Bio

David Mark Pruett was born in 1949. He grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia. As a young man, he worked various jobs to support himself. One of his jobs was cooking at a restaurant, where he met many people, including those who would later become victims.

He was known to have a complicated friendship with a restaurateur named Richard Harvey. Pruett often visited the Harvey household. At some point, Richard helped him by giving him employment. He was known to be socially awkward and struggled with maintaining healthy relationships.

As he moved into adulthood, Pruett's mental health appeared to decline further. He experienced severe emotional struggles. 

Murder Story

On February 12, 1985, David Mark Pruett visited the home of Wilma Harvey while her husband was away on business. Pruett had been given a job by Mr. Harvey at a restaurant. During the visit, Pruett noted that Wilma was paying a paperboy from a grey cashbox, which led him to form the intent to rob her. After chatting with her, he requested to use the bathroom. While inside, he decided he wanted to engage in sexual activity with her.

Pruett forced Wilma to submit to his demands with a knife. After the assault, he bound her hands and feet and used a sock to gag her. He then stabbed her multiple times, causing her death. After killing her, Pruett ransacked the house for money, taking whatever he could find. Wilma's body was discovered later that day, lying on her bed.

Pruett was arrested two days later and confessed to this crime. During the confession, he also admitted to another murder, which had taken place in 1975. This victim was Debra McInnis, a coworker at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. Pruett was charged with capital murder for Wilma Harvey's death and was sentenced to death in 1986. He received a life sentence for Debra McInnis's murder.

After undergoing a series of legal appeals that were ultimately unsuccessful, Pruett was executed by electrocution on December 16, 1993, at the Greensville Correctional Center in Virginia.