Arthur Frederick Goode III was an American serial killer and child molester who was convicted of murdering three boys in Florida during the 1970s and 1980s. His confirmed victims were 11-year-old Richard Belcher, 10-year-old Richard Hunsperger and 10-year-old David Oakes, all of whom were abducted, sexually assaulted and murdered. Goode was also investigated in connection with additional child disappearances and killings, but he was never convicted of those cases. He received death sentences for multiple murders and was executed in Florida's electric chair at Florida State Prison on April 5, 1987.
Early Life
Arthur Frederick Goode III was born on December 20, 1954, in Miami, Florida. His childhood was reportedly troubled, and he became involved in juvenile delinquency before developing a pattern of sexual offending against children.
As a young man, Goode accumulated arrests and convictions for sexual offences and other crimes. His criminal history included molestation and kidnapping-related offences, and he spent periods in institutional custody. Despite these earlier offences, he repeatedly returned to communities in South Florida where he had access to children.
Goode's behaviour became increasingly predatory over time. He developed a particular fixation on young boys and eventually progressed from sexual offending to kidnapping and murder.
Killing Spree
Goode's first confirmed murder victim was 11-year-old Richard Belcher, who disappeared from the Hollywood, Florida, area in 1978. Belcher was sexually assaulted and strangled, and his body was later discovered in a canal.
In 1982, Goode abducted 10-year-old Richard Hunsperger in Hollywood. Hunsperger was sexually assaulted and strangled before his body was disposed of in a canal. The similarities between the murders eventually helped investigators identify Goode as the perpetrator.
Goode's final confirmed victim was 10-year-old David Oakes, who disappeared from Hollywood in 1984. Oakes was sexually assaulted and strangled. His body was found several weeks later, and investigators eventually linked Goode to the killing.
Modus Operandi
Goode targeted young boys, typically approaching or abducting them in South Florida before taking them to secluded locations. His victims were sexually assaulted before being strangled and their bodies abandoned in waterways or isolated areas.
The repeated combination of child abduction, sexual assault and strangulation established a clear pattern across the murders for which Goode was convicted. Investigators also examined similarities between his confirmed murders and other unsolved child disappearances in Florida.
Goode's offending demonstrated an escalating pattern of sexual predation and violence against children, with his later crimes eventually leading to his identification, arrest and prosecution.
Capture
Goode was arrested after investigators developed evidence connecting him to the disappearance and murder of David Oakes. Detectives discovered that Goode had been seen with Oakes shortly before the boy disappeared and built a case around witness testimony and other evidence.
He was subsequently questioned about the Oakes murder and became a suspect in the earlier killings of Richard Belcher and Richard Hunsperger. Investigators ultimately established sufficient evidence to prosecute him for multiple murders.
Goode's arrest also allowed authorities to examine his possible involvement in other unsolved cases involving children. Although he was questioned about additional killings, those cases did not result in murder convictions.
Trial & Sentence
Goode was prosecuted in Florida for the murders of Richard Belcher, Richard Hunsperger and David Oakes. Prosecutors presented evidence concerning the children's disappearances, sexual assaults and murders and demonstrated similarities between the crimes.
He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. His convictions and death sentences were subsequently reviewed through Florida's appellate courts and federal proceedings.
Goode remained on Florida's death row while pursuing appeals. His final legal challenges were unsuccessful, and his execution was scheduled at Florida State Prison.
On April 5, 1987, Arthur Frederick Goode III was executed by electrocution at Florida State Prison. He was 32 years old.
Notes
Goode was one of several Florida death-row prisoners whose crimes against children attracted significant public attention during the 1980s. His case was notable not only because of the three murder convictions but also because investigators examined him in connection with additional unsolved child disappearances.
Authorities never established sufficient evidence to convict Goode of those additional cases, and the confirmed CrimeTrakr murder count should therefore remain limited to the three boys for whom he was convicted.
Goode's execution occurred during a period when Florida was relying heavily on the electric chair for carrying out death sentences. His death became part of the state's wider history of capital punishment during the 1980s.
Sources:
- Florida Supreme Court
- Florida Department of Corrections
- Broward County court records
- Broward County Sheriff's Office
- Associated Press
- The New York Times
- The Washington Post
- United Press International
Media
📺 Documentaries / TV Series
Florida Death Row
Historical true-crime programming examining Goode's murders, investigation, conviction and execution.
Serial Killers
Documentary programming about American serial killers has covered Goode's crimes against children and his eventual execution.
🎥 Major Video Interviews
Florida Court Coverage
Archival legal coverage documents Goode's trials, appeals and death sentence.
Florida Department of Corrections Historical Coverage
Historical material concerning Florida's death row and executions provides context surrounding Goode's 1987 execution.
🎙️ Podcasts
True Crime Podcasts
Programs examining Florida serial killers and child murder cases have covered Goode's confirmed murders and suspected involvement in additional cases.
Death Row Podcasts
His conviction and execution have been discussed in programs examining Florida's use of capital punishment during the 1980s.
📰 Written Media Coverage
The Arthur Frederick Goode III case received extensive media coverage from:
Associated Press, The New York Times, The Washington Post, United Press International, Florida Supreme Court
Major themes included:
Arthur Frederick Goode III, Richard Belcher, Richard Hunsperger, David Oakes, Florida serial killer, child murder, child sexual assault, kidnapping, strangulation, Hollywood Florida, Broward County, death row, electric chair, capital punishment, and execution.
