Larry Donnell Andrews was born on April 29, 1954, and raised in a public housing project in West Baltimore, Maryland. His early life was marked by trauma, poverty, and instability. Abused by his mother and exposed to violence at a young age, Andrews witnessed his first killing at just nine years old—a brutal beating over a mere fifteen cents. This moment etched itself deeply into his psyche and foreshadowed a troubled adolescence and adulthood.

Growing up in one of Baltimore’s most dangerous neighborhoods during the heroin epidemic of the 1960s and 1970s, Andrews became addicted to drugs early on. He quickly descended into a lifestyle of street crime, primarily committing armed robberies—often targeting drug dealers while following a self-imposed ethical code that forbade harming women or children. Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, Andrews developed a reputation among both law enforcement and criminals in Baltimore as a feared but principled stick-up man. His rap sheet included multiple charges for armed robbery, narcotics trafficking, and assault.

By the mid-1980s, his life was consumed by his heroin addiction. He was stealing regularly just to maintain his habit. Despite his violent lifestyle, Andrews held a complex relationship with morality. He would later claim to have been burdened by guilt over the direction his life had taken, and that guilt ultimately led him to turn himself in after becoming involved in a contract killing.

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.