Bio 

George Jo Hennard was born as Georges Pierre Hennard on October 15, 1956, in Sayre, Pennsylvania. He was the son of a surgeon and grew up in a family that moved several times because of his father’s work with Army hospitals. Hennard later lived in New Mexico and graduated from high school in 1974. After high school, he joined the United States Navy. He later worked in the Merchant Marine, but his seafaring career ended after disciplinary and drug-related problems. Reports state that he was dismissed or lost his seaman’s papers after marijuana-related incidents.

By the late 1980s and early 1990s, Hennard was living between Texas and Nevada. He lived for periods in Belton, Texas, in a house connected to his family. Neighbors and acquaintances later described him as isolated, angry, and frightening. Several people recalled that he made hostile comments toward women and sometimes shouted at women in public. In 1991, Hennard legally bought two 9mm semi-automatic pistols in Nevada: a Glock 17 and a Ruger P89. These became the weapons used in the Luby’s massacre.

Months before the shooting, Hennard sent a disturbing letter to two young women who lived near him in Belton. In the letter, he referred to women as “treacherous female vipers.” Police were reportedly notified about the letter, but no charges were filed. In the days before the massacre, Hennard showed signs of anger and resentment. Some reports state that he had recently quit a job and had spoken bitterly about women and people in Belton.

Murder Story

On October 16, 1991, George Jo Hennard drove his blue 1987 Ford Ranger pickup truck to Luby’s Cafeteria in Killeen, Texas. It was lunchtime, and the restaurant was crowded with customers and staff. At about 12:39 p.m., Hennard deliberately drove his pickup truck through the front window of the cafeteria. At first, some people believed it was a traffic accident and moved toward the vehicle to help.

Hennard then got out of the truck armed with two 9mm semi-automatic pistols, a Glock 17 and a Ruger P89. He opened fire inside the cafeteria. Witnesses reported that he moved through the restaurant in a deliberate way, shooting people at close range. During the massacre, Hennard shouted statements about Bell County, Killeen, Belton, and women. He reportedly said, “This is what Bell County did to me,” and “This is payback day.” Some witnesses also recalled misogynistic statements directed at female victims.

The attack lasted only minutes but caused mass casualties. Hennard reloaded during the shooting and continued firing at customers and employees. Some people escaped through the kitchen area. Others escaped after a customer broke a rear window, creating a way out for people trapped inside. One woman with a young child was allowed to leave after Hennard told her to get the child out. Many others were shot while hiding under tables, behind furniture, or near the serving line.

Police arrived and exchanged gunfire with Hennard. Officers wounded him, and he retreated toward the restroom area. After being cornered and injured, Hennard shot himself in the head. Twenty-three victims died from gunshot wounds. Hennard also died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, bringing the total number of deaths including the attacker to 24. At the time, the Luby’s massacre was the deadliest mass shooting by a single gunman in modern United States history.

The attack deeply affected Killeen and became a major reference point in later debates over gun laws in Texas. The cafeteria later reopened after repairs but eventually closed in 2000. George Jo Hennard’s final legal status was deceased by suicide at the crime scene.