Gerald Eugene Stano (born Paul Zeininger; September 12, 1951 – March 23, 1998) was an American convicted serial killer.

He lied compulsively, and was once caught stealing money from his father's wallet to pay members of the track and field team to finish behind him, so he would not be viewed as a complete failure.

After receiving his diploma, he enrolled in a computer school, graduated, and began working in a local hospital.

Stano was arrested on April 1, 1980, after attacking a woman named Donna Hensley a week earlier, who escaped a hotel room and contacted authorities.

Once at her motel room, the two began to argue and the man ended up stabbing her thirty times with a knife before insulting her and fleeing.

For his final meal, Stano requested Delmonico steak, a baked potato with sour cream and bacon bits, salad with blue cheese dressing, lima beans, a half gallon of mint chocolate-chip ice cream, and 2 litres of Pepsi.

[20] Stano's final statement proclaimed innocence and directed blame for his false confessions at the lead investigator, Paul Crow.