Ralph Cecil Feltrop

Case overview

Ralph Cecil Feltrop was convicted of first-degree murder in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Missouri, and was sentenced to death for killing his live-in girlfriend, Barbara Ann Roam, in 1987. Feltrop later executed on August 6, 1997.

Timeline

• March 8, 1987 — Ralph Feltrop and his live-in girlfriend Barbara Roam were involved in a domestic dispute.
• March 16, 1987 — Barbara Ann Roam’s dismembered torso was found in St. Charles County.
• March 23, 1987 — Feltrop made a statement to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and reported that Roam had been missing.
• March 24, 1987 — Feltrop was arrested and charged with Murder First Degree.
• 1987 — Feltrop told law enforcement officers that he later dismembered the body to better hide the remains, put the torso into a trunk, and dumped the trunk near Duke Road in St. Charles County; he then put the remaining body parts into garbage bags and dumped the bags into a pond in Jefferson County.
• 4/30 (1988) — Ralph C. Feltrop was charged by information in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County with first degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the death of Barbara Roam.
• 6/20–29 (1988) — Feltrop was tried in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County and found guilty of first-degree murder; the jury recommended a sentence of death.
• 8/3 (1988) — A motion for new trial was denied and Feltrop was sentenced to death for killing Barbara Ann Roam.
• 8/10 (1988) — A notice of appeal was filed.
• 11/17 (1988) — A pro se motion for post-conviction relief under Rule 29.1 5 was filed.
• 3/30 (1989) — Post-conviction counsel was appointed.
• 5/12 (1989) — An amended motion for post-conviction relief was filed.
• 10/25 (1989) — A post-conviction evidentiary hearing was held in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County.
• 12/4 (1989) — The Court denied the motion for post-conviction relief.
• 1/10 (1990) — A notice of appeal was filed.
• 1/9 (1991) — On consolidated appeal, the Missouri Supreme Court affirmed Feltrop’s conviction and sentence and the denial of post-conviction relief.
• 6/28 (1991) — The United States Supreme Court denied certiorari.
• 7/28 (1991) — Feltrop filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus in the United States District court for the eastern District of Missouri.
• 3/11 (1993) — The petition for writ of habeas corpus was denied.
• 3/25 (1993) — Feltrop filed a motion to alter or amend the district court’s March 11, 1993 order denying the petition for writ of habeas corpus.
• 5/25 (1993) — The motion to alter or amend the judgment was denied.
• 6/23 (1993) — A notice of appeal was filed.
• 1/25 (1995) — The United States Court of appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed the denial of the petition for writ of habeas corpus.
• 3/28 (1995) — Rehearing was denied by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
• 12/4 (1995) — The United States Supreme Court granted Feltrop’s petition for writ of certiorari and remanded the case to the Eighth Circuit.
• 8/8 (1996) — The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed the denial of habeas corpus relief following the remand.
• 10/16 (1996) — The Eighth Circuit of Appeals denied Feltrop’s petition for rehearing or rehearing en banc.
• 5/27 (1997) — The United States Supreme Court denied Feltrop’s petition for writ of certiorari.
• 6/6 (1997) — The United States Supreme Court issued a warrant of execution scheduling Feltrop’s execution for August 6, 1997.
• 8/6/1997 — Feltrop was executed by lethal injection in Missouri.

Background

Ralph Cecil Feltrop was a Missouri inmate under sentence of death. The case involved Feltrop’s live-in girlfriend, Barbara Ann Roam, who was 27 years old.

The offence

On March 8, 1987, Ralph Feltrop and his live-in girlfriend Barbara Roam were involved in a domestic dispute. Feltrop stated to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office on March 23, 1987 that Roam had attempted to stab him on several occasions that evening and that Roam died from a knife wound to the neck.

An autopsy revealed that Roam died from an incised wound to the right side of her neck which severed her vertebral artery, causing her to bleed to death. The wound was made by one forceful thrust with a sharp instrument. The wound severed her vertebral artery and penetrated the cervical spine causing paralysis of Roam’s right side. Because of the severity of the wound, it was determined that Roam bled to death over a period of time from between fifteen minutes to four hours.

Following Roam’s death, Feltrop mutilated Roam’s body until he severed her head, hands and lower legs from her torso. He also severed one foot from the leg. Feltrop told law enforcement officers that he later dismembered the body to better hide the remains.

Feltrop put the torso into a trunk and dumped the trunk near Duke Road in St. Charles County. He then took the remaining body parts and put them into garbage bags and dumped the bags into a pond in Jefferson County.

Investigation

On March 16, 1987, a passerby found the trunk in St. Charles County and reported it to police. On March 23, 1987, Feltrop reported the disappearance of Roam to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

Following an investigation by St. Charles and Jefferson County law enforcement, Feltrop was arrested on March 24, 1987.

Arrest and charging

On March 24, 1987, Feltrop was arrested and charged with Murder First Degree. On 4/30 (1988), Feltrop was charged by information in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County with first degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the death of Barbara Roam.

Trial

Feltrop was tried in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County. On 6/20–29 (1988), the jury found him guilty of first-degree murder and recommended a sentence of death.

Following the guilty verdict, the court conducted a penalty stage as prescribed by Mo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 565.030.4. At the conclusion of the penalty-stage evidence, the trial court submitted one statutory aggravating circumstance to the jury: whether the murder of Barbara Ann Roam involved torture and or depravity of mind and that as a result thereof it was outrageously or wantonly vile, horrible or inhuman. The jury’s verdict of death included a written finding that the murder involved depravity of mind and that as a result thereof it was outrageously or wantonly vile, horrible, or inhuman.

A medical expert testified that Roam may have survived a stab wound to the neck had she received medical attention during the 15 minutes to 4 hours it took her to bleed to death. Prosecutors argued during Feltrop’s trial that he could have called an ambulance to save Roam.

Sentencing

On 8/3 (1988), a motion for new trial was denied. Feltrop was sentenced to death for killing Barbara Ann Roam.

Feltrop later argued that he was innocent and that he was defending himself.

Appeals

Missouri Supreme Court and state post-conviction proceedings

• A motion for new trial was denied on 8/3 (1988).
• A notice of appeal was filed on 8/10 (1988).
• A pro se motion for post-conviction relief under Rule 29.1 was filed on 11/17 (1988).
• Post-conviction counsel was appointed on 3/30 (1989).
• An amended motion for post-conviction relief was filed on 5/12 (1989).
• A post-conviction evidentiary hearing was held on 10/25 (1989).
• The Court denied the motion for post-conviction relief on 12/4 (1989).
• A notice of appeal was filed on 1/10 (1990).
• On 1/9 (1991), on consolidated appeal, the Missouri Supreme Court affirmed Feltrop’s conviction and sentence and the denial of post-conviction relief.

Federal habeas corpus and federal appellate review

Feltrop filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus in the United States District court for the eastern District of Missouri on 7/28 (1991). The petition was denied on 3/11 (1993). Feltrop filed a motion to alter or amend the district court’s March 11, 1993 order on 3/25 (1993), and that motion was denied on 5/25 (1993). A notice of appeal was filed on 6/23 (1993).

• On 1/25 (1995), the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed the denial of the petition for writ of habeas corpus.
• On 3/28 (1995), rehearing was denied by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
• On 12/4 (1995), the United States Supreme Court granted Feltrop’s petition for writ of certiorari and remanded the case to the Eighth Circuit.
• On 8/8 (1996), the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed the denial of habeas corpus relief following the remand.
• On 10/16 (1996), the Eighth Circuit of Appeals denied Feltrop’s petition for rehearing or rehearing en banc.

United States Supreme Court certiorari and execution warrant

On 6/28 (1991), the United States Supreme Court denied certiorari. On 5/27 (1997), the United States Supreme Court denied Feltrop’s petition for writ of certiorari. On 6/6 (1997), the United States Supreme Court issued a warrant of execution scheduling Feltrop’s execution for August 6, 1997.

Outcome

Feltrop’s conviction and death sentence were affirmed by the Missouri Supreme Court and upheld through the subsequent federal habeas corpus proceedings described in the case history. On August 6, 1997, Feltrop was executed by lethal injection in Missouri.

Other details

Feltrop’s statement(s) and description of events

Feltrop’s statements included that he admitted killing Roam but maintained it was self-defense. He stated that Roam attacked him over dinner with a steak knife after accusing him of seeing another woman. Feltrop said he denied the accusation “because it was not true” and went to bed. He said he awoke several hours later to find Roam kneeling over him with a knife. Feltrop stated that “I defended myself, trying to get the knife and in the process, she got stuck.” When asked why he chopped up her body, he replied: “I was in a panic, and I did not know what I was doing.”

Jury note and instruction in the sentencing phase

The jury was instructed that, as an alternative to the death penalty, Feltrop could be sentenced to “imprisonment for life by the Division of Corrections without eligibility for probation or parole.” After an hour of deliberation, the jury sent a note to the trial judge asking: “Is there any legal situation under which a person can be released who has received life without parole; that is pardoned by the governor. Please distinguish between life in prison and natural life. Are these one in the same? What is the length of life, capital life.”

Feltrop’s attorney requested the response, “You're not to infer anything other than the literal meaning of the instructions.”

The trial judge told the jury: “You must be guided by the instructions that the court has given you,”

Last words

Feltrop was strapped to a gurney with a white sheet pulled up to his neck. He turned his head toward the room where his relatives were watching and smiled. His last words were: “I am innocent of the murder charge. I was defending myself. This was a case of accidental death. I am legally innocent of this crime.”