ‘If you don’t, I will send those photographs we did to your parents.’
Chary’s world instantly collapsed. The thought of her father, a church deacon and the most gentle, kind and loving man, seeing those pictures filled her with horror. And what Bill would say if he found out, she couldn’t bear thinking about it.
‘Why are you doing this?’ Chary said to Wilder. My car is only a few minutes away. Come with me, I can show you the photographs, it won’t take very long and if you do exactly
what I say, I will give you all the negatives,’ he told her, holding up a film canister for her to see."
Wilder sits in his race car, a sleek black Porsche 911 Turbo, number fifty-one, just before competing in the 1984 Miami Grand Prix.
His was only a side bill race to the weekend’s main event, but he didn’t care. He’d started in twenty-first place on the grid and battled up four places to finish with a small allocation of the prize money.
This was on the Saturday. The following day, Sunday, he returned to the track and abducted Rosario Gonzalez, who he had previously photographed in a shoot that had ended badly.
He'd spotted Rosario working, distributing free aspirins for a sponsor.
Her body has never been found.