Bio

Richard Daniel Starrett was born on September 25, 1959. He grew up in South Carolina. There are not many details about his early life, but he spent his childhood like many others. He had a family and went to school. As a teenager, he began to show troubling behaviors and issues in his life.

As he grew older, Starrett struggled to maintain stable relationships. He eventually married and had children but did not stay committed to his family. His wife and child flew to California for a time. During this period, it became apparent that he was leading a double life. He had jobs, one of which included working at Savannah River Site, but he also had dark secrets.

Starrett's behavior escalated in the mid-1980s. He faced legal troubles for various offenses, including sexual crimes. He was arrested multiple times and developed a pattern of violent behavior toward women. He became known for targeting young females.

This background led to his eventual arrest in 1989 after a series of serious crimes, but before those events, his life was filled with personal conflicts and troubling actions that foreshadowed his later deeds.

Murder Story

Richard Daniel Starrett's known criminal actions led to the murder of 15-year-old Jean Taylor McCrea on December 26, 1988. He kidnapped her before killing her. After the murder, he wrapped her body in a green blanket and trash bags. He then dumped her body in a creek in Newberry County, South Carolina.

Starrett’s capture came after Shari Dawn Teets, a 17-year-old he had kidnapped in February 1989, escaped from his home. Teets managed to flee after Starrett passed out from drinking. Her escape led to a manhunt where authorities ultimately located him in Texas.

During the investigation, Starrett admitted to shooting Jean McCrea. He explained that his feelings for her had turned dark. He was 29 years old at the time of his arrest. Following his capture, he was sentenced to five life sentences in prison without the possibility of parole on February 5, 1990.

Starrett had a history of sexual violence. He was a convicted serial rapist and sex offender. His previous convictions included kidnapping and assaulting multiple young women. After killing McCrea, he faced charges related to his other assaults and kidnappings linked to several victims. Investigators reported finding over 1,000 books and magazines related to nudity and violence in his home, which he claimed influenced his behavior.