Bio

Ronald Keith Spivey was born on November 11, 1939. He grew up in Macon, Georgia, where he faced many challenges during his childhood. His family life was difficult, as he reportedly suffered from emotional and physical abuse at the hands of his father. This abuse included being beaten, locked in cupboards, and threats of violence. Because of this environment, Spivey fled from home multiple times but was always returned by authorities.

At school, teachers noticed that he had severe emotional problems. By the age of 12, he started receiving mental health treatment. However, his father often interfered with his therapy, believing that physical punishment was a more acceptable form of discipline. This lack of support made it hard for Spivey to deal with his mental health issues.

As he grew older, Spivey got into trouble with the law. His first conviction came in 1961 when he was sentenced to six months in jail for forgery. In 1963, he was convicted of robbery by force and received a two-year prison sentence. In 1965, he faced charges of armed robbery, escape, and car theft, which resulted in another three-year prison sentence.

Throughout his life, Spivey struggled with his behavior and mental health. He had several run-ins with the law before committing more serious crimes that would ultimately lead to his death row sentence. Despite the difficulties in his early life, he displayed intelligence and was later recognized as a member of Mensa, an organization for individuals with high IQs.

Murder Story

On December 27, 1976, Ronald Keith Spivey was involved in a violent incident in a Macon pool hall. The fight started over a $20 bet, and it ended with Spivey shooting and killing Charles McCook. After the murder, he took a $20 bill from McCook's pocket.

Soon after, Spivey traveled to Columbus, Georgia, where he entered the Final Approach Lounge at Peachtree Mall. Inside, he began robbing two waitresses and a customer. During the robbery, off-duty police officer Bill Watson, who was working security nearby, came to investigate an open door. Spivey shot Watson twice, killing him. Spivey also shot Welton Emmit Allen, the manager of the nearby Briar Rabbit restaurant, several times. Allen played dead to survive.

As Spivey fled the scene, he continued to shoot and wounded another person outside the bar. He then ordered one of his hostages, a college professor named Mary Jane Davidson, to drive him to Alabama.

The next morning, just before daybreak, Spivey was captured by police two miles south of Wedowee, Alabama. Authorities found him with $360 in cash, believed to be from the robbery, along with two guns: a .38-caliber revolver and a .357 Smith & Wesson that had Watson's name and badge number on it.

Spivey was initially sentenced to life in prison for McCook's murder. However, he faced two trials for the murder of Watson. The first conviction in 1977 was overturned because of issues during a psychological evaluation. In 1983, a second trial resulted in a conviction for murder, armed robbery, and kidnapping.

After spending years on death row, Ronald Keith Spivey was executed by lethal injection in Georgia on January 24, 2002.