Bio

Roy Ramsey was born on June 6, 1953. He grew up in a family with a lot of siblings. In fact, he was the second oldest among ten brothers. Living in a large household, Roy faced many challenges. The environment in which he lived was described as problematic. Many of his brothers had criminal records, and some of them were in prison for serious crimes.

From a young age, Roy became involved in crime. He learned to steal during his high school years. As he grew older, his criminal activities continued. In 1971, he was convicted of first-degree robbery and sentenced to ten years in prison. After serving that time, he was released, but his criminal behavior did not stop. In 1977, he was sentenced again for robbery and spent more time in prison. He also faced a charge of sodomy during that period.

Murder Story

On November 21, 1988, Roy Ramsey went to the home of Garnett and Betty Ledford in Grandview, Missouri, with his brother Billy and Billy's girlfriend Angela Ray. They knocked on the door, and Mr. Ledford answered. Billy told Mr. Ledford that they knew each other from the past. After talking for a while, Roy pulled out a .22 caliber pistol and ordered the Ledfords inside their home.

Once inside, Roy pointed the gun at Mrs. Ledford and demanded money and valuables. The Ledfords were taken to their bedroom, where Mrs. Ledford opened a safe. While Roy stayed with the Ledfords, Billy went through the house, collecting various items including guns and a video cassette recorder, which he brought to the front door.

After gathering valuables in a pillowcase, Roy shot both Garnett and Betty Ledford at close range. Billy, hearing the gunshots, returned to the room. The trio then left the Ledfords' home and drove back to the Ramsey family home. During the ride, Billy took money from Mr. Ledford's wallet and discarded the wallet out of the car window.

The wallet was discovered later by two schoolgirls, which led to the police connecting the Ramseys to the murders. After an investigation and with the help of Angela Ray, who fled to Memphis, Roy was arrested on November 26, 1988. Investigators found a stolen silver coin in Roy's possession. Ballistics tests matched bullets found at the scene to Roy's gun.

On December 3, 1990, Roy was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and received the death penalty. After numerous appeals over several years, Roy Ramsey was executed by lethal injection in Missouri on April 14, 1999.