Rocky Beamon
Prison Serial Killer Case
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Union County, Florida
TIME PERIOD
2005-2017
VICTIMS
3 confirmed
On February 6, 2005, Rocky Ali Beamon, along with his girlfriend Karen Wilkins, murdered 47-year-old Deborah Lacey in Florida by drowning her after physically assaulting her. Following the murder, they stole Lacey's car and attempted to trade it for crack cocaine, leading to their arrest. Beamon was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without parole after pleading guilty to first-degree murder. While incarcerated, he killed two fellow inmates between 2015 and 2017, both of whom were sex offenders, claiming he derived satisfaction from these acts. Beamon was sentenced to death for these murders but died by suicide on June 10, 2020, while on death row at Union Correctional Institution in Florida. Significant evidence includes his confessions and the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the inmates, which were documented in prison records.
Rocky Beamon is believed to have targeted fellow inmates who were convicted of sex crimes against children, driven by his professed hatred for sex offenders. He claimed that killing these inmates provided him with a sense of satisfaction and threatened to continue doing so unless he was executed. Following his suicide on death row, some speculate that his actions were a form of vigilante justice, reflecting a twisted moral code rather than mere violence.
The Dark Path of Rocky Beamon
Early Life and First Murder
Born on December 10, 1977, in Florida, Rocky Ali Beamon's life took a dark turn that would culminate in a series of heinous acts. On February 6, 2005, Beamon, alongside his girlfriend Karen Wilkins, brutally murdered 47-year-old Deborah Lacey. Their crime was as cold-blooded as it was senseless. Beamon attacked Lacey, binding her hands and drowning her in water. After ensuring her death, the couple stole Lacey's car, trading it for crack cocaine. This reckless spree of violence ended when police discovered them driving the victim's vehicle, leading to their arrest.
To avoid a death sentence, Beamon pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, receiving life imprisonment without parole. During his sentencing, Lacey's family confronted Beamon, expressing their profound grief and anger. Barry Grant, Lacey's nephew, read a poignant letter from Lacey's daughter, Sara Cash, who lamented that her mother would miss her future milestones. Lacey’s niece, Jill Morris, struggled with forgiveness, expressing her hatred towards Beamon. Beamon's mother and the mother of his children also shared their sorrow, acknowledging the family's pain while grappling with their own.
Judge Ronald Ficarrotta, though limited by the law, wished he could offer more solace to Lacey's family. Outside the courthouse, Shirley Grant, Lacey's sister, voiced her determination to see justice for her sister, even as she awaited Wilkins' day in court.
Karen Wilkins eventually pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, receiving a 30-year sentence with an additional 10 years of probation. During her sentencing, Shirley Grant reminded her of the suffering she caused, hoping it would haunt her. Sara Cash echoed this sentiment, mourning the moments her mother would miss. The emotional toll on the family was evident, particularly on Sara, who faced nightmares as she processed her mother's violent death. Wilkins is currently serving her sentence at Lowell Correctional Institution.
Murders Behind Bars
Beamon's life sentence did little to quell his violent tendencies. On July 5, 2012, he struck again, this time within the confines of a prison. His victim was Bruce Hunsicker, a fellow inmate serving six life terms for a horrific assault on a 10-year-old girl in 2001. Beamon, driven by a personal vendetta and a loathing for sex offenders, stalked Hunsicker before cornering him in a prison shower. There, he viciously choked and stabbed him over 80 times with a homemade shank, a brutal act of retribution for which he felt no remorse. In his confession, Beamon claimed that Hunsicker owed him money, adding another layer to his violent justification.
Hunsicker's past was marred by crimes against children, including a previous imprisonment for molesting a 5-year-old girl in 1992. The judge at his trial had called him "a parent's worst nightmare," a sentiment that perhaps fueled Beamon's self-righteous fury.
Beamon's final known victim was 27-year-old Nicholas Anderson, whom he killed on January 22, 2017. Anderson was serving a 20-year sentence for child molestation. Beamon bound and strangled him before cutting his neck with another homemade weapon. These murders, Beamon claimed, gave him a sense of fulfillment, as he articulated in a chilling letter to Judge Christopher Patterson in May 2018. In it, he described the killings as "the best feeling I’ve had in a long time" and vowed to continue his violent crusade unless sentenced to death. Beamon's letters were a brazen challenge to the justice system, demanding a death sentence or threatening further violence.
Death on Death Row
Rocky Beamon's path of destruction ended not at the hands of the justice system but by his own. On June 10, 2020, at the age of 42, Beamon took his own life while on death row at Union Correctional Institution in Union County, Florida. His death marked the end of a violent saga that left deep scars on the lives of his victims' families and highlighted the challenges of managing violent offenders within the prison system.
Sources
[1] "Inmate Release Information Detail" - www.dc.state.fl.us
[2] "Rocky Beamon" - The Tampa Tribune, 2005-07-21
[3] "Karen Wilkins" - The Tampa Tribune, 2005-08-10
[4] "Man sentenced to death for homemade shank murder" - The Northwest Florida Daily News
[5] "Inmate under investigation for murder at Santa Rosa Correctional gets death in separate case" - Pensacola News Journal
[6] "RAPIST GETS 6 LIFE TERMS FOR ATTACK ON 10-YEAR-OLD" - Orlando Sentinel, 22 January 2003
[7] McLaughlin, Tom. "Inmate gets wish, sentenced to death for third Florida murder" - The Northwest Florida Daily News
[8] Corrections, Florida Department of. "Florida Department of Corrections" - www.fdc.myflorida.com
For further reading, visit the Wikipedia page.
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First Murder Committed
Rocky Beamon and girlfriend murder Deborah Lacey.
Beamon Sentenced to Life
Rocky Beamon pleads guilty to first degree murder, sentenced to life without parole.
Inmate Murder
Beamon kills fellow inmate Bruce Hunsicker in prison shower.
Second Inmate Murder
Beamon murders Nicholas Anderson, another inmate serving time for child molestation.
Letter to Judge
Beamon writes to Judge Patterson, expressing desire to continue killing sex offenders.
Beamon's Death
Rocky Beamon dies by suicide while on death row.
On February 6, 2005, Rocky Ali Beamon, along with his girlfriend Karen Wilkins, murdered 47-year-old Deborah Lacey in Florida by drowning her after physically assaulting her. Following the murder, they stole Lacey's car and attempted to trade it for crack cocaine, leading to their arrest. Beamon was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without parole after pleading guilty to first-degree murder. While incarcerated, he killed two fellow inmates between 2015 and 2017, both of whom were sex offenders, claiming he derived satisfaction from these acts. Beamon was sentenced to death for these murders but died by suicide on June 10, 2020, while on death row at Union Correctional Institution in Florida. Significant evidence includes his confessions and the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the inmates, which were documented in prison records.
Rocky Beamon is believed to have targeted fellow inmates who were convicted of sex crimes against children, driven by his professed hatred for sex offenders. He claimed that killing these inmates provided him with a sense of satisfaction and threatened to continue doing so unless he was executed. Following his suicide on death row, some speculate that his actions were a form of vigilante justice, reflecting a twisted moral code rather than mere violence.
The Dark Path of Rocky Beamon
Early Life and First Murder
Born on December 10, 1977, in Florida, Rocky Ali Beamon's life took a dark turn that would culminate in a series of heinous acts. On February 6, 2005, Beamon, alongside his girlfriend Karen Wilkins, brutally murdered 47-year-old Deborah Lacey. Their crime was as cold-blooded as it was senseless. Beamon attacked Lacey, binding her hands and drowning her in water. After ensuring her death, the couple stole Lacey's car, trading it for crack cocaine. This reckless spree of violence ended when police discovered them driving the victim's vehicle, leading to their arrest.
To avoid a death sentence, Beamon pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, receiving life imprisonment without parole. During his sentencing, Lacey's family confronted Beamon, expressing their profound grief and anger. Barry Grant, Lacey's nephew, read a poignant letter from Lacey's daughter, Sara Cash, who lamented that her mother would miss her future milestones. Lacey’s niece, Jill Morris, struggled with forgiveness, expressing her hatred towards Beamon. Beamon's mother and the mother of his children also shared their sorrow, acknowledging the family's pain while grappling with their own.
Judge Ronald Ficarrotta, though limited by the law, wished he could offer more solace to Lacey's family. Outside the courthouse, Shirley Grant, Lacey's sister, voiced her determination to see justice for her sister, even as she awaited Wilkins' day in court.
Karen Wilkins eventually pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, receiving a 30-year sentence with an additional 10 years of probation. During her sentencing, Shirley Grant reminded her of the suffering she caused, hoping it would haunt her. Sara Cash echoed this sentiment, mourning the moments her mother would miss. The emotional toll on the family was evident, particularly on Sara, who faced nightmares as she processed her mother's violent death. Wilkins is currently serving her sentence at Lowell Correctional Institution.
Murders Behind Bars
Beamon's life sentence did little to quell his violent tendencies. On July 5, 2012, he struck again, this time within the confines of a prison. His victim was Bruce Hunsicker, a fellow inmate serving six life terms for a horrific assault on a 10-year-old girl in 2001. Beamon, driven by a personal vendetta and a loathing for sex offenders, stalked Hunsicker before cornering him in a prison shower. There, he viciously choked and stabbed him over 80 times with a homemade shank, a brutal act of retribution for which he felt no remorse. In his confession, Beamon claimed that Hunsicker owed him money, adding another layer to his violent justification.
Hunsicker's past was marred by crimes against children, including a previous imprisonment for molesting a 5-year-old girl in 1992. The judge at his trial had called him "a parent's worst nightmare," a sentiment that perhaps fueled Beamon's self-righteous fury.
Beamon's final known victim was 27-year-old Nicholas Anderson, whom he killed on January 22, 2017. Anderson was serving a 20-year sentence for child molestation. Beamon bound and strangled him before cutting his neck with another homemade weapon. These murders, Beamon claimed, gave him a sense of fulfillment, as he articulated in a chilling letter to Judge Christopher Patterson in May 2018. In it, he described the killings as "the best feeling I’ve had in a long time" and vowed to continue his violent crusade unless sentenced to death. Beamon's letters were a brazen challenge to the justice system, demanding a death sentence or threatening further violence.
Death on Death Row
Rocky Beamon's path of destruction ended not at the hands of the justice system but by his own. On June 10, 2020, at the age of 42, Beamon took his own life while on death row at Union Correctional Institution in Union County, Florida. His death marked the end of a violent saga that left deep scars on the lives of his victims' families and highlighted the challenges of managing violent offenders within the prison system.
Sources
[1] "Inmate Release Information Detail" - www.dc.state.fl.us
[2] "Rocky Beamon" - The Tampa Tribune, 2005-07-21
[3] "Karen Wilkins" - The Tampa Tribune, 2005-08-10
[4] "Man sentenced to death for homemade shank murder" - The Northwest Florida Daily News
[5] "Inmate under investigation for murder at Santa Rosa Correctional gets death in separate case" - Pensacola News Journal
[6] "RAPIST GETS 6 LIFE TERMS FOR ATTACK ON 10-YEAR-OLD" - Orlando Sentinel, 22 January 2003
[7] McLaughlin, Tom. "Inmate gets wish, sentenced to death for third Florida murder" - The Northwest Florida Daily News
[8] Corrections, Florida Department of. "Florida Department of Corrections" - www.fdc.myflorida.com
For further reading, visit the Wikipedia page.
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
Rocky Beamon and girlfriend murder Deborah Lacey.
Beamon Sentenced to Life
Rocky Beamon pleads guilty to first degree murder, sentenced to life without parole.
Inmate Murder
Beamon kills fellow inmate Bruce Hunsicker in prison shower.
Second Inmate Murder
Beamon murders Nicholas Anderson, another inmate serving time for child molestation.
Letter to Judge
Beamon writes to Judge Patterson, expressing desire to continue killing sex offenders.
Beamon's Death
Rocky Beamon dies by suicide while on death row.