The Dark Legacy of Ricky Lee Green

In the heart of Texas, between 1985 and 1986, a chilling series of murders unfolded that would forever mark the state’s criminal history. At the center of this dark tale was Ricky Lee Green, a man whose violent actions and troubled past culminated in at least four brutal murders, leaving an indelible scar on the communities he terrorized.

Early Life

Ricky Lee Green entered the world on December 27, 1960, in Fort Worth, Texas. His upbringing was marred by relentless abuse at the hands of his father, Bill Green. Ricky and his siblings endured daily torment, from electric shocks to near-drowning incidents during fishing trips. This abusive environment left Ricky with more than emotional scars; a barbed wire accident robbed him of the use of one eye, which was later replaced with a glass eye. After dropping out of school in the eighth grade, Ricky found work as a radiator repairman. It was during this time that he met Sharon Dollar, who would become his wife and, eventually, his accomplice in crime.

A Series of Murders

The gruesome saga began on March 27, 1985, with the disappearance of 16-year-old Jeffery Lynn Davis from Casino Beach in Fort Worth. Davis’s body, nearly decapitated, mutilated, and castrated, was discovered in a swamp near the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge the following April.

Later that year, on October 12, Green encountered Betty Jo Monroe, a 28-year-old topless dancer from Amarillo. He brought her to his mobile home in Boyd, where she suffered a horrific fate—sexual assault, 17 stab wounds, and a bludgeoning with a hammer. Her body, left in a rural area in Flatwood, was found the next day, though her identity remained a mystery for some time.

In November, the terror continued with the murder of 27-year-old Sandra Lorraine Bailey, whom Green met at a club in Fort Worth. After sexually assaulting her at his home, he stabbed her 30 times and struck her with a hammer. Her nude body was discovered in a drainage culvert near Henrietta on December 2.

Green’s final known victim was Steven M. Fefferman, a 28-year-old sales executive for KXAS-TV. On December 29, 1986, Green picked up Fefferman at the beach under the guise of celebrating his birthday. Later, Fefferman was found bound and stabbed to death in his home, his body covered with linen. After the murder, Green stole money from the house and fled in Fefferman’s car.

Investigation and Arrest

The unraveling of Ricky Lee Green’s crimes began with a confession from his wife Sharon, who had divorced him by then. Seeking help for her drug addiction, she revealed to a counselor that her ex-husband was a murderer. Encouraged to report this to the police, Sharon’s testimony, combined with Crime Stoppers tips, led to Green’s arrest on April 27, 1989. While held in the Tarrant County jail on a $1.25 million bond, Green confessed to the murders and was scrutinized for involvement in eight similar killings in the Fort Worth area.

The investigation uncovered a chilling piece of evidence—a mattress allegedly stained with the blood of a potential fifth victim, whom Green reportedly attacked during a sexual encounter in 1984 or 1985. Despite this lead, the verification of the story remained ambiguous.

Trial, Imprisonment, and Execution

In the courtroom, Ricky Lee Green faced the consequences of his actions. Over the course of his trial, he confessed in detail to the murders, insisting that Sharon was a willing participant. She, however, claimed she acted out of fear for her life. In February 1990, Sharon was found guilty of the Monroe and Bailey murders but, due to a plea bargain, received a sentence of 10 years probation.

Ricky Lee Green was found guilty of capital murder. His trial, heavily covered by the media, required a venue change to Austin. Despite his defense highlighting his father’s abuse as a catalyst for his violent behavior, the jury deliberated for less than an hour before sentencing him to death on September 22, 1990, for the murder of Fefferman. He also received life sentences for the murders of Bailey and Davis, while charges in Monroe’s murder were dropped.

Green’s death sentence was automatically appealed, but all efforts for commutation failed. On October 8, 1997, Ricky Lee Green was executed by lethal injection at the Huntsville Unit. His final meal was a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage patties, toast, bacon, and milk. His last words expressed gratitude and an apology to his victims’ families, acknowledging the futility of his death in resolving the pain he caused.

Sources

For more detailed information and references, visit the original Wikipedia article on Ricky Lee Green.