Dustin John Higgs was born on March 10, 1972, in Poughkeepsie, New York. His parents were Alfonso Higgs and Marilyn M. Bennett Higgs. When Dustin was eight years old, his mother was diagnosed with cancer. She passed away two years later, in 1982. After her death, friends and family noticed significant changes in Dustin's mood. In 1991, Dustin moved to Laurel, Maryland. By 1996, he was married and had a son. 

On the evening of January 26, 1996, Dustin John Higgs, along with Willis Haynes and Victor Gloria, drove from Higgs' apartment in Laurel, Maryland, to Washington, D.C. They were picking up three women: Tamika Black, Tanji Jackson, and Mishann Chinn. The groups planned to hang out together and returned to Higgs’ apartment to drink and listen to music. The fun continued late into the night.

At some point, an argument occurred, and the women left the apartment. Higgs and his two friends followed them in Higgs' blue Mazda MPV van. They offered the women a ride home, and the women accepted. The women got into the backseat, and Higgs drove away from Laurel.

He drove to the Patuxent Research Refuge, stopping near the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. The women exited the van, and Haynes left the vehicle as well. Haynes shot each of the three women with a .38 caliber pistol before returning to the van. After the shootings, the gun was thrown into the Anacostia River. The women were found dead the next morning by a passing motorist, and their bodies were reported to the Park Police.

The case remained unsolved for nearly three years. Higgs was first questioned about the murders in March 1996. He acknowledged knowing one of the victims and admitted to talking with her the night before her death. He was later arrested for an unrelated drug case, and cocaine and firearms were found in his apartment.

In October 1998, Gloria and Haynes were arrested for unrelated drug charges, leading police to gather more details about the murders. Both Higgs and Haynes were indicted on serious charges, including first-degree murder. Prosecutors requested the death penalty for both men.

During the trial, Gloria testified against Higgs, saying that Higgs had ordered the murders. The defense argued that Higgs had weak motives and claimed the real reason for the murders involved drug debts. However, Higgs was found guilty of all charges. He was sentenced to death on October 26, 2000.

Higgs' execution took place on January 16, 2021, by lethal injection. Just before his death, he maintained his innocence, claiming he did not order the murders. He was the last person executed by the federal government during Donald Trump’s presidency. Higgs is buried in Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery in New York.