Bio

William Alfred Murray was born on February 13, 1969, in Texas. Texas prison records list Dallas County as his native county. He had a seventh-grade education and worked as an auto mechanic and laborer before the murder case. He was 28 years old when he killed Rena Ratcliff in Kaufman County, Texas.

Before the murder, Murray already had a criminal record. He had previously received a ten-year sentence from Kaufman County for burglary of a habitation. On November 12, 1997, he was released on shock probation. Less than four months later, he entered Rena Ratcliff’s home during another burglary.

Murray later said he had a serious drug problem and admitted responsibility for the crime. He also said he had been using alcohol and drugs on the night of the murder.

Murder Story

On February 10, 1998, William Alfred Murray broke into the Kaufman, Texas, home of 93-year-old Rena Ratcliff during the nighttime hours. He entered the house looking for items to steal. While he was searching through her bedroom, Ratcliff woke up and struck him with a cane or walker. Murray then attacked her.

Murray beat Ratcliff, sexually assaulted her, and strangled her. Investigators found her in the bedroom with wounds and bruising around her head. An Ace bandage had been tied around her neck and pushed into her mouth. Her death was caused by strangulation and blunt force injuries.

After the attack, Murray stole about $10 in change from a jar and took a small knife. He later traded the knife for drugs. While police were questioning him about another burglary, Murray said he wanted to confess to another crime. He then admitted to killing Ratcliff.

Murray was convicted of capital murder in June 1999 and sentenced to death. His appeals were later denied in state and federal court. He was executed by lethal injection in Huntsville, Texas, on September 17, 2008.