Lewis Eugene Gilbert II was born on October 29, 1971, in the United States. His childhood was reportedly marked by severe abuse at the hands of two stepfathers, an upbringing that would later be used in court as a plea for leniency. Gilbert also struggled academically, dealing with dyslexia and attention deficit disorder. He was bullied at school and often felt alienated and inferior to others. Despite his troubled background, Gilbert had no history of violent crime before 1994—only minor run-ins with the law.

By the age of 23, Gilbert was living in Newcomerstown, Ohio, where he met and befriended 16-year-old Eric Elliot. Together, the two shared dark plans, including a disturbing intent to travel across the country to murder homosexuals. Their twisted ideas would soon escalate into a deadly spree that claimed four lives across three states in a matter of days.

The killing spree began on August 29, 1994, when Gilbert and Elliot broke into the Port Washington, Ohio home of Ruth Lucille Loader, a 79-year-old woman. Their intent was to steal her car for a cross-country crime spree. When Loader unexpectedly confronted them, they tied her up with a phone cord and forced her into her own vehicle. Gilbert later admitted to shooting her and leaving her body in a field. Despite extensive searches over two decades, Loader’s body was never recovered.

The following day, August 30, 1994, the pair traveled to Callaway County, Missouri, where their stolen vehicle got stuck. They sought help from elderly farmers William and Flossie Brewer, who welcomed them inside. After gaining the couple's trust, Gilbert and Elliot tied them up with phone cords, led them to the basement, and shot each of them in the head three times. They stole valuables from the home and left in the couple’s car.

On September 3, 1994, in Oklahoma, the two encountered Roxanne "Roxy" Ruddell, a 37-year-old off-duty security guard who was fishing alone at Lake Stanley Draper. They approached her with a gun, and though she offered her truck and pleaded for her life, they tied her up, forced her to walk a short distance, and shot her four times in the head. They fled the scene in her vehicle, having stolen only a few dollars in cash.

Authorities tracked the pair across state lines. On September 6, 1994, Gilbert and Elliot were arrested in New Mexico, and extradited back to Oklahoma by December of that year. They faced multiple charges for the murders in Oklahoma, Missouri, and Ohio.

Gilbert’s trial for the murder of Ruddell began on November 2, 1995, and ended with a guilty verdict on November 6. Despite his lawyers’ appeals citing childhood abuse and mental disorders, the jury sentenced him to death on November 9, which was officially imposed on January 9, 1996.

Eric Elliot, though only 16 at the time, also faced trial in Oklahoma. His first trial resulted in a hung jury, but in a retrial, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison without parole on November 1, 1996.

Gilbert was later sent to Missouri, where in 2001, he was tried and convicted of murdering William and Flossie Brewer. He received two more death sentences, as well as additional time for related offenses. Despite confessing to Loader’s murder, Ohio authorities never prosecuted him for it.

Over the years, Gilbert filed multiple appeals in Oklahoma, Missouri, and even the U.S. Supreme Court—all of which were denied. The final appeal caused a minor delay in his execution on July 1, 2003, but was ultimately unsuccessful.

Gilbert’s execution took place at 7:11 a.m. at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary. He was 31 years old. For his final meal, he requested a half-gallon of vanilla ice cream, a box of assorted cones, and a box of Whoppers.

Fourteen family members and friends of his victims witnessed the execution. Both Eddie Ruddell, widower of Roxanne, and Mary Brewer, daughter-in-law of the Brewer couple, stated they felt relief and closure knowing Gilbert paid the ultimate price for his crimes.