Bio

Mitchell Rupe was born in 1955 in the United States. As he got older, he moved around various places. In his early years, he began to develop a weight problem. This issue escalated over the years, and by the time of his crimes, he weighed over 400 pounds. His weight became a significant part of his story later in life, especially during his trials.

Rupe worked in several jobs, including as a security guard. This job put him in contact with law enforcement, but it was not enough to steer him away from a life of crime. He lived in Washington state, where his life would take a turning point. 

Murder Story

On September 17, 1981, Mitchell Rupe entered the Tumwater State Bank in Olympia, Washington, and shot two bank tellers, Twila Capron and Candace Hemmig. The shooting occurred during a robbery, where Rupe took around $4,000.

After the crime, witnesses noticed a bloodstained checkbook belonging to Rupe at the crime scene. He was soon interviewed by the police, starting from the time he was near the bank at around 11:40 AM. During multiple interviews over the next five days, Rupe initially denied involvement but later confessed to committing the robbery and murders. He claimed that he had gone to the bank to resolve an overdraft issue but then decided to rob it, leading to the violent incident.

The police found ammunition and items connected to the robbery in Rupe's vehicle shortly after he had been taken into custody. His trial began in March 1982, and on April 29, 1982, he was convicted of two counts of aggravated first-degree murder and two counts of first-degree robbery.

Initially sentenced to death, his sentence was overturned by higher courts for various reasons. A 1994 federal ruling determined that Rupe was too heavy to execute by hanging, as this could be considered cruel and unusual punishment. He was reaffirmed a death sentence again in 2000, but the jury deadlocked 11-1 in favor of the death penalty, leading to a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Rupe ultimately died in prison on February 8, 2006, from liver disease.