Few figures in surfing have lived a life as astonishing as Jack Roland Murphy.
Better known as "Murph the Surf," Jack was an accomplished surfer, a gifted athlete, a pioneer of Florida's early surf scene, the mastermind behind one of the most famous jewel thefts in American history, and later a convicted murderer who claimed to have found redemption behind bars.
His story has inspired books, documentaries, magazine features, and countless newspaper articles.
It remains one of the strangest biographies ever connected to surfing, blending genuine athletic talent with crime, celebrity, violence, and religion.
Resemblances with Miki Dora's bumpy ride in life are obvious.
California roots and a passion for the ocean
Jack Roland Murphy was born on October 26, 1937, in Los Angeles, California.
During his childhood, Murphy's family lived in Carlsbad, where he discovered surfing at a time when the sport was still a small California subculture.
The equipment was nothing like today's lightweight boards.
Murphy learned on heavy redwood and balsa surfboards that could weigh around 60 pounds. Carrying one from the car to the beach was often as demanding as riding the waves.
Even as a teenager, Jack stood out as a remarkable all-around athlete. He excelled in tennis, diving, swimming, and surfing.
He also studied the violin and became skilled enough to perform with orchestras, a talent that surprised many people who later knew him only through newspaper headlines.
His athletic ability earned him a tennis scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh.
The academic path, however, never held the same appeal as life near the ocean. Before long, Murphy headed south in search of warmer weather and better waves.
Helping shape Florida's surf culture
Murphy arrived in Florida in the late 1950s, just as surfing was beginning to gain a foothold on the East Coast.
Cocoa Beach and nearby communities had only a small but passionate surfing scene, years before they became internationally known.
He quickly became one of its most recognizable personalities.
Friends admired his confidence in larger surf, smooth footwork, and willingness to paddle out when conditions kept others on the beach.
Jack's athletic background made him a stylish surfer with exceptional balance, and his outgoing personality helped attract attention wherever he went.
Murphy won the Florida State Surfing Championships in both 1962 and 1963.
He also claimed victories in important contests at Virginia Beach, Jacksonville, and Ormond Beach, establishing himself as one of the strongest competitors on the East Coast during surfing's formative years.
Around the same period, he opened what many historians consider Florida's first surf shop in Indialantic, near Cocoa Beach.
The shop became more than a place to buy surfboards.
Local surfers gathered there to exchange stories, repair equipment, discuss approaching swells, and share ideas at a time when surfing culture in Florida was still taking shape.
Murphy also became known for publicity stunts that matched his adventurous personality.
One of the best-known stories tells of him paddling into powerful Christmas surf while dressed as Santa Claus, entertaining thousands of spectators gathered along the beach.
Long before his criminal life overshadowed everything else, Murphy had already earned lasting respect within surfing.
In recognition of his role in developing East Coast surfing, he was later inducted into the inaugural class of the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame.
The birth of "Murph the Surf"
The famous nickname did not come from the newspapers.
Friends had started calling him "Murph the Surf" years earlier because he seemed happiest in the ocean.
Besides surfing, he worked as a lifeguard, swimming instructor, scuba diving instructor, tennis coach, and professional high diver.
His bronzed appearance, athletic skills, and easygoing charm fit the growing image of the California surfer that fascinated Americans during the early 1960s.
Surprisingly, that image would soon collide with one of the most sensational crimes of the decade.
The jewel heist that stunned America
Professional surfing did not provide a living in the early 1960s. Murphy's surf shop struggled financially, and his marriage ended in divorce.
Looking for money and excitement, he drifted into a circle of thrill seekers and small-time criminals in Miami.
On the night of October 29, 1964, Jack joined Allan Kuhn and Roger Clark in an audacious burglary at New York City's American Museum of Natural History.
After studying the building beforehand, Murphy noticed that several upper-floor windows were routinely left slightly open for ventilation and that parts of the alarm system were not working properly.
The three men climbed into the museum through one of the windows after dark, broke display cases, and escaped with 24 precious gemstones.
The collection included some of the world's most famous gems.
Among them were the 563-carat Star of India, widely regarded as the largest star sapphire in the world, the 100-carat DeLong Star Ruby, the Midnight Star sapphire, and several other priceless stones.
The theft became known as the "Jewel Heist of the Century."
Newspapers loved every aspect of the story. The image of three young surfers climbing into one of America's most prestigious museums captured the public imagination.
Could there be anything more thrilling than that?
Headlines referred to them as the "Beach Boy Burglars," while Murphy's surfing nickname suddenly became known across the country.
The celebration did not last long, though.
Within two days, investigators tracked the group after they attracted attention by spending freely and hosting expensive parties at a Manhattan hotel.
Murphy and his companions were arrested, and most of the stolen gems were eventually recovered after Murphy revealed their location inside a locker at a Miami bus station as part of a plea agreement.
Although the burglary remains one of America's most famous museum thefts, many security experts later pointed out that the museum's outdated security measures had made the crime surprisingly straightforward.
If we'd known "Point Break" was inspired by the real "Murph the Surf" story, we certainly wouldn't be surprised.
Fame gives way to tragedy
Murphy served time for the jewel theft and was released during the late 1960s. But his life soon took a far darker turn.
In 1969, he became involved in the Whiskey Creek murders in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Two women, Margaret Bauer and Mary Bender, were found dead after being beaten. Murphy, together with two accomplices, was convicted of the killings.
The case ended any remaining image of Murphy as a charming rogue.
Jack received two life sentences plus an additional 20-year prison term and entered Florida's maximum-security prison system.
A different life behind prison walls
During his years in prison, Murphy said he underwent a profound religious conversion after reading the Bible.
Fellow inmates and prison staff later described him as becoming deeply involved in ministry, education, and counseling.
He earned a degree in theology, helped organize educational programs, and became known for working to calm tensions inside prison.
One of the most widely repeated stories from this period involved Murphy helping negotiate a peaceful resolution during a prison disturbance, although accounts differ on the precise role he played.
After serving nearly 20 years, he was granted parole in 1986.
Returning to society
The final chapter of Murphy's life looked very different from the earlier ones.
He became an ordained minister and dedicated much of his time to prison ministry, visiting correctional facilities throughout the United States and overseas.
His work focused on counseling inmates, sharing his personal story, and encouraging rehabilitation.
Many people who met Murphy during these years believed his transformation was sincere.
Others remained skeptical, pointing to the violence of his past and his long history of exaggerating parts of his life.
The debate followed him for the rest of his life.
Jack Roland Murphy died on September 12, 2020, at the age of 82, just weeks before what would have been his 83rd birthday.
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