Bio

Reginald Lenard Reeves was born on April 21, 1974. He grew up in a low-income community in Texas. His environment was challenging, and as a child, he did not have many opportunities. 

As a child, Reeves had a history of violent behavior. When he was just 11 years old, he assaulted two younger boys. This troubling pattern of behavior continued into his teenage years. By the age of 16, he had assaulted his mother and was placed on informal probation with juvenile authorities.

Despite these issues, he was not incarcerated as a juvenile. He grew up in a large family that cared for him. Friends and family described him as funny and smart, but also noticed that he struggled with his emotions and behavior.

Reeves had a passion for music and enjoyed listening to various songs. He often expressed feelings about music in his letters to friends. In his youth, he experienced significant challenges, which likely contributed to his actions later in life.

At the time of his crimes, Reeves was living in Clarksville, Texas, and was 19 years old. His life was marked by a series of unfortunate events and decisions leading to a tragic outcome.

Murder Story

On September 5, 1993, 14-year-old Jenny Lynn Weeks ran away from a group foster home with a 17-year-old girl named Sharon Forte. They were taken to Clarksville, Texas, by Forte's boyfriend, Raymond Jackson. A couple of days later, Reeves met Jenny at Jackson's home and offered her a place to stay at his apartment.

On the night of September 9, Jenny was with Reeves at his apartment. They were listening to music when Raymond Jackson briefly visited. Later that evening, Ralph Brown, a friend of Reeves, came over, and they began drinking beer.

A neighbor noticed two figures carrying something that looked like a rolled-up carpet into an abandoned house across the street and called the police. When the police arrived at the house, they discovered Jenny's body inside a closet. She had been severely injured, with numerous bruises and other signs of violence. Medical examiners determined that she had been strangled and had also experienced sexual assault.

The next day, on September 10, Reeves turned himself in to the police. He was accompanied by his mother. Police found belongings belonging to Jenny in Reeves' apartment, including a gym bag containing her purse and diary. Forensic analysis linked physical evidence collected from Jenny's body to Reeves.

A jury convicted Reeves of capital murder in October 1994, and he was sentenced to death. After many appeals, on May 9, 2002, Reginald Lenard Reeves was executed by lethal injection in Texas.