Bio 

Billy John Galloway was born on March 22, 1969. TDCJ records list his native county as Onondaga County, New York, and his prior occupation as laborer. He had completed six years of education and was 29 years old when David Logie was killed in Hunt County, Texas.

Before the Texas capital murder case, Galloway had served time in South Dakota. TDCJ records show that he had a South Dakota Department of Corrections record for grand theft and attempted first-degree robbery. He was paroled on June 6, 1998, about three months before the murder of David Logie.

Galloway later became connected to Kevin Scott Varga, Deannee Ann Bayless, and Venus Joy Anderson. Galloway and Varga had met while imprisoned in South Dakota. In 1998, the four left South Dakota while on probation or parole and traveled south, reportedly intending to go to Mexico.

Murder Story

In early September 1998, Billy John Galloway, Kevin Scott Varga, Deannee Ann Bayless, and 17-year-old Venus Joy Anderson left South Dakota and began traveling toward Mexico. Their trip became a violent crime spree. News and execution reports state that the group first stopped in Wichita, Kansas, where David McCoy was beaten to death during a robbery plan. The group was accused in that killing, but Galloway’s Texas death sentence was for the later murder of David Logie in Hunt County.

The group later arrived in Greenville, Texas. Bayless and Anderson met David Lawrence Logie at a motel lounge and convinced him to leave with them in his rented vehicle. Galloway and Varga followed in another car. After a short drive, Bayless pulled over near a deserted area behind a building, pretending that she and Logie were going to have sex on the hood of the vehicle.

When Logie got out of the car, Galloway and Varga appeared and attacked him. Galloway struck him with his fists and knocked him down. Logie pleaded for his life while the beating continued. Varga then handed Galloway an object, and the attack continued until Logie died. Police later found a ball-peen hammer and a tree limb near the body.

After the killing, the group took Logie’s wallet and credit cards and dragged his body into a wooded area. They fled in Logie’s rental car and later went to San Antonio. Bayless and Anderson used Logie’s credit cards at a shopping mall. Police followed them, discovered the vehicle was stolen, and stopped the car. After officers separated the women, Anderson confessed and later told authorities where Logie’s body could be found. Galloway and Varga were arrested later at a strip club.

Venus Anderson became the State’s key witness. She received limited immunity and later served seven years in prison. Bayless was convicted of murder and sentenced to 40 years. Kevin Scott Varga was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. He was executed in Texas on May 12, 2010, one day before Galloway.

Galloway was convicted of capital murder in November 1999 and sentenced to death in March 2000. TDCJ records show he was received on Texas death row on March 27, 2000. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed his conviction and death sentence in January 2003, and his later state and federal appeals were denied.

While awaiting trial, Galloway escaped from the county jail. Execution reporting states that he stabbed an officer several times with a shank during the escape, but the officer’s bulletproof vest prevented serious injury. Galloway was captured about 90 minutes later.

Billy John Galloway was executed by lethal injection in Huntsville, Texas, on May 13, 2010. He was 41 years old. His final statement apologized for the killing and expressed regret that he could not change the past. He was pronounced dead at 6:19 p.m.