Paul Zeininger, later known as Stano, entered the world on September 12, 1951, in Schenectady, New York. He was the fifth child of a mother who struggled profoundly with her responsibilities; so much so, that she placed him up for adoption at just six months old.

The early neglect he faced was severe—county doctors even declared him "functioning at an animalistic level," noting he resorted to eating his own feces to survive. His four biological siblings were also given up for adoption. A turning point in his early life came when a nurse named Norma Stano adopted him, giving him her name and a new chance at life. Despite the loving environment his adoptive parents provided, Stano faced numerous challenges growing up. He struggled with bedwetting until the age of 10 and had a hard time academically, managing only Cs and Ds in all subjects except music, where he excelled. Stano's behavioral issues extended beyond the classroom.

He was known for compulsive lying and even stole money from his father's wallet to bribe teammates on the track and field team to perform poorly, ensuring he would not finish last. Throughout his youth, he was frequently bullied, which compounded his struggles. At 14, he faced arrest for pulling a false fire alarm and later for throwing rocks at cars from a highway bridge. His academic journey was laborious and prolonged, not completing high school until he was 21.

Afterward, he pursued an education in computer technology and secured a job at a local hospital, but his tenure was short-lived due to theft. His move to Ormond Beach, Florida, with his parents did not improve his circumstances; he was repeatedly fired for reasons ranging from theft to tardiness. Additionally, Stano faced serious allegations when he impregnated a mentally disabled girl, a situation his parents resolved by paying for an abortion.

The darker chapters of Stano's life began to unfold in earnest when he was arrested on March 25, 1980, after a violent incident involving a woman named Donna Hensley. Hensley, who managed to escape and alert authorities, identified herself as a prostitute and accused Stano of stabbing her thirty times following an argument in her hotel room. Known in the local community, Stano was quickly identified and apprehended.

As investigations deepened, Stano admitted to a spree of killings that began in the early 1970s, though he claimed to have started as early as the late 1960s. Despite these claims, many of his early alleged crimes remained unproven due to insufficient evidence. Stano’s confession included murders in multiple states, predominantly targeting vulnerable women, most of whom were young and Caucasian.

The gravity of Stano’s crimes was highlighted by a series of grim discoveries across Florida, where he was most active. The victims, often found in secluded areas, had been subjected to brutal violence. Each case brought to light was a stark episode of a disturbed man's actions, culminating in his confession to the murder of 41 women by his twenty-ninth birthday.

Despite his numerous confessions, the veracity of some remained questioned due to the circumstances under which they were obtained. Stano's life ended on March 23, 1998, when he was executed by electric chair in Florida State Prison.