Bio

David Leon Woods was born on August 7, 1964, in Indiana. Woods had a challenging childhood. He was raised in a difficult environment, marked by instability and hardship. By the age of 14, he had been placed in foster care due to the conditions at home.

Throughout his early years, Woods faced a lack of parental guidance and affection. He experienced various forms of neglect and abuse. His mother often left him and his siblings alone for extended periods while pursuing relationships or drinking. This led to a turbulent upbringing with little support or stability.

Woods struggled in school and had difficulty with social interactions. He had a history of emotional issues and behavioral problems, which were compounded by his unstable home life. Woods’ complex childhood experiences left a significant mark on his development.

By the time he reached his late teens, he had already spent several years navigating the foster care system. This upbringing contributed to a turbulent and conflicted personality. At the age of 19, he became involved in a crime that would change the course of his life forever.

Murder Story

On April 7, 1984, David Leon Woods, along with accomplices Greg Sloan and Pat Sweet, planned to rob Juan Placencia, a 77-year-old man living in Garrett, Indiana. Woods, armed with a knife, approached the victim’s door with Sloan. Sweet waited outside.

When Placencia answered the door, Woods pushed his way inside and immediately stabbed him multiple times. As Placencia fell back and pleaded for help, Woods continued to stab him, eventually inflicting 21 wounds in total. After stealing money from Placencia’s wallet, Woods and Sloan left with a television they had planned to steal.

They hid the stolen television and later sold it for a small amount of money. To conceal their crime, Woods and Sloan washed their clothes and disposed of the knife in a nearby creek.

The next morning, when police arrived in response to a call about a man needing help, they found Woods on the porch of Placencia’s apartment complex, acting distressed and claiming to have found the body. However, during the investigation, Woods's mother arrived and informed the police that she suspected her son was involved in the murder.

Authorities searched Woods's residence, leading to the discovery of key evidence, including a knife sheath and a stained towel. After being taken in for questioning, Woods confessed to the crime. Sloan later testified against Woods after pleading guilty to aiding in the murder.

Woods was ultimately convicted and sentenced to death in March 1985. After years of appeals and legal proceedings, he was executed by lethal injection on May 4, 2007. Before his execution, Woods apologized, expressing remorse for the crime he committed against Placencia.