Bio

Eric Adam Schneider was born on December 7, 1961. He grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. Not much is known about his early childhood and family life. It appears that Schneider faced several challenges during his youth, including issues related to his behavior and mental health.

Schneider's early life included various run-ins with the law. In 1981, he was arrested for two counts of burglary. He was placed on probation, but his probation was revoked in 1983, leading to a three-year sentence in the Missouri Department of Corrections. Over the next few years, he had multiple arrests for other offenses, including assault and possession of marijuana.

In 1984, Schneider was released from prison. However, his release was marked by continued criminal behavior. In January 1985, two days before his arrest for murder, he was seen carrying a rifle and mentioned to others that he was "planning something." This often indicates his state of mind and intentions leading up to future events.

Murder Story

On January 12, 1985, Eric Schneider, along with David Morgan and Charles Palmer, broke into the home of Richard Schwendemann and Ronald Thompson in House Springs, Missouri. After entering the home around 7:30 p.m., the trio committed robbery and murder. They tied up both victims and then attacked them. Schneider shot Schwendemann in the back of the head after he allegedly became difficult. Morgan and Palmer were involved in the brutal assault on Thompson, with Palmer eventually cutting his throat.

After the killings, Schneider and Palmer returned to their apartment in St. Louis with items stolen from the victims. The following day, Schneider discussed the crime with a friend, revealing details about what happened. Later on the same day, police stopped Morgan in a vehicle. They found jewelry from the robbery in a brown box he tried to hide. This led to an investigation that uncovered the victims' bodies.

Schwendemann was found in the basement, bound and shot in the head. Thompson's body was discovered in the swimming pool, also bound and showing signs of multiple stab wounds. Evidence connected Schneider and his accomplices to the crime, including a rifle used to kill Schwendemann, which belonged to Schneider. A knife linked to the murders was also found.

On January 14, 1985, just two days after the crimes, police arrested Schneider. He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder. He faced a trial and was found guilty on October 30, 1985. The jury recommended the death penalty due to the robbery motive and the brutal nature of the crimes.

The legal process continued for years, with Schneider's conviction being affirmed multiple times by higher courts. He remained on death row until January 29, 1997, when he was executed by lethal injection in Missouri.