d: 1987
Summary
Name:
Richard Lee WhitleyYears Active:
1980Status:
ExecutedClass:
MurdererVictims:
1Method:
Strangulation / StabbingDeath:
July 06, 1987Nationality:
USAd: 1987
Summary: Murderer
Name:
Richard Lee WhitleyStatus:
ExecutedVictims:
1Method:
Strangulation / StabbingNationality:
USADeath:
July 06, 1987Years Active:
1980Richard Lee Whitley was born in 1946. He grew up in Fairfax County, Virginia. His early life was marked by difficulties and challenges. Whitley faced a troubled childhood, which seemed to follow him into adulthood. He had issues with family dynamics and faced hardships that affected his development.
As a young man, Whitley had difficulties fitting in and often got into trouble. He struggled with his relationships and had a failed marriage, which led to a separation from his wife. This separation seemed to have a significant impact on him.
Throughout his life, Whitley had issues with substance abuse, including drugs and alcohol. These problems escalated over time, and he found himself in cycles of addiction that affected his behavior. He often engaged in risky activities and illegal behaviors.
In the years leading up to his crimes, Whitley's personal struggles and unresolved issues appeared to contribute to a downward spiral. He became a person who struggled with his emotions and actions.
On July 25, 1980, Richard Lee Whitley attacked his 63-year-old neighbor, Phoebe Parsons, in her home in Fairfax County, Virginia. Whitley had done repair work for Parsons before and visited her that day to talk about his recent separation from his wife. However, during their conversation, he suddenly choked her to the ground.
After choking her, Whitley tied a rope around her neck and cut her throat with a pocketknife, killing her. Following the murder, he stripped Parsons of her clothing and searched her home for valuables. Whitley stole items from her home and drove off in her car.
Several months later, Whitley was arrested in Tampa, Florida. During questioning, he confessed to the murder of Phoebe Parsons. His trial followed, where he was convicted of capital murder and received the death penalty.
Richard Lee Whitley was executed by electric chair on July 6, 1987. He was 41 years old at the time of his execution. The execution was the first in Virginia in nearly a year. Whitley did not have any last words before he was executed.
