Leon Dorsey
Texas Serial Killer Case
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Dallas, Texas
TIME PERIOD
April 4 – September 11, 1994
VICTIMS
3 confirmed
Leon David Dorsey IV, also known as "Pistol Pete," was a serial killer responsible for the murders of two Blockbuster employees, Brad Lindsey (20) and James Armstrong (26), on April 4, 1994, in Dallas, Texas, and a convenience store clerk, Hyon Suk Chon (51), on September 11, 1994, in Ellis County, Texas. Dorsey attempted to rob the Blockbuster store, fatally shooting both employees when they could not open a time-locked safe. Initially, he was not arrested despite owning the murder weapon, a 9mm pistol. However, after the murder of Chon, forensic evidence linked Dorsey to her death, leading to his arrest on September 14, 1994. He later confessed to Chon's murder and was sentenced to 60 years in prison for that crime, while the investigation into the earlier murders continued. In 1998, Dorsey was linked to the Blockbuster murders through enhanced surveillance footage, resulting in his confession to those crimes as well. He was convicted of capital murder and executed by lethal injection on August 12, 2008, at the Huntsville Unit in Texas.
Investigators and the public speculate that Leon Dorsey may have been motivated by a desire for quick cash, as he targeted stores with the intent to rob them. Some believe his actions were part of a larger pattern of violent crime, suggesting he could have committed additional murders that remain unsolved. There are also theories regarding his psychological state, with speculation that he may have been driven by underlying mental health issues or a need for control during the robberies.
The Lethal Legacy of Leon Dorsey: From Pistol Pete to the Death Chamber
In the shadow of the Dallas skyline, a sinister figure emerged in 1994—a figure whose violent acts would earn him the ominous moniker of "Pistol Pete" and ultimately lead him to the execution chamber. Leon David Dorsey IV, born on November 17, 1975, in Dallas, Texas, left a trail of blood that spanned several months and claimed the lives of three innocent souls. This is the story of his crimes, capture, and eventual execution.
The Murders
The night of April 4, 1994, was like any other at the Blockbuster store in Dallas, where 20-year-old Brad Lindsey and 26-year-old James Armstrong were tending to their evening duties. That normalcy shattered when Leon Dorsey walked through the door. Armed and dangerous, Dorsey forced the two employees into a back room, demanding they open the safe. The safe, however, was on a time-lock, its secrets inaccessible to Lindsey or Armstrong. In a desperate bid for freedom, Armstrong tried to escape, only to be gunned down by Dorsey. Lindsey met the same fate shortly thereafter, presumably to silence a witness. Dorsey fled with over $400 from the register, leaving behind a scene of devastation captured by a surveillance camera.
In the days that followed, the police questioned Dorsey, but his protestations of innocence and a lack of immediate evidence allowed him to slip through their fingers. Even ownership of a 9mm pistol, the murder weapon, did not tie him to the crimes—yet.
The violence resurged on September 11, 1994, in Ellis County, where 51-year-old Korean convenience store worker Hyon Suk Chon encountered Dorsey. This time, there was no demand for cash or compliance. Dorsey led her to the back room and executed her with a single shot to the head.
But this act would be his undoing. The police, now suspicious, tested Dorsey's gun and found it matched the weapon used to kill Suk Chon. Arrested and under pressure, Dorsey confessed to her murder but maintained his innocence regarding the deaths of Lindsey and Armstrong. In 1995, he pleaded guilty to Suk Chon's murder and received a 60-year prison sentence.
The Investigation Reopened
In 1998, new light was shed on the cold case of Lindsey and Armstrong's murders. Investigators revisited the evidence, consulting the FBI to enhance the grainy footage from Blockbuster's security cameras. A breakthrough came when the FBI's analysis estimated the killer's height, which matched Dorsey's stature. Confronted with this new evidence, Dorsey finally confessed to the murders he had long denied.
Before his trial, Dorsey granted an interview to The Dallas Morning News, an opportunity he used not for repentance but for brash indifference. "I've done cut folks; I've done stabbed folks; I've killed folks," he declared, dismissing the gravity of his crimes. "They're dead. That's over and done with."
The Trial and Judgment
In April 2000, Leon Dorsey faced justice six years after the brutal slayings. The trial was a moment of catharsis for the victims' families, particularly Armstrong's mother, who confronted Dorsey with a poignant statement: "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.
The Execution
As Dorsey awaited his fate on death row, he became known among fellow inmates as "Pistol Pete," a testament to his notorious crimes and troublesome behavior within the prison walls. On August 12, 2008, at the Huntsville Unit in Texas, Dorsey met his end. Strapped to the gurney, he offered a final farewell to the spectators, including the grieving parents of his victims: "I love all y'all. I forgive all y'all. See y'all when you get there." Moments later, the lethal injection was administered, and Dorsey's life, marked by violence and ruthlessness, came to a quiet end.
Sources
- Leon David Dorsey IV - Texas Department of Criminal Justice
- Remembering Leon Dorsey on his execution day - Dallas News
- Texas executes 'Pistol Pete' for double slaying - NBC News
- Twice-Convicted Killer Executed in Texas for Double Slaying - Associated Press
- Execution Report: Leon Dorsey - txexecutions.org
- Death penalty news—-TEXAS – TCADP
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First Murders at Blockbuster
Leon Dorsey shoots employees Brad Lindsey and James Armstrong during a robbery.
Murder of Hyon Suk Chon
Dorsey kills convenience store worker Hyon Suk Chon in Ellis County.
Dorsey Arrested
Leon Dorsey is arrested after ballistics link him to the murder of Hyon Suk Chon.
Guilty Plea for Suk Chon Murder
Dorsey pleads guilty to the murder of Hyon Suk Chon and receives a 60-year sentence.
Investigation Reopened
Investigators reopen the case of Armstrong and Lindsey's murders, re-examining evidence.
Trial for Capital Murder
Dorsey stands trial for the murders of Armstrong and Lindsey, leading to his conviction.
Convicted and Sentenced to Death
Dorsey is convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death.
Execution
Leon Dorsey is executed by lethal injection at the Huntsville Unit.
Leon David Dorsey IV, also known as "Pistol Pete," was a serial killer responsible for the murders of two Blockbuster employees, Brad Lindsey (20) and James Armstrong (26), on April 4, 1994, in Dallas, Texas, and a convenience store clerk, Hyon Suk Chon (51), on September 11, 1994, in Ellis County, Texas. Dorsey attempted to rob the Blockbuster store, fatally shooting both employees when they could not open a time-locked safe. Initially, he was not arrested despite owning the murder weapon, a 9mm pistol. However, after the murder of Chon, forensic evidence linked Dorsey to her death, leading to his arrest on September 14, 1994. He later confessed to Chon's murder and was sentenced to 60 years in prison for that crime, while the investigation into the earlier murders continued. In 1998, Dorsey was linked to the Blockbuster murders through enhanced surveillance footage, resulting in his confession to those crimes as well. He was convicted of capital murder and executed by lethal injection on August 12, 2008, at the Huntsville Unit in Texas.
Investigators and the public speculate that Leon Dorsey may have been motivated by a desire for quick cash, as he targeted stores with the intent to rob them. Some believe his actions were part of a larger pattern of violent crime, suggesting he could have committed additional murders that remain unsolved. There are also theories regarding his psychological state, with speculation that he may have been driven by underlying mental health issues or a need for control during the robberies.
The Lethal Legacy of Leon Dorsey: From Pistol Pete to the Death Chamber
In the shadow of the Dallas skyline, a sinister figure emerged in 1994—a figure whose violent acts would earn him the ominous moniker of "Pistol Pete" and ultimately lead him to the execution chamber. Leon David Dorsey IV, born on November 17, 1975, in Dallas, Texas, left a trail of blood that spanned several months and claimed the lives of three innocent souls. This is the story of his crimes, capture, and eventual execution.
The Murders
The night of April 4, 1994, was like any other at the Blockbuster store in Dallas, where 20-year-old Brad Lindsey and 26-year-old James Armstrong were tending to their evening duties. That normalcy shattered when Leon Dorsey walked through the door. Armed and dangerous, Dorsey forced the two employees into a back room, demanding they open the safe. The safe, however, was on a time-lock, its secrets inaccessible to Lindsey or Armstrong. In a desperate bid for freedom, Armstrong tried to escape, only to be gunned down by Dorsey. Lindsey met the same fate shortly thereafter, presumably to silence a witness. Dorsey fled with over $400 from the register, leaving behind a scene of devastation captured by a surveillance camera.
In the days that followed, the police questioned Dorsey, but his protestations of innocence and a lack of immediate evidence allowed him to slip through their fingers. Even ownership of a 9mm pistol, the murder weapon, did not tie him to the crimes—yet.
The violence resurged on September 11, 1994, in Ellis County, where 51-year-old Korean convenience store worker Hyon Suk Chon encountered Dorsey. This time, there was no demand for cash or compliance. Dorsey led her to the back room and executed her with a single shot to the head.
But this act would be his undoing. The police, now suspicious, tested Dorsey's gun and found it matched the weapon used to kill Suk Chon. Arrested and under pressure, Dorsey confessed to her murder but maintained his innocence regarding the deaths of Lindsey and Armstrong. In 1995, he pleaded guilty to Suk Chon's murder and received a 60-year prison sentence.
The Investigation Reopened
In 1998, new light was shed on the cold case of Lindsey and Armstrong's murders. Investigators revisited the evidence, consulting the FBI to enhance the grainy footage from Blockbuster's security cameras. A breakthrough came when the FBI's analysis estimated the killer's height, which matched Dorsey's stature. Confronted with this new evidence, Dorsey finally confessed to the murders he had long denied.
Before his trial, Dorsey granted an interview to The Dallas Morning News, an opportunity he used not for repentance but for brash indifference. "I've done cut folks; I've done stabbed folks; I've killed folks," he declared, dismissing the gravity of his crimes. "They're dead. That's over and done with."
The Trial and Judgment
In April 2000, Leon Dorsey faced justice six years after the brutal slayings. The trial was a moment of catharsis for the victims' families, particularly Armstrong's mother, who confronted Dorsey with a poignant statement: "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.
The Execution
As Dorsey awaited his fate on death row, he became known among fellow inmates as "Pistol Pete," a testament to his notorious crimes and troublesome behavior within the prison walls. On August 12, 2008, at the Huntsville Unit in Texas, Dorsey met his end. Strapped to the gurney, he offered a final farewell to the spectators, including the grieving parents of his victims: "I love all y'all. I forgive all y'all. See y'all when you get there." Moments later, the lethal injection was administered, and Dorsey's life, marked by violence and ruthlessness, came to a quiet end.
Sources
- Leon David Dorsey IV - Texas Department of Criminal Justice
- Remembering Leon Dorsey on his execution day - Dallas News
- Texas executes 'Pistol Pete' for double slaying - NBC News
- Twice-Convicted Killer Executed in Texas for Double Slaying - Associated Press
- Execution Report: Leon Dorsey - txexecutions.org
- Death penalty news—-TEXAS – TCADP
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
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First Murders at Blockbuster
Leon Dorsey shoots employees Brad Lindsey and James Armstrong during a robbery.
Murder of Hyon Suk Chon
Dorsey kills convenience store worker Hyon Suk Chon in Ellis County.
Dorsey Arrested
Leon Dorsey is arrested after ballistics link him to the murder of Hyon Suk Chon.
Guilty Plea for Suk Chon Murder
Dorsey pleads guilty to the murder of Hyon Suk Chon and receives a 60-year sentence.
Investigation Reopened
Investigators reopen the case of Armstrong and Lindsey's murders, re-examining evidence.
Trial for Capital Murder
Dorsey stands trial for the murders of Armstrong and Lindsey, leading to his conviction.
Convicted and Sentenced to Death
Dorsey is convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death.
Execution
Leon Dorsey is executed by lethal injection at the Huntsville Unit.