Bio

Gary Lee Roll was born on November 22, 1952. He grew up in a respectable family in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. His father worked as a local businessman. Roll attended Cape Girardeau Central High School, where he graduated in 1969 alongside notable figures, including Rush Limbaugh.

After high school, Roll went to Southeast Missouri State University but did not finish his degree. Instead, he enlisted in the Army during the Vietnam War. While serving, he faced a severe dental problem. He underwent surgery to remove several impacted teeth, but the procedure led to lasting pain due to nerve damage. This pain significantly affected his life, causing him distress and complications.

Following his military service, Roll was honorably discharged and struggled with chronic pain. He sought medical help for years without success and found himself dependent on various pain medications prescribed by the Veterans Administration. Despite his attempts to manage his pain through prescription drugs, his situation did not improve.

In the early 1990s, Roll suffered a serious injury when he broke his leg while working on his house. This injury compounded his ongoing pain and despair. To cope with his situation, Roll turned to illegal drugs, including marijuana and LSD. This change marked a shift in his life, leading him down a troubling path that would eventually result in tragic consequences.

In 1991, Roll's marriage ended, partly due to his drug use. By 1992, he had become deeply involved in a lifestyle of substance abuse, attempting to escape his pain. Despite his struggles, Roll had no prior criminal history before the events that would forever change his life and the lives of others.

Murder Story

On August 9, 1992, Gary Lee Roll, along with accomplices David Wayne Rhodes and John Gregory Browne, planned to rob the Scheper family in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Around 4:00 AM, Roll knocked on the door, pretending to be a police officer and showing a badge to gain entry. Sherry Scheper, 47, answered the door and was ordered to let them inside. Once inside, Roll directed Sherry and her sons, Randy, 17, and Curtis, 22, to lie face down on the floor.

Fearing that the family could identify him, Roll shot Randy in the head. He then brutally beat Sherry with his gun until she was dead. During the chaos, either Roll or Rhodes fatally stabbed Curtis. After the murders, the trio stole about $214 in cash and marijuana from the house before fleeing.

Later, Roll cleaned the blood off his gun and knife. He wrapped the murder weapons and ammunition and had his son bury them in the woods behind their home. For several weeks, the crime was unsolved until Browne, fearing for his safety, secretly recorded a conversation with Roll. In this conversation, Roll admitted his involvement in the murders. Browne handed the tape over to a friend, who then took it to the police.

In November 1992, Roll was arrested. He pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder. During the trial, evidence showed that Roll committed the murders during a robbery and that his accomplices also played roles in the killings. The Boone County Circuit Court ultimately sentenced Roll to death for his actions.