Jarvis Theodore Roosevelt Catoe was born on October 6, 1905, in South Carolina. He was the oldest of eight children in his family. His father was a preacher, and they lived a religious life. Catoe had a typical childhood until 1925, when he suffered a head injury. After this incident, people reported that he began to act strangely. In 1929, Catoe moved to Washington, D.C., to live with his brother. 

Jarvis Theodore Roosevelt Catoe was known for committing a series of violent crimes between 1935 and 1941. He is believed to have raped and murdered at least eight women during this time. His first known victim is suspected to have been killed just four years after he showed signs of odd behavior, which began after he sustained a head injury in 1925.

Catoe's method involved visiting landladies under the guise of a handyman. Once he was taken to a room to do some work, he would strangle them to death. His actions extended beyond the murders, as he was arrested multiple times for exposing himself in public and had numerous traffic violations.

After committing his crimes, Catoe was eventually caught by the police. He was apprehended on August 29, 1941. Eventually, he was convicted of first-degree murder. He admitted to killing eight women, but the true number of his victims might be higher, with speculations suggesting he could be responsible for more murders in the Washington D.C. area.

Catoe was executed by electrocution on January 15, 1943. Though he was known as the "D.C. Strangler," the legal system ultimately stopped him from committing further crimes.