Bio

Norberto Pietri was born on March 13, 1963, in Puerto Rico. He grew up in a rural area where his family did not have plumbing in their home. 

His life of crime began to escalate in the early 1980s. In 1984, he was arrested for multiple counts of grand theft and burglary. He received a seven-year sentence for these crimes. During his time in prison, he continued to have legal issues, adding to his record with further burglary and theft charges.

By the late 1980s, Pietri was released to a minimum-security work release center in Lantana, Florida. While waiting for a transfer to a more secure facility, he escaped on August 18, 1988. After escaping, he became addicted to cocaine and began committing burglaries to support his drug habit. 

Pietri was known by the nickname "Spiderman," which came from a spider tattoo on his neck. 

Murder Story

Norberto Pietri, also known as "Spiderman," committed a murder on August 22, 1988. At that time, he was evading authorities after having escaped from a correctional facility. Over the next few days, he was involved in a series of burglaries to feed his cocaine addiction. On the day of the murder, Pietri stole a 9mm semiautomatic pistol among other items during a burglary.

Later that day, while driving a stolen truck, Pietri was pursued by Officer Brian Chappell, a 31-year-old police officer in West Palm Beach. After a brief chase, Pietri stopped the truck. Officer Chappell approached him while still holstered. In a sudden act, Pietri shot the officer at close range, hitting him in the chest. Officer Chappell managed to call for help but died shortly after from his injuries.

After the shooting, Pietri drove away and then disposed of the stolen truck by throwing it into a canal. He attempted to hide his identity and whereabouts. Over the following days, he continued to evade capture by stealing other vehicles and threatening their owners. However, law enforcement quickly gathered evidence, including a fingerprint found on the abandoned truck.

Pietri was arrested two days after the murder. He was charged with multiple crimes, including first-degree murder. At his trial, he faced strong evidence linking him to the crime. The jury found him guilty, and he was sentenced to death on March 15, 1990. Subsequently, Pietri filed several appeals regarding his conviction and sentence, but most were denied or found to have no merit. He remains on death row as of now.