Reginald Perkins
American Serial Killer Execution
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Fort Worth, Texas
TIME PERIOD
1980-2009
VICTIMS
6 confirmed
Reginald Perkins, an American serial killer and sex offender, was executed by lethal injection in Texas on January 22, 2009, for the murder of his stepmother in December 2000. His criminal activities spanned from the early 1980s to 2000, with confirmed murders of two women in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1991, and he is suspected of killing three additional women in Ohio during the early 1980s. Perkins was convicted of multiple sexual offenses, including the rape of a 12-year-old girl in Cleveland in 1980, and was linked to the murders of Paula Nelson, Jennie Morman, and Jerry Dean Thomas through circumstantial evidence and witness testimonies. As of his execution, Perkins had been serving a death sentence since March 22, 2002, with DNA evidence connecting him to the Fort Worth murders, solidifying his status as a serial killer.
Reginald Perkins is believed to have been involved in the murders of several women across different states, with DNA linking him to the 1991 murders of two women in Fort Worth, Texas. There is speculation that he may have killed additional women in Ohio during the early 1980s, with some believing he was responsible for the strangulation of Paula Nelson shortly after he was overheard discussing her with a family member. Investigators and the public also suspect that his criminal activities may have extended beyond the confirmed cases, potentially involving more victims.
Reginald Perkins: The Chilling Path of a Serial Killer
Early Life and Beginnings
Reginald Perkins entered the world on April 29, 1955, in the rural confines of Woodruff County, Arkansas. As a young boy, he left his birthplace, eventually finding his way to Texas where he spent his formative years. The allure of family drew him north in the 1970s, relocating to Cleveland, Ohio, to be closer to his mother. Here, he carved out a modest existence, working various jobs as a laborer, plumber, and truck driver. However, beneath this ordinary facade lurked a dark, violent streak that would soon become evident.
Ohio: The Murders Begin
In 1979, Perkins began a relationship with Ramola Nelson Washington, and by 1980, she had moved in with him. Things took a sinister turn on April 4, 1980, when Perkins raped a 12-year-old girl in an abandoned house on Cleveland's East Side. This young victim was a friend of his sister, and the violation marked the beginning of a terrifying pattern.
Later that year, Washington asked Perkins to return a set of keys to her sister, Paula Nelson. Five days after this request, on October 23, 1980, Paula was discovered strangled in her bedroom. Washington later recounted overhearing a chilling conversation between Perkins and his brother about Paula's fate.
The violence continued on December 13, 1980, when Perkins attempted to rape another 12-year-old girl, the daughter of a neighbor. His attempt was thwarted, but not before he threatened to kill anyone who learned of the assault. On January 4, 1981, the body of 43-year-old Jennie Morman was found in her apartment. She had been strangled with a scarf, her face obscured by pillows. Perkins, who had been involved with Morman's daughter, was now a father with her. A few weeks later, on January 23, 1981, Jerry Dean Thomas, the mother of the girl Perkins had attempted to rape, was found strangled in her basement, a hairdryer cord wrapped around her neck. The chilling truth was that she had recently discovered Perkins's attack on her daughter.
Despite the mounting suspicion, Perkins was only convicted for the April 1980 rape and the December 1980 attempted rape. On November 12, 1981, he was sentenced to life in prison. However, the lack of direct evidence meant the murders remained unsolved.
Texas: A New Chapter of Crime
Reginald Perkins's time behind bars did not spell the end of his criminal activities. In 1990, he was paroled and relocated to Fort Worth, Texas. It was here, on May 6, 1991, that the bodies of 79-year-old Hattie Wilson and her niece Shirley Douglas were discovered in Wilson's apartment. Both women had been strangled, and once again Perkins was romantically linked, this time to Wilson's granddaughter.
In 1993, Perkins's freedom was curtailed once more when he returned to Ohio prison for failing to attend mandatory sex offender classes. By 1999, the Ohio courts had labeled him a sexual predator. Released again in 2000, Perkins returned to Texas, now working as a truck driver for a company owned by his father and stepmother, Gertie Mae Perkins.
Tragedy struck on December 4, 2000, when Gertie Mae failed to pick up her grandson from school. Concerned, authorities searched her home, finding a disconnected phone, removed carpeting, and missing sheets. The same day, Perkins pawned her wedding ring, raising eyebrows. He was arrested the next day for failing to register as a sex offender. Under police questioning, Perkins led them to Gertie's car. Her body lay hidden in the trunk.
Trial and Revelation
The subsequent trial in Tarrant County was a grim affair. Given Perkins's criminal history, the prosecution sought the death penalty. Witnesses were brought forward to testify about the unsolved Cleveland murders, painting Perkins as the likely killer. Ramola Washington recounted a jailhouse call from Perkins, where he confessed to murdering her sister, Paula Nelson, in 1980, pleading for forgiveness. Another inmate claimed Perkins had admitted to killing Gertie Mae, describing a brutal attack followed by theft.
The jury found Perkins guilty of murder. On March 4, 2002, he was convicted of the capital murder of Gertie Mae Perkins, and by March 22, 2002, he was sentenced to death. In a shocking turn of events, DNA tests in November 2008 conclusively linked Perkins to the 1991 murders of Wilson and Douglas, sealing his fate as a serial killer.
Execution
On January 22, 2009, the justice system caught up with Reginald Perkins. He was executed by lethal injection at the Huntsville Unit in Texas and pronounced dead at 6:24 p.m. Just an hour before facing his final judgment, Perkins summoned a prison official, proclaiming his innocence one last time. Yet, Kevin Rousseau, the prosecutor who had pursued Perkins, dismissed his protestations, labeling him a "consummate liar and a con artist."
Sources
For more detailed information, please refer to the original Wikipedia article.
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First Rape Incident
Reginald Perkins rapes a 12-year-old girl in Cleveland.
First Murder Linked
21-year-old Paula Nelson found strangled in her bedroom.
Second Murder Linked
43-year-old Jennie Morman found strangled in her apartment.
Third Murder Linked
Jerry Dean Thomas found strangled in her basement.
Conviction for Rapes
Perkins convicted of raping two 12-year-old girls; sentenced to life.
Stepmother Reported Missing
Gertie Mae Perkins reported missing; police find evidence at her home.
Arrest Made
Reginald Perkins arrested for failing to register as a sex offender.
Convicted of Murder
Perkins found guilty of capital murder of Gertie Mae Perkins.
Execution
Reginald Perkins executed by lethal injection in Texas.
Reginald Perkins, an American serial killer and sex offender, was executed by lethal injection in Texas on January 22, 2009, for the murder of his stepmother in December 2000. His criminal activities spanned from the early 1980s to 2000, with confirmed murders of two women in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1991, and he is suspected of killing three additional women in Ohio during the early 1980s. Perkins was convicted of multiple sexual offenses, including the rape of a 12-year-old girl in Cleveland in 1980, and was linked to the murders of Paula Nelson, Jennie Morman, and Jerry Dean Thomas through circumstantial evidence and witness testimonies. As of his execution, Perkins had been serving a death sentence since March 22, 2002, with DNA evidence connecting him to the Fort Worth murders, solidifying his status as a serial killer.
Reginald Perkins is believed to have been involved in the murders of several women across different states, with DNA linking him to the 1991 murders of two women in Fort Worth, Texas. There is speculation that he may have killed additional women in Ohio during the early 1980s, with some believing he was responsible for the strangulation of Paula Nelson shortly after he was overheard discussing her with a family member. Investigators and the public also suspect that his criminal activities may have extended beyond the confirmed cases, potentially involving more victims.
Reginald Perkins: The Chilling Path of a Serial Killer
Early Life and Beginnings
Reginald Perkins entered the world on April 29, 1955, in the rural confines of Woodruff County, Arkansas. As a young boy, he left his birthplace, eventually finding his way to Texas where he spent his formative years. The allure of family drew him north in the 1970s, relocating to Cleveland, Ohio, to be closer to his mother. Here, he carved out a modest existence, working various jobs as a laborer, plumber, and truck driver. However, beneath this ordinary facade lurked a dark, violent streak that would soon become evident.
Ohio: The Murders Begin
In 1979, Perkins began a relationship with Ramola Nelson Washington, and by 1980, she had moved in with him. Things took a sinister turn on April 4, 1980, when Perkins raped a 12-year-old girl in an abandoned house on Cleveland's East Side. This young victim was a friend of his sister, and the violation marked the beginning of a terrifying pattern.
Later that year, Washington asked Perkins to return a set of keys to her sister, Paula Nelson. Five days after this request, on October 23, 1980, Paula was discovered strangled in her bedroom. Washington later recounted overhearing a chilling conversation between Perkins and his brother about Paula's fate.
The violence continued on December 13, 1980, when Perkins attempted to rape another 12-year-old girl, the daughter of a neighbor. His attempt was thwarted, but not before he threatened to kill anyone who learned of the assault. On January 4, 1981, the body of 43-year-old Jennie Morman was found in her apartment. She had been strangled with a scarf, her face obscured by pillows. Perkins, who had been involved with Morman's daughter, was now a father with her. A few weeks later, on January 23, 1981, Jerry Dean Thomas, the mother of the girl Perkins had attempted to rape, was found strangled in her basement, a hairdryer cord wrapped around her neck. The chilling truth was that she had recently discovered Perkins's attack on her daughter.
Despite the mounting suspicion, Perkins was only convicted for the April 1980 rape and the December 1980 attempted rape. On November 12, 1981, he was sentenced to life in prison. However, the lack of direct evidence meant the murders remained unsolved.
Texas: A New Chapter of Crime
Reginald Perkins's time behind bars did not spell the end of his criminal activities. In 1990, he was paroled and relocated to Fort Worth, Texas. It was here, on May 6, 1991, that the bodies of 79-year-old Hattie Wilson and her niece Shirley Douglas were discovered in Wilson's apartment. Both women had been strangled, and once again Perkins was romantically linked, this time to Wilson's granddaughter.
In 1993, Perkins's freedom was curtailed once more when he returned to Ohio prison for failing to attend mandatory sex offender classes. By 1999, the Ohio courts had labeled him a sexual predator. Released again in 2000, Perkins returned to Texas, now working as a truck driver for a company owned by his father and stepmother, Gertie Mae Perkins.
Tragedy struck on December 4, 2000, when Gertie Mae failed to pick up her grandson from school. Concerned, authorities searched her home, finding a disconnected phone, removed carpeting, and missing sheets. The same day, Perkins pawned her wedding ring, raising eyebrows. He was arrested the next day for failing to register as a sex offender. Under police questioning, Perkins led them to Gertie's car. Her body lay hidden in the trunk.
Trial and Revelation
The subsequent trial in Tarrant County was a grim affair. Given Perkins's criminal history, the prosecution sought the death penalty. Witnesses were brought forward to testify about the unsolved Cleveland murders, painting Perkins as the likely killer. Ramola Washington recounted a jailhouse call from Perkins, where he confessed to murdering her sister, Paula Nelson, in 1980, pleading for forgiveness. Another inmate claimed Perkins had admitted to killing Gertie Mae, describing a brutal attack followed by theft.
The jury found Perkins guilty of murder. On March 4, 2002, he was convicted of the capital murder of Gertie Mae Perkins, and by March 22, 2002, he was sentenced to death. In a shocking turn of events, DNA tests in November 2008 conclusively linked Perkins to the 1991 murders of Wilson and Douglas, sealing his fate as a serial killer.
Execution
On January 22, 2009, the justice system caught up with Reginald Perkins. He was executed by lethal injection at the Huntsville Unit in Texas and pronounced dead at 6:24 p.m. Just an hour before facing his final judgment, Perkins summoned a prison official, proclaiming his innocence one last time. Yet, Kevin Rousseau, the prosecutor who had pursued Perkins, dismissed his protestations, labeling him a "consummate liar and a con artist."
Sources
For more detailed information, please refer to the original Wikipedia article.
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 Rape Incident
Reginald Perkins rapes a 12-year-old girl in Cleveland.
First Murder Linked
21-year-old Paula Nelson found strangled in her bedroom.
Second Murder Linked
43-year-old Jennie Morman found strangled in her apartment.
Third Murder Linked
Jerry Dean Thomas found strangled in her basement.
Conviction for Rapes
Perkins convicted of raping two 12-year-old girls; sentenced to life.
Stepmother Reported Missing
Gertie Mae Perkins reported missing; police find evidence at her home.
Arrest Made
Reginald Perkins arrested for failing to register as a sex offender.
Convicted of Murder
Perkins found guilty of capital murder of Gertie Mae Perkins.
Execution
Reginald Perkins executed by lethal injection in Texas.