Jack Roland Murphy (May 26, 1937 – September 12, 2020), known as "Murph the Surf" or "Murf the Surf", was convicted of murder in 1969. He was also involved in the biggest jewel heist in American history, the 1964 burglary of the jewel collection of New York's American Museum of Natural History. Murphy is also known for being a surfing champion, musician, author, and artist. He was released from prison in 1986. He spent his latter years as an ordained minister, working with inmates in the field of prison ministry. Early life Murphy was born in Oceanside, California. He was an only child and his father worked as a telephone company lineman. As a child, Murphy enjoyed the violin and surfing. His family moved to Pittsburgh when he was in high school. According to Murphy, he played violin with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and won a tennis scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh. In 1955 he moved to Miami, Florida where he worked at hotels. He married Gloria Sostoc in 1957. They had two children together before divorcing in 1962. He remarried and opened a surf shop in Indialantic, Florida. Burglary Murphy was involved in the notorious burglary, on October 29, 1964, at New York's American Museum of Natural History, of 24 precious gems, including the Star of India, the Eagle Diamond and the DeLong Star Ruby. This heist was called the "Jewel Heist of the Century." It targeted the museum's J.P. Morgan jewel collection. Murphy had cased the museum earlier and discovered that security was lax to non-existent. The burglar alarm system was non-operational, and the hall's 19 exterior windows were left open two inches overnight for ventilation. The thieves climbed in through the window and discovered that the display case alarms were non-functional as well. The stolen jewels were reported as being worth more than $400,000, though museum officials indicated the loss was actually incalculable. Murphy and both his accomplices, Alan Kuhn and Roger Clark, were arrested two days later after police had been tipped off by staff members at the Cambridge House hotel where the three men had been staying and throwing lavish parties. The men were charged with first degree burglary and possession of burglary tools. Free on bail, the men returned to Florida. Months later, prosecutors charged Murphy and Kuhn with the unrelated robbery and assault of actress Eva Gabor. In response to the new