Bio

Richard Allen Masterson was born on March 5, 1972, in Texas and was from Harris County. Before his murder case, he worked as a welder, carpenter, and laborer. 
His adult life included repeated arrests and prison sentences in Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas. In 1991, he received probation in Georgia for burglary, which was later revoked. He also served time for burglary offenses and was released from parole in Texas in 1994.

Murder Story

On February 9, 2001, in Houston, Texas, Richard Allen Masterson killed an adult male by strangulation. According to court records, he met the victim and later caused the man’s death inside the victim’s residence. After the killing, Masterson stole the victim’s vehicle and left Texas.

Investigators determined that he drove the victim’s car to Georgia, where he left it with relatives. He then continued to Florida. Authorities later arrested him in Florida after he stole another vehicle. During the investigation, Houston police traveled to interview him while he was in custody. Prosecutors said he gave a recorded confession describing the killing and theft.

At trial, Masterson claimed the death occurred during consensual sexual activity involving a chokehold and argued that the killing was not intentional. Prosecutors rejected that explanation and pursued a capital murder charge based on the murder committed during robbery.

A Harris County jury found him guilty of capital murder. On May 15, 2002, after the punishment phase of trial, he was sentenced to death. His conviction and sentence were later upheld on direct appeal by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 2005.