Reginald McFadden was born on February 23, 1953, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He came from a large family, being one of ten children. His family faced financial difficulties. When Reginald was young, his father left the family. His mother then started living with a man named James Woods. Woods was abusive and often used an electric cable to punish the children. Because of this abuse, Reginald did not form close relationships with his family. Instead, he spent much of his time at his grandmother's house, where he felt safer.

As he grew older, McFadden lost interest in school. In the early 1960s, he dropped out and began spending more time on the streets. He joined a street gang with his older brothers, Gordon and Victor. Together, they got into trouble and were arrested multiple times. From the early 1960s until December 1969, McFadden and his brothers were arrested 17 times for different offenses.

In November 1969, McFadden was arrested in New York City for car theft. His mother paid his bail, and he returned to Philadelphia.

On the night of December 7, 1969, Reginald McFadden was involved in the murder of 66-year-old Sonia Rosenbaum. He and three other teenagers broke into her apartment. They tied her up, threatened her, and forced her to reveal where she hid money and jewelry. McFadden and his accomplices used a washcloth to gag her and restrained her with tape and cords. They left her naked on the bed, covered only by a blanket. Unfortunately, Rosenbaum suffocated and died. Afterward, they stole $20 and fled in her car.

Shortly after the crime, McFadden and his accomplices were arrested. They confessed, leading to McFadden's arrest. Police discovered jewelry belonging to Rosenbaum in their homes. On December 11, 1969, police caught McFadden trying to escape through a window at his home. They found over $600 in cash that he could not explain. He was then charged with first-degree murder, burglary, aggravated robbery, larceny, and conspiracy.

In 1970, McFadden and two accomplices were found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. During his time in prison, he faced violence from other inmates and got into multiple fights. In 1974, he was granted a retrial but was convicted again and sentenced to life without parole.

After being paroled in 1994, McFadden moved to New York. He worked various jobs, including as a guidance counselor at a school for troubled teens. However, he soon returned to crime. On October 6, 1994, he was arrested in Rockland County for the rape and murder of 78-year-old Margaret Kierer, and the rape of 55-year-old Jeremy Brown.

Brown reported that McFadden had held her at gunpoint and forced her to withdraw $500 from ATMs. Kierer was found stabbed to death and robbed. McFadden was also discovered driving a car belonging to Robert Silk, who had gone missing around the same time. Later, Silk's remains were found, and McFadden was charged with his murder too.

McFadden underwent three separate trials. He was convicted for the rape of Jeremy Brown and received a 70-year sentence. For the murder of Margaret Kierer, he pleaded guilty and received a life term. Finally, he was convicted for the murder of Robert Silk, receiving another life sentence. At his sentencing, McFadden expressed no remorse for his actions.

McFadden was also a suspect in other murders due to additional jewelry found in his apartment. After his conviction, public outcry led to changes in parole policies to better protect the public and address the issues surrounding the rehabilitation of violent offenders. McFadden spent the rest of his life incarcerated and died on March 6, 2023, at a correctional facility in New York.