Bio

Dale Robert Yates was born on December 29, 1957. He grew up in Greenville County, South Carolina. There is limited information about his early life. Details about his family, education, and childhood experiences are not widely documented.

As a teenager, Yates began to associate with a group of peers who were involved in criminal activities. This group would later play a significant role in his life choices. Over time, Yates became interested in committing robberies. He began planning these crimes with friends.

Before his criminal activities escalated, Yates expressed frustrations in finding places to burglarize. His group initially wanted to break into businesses to steal items to sell for money. However, they faced issues, as many targets had strong security measures in place. This lack of success pushed them towards more violent options.

In the weeks leading up to his crimes, Yates and a couple of friends drove around looking for potential targets. They finally made plans for an armed robbery on February 12, 1981. On this day, they entered a store with the intent to commit theft, which ultimately led to violent events that changed their lives forever.

Dale Yates' early life is largely marked by his choices and associations with crime. These choices set a path that would lead to his eventual arrest and conviction later that year.

Murder Story

On February 12, 1981, Dale Robert Yates and an accomplice, Henry Davis, entered Wood's Grocery in Greenville County, South Carolina. They had planned to rob the store. When they arrived, they found Willie Wood behind the counter. Yates held a handgun, while Davis had a knife. They ordered Willie Wood to empty the cash register, and he complied, handing over about $3,000.

During the robbery, Willie Wood reached for his own gun in self-defense. Davis shouted for Yates to shoot. Yates fired twice, hitting Willie once but missing with the second shot. The noise attracted Helen Wood, who worked nearby. She came out and screamed, which startled Yates. He yelled for Davis to leave, and they ran out of the store.

Inside, a struggle ensued between Willie Wood and Davis. Helen Wood tried to help her son but was fatally stabbed by Davis. She collapsed, and shortly after, she expressed to Willie that she believed she was dying.

Yates fled the scene and attempted to escape in a car. He was caught by police after a high-speed chase. Despite not directly killing anyone, Yates was charged with murder as an accomplice because South Carolina law holds that those involved in a crime are responsible for the consequences of the actions taken during that crime.

He was convicted and initially sentenced to death. However, after several appeals and legal battles, his sentence was commuted to life in prison in 1991. The legal arguments surrounding his case focused on issues of accomplice liability and the adequacy of jury instructions in determining malice. Today, Yates remains incarcerated, serving a life sentence for his role in the robbery and the resulting death of Helen Wood.