Bio

Elkie Lee Taylor, also known by the alias Ronnie Lee Watkins, was born on December 14, 1961. He grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Details about his early life are scarce, but it is known that he had a troubled background. Taylor did not complete his education and dropped out of school after the sixth grade.

From a young age, Taylor had issues with the law. By the age of 30, he had several prior convictions, including burglary. In April 1992, he received an eight-year prison sentence for burglary of a habitation. He was paroled in January 1993 after serving only nine months of that sentence. This early release was part of a trend in Texas at the time, where prison population caps led to shorter sentences.

After his release, Taylor struggled to adapt to life outside prison. He faced challenges in maintaining steady employment and often found himself in trouble again. His criminal record included several arrests for various offenses, mainly related to theft and burglary. Taylor was known to have difficulty in social situations and was described as having poor decision-making skills.

Just a few months after his release, Taylor became involved in a series of violent crimes that would lead to his execution. His life before these events showed a pattern of criminal behavior that ultimately spiraled into more serious offenses. Elkie Lee Taylor's life path illustrates the struggles faced by some individuals who find it hard to reintegrate into society after incarceration.

Murder Story

On March 22, 1993, Elkie Lee Taylor and his accomplice committed their first murder when they broke into the home of 87-year-old Ramon Carillo in Fort Worth, Texas. They strangled Carillo using a coat hanger. Eleven days later, on April 2, 1993, they invaded the home of 65-year-old Otis Flake, who was mentally ill. Similar to the first crime, they tied Flake up and killed him with a coat hanger.

A friend of Flake discovered the crime scene. When she entered the house, she found Flake's hands bound and another coat hanger wrapped around his neck. Witnesses saw Taylor and his accomplice leaving the house shortly before the body was found. They were seen carrying items stolen from the home.

After the murders, Taylor was arrested following a high-speed chase in a stolen truck. He led police on a four-hour pursuit from Fort Worth to Waco. He attempted to ram police cars and endangered officers on the scene. Eventually, the chase ended when a state trooper shot out the truck’s tires.

Upon his arrest, Taylor confessed to participating in the tie-up and robbery of both victims but claimed that his accomplice was responsible for the murders. Despite his claims, evidence later emerged that suggested Taylor had boasted about killing the victims.

Following his conviction, Taylor was sentenced to death for the murder of Flake. He maintained a lengthy legal battle over his conviction and appeal, but ultimately, all his appeals were denied. He was executed by lethal injection on November 6, 2008. His final meal included Spam and cheese, a three-layer cake, and fruit. Taylor's last words expressed his belief in his innocence and a wish to see his family again.