Arthur Lee Burton was born on March 29, 1970, in Bastrop, Louisiana. He grew up in a dysfunctional family. His father was often absent, which affected the children in the family. Burton had at least one brother. During their childhood, they sometimes lived without basic necessities like food and electricity.

As he grew older, Burton got married and had three children and one stepchild. His wife and mother described him as a good and hardworking father who enjoyed building things. Despite his family life, Burton had a troubled youth. When he was 18, he was involved in a series of burglaries. He committed 39 burglaries in just one month with his friends. They stole many items, including guns, radios, and fishing equipment. Burton started using marijuana when he was 16 years old. At 17, he became involved in cocaine trafficking. 

On July 29, 1997, in Houston, Texas, Nancy Adleman, a 48-year-old mother, was abducted while jogging. She did not return home that evening, and her body was discovered the following day in a wooded area along Brays Bayou. Her shorts and underwear were found removed, indicating sexual assault. A medical report confirmed she had been strangled with her own shoelaces, and there were bruises on her body showing she had been beaten.

During the investigation, a witness reported seeing an angry man on a bicycle near Nancy's home shortly before she left for her jog. This man was later identified as Arthur Lee Burton. Ten days after the murder, Burton, who was 27 at the time, was questioned by police. He initially denied any involvement. However, discrepancies in his story led police to gather more evidence against him. Eventually, Burton confessed to killing Nancy Adleman.

Burton was charged with capital murder for Adleman's death. The case went to trial in June 1998, where the jury learned that Burton had kidnapped Nancy, attempted to rape her, and strangled her during a struggle. His defense claimed he had not confessed voluntarily, alleging coercion. Nonetheless, the jury found him guilty. He was sentenced to death on June 23, 1998.

After his sentencing, Burton filed multiple appeals, but his conviction and death sentence were repeatedly upheld by various courts, including the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. On May 1, 2024, a death warrant was issued for him, scheduling his execution for August 7, 2024.

On the day of his execution, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene. Arthur Lee Burton was executed by lethal injection at the Huntsville Unit. He was pronounced dead at 6:47 PM, just 24 minutes after the lethal drugs were administered. In his final words, he expressed remorse for his actions and said, "Bird is going home."