On which real-life serial killer was the killer in "Scream" based?

On which real-life serial killer was the killer in Scream based? The killer was inspired by Danny Rolling, also known as the Gainesville Ripper. Rolling’s 1990 murders in Gainesville, Florida, helped inspire screenwriter Kevin Williamson while he was developing the story that became Scream.

Rolling murdered five students near the University of Florida in August 1990. The killings received intense national attention because the victims were college students, the crime scenes were highly disturbing, and the case created fear across the Gainesville community. Rolling was later linked to additional murders in Louisiana and ultimately confessed to the Florida killings.

Scream is not a literal retelling of Rolling’s life. Its masked killer, Ghostface, is a fictional identity, and the film’s plot combines true-crime inspiration with slasher conventions, mystery and dark comedy. Williamson has explained that seeing a television report about the Gainesville murders helped spark his screenplay. A common mix-up is saying Ghostface was simply “Danny Rolling”: Ghostface is a fictional character influenced by the case, not a portrayal of Rolling himself.