Franklin Delano Floyd was born on June 17, 1943, in Barnesville, Georgia. His early life was marked by hardship and instability. When he was just a year old, his father died, leaving his mother to raise him and his four siblings alone. This put a lot of strain on the family, and they struggled to make ends meet.

Due to their financial difficulties, Floyd and his siblings were placed in the care of Georgia Baptist Children's Home. Floyd did not have a happy childhood there. He was often in trouble and found it hard to fit in. The lack of a stable home environment affected him deeply.

In his teenage years, Floyd's troubles continued. He ran away from the children's home several times, trying to escape the harsh conditions. He eventually left for good and started getting into more serious trouble, including theft and other petty crimes. These early experiences set the stage for the troubled life that followed.

Franklin Delano Floyd's criminal activities spanned several decades and involved various violent acts. In 1975, Floyd kidnapped Suzanne Sevakis, along with her two sisters and infant brother, while their mother was serving a jail sentence. Suzanne, who was later known as Sharon Marshall, was raised by Floyd and subjected to his control and abuse.

In 1989, Floyd murdered Cheryl Ann Commesso, an 18-year-old exotic dancer. He shot her and hid her body, which was discovered years later along with photographic evidence that linked Floyd to the crime. Cheryl's remains were found in 1995, buried along a highway in Florida.

Floyd's violent behavior continued with the mysterious death of Suzanne Sevakis in 1990. She was found injured on the side of a highway in Oklahoma, the victim of a suspected hit-and-run. Suzanne later died from her injuries. Floyd was suspected in her death but was never formally charged.

In 1994, Floyd's most notorious crime took place when he kidnapped 6-year-old Michael Anthony Hughes from his elementary school in Oklahoma. Floyd had previously claimed to be Michael's father, but a DNA test proved otherwise. He kidnapped Michael at gunpoint and fled, leaving the school principal handcuffed to a tree. Floyd later confessed to shooting Michael twice in the back of the head, but Michael's body has never been found.

Floyd was eventually arrested in 1994 in Kentucky. He was convicted of Michael's kidnapping and later found guilty of Cheryl Ann Commesso's murder. He received a death sentence for his crimes. Floyd remained in prison, serving his sentence until his death in 2023. Throughout his life, Floyd used various aliases and was involved in numerous criminal activities.