Bio

Robert Anthony Preston was born on November 13, 1957. By 1978, he had been involved in some criminal activities. Just a few days before he committed a serious crime, he was convicted of throwing a deadly missile into an occupied vehicle. This offense led to a six-year prison sentence, but he was later able to have that conviction vacated.

Murder Story

On January 9, 1978, Robert Anthony Preston committed a murder in Seminole County, Florida. His victim was Earline Walker, a clerk at a convenience store. That afternoon, her nude and mutilated body was found in an open field by the police. The wounds were so severe that they resulted in near decapitation.

Earlier that night, an officer patrolling discovered Walker was missing from the store. The officer also found that $574.41 was missing from the store's cash register. The next day, Preston was arrested on an unrelated charge. While in custody, police found a pubic hair on his belt buckle.

After his arrest, authorities searched Preston's mother’s home, where he also lived. In his bedroom, they found a jacket belonging to him and several food stamp coupons. The coupons matched those used at the convenience store days before the murder.

Blood stains on Preston's jacket were tested and found to match Walker’s blood type. Additionally, hairs found on his belt and jacket could have belonged to Walker. Preston was indicted on multiple counts, including premeditated murder and robbery.

On June 10, 1981, a jury found him guilty on all charges and recommended the death penalty. He was sentenced to death on November 6, 1981. Preston later faced multiple death warrants and legal challenges regarding his sentence over the years.