Bio

John Thomas Satterwhite was born on December 29, 1946. He grew up in Texas. Little is known about his early family life or schooling. It is reported that he dropped out of school after the ninth grade. Satterwhite faced difficulties in his youth and would later become known for his criminal activities. He had a troubled past with law enforcement.

By the time he reached adulthood, Satterwhite had already been arrested multiple times. He had a history of involvement with the law, which included convictions for burglary and robbery. His criminal activities began to accumulate in his early twenties. He was convicted of robbery in 1970 and given ten years on probation. By 1974, he was sentenced to three years in prison for armed robbery.

As he grew older, Satterwhite continued to face legal troubles. He was known to have a bad reputation. Evidence from his past shows a pattern of aggressive actions. His life took a darker turn in the late 1970s, leading to serious crimes that would change his life forever.

Murder Story

On March 12, 1979, John Thomas Satterwhite and his accomplice, Sharon Bell, entered a convenience store in San Antonio, Texas. The store clerk, Mary Francis Davis, was present during the robbery. Satterwhite pointed a gun at her and demanded money. After Davis cooperated and provided cash from the register and a store vault, Satterwhite shot her twice in the head, killing her.

The following day, Satterwhite and Bell were pulled over by the police for speeding. During the stop, officers discovered a gun in their vehicle. Bell claimed the gun belonged to her, and she was arrested for unlawfully carrying a weapon. Later, Bell was reinterviewed by police and admitted her involvement in the robbery and murder, stating Satterwhite was the one who shot Davis.

Witnesses identified Satterwhite as being inside the store at the time of the murder. Bell testified in court that she saw Satterwhite put the gun to Davis' head and heard her plead for her life before hearing the gunshots. The bullet casings found at the scene matched the gun discovered in Satterwhite's car.

Satterwhite was convicted of murder and sentenced to death in two separate trials. His first death sentence was overturned in 1988 due to a procedural issue, but he was retried and again sentenced to death. Over the years, he made several appeals, but they were rejected by various courts.

On August 16, 2000, Satterwhite was executed by lethal injection in Texas. He expressed remorse in a phone call to the media shortly before his execution, but he declined to make a final statement in the death chamber. Satterwhite was pronounced dead at 6:29 p.m. After his execution, it was noted that he had a long history of criminal activity, including prior convictions for robbery and burglary.