The Troubled Path of Gary Alan Walker: The Roaming Rapist

A Killer's Early Life

Born on September 25, 1953, in Oklahoma, Gary Alan Walker, who would later be infamously recognized as the "Roaming Rapist," endured a harrowing childhood. His early years were overshadowed by severe physical and sexual abuse, primarily at the hands of his stepfather, who not only beat him but once threatened him with a rifle. Walker's mother, entangled in numerous relationships, also played a part in his tragic early life. Between the ages of ten and twelve, she engaged in sexual activities with Walker and his friends, further compounding his trauma.

The turmoil of his childhood left Walker struggling academically. At 13, he was referred to Children's Medical Hospital, where he spent three months. Diagnosed with a personality disorder and poor impulse control, doctors recommended placing him outside the home, but his parents declined. At 14, Walker's brush with the law began with a conviction for car theft, marking his debut in the juvenile justice system. By 19, he found himself hospitalized at Eastern State Mental Hospital, diagnosed with a severe schizophrenic-type disorder. His frequent hospitalizations—nine in total—saw him subjected to anti-psychotic medications and electroconvulsive shock treatments. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder, he was also treated with lithium.

The May 1984 Murder Spree

Fast-forward to 1984, Walker, now 30, unleashed a wave of terror over a 19-day period, committing five murders across Oklahoma and Kentucky. His spree began on May 7, 1984, when he was hitchhiking in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. There, 63-year-old Eddie Cash offered him a ride to Owasso. Walker later targeted Cash's home for burglary, gaining entry after obtaining the address through directory assistance. When Cash returned home unexpectedly, Walker panicked, fearing police involvement. He returned with a brick, struck Cash, and strangled him with a vacuum cleaner cord, ending Cash’s life.

On the same day, Walker claimed his second victim, 37-year-old Margaret Ann Bell Lydick. Encountering her in Poteau, Oklahoma, Walker kidnapped, raped, and tortured Lydick, transporting her across state lines to Kentucky, where he ultimately murdered her. Her naked body was discovered in Princeton, Kentucky, on June 8, 1984.

A week later, on May 14, Walker struck again, killing 35-year-old Jayne Kaye Hilburn near her home in Vinita, Oklahoma. He strangled the grocery store clerk and stole her Camaro, later found near Keystone Lake. Hilburn's daughter discovered her body on the day of her death.

May 23 saw the murder of 32-year-old Janet Dee Jewell in Beggs, Oklahoma. Jewell, who disappeared while job hunting, had her car abandoned at a Tulsa shopping mall. Walker pretended to help her with her car, kidnapped her, and subsequently raped and strangled her in Beggs.

The following day, 25-year-old Valerie Shaw-Hartzell, a radio reporter, fell into Walker's clutches. He kidnapped her from a Tulsa mall parking lot, held her for 24 hours, raped, and strangled her before dumping her body near Claremore in Rogers County.

Arrest and Legal Proceedings

After the brutal murder of Shaw-Hartzell, Walker's days of freedom were numbered. By June 2, 1984, police had connected him to the murders and disappearances. Authorities in Arkansas also suspected him in two missing person cases and a motel rape incident. His arrest in Tulsa marked the beginning of justice catching up with Walker.

Charged with multiple counts of first-degree murder, rape, and kidnapping, Walker faced prosecution across four Oklahoma counties: Tulsa, Rogers, Craig, and Okmulgee. Prosecutors sought the death penalty, a pursuit permitted under Oklahoma state law for first-degree murder.

Trials and Convictions

Eddie Cash Murder Trial

Walker's first trial for the murder of Eddie Cash commenced in July 1984 in Tulsa County. Despite defense attempts to relocate the trial due to publicity, jury selection proceeded, and the trial began in November 1984. Walker's defense hinged on an insanity plea, backed by psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Goodman's testimony. Goodman suggested Walker's perception was so distorted he believed he was killing his stepfather. Nevertheless, the prosecution emphasized Walker's calculated actions, from obtaining Cash's address to the murder itself.

On November 13, 1984, the jury found Walker guilty of first-degree murder, recommending the death penalty, which the judge confirmed on November 26. An initial execution date was set for February 6, 1985, but was stayed pending an automatic review by the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals.

Valerie Shaw-Hartzell Murder Trial

In May 1985, Walker faced trial for Shaw-Hartzell's murder. Following his conviction for both kidnapping and first-degree murder, the jury again recommended the death penalty, which Rogers County District Judge Edwin Carden imposed.

Subsequent Sentences

Walker faced trials for the murders of Janet Jewell and Jayne Hilburn, receiving life sentences for both. In Kentucky, for the murder of Margaret Bell Lydick, he entered a plea agreement. The prosecution, considering his existing death sentences, opted not to pursue another, resulting in a life sentence plus 20 years for kidnapping, rape, and murder.

In total, Walker amassed two death sentences, six life sentences, and 700 years in prison.

Appeals and Execution

Walker pursued appeals, but his efforts to overturn his death sentence for Cash’s murder were consistently denied, culminating in the U.S. Supreme Court's final rejection on November 8, 1999. However, his death sentence for Shaw-Hartzell's murder was overturned, leading to a retrial where he pleaded guilty, accepting life without parole instead of another death sentence.

Despite ongoing appeals, Oklahoma Attorney-General Susan B. Loving petitioned for an execution date in 1993, though it was delayed. By November 23, 1999, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals set Walker’s execution for January 13, 2000.

On the eve of his execution, Walker expressed fatigue and acceptance, citing a heart condition that would likely end his life within five years. On January 13, 2000, at 46, Walker was executed by lethal injection, having apologized to his victims' families.

For his last meal, he chose three cheeseburgers with extra salt, three sliced tomatoes, french fries, and a strawberry malt. His final visitors included two sisters, a niece, and two cousins, while over 30 family members of his victims witnessed the execution.

Walker’s legacy, a grim chapter in American criminal history, was later chronicled in a 2007 episode of "Crime Stories."

Sources

• Wikipedia Article on Gary Alan Walker