Bob Erler, an ex-Green Beret, became a police officer in Hollywood, Florida and soon was known as a “supercop.” One day he came home and found his wife and son had left him. Still suffering from the effects of a high speed pursuit crash, Bob Erler went into depression. Later, on a day off, while jogging on the beach, he came across a lady and her 12-year old daughter with no place to stay. He invited them to stay in his trailer but once there the lady told him she would call the police chief and tell him Bob was entertaining two women in his trailer unless he gave her $75.
Suddenly Bob went berserk and shot the lady and her daughter, later dumping the bodies and calling the police station and saying “I’ve just shot two people, please catch me.” From that day the suspect was known as “The Catch Me Killer.” The next day he was assigned to investigate his own homicides.
Soon he was discovered and placed in prison serving 99 years. While in prison he managed to escape but was later captured after a high speed chase and shot in the back with a .357. While laying on the ground pumping blood the sheriff ran up to him, told him not to worry, he (the sheriff) loved him and Jesus loved him and had a plan for his life. Bob Erler spit in the sheriff’s face and laughed, but the reality of the Christian sheriff’s words came true years later when a team of Christian athletes ministered at the prison and Bob accepted Christ as his personal Savior. As Bob puts it, “Half a police officer and half a convict became a whole Christian.”
Bob Erler then began to hold services and minister while incarcerated at the Arizona State Prison. Bob is now a free man, and married, but still carries bullets in his body. Bob Erler is the author of They Called Me the Catch Me Killer.
