Bio

Charles Sanders was born on May 12, 1921. Little is known about his early life or childhood. However, it is clear that Sanders grew up in Texas, where he spent his formative years. He was one of three defendants later involved in a serious crime.

By 1942, Sanders was in the military and stationed at Fort Huachuca in Arizona. His time in the service would play a significant role in the events that unfolded later. While in Arizona, he and two other military personnel would become involved in a crime that would change their lives forever.

Murder Story

On January 7, 1942, Charles Sanders and two accomplices, Grady B. Cole and J.C. Levice, hired Coy Collier Qualls, a taxi driver, to take them from Fort Huachuca, Arizona, to a nearby location. They planned to drink and party. After securing more money to pay for the ride, they discussed the idea of killing and robbing Qualls.

On January 8, they instructed Qualls to pull over for a break. Once they stopped, Cole struck Qualls with a rock, and Sanders used a bottle to hit him. The attack caused Qualls to get out of the car, but they continued to beat him until he fell to the ground. During the beating, Levice also kicked Qualls.

After the attack, they put Qualls' body into the car. Cole sat in the back and kicked Qualls' head, worried that he might still be alive. He then used his knife on Qualls' throat before they all took Qualls' money. The trio dragged the body out of the car and into the bushes about nine miles from Douglas.

The police discovered a blood-covered car in Texas connected to the group. The authorities arrested the three men, who then confessed to the murder. They were charged and chose to plead guilty. On January 21, 1942, the court sentenced them to death. Charles Sanders was executed by gas chamber in Arizona on January 8, 1943.