Bio 

Timothy McKinney was born in 1974 in the United States. He experienced educational difficulties and did not complete traditional schooling, later obtaining a General Educational Development (GED) certificate while incarcerated. Prior to the 1997 offense, McKinney had a criminal history that included aggravated robbery, for which he was convicted in 1993. He was released on parole in 1997. At the time of the incident in December of that year, he was living in Memphis, Tennessee.

Murder Story

On December 25, 1997, Timothy McKinney was involved in an altercation outside Crumpy’s Comedy Club in Memphis, Tennessee. During the early morning hours, McKinney was removed from the club after a disturbance. Believing his car had been taken, he became involved in a confrontation outside the venue. Don Williams, an off-duty police officer working security, approached McKinney and instructed him to leave the area.

According to evidence presented at trial, McKinney left the scene but returned multiple times. During the final return, he approached from behind and fired a gun at close range, striking Officer Williams and causing his death.

A second officer, Frank Lee, pursued the shooter and later identified McKinney as the suspect. Witness testimony and circumstantial evidence linked him to the crime. McKinney was arrested later the same day.

The case proceeded to trial in 1999. On July 14, 1999, a jury found McKinney guilty of first-degree murder. He was also convicted of attempted second-degree murder related to the attack on Officer Lee.

During the sentencing phase, the prosecution presented evidence of McKinney’s prior violent criminal history. The defense presented mitigating factors, including his background and personal circumstances. On July 15, 1999, the jury sentenced McKinney to death. He requested a lesser sentence, maintaining his innocence during the proceedings