Larry Donnell Andrews was born on April 29, 1954, in Baltimore, Maryland. He grew up in a tough neighborhood in a housing project in West Baltimore. His childhood was marked by hardship and violence. Andrews faced physical abuse from his mother during his early years, which deeply affected his upbringing.

At the age of 9, Andrews experienced a traumatic event that would stay with him for life. He witnessed a man being beaten to death over a very small amount of money—just 15 cents. 

Larry Donnell Andrews became involved in crime as an armed robber. He specifically targeted drug dealers and had a personal code that prohibited him from harming women or children. His criminal activities in Baltimore during the 1970s and early 1980s brought him to the attention of law enforcement.

In 1986, Andrews took a contract to kill two men, Zachary Roach and Rodney "Touche" Young, after being influenced by a local drug kingpin named Warren Boardley. After committing these murders, Andrews felt a deep sense of guilt and chose to surrender to a homicide detective, Ed Burns. He agreed to cooperate with police, wearing a listening device to gather evidence against Boardley and another accomplice, Reggie Gross.

In 1987, Andrews was sentenced to life in prison for the murders of Roach and Young. Over the years, he was denied parole but made significant personal changes. He focused on self-education, overcame his heroin addiction, and worked to help other inmates through anti-gang workshops.

While incarcerated, Andrews met Fran Boyd, who was also struggling with addiction. He encouraged her to seek treatment. After serving time, he was paroled in 2005. He became involved in outreach programs for youth, aiming to steer them away from crime.

Andrews's life caught the attention of television producers, and he became a consultant for the acclaimed series, *The Wire*. His experiences inspired the character Omar Little, known for robbing drug dealers while avoiding violence against innocents.

In 2005, after his release, Andrews acted in *The Wire*, portraying a character named Donnie. He married Fran Boyd in 2007, with notable guests from the show attending their wedding.

Sadly, Larry Donnell Andrews died on December 13, 2012, due to complications from an aortic dissection. He was 58 years old at the time of his death.