Overview of The Deck — Ronda Taylor and Bonnie Ryther (The King of Clubs & 9 of Diamonds, Florida)
This episode of The Deck (Audiochuck) revisits two cold homicide cases from Florida’s Gulf Coast — Rhonda (Rhonda/Rhonda spelled both ways in records) Taylor (killed July 1990) and Bonnie Ryther (killed 1978) — and explores whether convicted murderer Mark Reby, who confessed in 1998 to multiple slayings then recanted, could be linked to either or both crimes. Detective Michael Wilson (Fort Walton Beach PD) has re-opened investigation threads, re-submitted old evidence for modern DNA testing, and is pursuing leads raised by Reby’s original confession and later denial.
Case summaries
Rhonda Taylor — Fort Walton Beach (July 7, 1990)
- Victim: Rhonda Taylor, 23 years old.
- Discovery: Found naked and deceased in the back seat of her silver Buick Opel on Tupelo Avenue around noon; 10 stab wounds to chest and neck.
- Scene details: Car located in the middle of town near a convalescent center; evidence suggested she was killed elsewhere then placed in the vehicle.
- Early leads: On-again/off-again boyfriend (Steve) was interviewed and quickly exonerated; witnesses reported seeing Rhonda that evening with two men (they were allegedly looking for drugs).
- Forensics: No murder weapon recovered; no foreign biological evidence indicating sexual assault; evidence collection sparse and inconclusive at the time.
- Relevance: Named by Reby in his 1998 confession, including specifics (picked up another man, went to Ranger Trail Road, stabbed with a buck knife, discarded knife off a nearby bridge, he returned to a convalescent center where his wife worked).
Bonnie Ryther — Fort Walton Beach (1978)
- Victim: Bonnie Ryther, 27 years old, last seen leaving the Continental Club after drinking; failed to show for work at a Holiday Inn.
- Discovery: Car abandoned at Ferry Park; six days later her partially decomposed body was found in a shallow grave behind Ferry Park Recreation Center.
- Cause of death: Determined to be severe beating and/or strangulation; no clear evidence of sexual assault documented.
- Evidence: Items in and around the car, including unsmoked cigarettes and several beer cans (specifically Natty Light tall boys) recovered at scene.
- Investigative status: Boyfriend cleared early; case remained unsolved for decades.
Mark Reby: confession, recantation, and questions it raised
- Background: Reby is serving life in Florida for the 1989 murder of pregnant Donna Callahan. In 1998 he wrote to the FDLE and confessed to 13 murders, describing victims, methods, and some locations.
- Confession detail: Named Rhonda Taylor explicitly and described a Fort Walton Beach young white woman (matching Bonnie) he claimed to have strangled in 1978. He described weapon use, dumping clothes, and landmarks (bridge, convalescent center).
- Recantation: Months after confessing he withdrew his statements. He later told reporters and police he recanted to protect someone (he has suggested it might involve his son) and that promises made to him were not kept.
- Reby’s current stance: In an emailed statement to the reporter he denied involvement in Rhonda’s and Bonnie’s murders and said he hoped testing would show his innocence.
Evidence, testing, and investigative hurdles
- Corpus delecti principle: Detectives cannot rely solely on a confession; independent evidence (DNA, witness, material evidence) is required to prosecute.
- Old testing: Some evidence (e.g., Natty Light cans from Bonnie’s scene) was tested before (2008) with no hits. Much evidence sat untested or under-tested in storage boxes and evidence logs.
- Detective Wilson’s actions: He has re-submitted items (beer cans, Bonnie’s car upholstery, other items listed back into evidence) to modern labs for DNA and forensic testing, regardless of prior negative results. He emphasizes the need for DNA or eyewitness testimony to corroborate confession details.
- What stands out: Reby’s mention of Natty Light tall boys (which matched beer found) and his knowledge of specific local landmarks and people (worked at the convalescent center where his wife worked) made his initial confession plausible to investigators.
Detective Michael Wilson — approach and next steps
- Role: Lead detective re-assigned to Rhonda’s case about two years ago; also handling possible link to Bonnie’s case.
- Investigative philosophy: Maintain objectivity — “there’s what you think and what you can prove.” He wants to follow evidence rather than focus solely on convicting Reby.
- Ongoing work:
- Re-testing physical evidence with contemporary DNA methods.
- Reviewing and re-auditing evidence logs and storage to identify overlooked items.
- Pursuing leads related to the “second man” who was reportedly with Rhonda the night she died — that person may be a key witness or suspect.
- Awaiting lab results that could provide the corpus delicti to support or refute links to Reby.
Notable quotes / insights
- Detective Wilson: “There’s what you think and what you can prove.” (advocating for evidence-based prosecution)
- Mark Reby (email): “No, I had absolutely nothing to do with Rhonda’s or Bonnie’s cases... It is my hope that [testing] will lead him to the ones responsible for those cases.”
- Episode framing: If Reby’s original confession proves reliable, he could be tied to multiple Gulf Coast killings; if not, the confession raises more questions and an alternate suspect (the second man) requires investigation.
Current status and what would change things
- Status: Both cases remain officially unsolved. Reby is a suspect by confession but has recanted; no courtroom case has been built based on those confessions.
- What would crack the case: DNA matches linking scene evidence (beer cans, upholstery, knife if found, clothing) to Reby or to others; credible eyewitness testimony placing someone at the scene; any physical evidence connecting the second man described by Reby to the crimes.
- Detective Wilson is actively testing evidence and investigating the second-man lead; he expects updates.
How to help / contact information
- If you have information about the murders of Rhonda Taylor or Bonnie Ryther, contact:
- Detective Michael Wilson, Fort Walton Beach Police Department: 850-797-2458
- Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers: 850-863-TIPS
Main takeaways
- A decades-old multi-victim confession by Mark Reby raised strong investigative leads due to specific local details, but his subsequent recantation left detectives without the independent proof required to prosecute.
- Modern DNA and forensic testing, plus renewed review of old evidence and witness leads (notably the unidentified “second man”), are central to either corroborating Reby’s confession or identifying alternative suspects.
- Detective Wilson is methodically re-examining evidence, re-submitting items for testing, and keeping the investigation open and evidence-driven.
If new forensic hits or witness developments appear, these could materially change the direction of both cases.