Robert Wesley Knighton

Robert Wesley Knighton (February 5, 1941 – May 27, 2003) was an American serial killer and spree killer who, after serving time for kidnapping and manslaughter in Missouri, embarked on a four-day, two-state killing spree along with Lawrence Lingle Brittain (born September 11, 1972) and Ruth Renee Williams (born February 1967). Brittain and Williams both pleaded guilty and testified against Knighton in exchange for leniency, and have since been released from prison. Knighton was convicted of two murders in Oklahoma and executed in 2003.

Early life Knighton, who was nicknamed "Bobby" as a child, did not like to talk about his upbringing, but some details are known. He was born in Springfield, Missouri, to a woman who had eight husbands and many boyfriends. Knighton said he could not recall wanting to be anything in life. He said he idolized Elvis Presley and dreamed of becoming a singer at one point. Knighton was emotionally and physically abused as a child. When he was about 6 years old, he was forced to sit outside during a Thanksgiving dinner at his grandparents' house for looking too much like his father. At the time of the murders, he was on probation for auto theft.

First murder On September 15, 1973, Knighton, who had been released from prison days ago and was now wanted on assault charges for an incident in which a man was stabbed and a woman was non-fatally strangled with a telephone cord, shot Claude Day, 53, and his son, 32-year-old Coffier Day, with a pistol after Knighton and Coffier had an argument. Claude was shot in the neck and survived, but Coffier was fatally wounded. Immediately following the shootings, Knighton went to the home of a young couple and kidnapped them and their 6-year-old daughter, threatening to kill the girl if they did not comply. During the kidnapping, the man was forced to drink beer and vodka. The kidnapping, which lasted 11 hours, came to an end after Knighton stopped at a café to buy the family food. The woman, fearing her family would be killed, attacked Knighton with a steak knife, cutting his face. Knighton was arrested shortly afterward, and the woman would later testify at the sentencing phase of Knighton's murder trial.

Knighton was convicted of three counts of kidnapping and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was charged with first degree murder for killing Coffier Day, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter and had 10 years added to his sentence. Knighton also pleaded guilty to first degree robbery and received a concurrent 10-year sentence. He was sent to the Missouri State Penitentiary. While in prison, he joined a white supremacist gang and got several Swastika tattoos as well as a "White Power" tattoo.

1990 killing spree In 1989, Knighton was sent to a halfway house in Kansas City, Missouri. While he was there, he started a romantic relationship with a 22-year-old woman named Ruth Renee Williams, who was in a program for drug addicts, and a 17-year-old boy named Lawrence Lingle Brittain. In 1990, after learning that Brittain would be moved to a more restrictive jail setting, they and Williams decided to flee the city. Knighton told Brittain, according to testimony, that they would be committing robberies and possibly murders. Knighton stole a van in which the trio made their getaway. The three intended to flee to either California or Florida.

The trio stole the keys to the Denny's truck and drove to Canadian, Texas. Knighton decided they needed another car, and the trio searched for another home to break into. A local woman became suspicious of the trio after they repeatedly circled around the block and called the police. They were arrested and the murders were discovered shortly after.

In exchange for leniency, Brittain and Williams agreed to testify against Knighton. Brittain pleaded guilty to two counts of first degree murder and Williams pleaded guilty to two counts of being an accessory to murder after the fact. Brittain received two concurrent life terms with parole eligibility and Williams received two concurrent 15-year sentences.

Prosecutors sought a death sentence for Knighton. His lawyer had planned to try blaming either Brittain or Williams for the murders on the grounds that they had to advance themselves in the ranks of Knighton's white supremacist gang. However, Knighton admitted responsibility for the murders saying, "I know they're going to kill me over this deal. I just don't want the kids to take the heat for it."

Knighton was convicted of two counts of first degree murder in 50 minutes, and was sentenced to death after four hours of deliberations.

Knighton's execution and aftermath Knighton was executed by lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary on May 27, 2003. His last meal consisted of a large pepperoni pizza, a strawberry milkshake, a large order of onion rings, and banana cream pie.

Knighton befriended Sue Norton, the adopted daughter of one of his victims, while he was on death row. Norton testified on Knighton's behalf at a clemency hearing, asking the state pardon and parole board for mercy. The request was unanimously denied. Norton's forgiving nature temporarily estranged from her sister, who thought Knighton deserved to die. In Knighton's final statement, which was barely audible, he thanked his attorneys and apologized. He then spoke to Sue Norton, saying" I'll see you again someday. God bless you," he said. She replied with a thumbs-up.

Williams was paroled shortly before Knighton's execution. Brittain was paroled on August 10, 2007.