Bio

Charles Henry Rector was born on April 16, 1954. He spent his early years in Texas. 

By the age of 12, Rector had already begun his criminal activities and had a record that included various offenses. This early involvement with crime would set a troubling path for his life. As he grew older, his criminal behavior escalated.

Throughout his teenage years and into adulthood, Rector continued to get into trouble. He spent time in juvenile facilities and later in prison, showing a pattern of criminal behavior that would follow him into his later years.

Before his most notorious crimes, it is documented that he was on parole for a previous murder. This background would lead up to the events of the early 1980s, marking a dark chapter in his life.

It is clear that Rector's youth was marked by significant challenges, setting up a trajectory of crime that would ultimately lead to his execution in 1999.

Murder Story

On October 17, 1981, Charles Henry Rector and his accomplices attacked Carolyn Kay "Katy" Davis. They followed her home to her apartment in Austin, Texas. When Katy noticed the men outside her apartment, she turned away but later returned. Two of the men forced their way into her apartment.

Once inside, the men ransacked the place. They took Katy to a nearby area by Town Lake. There, she was gang-raped, shot in the head, and ultimately drowned. After the crime, her body was found in the lake the next day.

Later that night, police arrested Rector. He was found wearing Katy's blue jeans and had her jewelry in his pockets. He was driving her car, and a knife linked to the crime was discovered in her apartment, yet he maintained his innocence.

Several witnesses reported seeing the men outside Katy's apartment before the incident. During the investigation, officers began pursuing suspects based on these reports. Rector was arrested shortly after the crime due to suspicious behavior while trying to leave the scene.

Rector, who had been on parole for a previous murder, faced significant evidence against him. Despite his claims of innocence, he was convicted and sentenced to death for his role in Katy’s murder. The ruling was upheld through multiple appeals over nearly 17 years.

Rector was executed by lethal injection on March 26, 1999. His last words expressed his love for his family and denied committing the crime.