Randy Ethan Halprin was born on September 13, 1977, in McKinney, Texas. 

On December 13, 2000, Randy Halprin was part of a group of seven inmates who escaped from the John B. Connally Unit in Texas. They planned this escape very carefully. The group overpowered nine maintenance supervisors and correctional officers during a time when the prison was less busy. They used various methods to knock out their victims and then tied them up.

Once they escaped the prison, they stole a white prison truck. The first place they went was a Radio Shack in Pearland, Texas. After that, they checked into a motel in Farmers Branch under fake names. They planned to rob an Oshman's Sporting Goods store in Irving, Texas, and on December 24, they executed that plan. They took 40 guns and ran off with a large amount of cash.

As they fled the scene, they ambushed Officer Aubrey Hawkins, who had responded to the robbery call. They shot him multiple times and ran over him with their vehicle as they escaped. Hawkins did not survive his injuries, and this act of violence led to a large reward for anyone who could help catch the group.

The Texas Seven were on the run until January 2001, when they were tracked down after appearing on the TV show America's Most Wanted. The police located several members of the group in Colorado at a motel. Halprin was found in an RV, where he surrendered without resistance.

The surviving members were arrested and faced serious charges for their crimes, including murder. They were tried and sentenced to death for their actions during their crime spree. Over the following years, some of them were executed, while others await their fate on death row. Halprin has sought another trial based on claims of improper treatment during his original trial.