Bio

Eric Allen Patton was born on April 7, 1957. Throughout his teenage years, Patton became involved in criminal activities. He was arrested multiple times for offenses such as burglary and robbery. This established a pattern of illegal behavior that continued into his adult life. Patton did not complete his education.

As an adult, Patton worked as a brick mason. He would often change jobs due to his legal issues and run-ins with the law. His criminal record accumulated over the years. He faced various charges, including robbery and assault. In the mid-1990s, he was on parole from a robbery conviction in California.

Despite his history, Patton managed to maintain some relationships. He had acquaintances and even did tasks like painting work for families, which included acquaintances like the Kauers, who he would later encounter in a tragic incident.

Patton's life took a significant turn on December 16, 1994, when he committed a serious crime during a robbery. He was later arrested on December 29, 1994, as police linked him to the scene through fingerprints.

Murder Story

On December 16, 1994, Eric Allen Patton entered the home of Charlene Kauer in Oklahoma City. He had previously done some painting work for the Kauers and was familiar with the residence. Patton asked Charlene, who was 56 years old, to borrow money. After she gave him ten dollars, he forced his way inside, looking for more cash and valuables.

During the attack, Patton grabbed Charlene by the throat and dragged her through the house. He took her to the bedroom and stabbed her numerous times. The assault continued as he moved her into the kitchen, where he stabbed her several more times using different knives. At one point, he broke some of the knives he used. He ultimately stabbed her in the chest with a pair of scissors.

After the assault, Patton changed his clothes, disposing of his bloody garments in a field before returning to his job site. He initially was not a suspect in the murder. However, police conducted interviews since he had a history of working for the Kauers. Fingerprints found at the scene later matched his, leading to his eventual arrest on December 29, 1994.

At first, Patton denied any involvement but later confessed to the crime in various interviews. He claimed he was under the influence of cocaine and later stated he believed that Charlene was a demon, which contributed to his actions. He described the event in a way that suggested he was not fully in control of his actions.

Patton was put on trial and was found guilty of first-degree murder and first-degree burglary. He received the death penalty and was executed by lethal injection on August 29, 2006. His final meal included a large pepperoni pizza with sausage and extra mushrooms and a large grape soda. During his execution, he expressed gratitude to his family and the prison staff, affirming his faith in Jesus Christ.