Earl Van Denton
Serial Killer Duo Execution
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Arkansas
TIME PERIOD
June 23, 1977 – July 1, 1977
VICTIMS
7 confirmed
On June 23, 1977, Paul Ruiz and Earl Van Denton, both serving life sentences at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, escaped and embarked on a two-week killing spree across Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas, resulting in the deaths of at least six individuals. Key victims included Melvin Short in Oklahoma, Jimmy Cockrell, Ray Jones, and Alton Wilson in Louisiana, and Marshal Marvin Richie and park ranger Opal Lee James in Arkansas. The pair was apprehended on July 8, 1977, in Portland, Oregon, and extradited to Arkansas, where they were tried and convicted of capital murder in 1978. After numerous appeals, both were executed by lethal injection at the Cummins Unit in Lincoln County, Arkansas, on January 8, 1997. Significant evidence included witness testimonies and forensic links to the crime scenes, solidifying their connection to the multiple homicides.
Paul Ruiz and Earl Van Denton are believed to have committed multiple murders across three states during their escape from prison, with some speculating that they may also be linked to the 1977 disappearance of Gerald Tiffee in Oklahoma. Investigators theorize that their crime spree was fueled by a desire for notoriety and a complete disregard for human life. There are also suspicions that their violent behavior may have been influenced by their experiences in prison, leading them to team up and escalate their criminal activities after escaping.
The Grim Journey of Paul Ruiz and Earl Van Denton
Prelude to a Killing Spree
In the sweltering summer of 1977, the ominous shadow of two men loomed large across the American South. Paul Ruiz and Earl Van Denton, both hardened criminals serving life sentences at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, made a daring escape on June 23, 1977. Their flight from the confines of prison walls set off a chain of brutal events that would leave a trail of blood and unanswered questions across multiple states.
Born on October 20, 1947, Paul Ruiz had found himself behind bars for the armed robbery of a liquor store in Custer County, Oklahoma, in 1976. His accomplice in escape, Earl Van Denton, born December 13, 1949, had been convicted alongside Paul Mayabb for the grisly murder of William "Willie" Droke in 1970. Denton had savagely beaten Droke in a motel room, a crime that led to his life sentence.
On that fateful June day, amidst the dust and debris of a brick factory near the prison, Ruiz, Denton, and another inmate, Elmer Finin, plotted their escape. When the guards left the door unguarded during lunch, the trio seized their chance and vanished into the outside world. While Finin soon parted ways, only to be recaptured four months later, Ruiz and Denton's journey was just beginning.
The Trail of Death
Over the next two weeks, Ruiz and Denton embarked on a killing spree spanning Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Their first suspected victim was 27-year-old Gerald Leon Tiffee, who vanished in Boswell, Oklahoma, just four days after their escape. His truck was stolen, and although skeletal remains were later found in Texas, they were not his. Tiffee's fate remains a mystery to this day.
Their next known victim was James "Jimmy" Cockrell, a 38-year-old shot dead in Colfax, Louisiana, on June 28, 1977. The same day, the bodies of two fishermen, Alton Wilson and Ray Jones Sr., were discovered in a gravel pit near Franklinton, Louisiana. The men had been killed and their bodies submerged in a pit, inside the truck that belonged to the missing Tiffee. Autopsies revealed no bullet wounds, suggesting that their deaths were caused by asphyxiation or drowning.
On June 29, 1977, Ruiz and Denton struck again, this time in Magazine, Arkansas. Their victims included Marshal Marvin Richie of the Magazine Police Department and park ranger Opal Lee James. Richie was last heard requesting a license check on a stranded motorist. Witnesses later saw him handcuffed in the back of his patrol car, driven by Ruiz and Denton. Tragically, Richie was found dead from a gunshot wound to the brain, while James' body was discovered in a truck abandoned miles away. Remarkably, another park ranger, David Small, survived being shot in the chest during the confrontation.
Their final known victim was James Melvin Short, a taxi driver in Purcell, Oklahoma, murdered on July 1, 1977. His body was discovered five days later in Chickasha, Oklahoma. The connection between Short and Denton, as Short was a second cousin to Denton's ex-wife, added another layer of intrigue to the case, though any motive remains speculative.
Capture and Trial
By now, authorities were on high alert, issuing a nationwide manhunt for the pair. On July 8, 1977, their rampage came to an end in Portland, Oregon, where they were apprehended and extradited back to Arkansas. The state's governor, David Pryor, prioritized their prosecution for the murders of Richie and James.
Their trial began on April 17, 1978, in Logan County Circuit Court, where both men faced the death penalty sought by prosecuting attorney Paul X. Williams Jr. On April 27, the jury needed only 47 minutes to convict them of capital murder, and they were sentenced to death the same day. Their execution was initially set for December 4, 1978, but was postponed pending mandatory appeals.
The Long Road to Execution
Over the next 18 years, Ruiz and Denton waged a legal battle to overturn their sentences. In 1979, their death sentences were overturned due to procedural errors, leading to a retrial where they were once again sentenced to death. The Arkansas Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed multiple appeals, but each time, technicalities and procedural errors gave the men temporary reprieves.
In 1985, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a rehearing, but by 1989, the death sentences were reimposed. Further appeals stretched into the 1990s until the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed their final appeals on November 11, 1996.
The End of the Road
With all legal avenues exhausted, both men awaited their fate at the Cummins Unit in Lincoln County, Arkansas. On January 8, 1997, Paul Ruiz and Earl Van Denton were executed by lethal injection, ending a dark chapter in the annals of criminal history.
Their story is a chilling reminder of the chaos and destruction that two men can unleash in a short span, leaving behind a legacy of sorrow and a series of questions that may never be fully answered.
Sources
For more detailed information, you can access the original Wikipedia article here.
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Prison Escape
Paul Ruiz and Earl Van Denton escape from Oklahoma State Penitentiary.
First Suspected Murder
Gerald Leon Tiffee disappears; Ruiz and Denton suspected of killing him.
Multiple Murders in Louisiana
Ruiz and Denton kill Jimmy Cockrell, Ray Jones, and Alton Wilson.
Law Enforcement Killings
Ruiz and Denton murder Marshal Marvin Richie and park ranger Opal Lee James.
Seventh Victim
James Melvin Short is killed by Ruiz and Denton in Purcell, Oklahoma.
Arrest in Oregon
Ruiz and Denton are arrested in Portland, Oregon after a manhunt.
Guilty Verdict
Ruiz and Denton found guilty of capital murder for the killings of Richie and James.
Execution
Paul Ruiz and Earl Van Denton executed by lethal injection in Arkansas.
On June 23, 1977, Paul Ruiz and Earl Van Denton, both serving life sentences at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, escaped and embarked on a two-week killing spree across Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas, resulting in the deaths of at least six individuals. Key victims included Melvin Short in Oklahoma, Jimmy Cockrell, Ray Jones, and Alton Wilson in Louisiana, and Marshal Marvin Richie and park ranger Opal Lee James in Arkansas. The pair was apprehended on July 8, 1977, in Portland, Oregon, and extradited to Arkansas, where they were tried and convicted of capital murder in 1978. After numerous appeals, both were executed by lethal injection at the Cummins Unit in Lincoln County, Arkansas, on January 8, 1997. Significant evidence included witness testimonies and forensic links to the crime scenes, solidifying their connection to the multiple homicides.
Paul Ruiz and Earl Van Denton are believed to have committed multiple murders across three states during their escape from prison, with some speculating that they may also be linked to the 1977 disappearance of Gerald Tiffee in Oklahoma. Investigators theorize that their crime spree was fueled by a desire for notoriety and a complete disregard for human life. There are also suspicions that their violent behavior may have been influenced by their experiences in prison, leading them to team up and escalate their criminal activities after escaping.
The Grim Journey of Paul Ruiz and Earl Van Denton
Prelude to a Killing Spree
In the sweltering summer of 1977, the ominous shadow of two men loomed large across the American South. Paul Ruiz and Earl Van Denton, both hardened criminals serving life sentences at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, made a daring escape on June 23, 1977. Their flight from the confines of prison walls set off a chain of brutal events that would leave a trail of blood and unanswered questions across multiple states.
Born on October 20, 1947, Paul Ruiz had found himself behind bars for the armed robbery of a liquor store in Custer County, Oklahoma, in 1976. His accomplice in escape, Earl Van Denton, born December 13, 1949, had been convicted alongside Paul Mayabb for the grisly murder of William "Willie" Droke in 1970. Denton had savagely beaten Droke in a motel room, a crime that led to his life sentence.
On that fateful June day, amidst the dust and debris of a brick factory near the prison, Ruiz, Denton, and another inmate, Elmer Finin, plotted their escape. When the guards left the door unguarded during lunch, the trio seized their chance and vanished into the outside world. While Finin soon parted ways, only to be recaptured four months later, Ruiz and Denton's journey was just beginning.
The Trail of Death
Over the next two weeks, Ruiz and Denton embarked on a killing spree spanning Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Their first suspected victim was 27-year-old Gerald Leon Tiffee, who vanished in Boswell, Oklahoma, just four days after their escape. His truck was stolen, and although skeletal remains were later found in Texas, they were not his. Tiffee's fate remains a mystery to this day.
Their next known victim was James "Jimmy" Cockrell, a 38-year-old shot dead in Colfax, Louisiana, on June 28, 1977. The same day, the bodies of two fishermen, Alton Wilson and Ray Jones Sr., were discovered in a gravel pit near Franklinton, Louisiana. The men had been killed and their bodies submerged in a pit, inside the truck that belonged to the missing Tiffee. Autopsies revealed no bullet wounds, suggesting that their deaths were caused by asphyxiation or drowning.
On June 29, 1977, Ruiz and Denton struck again, this time in Magazine, Arkansas. Their victims included Marshal Marvin Richie of the Magazine Police Department and park ranger Opal Lee James. Richie was last heard requesting a license check on a stranded motorist. Witnesses later saw him handcuffed in the back of his patrol car, driven by Ruiz and Denton. Tragically, Richie was found dead from a gunshot wound to the brain, while James' body was discovered in a truck abandoned miles away. Remarkably, another park ranger, David Small, survived being shot in the chest during the confrontation.
Their final known victim was James Melvin Short, a taxi driver in Purcell, Oklahoma, murdered on July 1, 1977. His body was discovered five days later in Chickasha, Oklahoma. The connection between Short and Denton, as Short was a second cousin to Denton's ex-wife, added another layer of intrigue to the case, though any motive remains speculative.
Capture and Trial
By now, authorities were on high alert, issuing a nationwide manhunt for the pair. On July 8, 1977, their rampage came to an end in Portland, Oregon, where they were apprehended and extradited back to Arkansas. The state's governor, David Pryor, prioritized their prosecution for the murders of Richie and James.
Their trial began on April 17, 1978, in Logan County Circuit Court, where both men faced the death penalty sought by prosecuting attorney Paul X. Williams Jr. On April 27, the jury needed only 47 minutes to convict them of capital murder, and they were sentenced to death the same day. Their execution was initially set for December 4, 1978, but was postponed pending mandatory appeals.
The Long Road to Execution
Over the next 18 years, Ruiz and Denton waged a legal battle to overturn their sentences. In 1979, their death sentences were overturned due to procedural errors, leading to a retrial where they were once again sentenced to death. The Arkansas Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed multiple appeals, but each time, technicalities and procedural errors gave the men temporary reprieves.
In 1985, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a rehearing, but by 1989, the death sentences were reimposed. Further appeals stretched into the 1990s until the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed their final appeals on November 11, 1996.
The End of the Road
With all legal avenues exhausted, both men awaited their fate at the Cummins Unit in Lincoln County, Arkansas. On January 8, 1997, Paul Ruiz and Earl Van Denton were executed by lethal injection, ending a dark chapter in the annals of criminal history.
Their story is a chilling reminder of the chaos and destruction that two men can unleash in a short span, leaving behind a legacy of sorrow and a series of questions that may never be fully answered.
Sources
For more detailed information, you can access the original Wikipedia article here.
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
Loading comments...
Prison Escape
Paul Ruiz and Earl Van Denton escape from Oklahoma State Penitentiary.
First Suspected Murder
Gerald Leon Tiffee disappears; Ruiz and Denton suspected of killing him.
Multiple Murders in Louisiana
Ruiz and Denton kill Jimmy Cockrell, Ray Jones, and Alton Wilson.
Law Enforcement Killings
Ruiz and Denton murder Marshal Marvin Richie and park ranger Opal Lee James.
Seventh Victim
James Melvin Short is killed by Ruiz and Denton in Purcell, Oklahoma.
Arrest in Oregon
Ruiz and Denton are arrested in Portland, Oregon after a manhunt.
Guilty Verdict
Ruiz and Denton found guilty of capital murder for the killings of Richie and James.
Execution
Paul Ruiz and Earl Van Denton executed by lethal injection in Arkansas.