Bio

Donald Ray Wallace Jr. was born on September 3, 1957. He had a difficult childhood marked by instability and neglect. His parents divorced when he was just four years old, and he often did not receive the love and care that children need. After the divorce, he lived with his father, who did not provide a nurturing environment. His mother eventually left town, further contributing to his feelings of abandonment.

By the age of 11, Wallace was living in a psychiatric children's center, which was the first of several institutions he would inhabit in the following years. At 14, he was sent to a medium-maximum security juvenile facility. Here, he learned to navigate a life that often revolved around crime and violence. He believed that displaying aggression would earn him respect from others.

Wallace had a turbulent teenage life with a history of drug use, including glue sniffing and marijuana. Authorities noted that he was experiencing severe emotional problems during his youth. His upbringing and experiences shaped a troubled identity that would later influence his actions.

Tragedy struck for Wallace at a young age when he experienced a horrifying event involving his grandfather. After playing with a gun, his grandfather took it away from him and later that day committed suicide. This incident likely added to the emotional turmoil Wallace faced as he grew up.

Throughout his teenage years, Wallace struggled to find stability. He was frequently in trouble and exhibited behaviors that led to his eventual arrest. His early life was marked by a series of chaotic episodes, shaping him into a person dealing with significant internal and external challenges.

Murder Story

On January 14, 1980, Donald Ray Wallace Jr. committed a series of brutal murders in Evansville, Indiana. After burglarizing a neighboring house, Wallace decided to break into the Gilligan family's home. When Patrick and Teresa Gilligan returned home with their two young children, Lisa and Gregory, they encountered Wallace inside.

Wallace confronted the family with a gun, tied them up, and shot each of them execution-style. He later admitted to shooting Patrick because he was "giving him trouble" and Teresa because she was screaming. He also shot the children to prevent them from growing up without parents, as he claimed.

After the murders, Wallace took valuable items from the Gilligan home, including guns, a CB radio, and a scanner. The authorities later recovered much of this stolen property, linking it back to him. Wallace was arrested, and although he initially denied the killings, he would later confess.

Following a period in a mental hospital and conflicting evaluations about his mental state, Wallace was deemed competent to stand trial. He was convicted of four counts of murder and sentenced to death on October 21, 1982.

Wallace spent over 23 years on death row, during which he continued to appeal the verdict while admitting to friends that he had faked mental illness during his trial. On March 10, 2005, he was executed by lethal injection at the Indiana State Prison. His last meal included filet mignon, baked potato, soup, and chocolate truffle cake. His final statement was, "I hope everyone can find peace with this."