Murf the Surf Jewelry Thief

Jack Roland Murphy, AKA Murf the Surf, in 2016   Murf the Surf sounds like a snarky cartoon character. However, he is a real-life example of transformation. Early in life, Jack Roland Murphy leveraged his charm and charisma to live the fast life. Sleek cars, beautiful girls, crisp greenbacks, and a glamorous life on the waves propelled him into a life of crime. In 1964, with the help of a few friends, Murphy pulled off the Jewel Heist of the Century. Here’s how it went down…    

The Robbery

October 29, 1964. New York, American Museum of Natural History. Murf and two of his surfing buddies scaled the museum wall and entered through an open window on an upper floor. Apparently, museum staff frequently left the windows open for ventilation. (source) Once inside the Hall of Gems, the thieves discovered lax security measures. Indeed, not a single alarm sounded that day, including those mounted in the jewel cases. In just a few minutes, Murf and his partners made off with 22 jewels from the J.P. Morgan collection. (source) It seemed a coup to these daredevil thrillseekers, making off with the Star of India, the Eagle Diamond, the DeLong Ruby, and many more priceless gems. However, in truth, the job was a bungle from the get-go. These guys weren’t sophisticated thieves. They just got lucky enough to find a weak spot in the system and then had the nerve to exploit it. Within 48 hours, police arrested Jack Roland Murphy, Alan Kuhn, and Roger Clark. Shortly thereafter, authorities found a majority of the jewels stashed away at a Miami bus stop. In Miami, the police captured Richard Duncan Pearson, who was convicted for acting as their fence. His conviction stands for receiving, storing, and selling the knowingly stolen Edith Haggin DeLong Star Ruby. (source) Unfortunately, one of the jewels stolen in what the press called The Jewel Heist of the Century was never recovered. The Eagle Diamond, a sunshine-colored stone weighing between 15 and 17 carats, is presumed to have been cut down into smaller stones and sold individually, likely by Pearson. (source)   DeLong Star Ruby. Click here for photo credit.  

Murf the Surf Reforms

For the jewel heist, Jack Roland Murphy served three years in prison. Following his release, he returned to fast living and eventually wound up in prison again. This time, on the charge of first-degree murder. His attorney argued an insanity plea, an argument that won him points with the jury. In 1969, Murphy received a life sentence in prison with hard labor, rather than the death penalty. (source) While in prison, Murphy threw himself into the prison chaplaincy program. He started mentoring other inmates and leading Bible studies. In 1986, after serving 21 years at Rikers Island, as well as a number of Florida prisons, a reformed Murf the Surf stood before a Florida parole board. They granted his release in November 1986, expecting him to refrain from visiting the counties in which the murders took place and to make a donation to Meals on Wheels. That same year, Bill Glass hired him as part of his Champions for Life ministry. Murf the Surf began visiting prisons and jails all over the country, sharing the Christian gospel to inmates and helping them turn their lives around. In the year 2000, the Florida parole board released him from his “lifetime parole” sentence, making him a completely free man. (source) Today, Jack Roland Murphy is 82 years old. He and his wife Kitten continue to serve inmates around the world through their prison ministry, Sonshine Adventures. As of 2019, Murphy has visited more than 2,000 prisons in America and abroad. When he’s not visiting prisons, he serves food to the needy in his hometown of Crystal River, Florida. (source) ~Angela Magnotti Andrews