Bio

Wayne Donald Horton was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, on January 26, 1950. Those who knew him growing up described him as having a volatile, explosive temper from a young age, with a documented pattern of resorting to extreme violence during arguments.

Murder Story

Horton’s first known victim was an unidentified woman later referred to as “Jane Doe.” According to case summaries, Horton picked her up at or near a Las Vegas liquor store in 1972. He later admitted that he beat her to death with a jack handle after she objected to his marijuana use while he was driving. Her remains were later discovered in the desert near Henderson, Nevada.

The unidentified victim’s remains were skeletal when found. The Unidentified Wiki summary states that she was discovered in Henderson, Nevada, on February 5, 1973, while Murderpedia gives February 4, 1973. Because the sources differ by one day, the safest wording is that her remains were found in early February 1973. She remained unidentified in the reviewed records.

On May 12, 1975, Horton killed Edward Buccieri, a 52-year-old shift boss at Caesars Palace. The killing occurred during an attempted robbery. Horton later said Buccieri had insulted him, and he shot him five times in the head.

Several months later, Horton killed Las Vegas taxi driver William Tinnell. The case summaries state that Tinnell was shot five times during a robbery. Horton later said he did not believe Tinnell deserved to live.

By April 1976, Horton was being held in Las Vegas while awaiting trial on other charges. While in custody, he became involved in the killing of 19-year-old Calvin Brinson, one of his cellmates. Murderpedia states that Horton led two cellmates in fatally stabbing Brinson and later admitted his role, blaming the killing on frustration over confinement.

On June 5, 1976, Horton pleaded guilty to the murders of Edward Buccieri and William Tinnell. In exchange for the guilty pleas, other felony charges were dismissed. He received two life-without-parole sentences for those murders.

On August 3, 1976, Horton pleaded guilty to the killings of the unidentified Jane Doe victim and Calvin Brinson. Those pleas resulted in two additional life-without-parole sentences, bringing his total to four life terms without parole.

Horton was also once linked in summaries to the killing of Delmar Bright, but that charge was later dropped after another serial killer, Billy Chadd, was identified in that case. Because Horton was not convicted of Bright’s murder, Bright should not be included in his confirmed victim count.

After sentencing, Nevada authorities reportedly sought to keep Horton away from inmates he had threatened to kill. Later records and obituary information place him in San Quentin, California, where he died on January 3, 2010.