Frederick Pete Cox was born in Tallahassee, Florida. When he was young, his family moved to Orlando. He graduated from Jones High School in 1972 and then joined the United States Army. Cox served in West Germany for three years before receiving an honorable discharge and coming back to Orlando. After returning, Cox joined the United States Army Reserve's 143rd Transportation Command and served for about 20 years. Over the years, he had many different jobs. In 1978, he worked as a correctional officer in Orange County, but he was fired because he fell asleep on the job. 

Before he started his crime spree, he lived in a small house in Pine Hills with his common-law wife, their two sons, and two German shepherds. Cox's neighbors thought he was unfriendly and quiet, but his family saw him as a nice old man who liked to talk to younger people and work on his ham radio. In 1996, he hurt his back and was discharged from the army reserve. He had to use a cane to walk but still worked as a telemarketer to support himself.

In 1988, Frederick Pete Cox was first arrested for masturbating in an adult book store called "Red Garter." Charged with indecent exposure, he was set for pre-trial diversion since it was his first offense. Before this could happen, in 1990, he got arrested again for having marijuana outside a Publix store parking lot. He pleaded no contest and agreed to community service, volunteering with "Mothers Against Crack Cocaine," where he was an active and helpful participant.

In 1997, Cox started a series of violent crimes. He drove around Orlando in his tan Buick Park Avenue, picking up women he believed to be prostitutes, and then shooting them. His first victim, 34-year-old Tracey Adams, was not involved in the sex industry. On March 12, she was fixing a flat tire when Cox approached her, mistaking her for a prostitute. When she refused his proposition for sex, he shot her in the right arm and drove off. Adams survived but had trouble moving her arm afterward.

Cox's next attack was on March 20, when he killed 40-year-old prostitute Patricia Ann Logan execution-style and dumped her naked body in a field near West Colonial Drive. Her body was found five days later by a hiker. On April 16, he approached 28-year-old Yolanda Neals, offering her $25 for sex. She agreed, but when they arrived at a secluded area, he shot her in the face. Despite her injuries, Neals managed to escape, though she was left with a lisp.

On April 29, Cox killed two more women within 24 hours: 26-year-old Stephanie Singleton and 22-year-old Mary Ann Voepel. Both women were transient, drug-addicted prostitutes who had met in jail. Their bodies were found in the woods near Shingle Creek by a transient. The authorities identified them a few days later and investigated connections to other local murders but found them unrelated.

Adams and Neals helped detectives in their hunt for Cox. Neals provided a description and identified his car, while Adams confirmed the composite sketch and car's license plate. Cox was arrested on May 21, 1997, for attempted murder and held without bail. Police found a 9mm pistol and blood in his car. His first trial in February 2001 ended in a hung jury, but in April 2001, he was found guilty. Cox's defense argued he had a mental illness and should not face the death penalty. Eventually, prosecutors dropped the death penalty, and Cox was sentenced to three counts of life imprisonment.