Bio 

Karl Hinze LaGrand was born in Germany on October 20, 1963. He and his older brother, Walter LaGrand, moved to the United States as children after their mother married an American serviceman. Although the brothers spent most of their lives in the United States, they remained German citizens and never became American citizens. Their citizenship later became an international legal issue because German officials argued that Arizona authorities failed to notify Germany after the brothers were arrested.

Karl and Walter grew up together and both developed criminal records before the 1982 murder. Reports state that Karl first came into contact with the law as a child after theft-related incidents. The brothers were also linked to property damage as juveniles, including a fire at a golf course while the family lived at a military post in Texas.

By 1981, Karl and Walter were involved in more serious crimes. They were convicted in connection with armed robberies of three Tucson supermarkets within a short period. At the time of the Valley National Bank crime in January 1982, Karl had recently been released while awaiting proceedings connected to earlier robbery-related offenses.

Murder Story

On the morning of January 7, 1982, Karl LaGrand and his brother Walter drove from Tucson to Marana, Arizona, intending to rob the Valley National Bank. They carried a briefcase containing items used for the robbery, including a toy pistol, electrical tape, bandanas, a knife, and other materials. The bank was not yet open when they first arrived, so they waited nearby before approaching the building.

Kenneth Hartsock, the 63-year-old bank manager, arrived at the bank shortly before opening. Karl used the toy pistol to force Hartsock inside and demanded access to the vault. Hartsock could not open it because he only knew part of the combination. Bank employee Dawn Lopez arrived soon afterward and was also forced inside. The brothers then moved Hartsock and Lopez into Hartsock’s office and bound them with electrical tape.

As the robbery failed, the situation became violent. Hartsock was beaten and stabbed repeatedly with a letter opener. He suffered 24 stab wounds and died at the bank. Lopez was also attacked and stabbed multiple times, but she survived and later helped investigators identify what happened inside the bank.

Karl and Walter fled back toward Tucson after the attack. Police quickly connected them to the crime after witnesses reported a vehicle description and license plate information. Both brothers were arrested the same day. Karl later gave statements admitting involvement and saying he had stabbed Hartsock and Lopez, while claiming Walter had not done the stabbing.

Karl and Walter LaGrand were tried together. On February 17, 1984, both were convicted of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, attempted armed robbery, and two counts of kidnapping. They were sentenced to death for Hartsock’s murder. The Arizona Supreme Court later affirmed their convictions and sentences.

The case later drew international attention because the LaGrand brothers were German citizens. Germany argued that the United States had violated the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations by failing to notify the brothers of their right to contact the German consulate after arrest. Karl LaGrand was executed by lethal injection in Arizona on February 24, 1999. Walter LaGrand was executed one week later, on March 3, 1999.