Bio

Harold Wayne Nichols was born on December 31, 1960. He grew up in Hamilton County, Tennessee. When he was ten years old, his mother died from cancer. After her passing, he was placed in an orphanage by his father. Harold did not understand why he was sent there and did not recall experiencing any abuse during his time at the orphanage.

After a few years in the orphanage, he was about to be adopted but was returned to his father instead. Harold had a difficult relationship with his father, which affected him deeply. He later joined the army and received an honorable discharge in 1984. In 1986, he got married.

As a young adult, Nichols held jobs, including working at a pizza restaurant. He began to have run-ins with the law and had convictions for violent offenses, including assault with intent to commit rape. 

Murder Story

On September 30, 1988, Harold Wayne Nichols broke into a home in the Brainerd area of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Inside the house, he found 21-year-old Karen Pulley alone in an upstairs bedroom. Nichols proceeded to forcibly remove her clothing and then raped her. To silence her, he struck her in the head with a wooden board multiple times. This violence led to severe skull fractures and brain injuries.

Despite being found alive by one of her roommates, Pulley died the following day from her injuries. The attack was later revealed to be not an isolated incident, as Nichols was involved in a string of sexual assaults against other women. He was arrested on January 5, 1989, following tips about these other crimes.

During police questioning, Nichols confessed to Pulley's murder and the rapes he committed. He provided details about the crime scene, including how he entered the home and details about the attack. His confessions, which he reiterated during his trial, were crucial in securing his convictions.

On May 12, 1990, Nichols was sentenced to death for his actions. The court's judgment was confirmed through various appeals over the years, underscoring the severity of his crimes and the impact they had on his victims and the community. 

Nichols was executed by lethal injection at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution on December 11, 2025.