Travis James Mullis was born on September 20, 1986, in Maryland. His early life was marked by tragedy. When he was about ten months old, his mother passed away. His father had abandoned the family shortly after Travis was born. As a result, he was adopted by his uncle and aunt, Gary and Anne Mullis. They became his foster parents, and he grew up in Abingdon, Maryland.

From a young age, Travis faced serious challenges in his life. Gary Mullis, his adoptive father, sexually abused him for three years, starting when Travis was only three years old. This abuse lasted until he was six. Gary was later convicted of molestation.

After the age of four, Travis began receiving psychiatric treatment. He struggled with multiple psychological issues, which included suicidal and homicidal thoughts. He reportedly heard voices and had flashbacks related to the abuse he suffered.

At the age of 13, Travis was caught molesting his eight-year-old cousin. This incident led to his placement at the Jefferson School in Maryland. This school was for emotionally troubled juveniles. He spent four years there and was released when he turned 17.

After leaving the juvenile school, Travis moved to Texas when he was 18 years old. He eventually entered a relationship with a woman, and they had a son named Alijah, who was born on October 29, 2007. Before his later legal troubles, Travis had a history of molesting young children.

On January 29, 2008, in Galveston County, Texas, Travis James Mullis killed his three-month-old son, Alijah. After arguing with his girlfriend, Mullis drove to Galveston with Alijah in the backseat. Once parked, he assaulted his son and then strangled him when he cried. After killing Alijah, Mullis crushed his skull by stomping on his head multiple times. He then disposed of Alijah's body by throwing it on the roadside.

A married couple later found Alijah's body while searching for wildlife. After the murder, Mullis fled Texas and was on the run for three days. A warrant for his arrest was issued. On February 1, 2008, he surrendered to police in Philadelphia and confessed to the crime. He was extradited back to Texas and charged with murder.

Mullis stood trial beginning on March 7, 2011. During the trial, a videotape of his confession was shown, where he explained that he killed Alijah to stop his cries. The jury found him guilty on March 11, 2011. He faced the death penalty or life in prison without parole. The trial included testimony from children he had previously molested. On March 21, 2011, Mullis was sentenced to death.

After his sentencing, Mullis indicated he wanted to be executed and initially waived his right to appeal. However, he later changed his mind and appealed the sentence, arguing that it was unconstitutional. The federal courts rejected his claims and upheld the death penalty.

Leading up to his execution date, Mullis did not appeal or seek clemency. He was executed by lethal injection on September 24, 2024. This was just days after his 38th birthday. In his last words, he apologized for causing the death of Alijah and expressed no regrets for his decision to embrace execution. He was pronounced dead shortly afterward.