Bio

Richard Wayne Snell was born in 1931. He lived in a time when America was facing many changes. Details about his early life are not widely recorded. However, it is known that he became involved with a radical white supremacist group called The Covenant, The Sword, and the Arm of the Lord, or CSA, in the 1970s. This group was founded by James Ellison in a small community called Elijah, Arkansas.

Snell’s beliefs were influenced by the Christian Identity religion, which promoted white supremacy and anti-Semitic views. He spent time in a community known as Elohim City, which was established by members of the CSA in Oklahoma. Snell was a firm believer in conspiracy theories, particularly regarding the CIA. He thought that Mena Airport, a nearby location, was a center for drug smuggling, which he believed the government was involved in.

In the early 1980s, he was reported to be filming planes landing at this airport, claiming it was part of a government cover-up. He also voiced accusations against local and state police, alleging that they were involved in this cover-up as well.

Throughout his life, Snell was connected to various criminal activities. He associated with people who also engaged in violence and illegal operations. By 1985, many members of the CSA faced legal issues, leading to the group's decline, with several members being killed or jailed for their actions.

Murder Story

Richard Wayne Snell committed two murders in Arkansas. The first murder took place on November 3, 1983. Snell shot and killed William Stumpp, a pawn shop owner, during a robbery. Snell mistakenly believed that Stumpp was of Jewish descent.

The second murder occurred on June 30, 1984. Snell killed Louisiana State Trooper Louis P. Bryant during a traffic stop near Texarkana, Arkansas. After the shooting, Snell fled the scene and drove into Oklahoma. A truck driver who witnessed the trooper's murder followed Snell and reported it to the police.

Police set up a roadblock, resulting in a gunfight between Snell and the officers, during which Snell was wounded and captured. Following his arrest, Snell was charged with the murder of Trooper Bryant and later linked to the Stumpp murder as police gathered evidence.

After a highly publicized trial, he was convicted of the murder of Trooper Bryant and sentenced to life in prison. He received a death sentence for the murder of Stumpp. Snell never denied the allegations against him. His death sentence was carried out by lethal injection on April 19, 1995.