Miami Police Officer talks about his investigation of The Giant Killer Richard J. Flaherty Richard James Flaherty, known as "The Giant Killer," was a highly decorated United States Army Captain who gained fame as the shortest man to ever serve in the U.S. military, standing at just 4 feet 9 inches tall and weighing 97 pounds. Despite his tiny size, he overcame intense bullying and strict military rules to become an elite Green Beret commander and a combat hero during the Vietnam War. Later in life, his story took a dramatic and mysterious turn when he ended up homeless before dying in a highly suspicious hit-and-run accident in 2015 😔