Bio

Eric Robert Rudolph was born on September 19, 1966, in Merritt Island, Florida. His father, Robert Rudolph, died in 1981 when Eric was 15 years old. Following his father’s death, Eric moved with his mother and siblings to Nantahala, a small community in Macon County, North Carolina.

Eric attended ninth grade at the Nantahala School but dropped out after that year. He began working as a carpenter alongside his older brother, Daniel. Rudolph's mother held strong beliefs in survivalism, which she passed on to her children. 

After dropping out of school, Rudolph earned his GED. He then attended Western Carolina University in Cullowhee for two semesters in 1985 and 1986. In August 1987, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he received basic training at Fort Benning in Georgia. However, he was discharged in January 1989 while serving with the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Reports indicate that he was discharged for smoking marijuana. During his time in the army, he attended Air Assault School, but he never advanced beyond the rank of Private E-1.

Following his military service, Rudolph adopted a lifestyle that involved living "off the grid." He avoided using traditional banking systems and often relied on cash transactions and bartering. It is suggested that during this time, he became associated with extreme beliefs, including those from groups like the Christian Identity movement, which promotes racist ideology.

Murder Story

Eric Robert Rudolph, known as the Olympic Park Bomber, was involved in several bombing incidents in the southern United States between 1996 and 1998. His most infamous act was the bombing at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta on July 27, 1996, during the Summer Olympics. This attack killed Alice Hawthorne and injured over 100 other people. The bomb was hidden in a knapsack, which was discovered just before it detonated by security guard Richard Jewell. Unfortunately, it exploded while security personnel were trying to evacuate the area.

On January 16, 1997, Rudolph bombed an abortion clinic in Atlanta. This attack involved two bombs, which resulted in injuries to several individuals. Following this, on February 21, 1997, he targeted a gay nightclub in Atlanta called the Otherside Lounge. One bomb exploded, injuring five people, while another device was found but did not detonate.

The final bombing attributed to Rudolph occurred on January 29, 1998, at the New Woman All Women Health Care Clinic in Birmingham, Alabama. This attack killed off-duty police officer Robert Sanderson and severely injured nurse Emily Lyons. Rudolph used explosives made of dynamite surrounded by nails to inflict maximum damage and harm during these attacks.

After being identified as a suspect in these bombings, Rudolph evaded capture for over five years, hiding in the Appalachian wilderness. He was added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list and became a focus of a massive manhunt. He eventually was caught on May 31, 2003, in Murphy, North Carolina, while searching for food in a dumpster.

In 2005, Rudolph pleaded guilty to several charges, including murder and the use of explosives. As part of a plea agreement, he was sentenced to four consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole, avoiding the death penalty. He was ordered to pay restitution for his actions and is currently serving his sentence at a high-security federal prison.