Bio

David Cooper Nelson was a man born into a time and place that shaped his early years. He would have experienced the events of World War II and its aftermath, which influenced many lives in the United States. At some point in his life, David Cooper Nelson began to engage in criminal activities, including robbing people while hitchhiking.

Murder Story

On January 8, 1956, David Cooper Nelson murdered Ralph Henderson Rainey. Rainey, a 46-year-old butcher from Santa Monica, California, picked up Nelson while he was hitchhiking. On January 10, Rainey’s body was found near Budville. He had suffered two gunshot wounds to the head.

When police investigated, they discovered Nelson's fingerprints in Rainey’s vehicle. Later, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Nelson confessed to the killing on two occasions but eventually recanted his statements. He also claimed to have killed two other individuals, John Valente and Kenneth Short, although he later denied the confession regarding Valente.

Nelson faced two trials. During his first trial, he argued that he was insane, but the court found him sane and guilty. In his second trial, his confessions could not be used as evidence, yet he was still found guilty. After his conviction, he attempted to escape from prison.

Before his execution, Nelson maintained that a third party was responsible for Rainey’s death. After being sentenced to death, he asked that two nearby prisoners receive special meals after his death. This request was honored by the warden.

On August 11, 1960, Nelson became the first person executed in the New Mexico gas chamber. He died by asphyxiation from cyanide gas. Before his execution began, he spoke to the warden and the prison chaplain. He mentioned he was going home and showed no visible signs of distress. He gasped and died shortly after the gas was released.