Bio

Robert T. Sidebottom was born on March 9, 1962. He grew up in a challenging environment in Jackson County, Missouri. Information about his early life is limited, but it is known that he had a troubled childhood and faced various difficulties.

Sidebottom had a history of involvement with the law even before his crimes. In 1984, he was arrested for forgery and placed on probation. He faced further legal troubles in 1985 when he was arrested for first-degree sexual abuse. He received a sentence of five years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for this offense in 1986.

Sidebottom's relationship with his grandmother, May Sidebottom, appears to have been strained. There were reports that he often spoke about inheriting money from her after her death. In fact, he mentioned to friends that he would do anything, including killing her, to gain access to her funds. This suggests a complicated and possibly hostile familial dynamic.

Before committing his crime, Sidebottom had been drinking with a co-worker on the night of October 3, 1985. After a night of drinking, he approached his grandmother's home late that night to ask for money. His grandmother had recently received a significant insurance payout, which added to the potential motives for his actions.

Murder Story

On October 4, 1985, Robert T. Sidebottom went to his grandmother's home in Independence, Missouri. He had been drinking with a co-worker earlier that night. When he visited his grandmother, May Sidebottom, who was 74 years old, he asked her for money. She only gave him $5, which upset him because he knew she had recently received $14,000 from an insurance payout after her husband died.

Later, Sidebottom returned to his grandmother's house after telling his co-worker he would give him $14,000 to "cover" for him if something went wrong. He broke into the house through a back door window. Once inside, he confronted May and demanded more money. When she refused, he became angry and started physically assaulting her.

Sidebottom admitted to striking his grandmother multiple times with his fists and a chair until she stopped moving. After the beating, he started a fire in a bedroom and left the scene. At around 2:35 a.m., police arrived and found May unconscious in a pool of blood. She was taken to the hospital but died shortly after due to severe injuries, including fractures and blunt force trauma.

Five days later, on October 9, 1985, Sidebottom was arrested. During the investigation, he confessed to being present during the incident and later admitted to hitting her. He had previously told friends that he would do anything, including killing her, to inherit her money.

On December 30, 1985, he was indicted for first-degree murder. He was convicted in November 1986 and sentenced to death in March 1987. Sidebottom spent several years on death row while appeals were made. His conviction and sentence were upheld by the Missouri Supreme Court.

Sidebottom made numerous attempts to challenge his sentence, including filing petitions for post-conviction relief and various habeas corpus motions. All his appeals were denied. On November 15, 1995, Robert T. Sidebottom was executed by lethal injection in Missouri.