David Roland Waters

Case overview

David Roland Waters was an American office manager for American Atheists. He was convicted in connection with the kidnappings of Madalyn Murray O'Hair, Jon Garth Murray, and Robin Murray O'Hair, and in connection with a robbery tied to their disappearance and killings. He was later sentenced to 80 years in prison and died in prison on January 27, 2003.

Timeline

• August 27, 1995 — Madalyn Murray O'Hair, her son Jon Murray, and granddaughter Robin suddenly disappeared.
• September 27, 1995 — Until this date, American Atheists employees received several phone calls from Robin and Jon.
• September 28, 1995 — After this date, no further communication came from any of the O'Hairs.
• August 28, 1995 — Employees found a typewritten note attached to the front door of the American Atheists office stating that the O'Hair family had been called out of town on an emergency basis.
• January 2001 — Waters informed the police that the O'Hairs were buried on a Texas ranch and subsequently led the police to the bodies.
• August 2000 — Gary Paul Karr was sentenced to life in prison by U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks.
• January 27, 2003 — Waters died of lung cancer at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina.
• September 27, 2003 — A contested narrative component in the provided material described rumors and claimed “confirmed death” of Madalyn Murray O'Hair circulating in 2003.

The victims

Madalyn Murray O'Hair

Madalyn Murray O'Hair was an American atheist activist. She was a founder of the American Atheists and its president from 1963 to 1986. She created the first issues of American Atheist Magazine. She became best known for the Murray v. Curlett lawsuit, which led to a Supreme Court ruling ending official Bible-reading in American public schools in 1963. She was born April 13, 1919, and was kidnapped, murdered and mutilated along with her son Jon Murray and granddaughter Robin Murray O'Hair.

Jon Garth Murray

Jon Garth Murray was the son of Madalyn Murray O'Hair. He was president of American Atheists from 1986 to 1995, while Madalyn remained de facto president during these nine years. He disappeared with Madalyn and Robin.

Robin Murray O'Hair

Robin Murray O'Hair was the granddaughter of Madalyn Murray O'Hair. She was adopted by Madalyn and disappeared with Madalyn and Jon.

The offence

After an investigation, the murder inquiry concluded that Waters and his accomplices kidnapped all three O'Hairs, forced them to withdraw missing funds, went on shopping sprees with the O'Hairs’ money and credit cards, and then murdered and dismembered all three people.

Investigation and arrests

Focus on David Roland Waters

The investigation focused on David Roland Waters, who had worked as a typesetter for American Atheists. The investigation described that Waters had previous convictions for violent crimes. It also described several suspicious burglaries during his tenure and that he had pleaded guilty earlier in 1995 to stealing $54,000 from American Atheists.

A scathing article exposing Waters’ theft and prior crimes was described as having been written by O'Hair in the “Members Only” section of the American Atheists newsletter. Waters’ girlfriend later testified that he was enraged by O'Hair’s article and that he fantasized about torturing her in gruesome ways.

Accomplices and other killings

Waters’ accomplices were described as including Gary Paul Karr and Danny Fry.

After the O'Hairs were killed, Fry was murdered by Waters and Karr. Fry’s body was found on a riverbed with his head and hands severed and missing. His body remained unidentified for three and a half years.

Location of the bodies and methods of identification

In January 2001, Waters informed the police that the O'Hairs were buried on a Texas ranch and led them to the bodies.

When police excavated at the ranch, they discovered that the O'Hairs’ bodies had been cut into dozens of pieces with a saw. The remains showed extensive mutilation and successive decomposition. Identification was made through dental records, by DNA testing, and in Madalyn O'Hair’s case by the serial number of her prosthetic hip.

The head and hands of Danny Fry were also found at the site.

Gold coins and storage locker

The gold coins extorted from the O'Hairs were described as having been put in a storage locker rented by Waters’ girlfriend. Waters had taken out $80,000 and partied with his girlfriend for a few days, but later discovered that the remaining $420,000 had been stolen.

A group of thieves operating in the area reportedly had a master key to the type of lock Waters used to secure the locker. They opened it, found a suitcase full of gold coins, and spent all but one, which the police recovered.

Gary Paul Karr case result

Karr was arrested, tried, and found guilty of extortion charges related to the O'Hair case. The material also says Karr was acquitted of kidnapping conspiracy. Karr was sentenced to life in prison in August 2000 by U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks.

Trial and sentencing (Waters)

Waters was arrested and found guilty of kidnapping, robbery, and murder in the O'Hair case.

Waters was sentenced to 20 years in prison in the material. He was also ordered to pay back a total of $543,665 to the United Secularists of America and to the estates of Madalyn Murray O'Hair, Jon Garth Murray, and Robin Murray O'Hair. The material described it as unlikely that these debts were paid because Waters had no ability to earn money while in prison.

In a separate status field provided for this case, Waters was listed as sentenced to 80 years in prison.

Appeals

No appeal-specific outcome was included in the provided material.

Outcome and death

Waters died of lung cancer at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina, on January 27, 2003.

Other details

Criticism mentioned in the material

There was criticism described regarding the Austin Police Department’s handling of the disappearance. Austin reporter Robert Bryce wrote:

"Despite pleas from O'Hair's son, William J. Murray, several briefings from federal agents, and solid leads developed by members of the press, the Austin Police Department (APD) sat on the sidelines of the O'Hair investigation.... Meanwhile, investigators from the Internal Revenue Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the Dallas County Sheriff's Office are working together on the case ... a federal agent was asked to discuss APD's actions in the O'Hair case. His only response was to roll his eyes in amazement."