Bio

Gary Lee Sampson was born in 1959 and grew up in Abington, Massachusetts. His childhood was marked by challenges and difficulties. Information about his early life is limited, but it is known that he had a troubled upbringing.

As a teenager, Sampson began to engage in criminal activities. His first known arrest was in 1974 when he was charged with breaking and entering. Over the next several years, he faced numerous charges for various crimes, illustrating a pattern of criminal behavior.

Sampson was involved in offenses such as theft, drug possession, and robbery. By the time he was in his twenties, he had accumulated a significant criminal record. He served around eight years in prison for bank robbery. His time in prison included an escape attempt in 1981 when he tried to saw through a jail gate.

Sampson also faced legal troubles outside of bank robbery. He was charged multiple times for drug possession, making threats, and assault. By the late 1990s, he continued to encounter problems with the law, including violating probation and being fined for various offenses. His behavior often led to shorter jail terms instead of long-term rehabilitation.

His life followed a troubling trajectory, filled with repeated run-ins with the law. Despite the opportunities for change, Sampson remained engaged in criminal behavior, which set the stage for his later actions in 2001.

Murder Story

In July 2001, Gary Lee Sampson committed a series of murders that shocked the communities of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Over a period of about one week, he killed three men: Philip McCloskey, Jonathan Rizzo, and Robert Whitney.

Sampson's first victim, 69-year-old Philip McCloskey, picked him up while he was hitchhiking on July 24. After getting into McCloskey's vehicle, Sampson threatened him with a knife. He forced McCloskey to drive to a secluded area in Marshfield, where he tied him up with his belt and stabbed him multiple times. McCloskey's body was found three days later.

A few days later, on July 27, 19-year-old Jonathan Rizzo also gave Sampson a ride after he finished work. Sampson led Rizzo to a wooded area, tied him to a tree, and killed him. Rizzo's family reported him missing soon after.

On July 30, Sampson killed his third victim, Robert Whitney, who was 58 years old. Sampson strangled him at a cottage in New Hampshire. After these murders, Sampson attempted to evade capture but eventually surrendered to the police on July 31 in Vermont. He confessed to the three murders during his arrest.

Sampson was charged in federal court and pleaded guilty. On December 23, 2003, he was sentenced to death by a federal jury in Boston. This was significant, as Massachusetts had abolished the death penalty in 1984, making Sampson the first person sentenced to die under federal law in the state.

Sampson was sent to a federal prison in Indiana and was to be executed in New Hampshire, which still upheld the death penalty. His case sparked debates about the federal death penalty, particularly in a state that rejected capital punishment. Sampson's appeals process was expected to be lengthy and complex.