Bio

Richard James Wilkerson was born on April 18, 1964. He grew up in Houston, Texas. His early life was not easy. He was raised in a challenging environment and faced many difficulties during his childhood. His family life was troubled, which affected his education and personal development.

Wilkerson attended school but struggled academically. He did not graduate high school and completed only up to the 10th grade. Young Richard was described as having difficulties learning, and at times, he faced challenges in connecting with his peers. He often found himself in trouble.

As a teenager, Wilkerson showed signs of getting involved with the wrong crowd. He began associating with others who engaged in criminal activities, leading to a troubled lifestyle. This behavior continued into his late teens.

By the time he was 19, he had been fired from his job at the Malibu Grand Prix, where he worked alongside several other young employees. His termination occurred just a couple of weeks before a tragic event in his life.

Murder Story

On July 1, 1983, Richard James Wilkerson, along with his cousin and another man, committed a violent crime at the Malibu Grand Prix Race Center in Houston, Texas. They entered the center after it had closed and confronted the employees inside, which included Anil Varughese, Rod Harris, and the Pequeno brothers, Arnold and Joerene.

Wilkerson had been fired from his job at the center two weeks prior and was intent on retrieving his last paycheck. During the encounter, he attacked Varughese, who was the manager, and threatened him with a knife. After forcing him to open the safe, Wilkerson stabbed Varughese multiple times, leading to his death. Meanwhile, his accomplices targeted the other employees in a similar violent manner.

When the attack was over, the group fled the scene with approximately $1,800 in cash, which they later spent on clothing and other items. The murders resulted in the deaths of four young men: Anil Varughese, who was 18 years old, Rod Harris, who was 22, and the two brothers, Arnold Pequeno, aged 19, and Joerene Pequeno, who was 18.

Wilkerson and his accomplices were arrested on the same day. Evidence from the scene pointed to their involvement, as blood was found on their clothing when they returned to a relative's home. They were later charged with capital murder.

The trial led to Wilkerson being found guilty. He was sentenced to death in January 1984. Attempts to appeal his conviction and sentence failed, and he spent nearly a decade on death row before his execution by lethal injection on August 31, 1993. Prior to his execution, Wilkerson declared that his punishment was not justice but revenge, claiming that he was unfairly represented during his trial.