Bio

Ricky Lee Sanderson was born on February 25, 1959, in North Carolina. He grew up in Edgecombe County. His early life was marked by challenges, including a troubled family background. It is reported that Sanderson's upbringing included experiences of abuse and instability.

As he grew older, Sanderson struggled with issues related to substance abuse. He became involved with drugs, which affected his life choices and relationships. His youth was characterized by a search for direction and purpose, but he found himself facing increasing difficulties.

Despite these struggles, Sanderson's life took a significant turn after he was imprisoned. While serving sentences for various crimes, including rapes, he experienced a spiritual awakening. He became intensely religious and embraced evangelical Christianity, which he claimed helped him change his perspective on life.

Murder Story

On March 14, 1985, 16-year-old Sue Ellen "Suzi" Holliman went missing from her home in Lexington, North Carolina. She was home sick from school that day. Her father, Hugh Holliman, had seen her briefly around lunchtime before returning to work, but when her mother came home later that day, Suzi was gone. After an extensive search, her body was discovered about a month later, buried in a shallow grave.

Ricky Lee Sanderson, who was already in prison for other crimes, confessed to the murder. Initially, another man, Elwood "Woody" Jones, had confessed and spent time in jail for Suzi's murder before Sanderson revealed the truth. Law enforcement was initially skeptical of Sanderson's confession, but physical evidence from his car linked him to the crime.

On January 21, 1986, while serving a life sentence in Central Prison, Sanderson admitted to kidnapping, raping, and killing Suzi. He described how he forced her out of her house and into his vehicle while trying to evade capture. He took her to a secluded location where he raped, choked, and stabbed her three times before burying her body.

Sanderson was convicted of first-degree murder and kidnapping. He faced multiple capital sentencing hearings due to errors in the earlier trials. At his third sentencing in October 1995, the jury again recommended the death penalty, citing the murder's brutality and the aggravating circumstances of committing murder during a kidnapping and rape.

Sanderson had several years of appeals available but chose not to pursue them, saying he did not want to cause the Holliman family further anguish. He was executed by lethal gas on January 30, 1998, after declining a last meal as a protest against abortion, stating he wished to honor unborn children. Sanderson's last words referenced his belief in the grace of God, expressing thanks before he was executed.