Bio

Tommy Ray Pruitt was born on March 4, 1962. He grew up in Indiana. He experienced repeated head injuries, which likely affected his development.

His first felony conviction was for robbery in 1981, when he was just 19 years old. He continued to run into legal problems, and in 1988, he was convicted again, this time for forgery.

Murder Story

On June 14, 2001, Tommy Ray Pruitt was involved in a serious incident that resulted in the death of a law enforcement officer. Morgan County Deputy Dan Starnes stopped Pruitt on a rural road due to information suggesting Pruitt had committed a burglary a few days earlier. During the stop, Pruitt overheard Deputy Starnes planning to search his vehicle.

In reaction to this, Pruitt exited his car and drew a .45 caliber handgun. A gun battle began, and Deputy Starnes was shot multiple times in the chest and abdomen. He sustained five wounds from Pruitt’s gunfire. Despite immediate medical attention, Deputy Starnes died from his injuries nearly a month later on July 10, 2001.

During the exchange of gunfire, Pruitt was also shot seven times but managed to recover from his injuries. Furthermore, he fired at Deputy Starnes’ son, Ryan, who had been present in the vehicle for a summer internship program.

Pruitt was arrested on the same day as the shooting and faced multiple charges, including murder, attempted murder, and possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon. He had previous felony convictions, which led to his classification as a habitual offender. On November 21, 2003, he was sentenced to death alongside multiple other prison terms totaling 115 years. The circumstances of the case included factors that both aggravated and mitigated his sentencing.