Leon Dorsey

Leon David Dorsey IV (November 17, 1975 – August 12, 2008), also known as Pistol Pete, was an American serial killer who shot and killed two Blockbuster store employees and a Korean store clerk in Texas over several months in 1994. He confessed and was later given a death sentence. He was executed at the Huntsville Unit on August 12, 2008. However, the safe was on a time-lock and could not be opened by Lindsey or Armstrong. When Armstrong tried to flee, Dorsey shot him, and then shot Lindsey, presumably to prevent a possible eyewitness. He then took over $400 from the register, leaving Armstrong and Lindsey to die. The perpetrator was caught on a surveillance camera entering the store, but police would not know who the killer was until much later.

While Dorsey was questioned by police in the weeks after, he maintained his innocence and police saw no reason to arrest him. Police later found out that Dorsey owned a 9 millimeter pistol, which was the same weapon used in the murders, but by that time they had already come to the conclusion that he was not involved.

Exposure In 1998, investigators reopened the case of the murders of Armstrong and Lindsey. They again questioned Dorsey at the prison, but he again said he had nothing to do with it. This time, however, investigators properly examined the footage that captured the killer entering and leaving the store. The footage was sent to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to see if they could conclude any new evidence that was previously overlooked. They estimated the killer's height was approximately the same as Dorsey's height. This time when the FBI went to talk to him, Dorsey finally confessed to the murders of Armstrong and Lindsey.

Before his capital murder trial, Dorsey gave an interview with The Dallas Morning News, in which he said "I've done cut folks; I've done stabbed folks; I've killed folks," he said, "but it don't bother me." Regarding the murders, he said "They're dead. That's over and done with. Why are you going to sit there and worry yourself about that? Move on. I could have came in here and been, 'Oh, I'm sorry, I'm so bad.' But I don't feel like that. That's not being honest with myself." The prosecution used the interview in their arguments for why Dorsey should be sentenced to death.

Dorsey stood trial in April 2000, 6 years after killing Armstrong and Lindsey. During the trial, the mother of Armstrong made a statement to Dorsey; "Our son was a gentle man, you were not. I believe you're an evil, vile creature. You didn't kill for survival, you killed for pleasure." In June 2000, Dorsey was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death.