Bernard Eugene Giles was born on April 9, 1953, in Titusville, Florida. He was the second of four children in his family. His parents were law-abiding citizens but were not considered very good at parenting. Despite this, many of his friends described him in a positive way during his childhood.

Giles attended Titusville High School, where he showed an interest in visual arts. He was able to achieve some success in this area, but he soon lost interest in school overall. This lack of interest led to chronic absenteeism and poor grades, which caused him to leave school at the age of 16.

After dropping out of school, he learned the trade of an electrician and began to work in that field. In 1972, when Bernard was 19 years old, he married 17-year-old Leslie Jo Ann. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, in July 1973.

Bernard Eugene Giles targeted young girls who often hitchhiked. Between September and November 1973, he committed several murders in Brevard County, Florida. His victims included Nancy Gerry, Paula Darlene Hamric, Carolyn Jan Bennett, Sharon Mary Wimer, and Krista Jean Melton. Their bodies were found in wooded areas or orange groves. Many of the victims were found after having been assaulted.

Nancy Gerry, 18, was reported missing on September 26, 1973. Her fully clothed body was discovered on December 10, 1973, shot in the head. Paula Darlene Hamric, 22, vanished on November 17, 1973. Her nude body was found strangled with her hands bound eight days later. Carolyn Jan Bennett, 17, disappeared on November 15, 1973, and her skeletal remains were located on Christmas Day; she had also been shot in the head. Sharon Mary Wimer, 14, was reported missing on November 5, 1973, and was later discovered strangled. She was found wearing only a St. Christopher's necklace. Krista Jean Melton, also 14, was reported missing on November 14, 1973. Her body was found fully clothed with a gunshot wound to the head on January 31, 1974.

On December 10, 1973, Giles tried to attack two underage hitchhikers he had lured into his car. Their resistance caused his gun to misfire, allowing them to escape and report him to the police. The next day, Giles was arrested, and evidence from his car linked him to the crimes.

In court, forensic tests confirmed that he had killed Nancy Gerry. Despite insisting on his innocence, he later made a plea deal. He confessed to murdering several girls and described a long history of violent behavior. In August 1974, he received multiple life sentences.

After his conviction, Giles was sent to the Florida State Prison. In October 1979, he escaped with two other inmates using homemade distractions. However, he was recaptured the following day and received an additional 15 years for his escape. Since then, he has been moved between various prisons. In 2019, he gained media attention after being interviewed by journalist Piers Morgan.