Francisco del Junco was born on August 3, 1957, in Cuba. He was the first child in a family with a history of mental illness. His early childhood was marked by difficulties. He faced rejection from his peers and had health issues that required him to take medication for epilepsy since he was just three years old. While his father was often absent and ignored him, his happiest moments were spent at the beach with his mother.

When Francisco turned 16, he started to have serious mental health problems. He began hearing voices and saw figures he believed were priestesses practicing black magic. These experiences made him increasingly fearful. He started to distance himself from others as he feared that someone was out to harm him.

In 1980, Francisco moved to Miami with some relatives. He arrived in the United States during the Mariel boatlift, a mass immigration of Cubans to the U.S. over a short period. After moving, he took on various jobs to support himself. During his time in Miami, Francisco frequently visited a psychiatrist for his mental health issues. He was admitted to the Miami Mental Health Clinic three times, in 1987, 1988, and 1992.

From August 1995 to March 1996, Francisco del Junco murdered four women in Miami. The victims were all black prostitutes who struggled with crack cocaine addiction. The women were identified as Vida Hicks, Diane Nelms, Cheryl Ray, and Janice Cox. Del Junco lured them with offers of free drugs and sex.

He beat each woman with metal pipes. After killing them, he burned their bodies with gasoline. The crimes took place in the Allapattah neighborhood of Miami. The investigations lasted ten months. Authorities received a tip from a homeless woman who had been attacked by Del Junco after refusing to go on a date with him.

When police arrested him on June 3, 1996, he had a container of gasoline and wooden matches. Forensic tests matched his combat boots to footprints found at the crime scenes. Later, Del Junco confessed to the murders. He provided details only the killer would know. This information cleared another suspect known as 'Dread.'

During his trial, a judge ruled that mental illness made him ineligible for the death penalty. As a result, he received four life sentences without the possibility of parole.