Bio

William Lamar Todd was born in 1956. He grew up in a small community in Georgia. Not much information is available about his childhood or family life. As a young man, he faced some challenges. At some point, he moved to Florida. There, he had a run-in with the law for simple possession of marijuana. This was his only prior conviction before he became involved in a much more serious crime later in his life.

In July 1988, Todd was living with a man named Randy Churchwell. Their relationship was not very clear, but they were acquaintances. Todd and his girlfriend were struggling at the time. They found themselves in a tough situation, which eventually led them down a darker path. Todd later admitted to planning a robbery that would change everything for him.

After committing the crime, Todd and his girlfriend attempted to escape by traveling to Texas. They were apprehended there just two weeks after the crime took place. Todd's life took a drastic turn as he faced serious charges that would lead to a death sentence in 1989.

Murder Story

On July 12, 1988, Randy Churchwell, a 33-year-old man, was found dead in his home in Harris County, Georgia. He had been struck at least 12 times with a hammer. A co-worker reported that Randy had not shown up for work, which led to the discovery of his body on the kitchen floor. Nearby, police found a blood-soaked towel and bedspread, suggesting that someone had tried to clean up the blood.

Soon after the murder, William Lamar Todd, who was living with the victim, and his girlfriend took Randy's wallet and car. They left for Texas in the stolen vehicle. About two weeks later, they were arrested in Texas while still in possession of Randy's car.

Initially, Todd denied knowing Randy. However, he later admitted to knowing him and even confessed to the murder. Todd claimed that he had intended to wait for Randy to fall asleep, tie him up, and steal his car. His plan went wrong when his girlfriend, tired of waiting, pressured him to act faster. Todd entered the kitchen and struck Randy with a hammer until he was no longer moving.

After the murder, Todd and his companion took various items from Randy's home. They drove to Birmingham, Alabama, to sell some of the stolen goods. There, Todd got into another violent encounter where he hit another man with a hammer, shot him, and stole his wallet. Eventually, Todd and his girlfriend drove to Galveston, Texas, where they sold more of the victim's possessions.

Todd was arrested on July 27, 1988. He was charged with murder and armed robbery. In May 1989, he was sentenced to death for his crimes.