Randy Greenawalt
Serial Killer and Mass Murderer
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Arizona, United States
TIME PERIOD
1974-1978
VICTIMS
6 confirmed
Randy Greenawalt, an American serial killer, was initially convicted for two murders in 1974 and sentenced to life imprisonment. On July 30, 1978, he escaped from prison in Arizona with fellow inmate Gary Tison and his three sons, leading to a two-week crime spree across Arizona and Colorado that resulted in the deaths of six individuals. Greenawalt was apprehended on August 11, 1978, and subsequently sentenced to death for the murders committed during the escape. He was executed by lethal injection on January 23, 1997, with his case influencing the Supreme Court decision in Tison v. Arizona, which addressed the liability of accomplices in capital cases. Significant evidence included the murder weapons found in his possession during his arrest and the testimonies from his accomplices.
Randy Greenawalt is believed to have had accomplices in his initial murders, with speculation surrounding the involvement of his brother, James Greenawalt. Additionally, some theorize that his escape from prison was premeditated, as he and Gary Tison had connections that facilitated their plan. Investigators also consider that the two-week killing spree may have been fueled by a desire for notoriety or revenge against society.
The Grim Journey of Randy Greenawalt: From Convict to Execution
The Early Crimes and Imprisonment
Randy Greenawalt's life was marked by a series of violent crimes that would eventually seal his fate as a notorious serial killer. Born on February 24, 1949, in Hannibal, Missouri, his criminal journey began with a seemingly ordinary trip to Miami, Florida, in early January 1974. Here, he planned a car exchange with a couple from Denver, Colorado. However, this trip would soon turn deadly.
On January 12, 1974, the body of Henry A. Weber, a 42-year-old truck driver for Global Van Lines, was found at a highway rest area in Mississippi County, Arkansas. He had been shot in the head. Just days later, on January 15, another truck driver, 33-year-old Stanley Edward Sandage of Whitfield Tank Lines, was discovered murdered near Flagstaff, Arizona. Like Weber, Sandage had been shot, and $42 was missing from his wallet.
The breakthrough in these cases came when Randy and his brother James Greenawalt were arrested in Tempe, Arizona, for attempting to purchase stereo equipment using Sandage's credit card. A search of their vehicle revealed a .32-caliber pistol, identified as the murder weapon, and a .243-caliber rifle, potentially linked to the second murder. A third accomplice, George Sanders, was also taken into custody for federal firearms violations and credit card fraud.
To avoid the death penalty, Randy confessed to Sandage's murder and received a life sentence in exchange for testifying against his brother, who maintained his innocence. During the trial, Randy admitted to marking an "X" on Sandage's truck window before shooting him. As a result, James was also sentenced to life at Florence State Prison. Although Randy confessed to the Arkansas and a Colorado murder, those cases fell apart, and he returned to Arizona to serve his sentence.
The Escape and Killing Spree
Life in prison changed course for Randy when he met fellow inmate Gary Gene Tison, who was serving a life sentence for killing a prison guard and had a reputation for escape attempts. On July 30, 1978, Tison's three sons—Donald, Ricky, and Raymond—visited the prison. During their visit, they smuggled a sawn-off shotgun and other weapons inside. Randy, working as an office clerk, helped cut the alarm and phone lines. The group then locked guards and visitors in a supply closet and fled in the Tisons' 1969 Ford Galaxie, aiming to reach a ranch in Sáric, Mexico.
Their escape took a violent turn near Quartzsite, Arizona, when their car blew a tire. The Tison-Greenawalt gang encountered Marine Sgt. John Lyons and his family. Offering to help, the Lyons family was instead forced at gunpoint into their car and later shot dead in the desert by Gary and Randy. Their bodies were discovered days later.
The gang continued their rampage by stealing the Lyons' car, which they spray-painted, and plotted to escape the country by plane from Clovis, New Mexico. The plan was thwarted, forcing them to flee to southwestern Colorado, where they murdered newlyweds James and Margene Judge near Pagosa Springs on August 9. They stole the Judges' van, burying the couple's bodies, which were not found for months.
Capture and Legal Battle
The gang's luck ran out near Casa Grande, Arizona, when they were trapped by police roadblocks. On August 11, during an attempted escape, Donald Tison was killed by a deputy's bullet, causing their van to crash. Greenawalt and the surviving Tison brothers were soon captured in a nearby ditch.
With their capture, the group faced multiple charges. Greenawalt was convicted of four counts of capital murder, three counts of kidnapping, armed robbery, and auto theft. Despite claiming they did not participate in the killings, Ricky and Raymond Tison were initially sentenced to death. However, their sentences were later commuted to life imprisonment after further court reviews.
Execution and Legacy
Randy Greenawalt spent nearly two decades on death row. His appeals exhausted, he faced execution by lethal injection at Florence State Prison on January 23, 1997. His final meal was simple: two cheeseburgers, French fries, coffee, and milk. In his last statement, he expressed a sense of peace, saying, "I have prayed for you many times and the Lord is using you well. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."
Greenawalt's case, intertwined with the Tison brothers, led to the landmark Supreme Court decision in Tison v. Arizona, reshaping the legal landscape of capital punishment. His story, a grim testament to the consequences of crime and desperation, continues to echo in legal discussions and popular culture.
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First Murder Committed
Henry A. Weber found murdered in Arkansas.
Second Murder Committed
Stanley Edward Sandage found murdered in Arizona.
Guilty Plea
Randy Greenawalt pleads guilty to murder, sentenced to life.
Prison Escape
Greenawalt escapes prison with Gary Tison and his sons.
Family Murdered
John Lyons and family murdered during escape.
Additional Murders
James and Margene Judge killed near Pagosa Springs.
Final Arrest
Greenawalt and Tison brothers captured after shootout.
Conviction
Greenawalt convicted of four counts of capital murder.
Sentenced to Death
Greenawalt sentenced to death for murders.
Execution
Randy Greenawalt executed by lethal injection.
Randy Greenawalt, an American serial killer, was initially convicted for two murders in 1974 and sentenced to life imprisonment. On July 30, 1978, he escaped from prison in Arizona with fellow inmate Gary Tison and his three sons, leading to a two-week crime spree across Arizona and Colorado that resulted in the deaths of six individuals. Greenawalt was apprehended on August 11, 1978, and subsequently sentenced to death for the murders committed during the escape. He was executed by lethal injection on January 23, 1997, with his case influencing the Supreme Court decision in Tison v. Arizona, which addressed the liability of accomplices in capital cases. Significant evidence included the murder weapons found in his possession during his arrest and the testimonies from his accomplices.
Randy Greenawalt is believed to have had accomplices in his initial murders, with speculation surrounding the involvement of his brother, James Greenawalt. Additionally, some theorize that his escape from prison was premeditated, as he and Gary Tison had connections that facilitated their plan. Investigators also consider that the two-week killing spree may have been fueled by a desire for notoriety or revenge against society.
The Grim Journey of Randy Greenawalt: From Convict to Execution
The Early Crimes and Imprisonment
Randy Greenawalt's life was marked by a series of violent crimes that would eventually seal his fate as a notorious serial killer. Born on February 24, 1949, in Hannibal, Missouri, his criminal journey began with a seemingly ordinary trip to Miami, Florida, in early January 1974. Here, he planned a car exchange with a couple from Denver, Colorado. However, this trip would soon turn deadly.
On January 12, 1974, the body of Henry A. Weber, a 42-year-old truck driver for Global Van Lines, was found at a highway rest area in Mississippi County, Arkansas. He had been shot in the head. Just days later, on January 15, another truck driver, 33-year-old Stanley Edward Sandage of Whitfield Tank Lines, was discovered murdered near Flagstaff, Arizona. Like Weber, Sandage had been shot, and $42 was missing from his wallet.
The breakthrough in these cases came when Randy and his brother James Greenawalt were arrested in Tempe, Arizona, for attempting to purchase stereo equipment using Sandage's credit card. A search of their vehicle revealed a .32-caliber pistol, identified as the murder weapon, and a .243-caliber rifle, potentially linked to the second murder. A third accomplice, George Sanders, was also taken into custody for federal firearms violations and credit card fraud.
To avoid the death penalty, Randy confessed to Sandage's murder and received a life sentence in exchange for testifying against his brother, who maintained his innocence. During the trial, Randy admitted to marking an "X" on Sandage's truck window before shooting him. As a result, James was also sentenced to life at Florence State Prison. Although Randy confessed to the Arkansas and a Colorado murder, those cases fell apart, and he returned to Arizona to serve his sentence.
The Escape and Killing Spree
Life in prison changed course for Randy when he met fellow inmate Gary Gene Tison, who was serving a life sentence for killing a prison guard and had a reputation for escape attempts. On July 30, 1978, Tison's three sons—Donald, Ricky, and Raymond—visited the prison. During their visit, they smuggled a sawn-off shotgun and other weapons inside. Randy, working as an office clerk, helped cut the alarm and phone lines. The group then locked guards and visitors in a supply closet and fled in the Tisons' 1969 Ford Galaxie, aiming to reach a ranch in Sáric, Mexico.
Their escape took a violent turn near Quartzsite, Arizona, when their car blew a tire. The Tison-Greenawalt gang encountered Marine Sgt. John Lyons and his family. Offering to help, the Lyons family was instead forced at gunpoint into their car and later shot dead in the desert by Gary and Randy. Their bodies were discovered days later.
The gang continued their rampage by stealing the Lyons' car, which they spray-painted, and plotted to escape the country by plane from Clovis, New Mexico. The plan was thwarted, forcing them to flee to southwestern Colorado, where they murdered newlyweds James and Margene Judge near Pagosa Springs on August 9. They stole the Judges' van, burying the couple's bodies, which were not found for months.
Capture and Legal Battle
The gang's luck ran out near Casa Grande, Arizona, when they were trapped by police roadblocks. On August 11, during an attempted escape, Donald Tison was killed by a deputy's bullet, causing their van to crash. Greenawalt and the surviving Tison brothers were soon captured in a nearby ditch.
With their capture, the group faced multiple charges. Greenawalt was convicted of four counts of capital murder, three counts of kidnapping, armed robbery, and auto theft. Despite claiming they did not participate in the killings, Ricky and Raymond Tison were initially sentenced to death. However, their sentences were later commuted to life imprisonment after further court reviews.
Execution and Legacy
Randy Greenawalt spent nearly two decades on death row. His appeals exhausted, he faced execution by lethal injection at Florence State Prison on January 23, 1997. His final meal was simple: two cheeseburgers, French fries, coffee, and milk. In his last statement, he expressed a sense of peace, saying, "I have prayed for you many times and the Lord is using you well. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."
Greenawalt's case, intertwined with the Tison brothers, led to the landmark Supreme Court decision in Tison v. Arizona, reshaping the legal landscape of capital punishment. His story, a grim testament to the consequences of crime and desperation, continues to echo in legal discussions and popular culture.
Sources
No Recent News
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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 Murder Committed
Henry A. Weber found murdered in Arkansas.
Second Murder Committed
Stanley Edward Sandage found murdered in Arizona.
Guilty Plea
Randy Greenawalt pleads guilty to murder, sentenced to life.
Prison Escape
Greenawalt escapes prison with Gary Tison and his sons.
Family Murdered
John Lyons and family murdered during escape.
Additional Murders
James and Margene Judge killed near Pagosa Springs.
Final Arrest
Greenawalt and Tison brothers captured after shootout.
Conviction
Greenawalt convicted of four counts of capital murder.
Sentenced to Death
Greenawalt sentenced to death for murders.
Execution
Randy Greenawalt executed by lethal injection.