Bio

Sheldon Aaron Ward was born on September 20, 1979, in Bellevue, Washington. He was the youngest of three boys in his family. Later, two half-sisters were born. When Sheldon was in high school, the Ward family moved to Manhattan, Kansas. Records indicate that Sheldon dropped out of high school during the 10th grade. Following that, he moved around various places, traveling from Washington to Kansas and eventually to Fort Worth, Texas, in 1998.

Sheldon's early life was affected by a difficult home environment. He and his brothers faced years of alcohol, drug, and physical abuse from their parents. His mother, Stephanie Slifer, struggled with alcoholism, and his stepfather had issues with drugs and was described as "mean." There were times when Sheldon lived with an aunt who practiced witchcraft, which added to the chaos in his life.

Unlike his brothers, who learned to confront their problems, Sheldon often reacted differently. His brother Jason said that when problems arose, Sheldon would hide in a closet instead of dealing with them. This behavior continued into his teenage years. As a young man, Sheldon began to keep journals where he wrote about his life experiences, including nights of drug use and relationships.

In late 1998, Sheldon moved to Fort Worth to be the best man at his brother Brandon's wedding. After the wedding, he decided to stay in Fort Worth and shared an apartment with Brandon for a while. During this time, he met Cleve Foster, who would later become a co-defendant. After Sheldon completed basic training for the Army Reserve, he began a relationship with a young woman who had a child. While the birth of his child brought Sheldon some happiness and responsibility, the couple eventually split up, leading to feelings of depression and anger for him.

Overall, Sheldon Ward's early life was marked by instability and struggles, which would later have a significant impact on his actions and decisions.

Murder Story

On February 14, 2002, Sheldon Aaron Ward and his co-defendant, Cleve Foster, committed a crime in Tarrant County, Texas. They kidnapped a 28-year-old woman named Nyanuer "Mary" Pal, who was a Sudanese immigrant. The two men assaulted her and then shot her with a .380 caliber pistol.

Eight days later, police arrested Ward after he confessed to committing the crime to a friend. He was found in a truck and during the arrest, his belongings were seized, which included evidence that linked him to the murder.

At the trial, DNA evidence from the victim's body matched both Ward and Foster. Witnesses testified that they had seen the two men following Pal before the incident. Investigators also connected them to another unsolved murder, but they were never tried for that crime.

In 2003, Ward was sentenced to death for the murder. However, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor shortly after his sentencing. He died in prison on May 13, 2010, at the age of 30.

Throughout his time in prison, Ward left behind journals in which he wrote about his life. After his death, these journals, along with some personal belongings, were sent to his family.