Robert Allen Walls

Case record: State of Missouri v. Robert Allen Walls

Background

Robert Allen Walls was executed on June 30, 1999.

Robert Walls was sentenced to three concurrent seven-year sentences for three counts of burglary second degree in St. Charles County, Missouri on 10/22/1984.

After walking away from a halfway house where he was serving a burglary sentence, Walls went with two men he met at the halfway house, Tommy Thomas and Terry Wilson, to the victim’s home to rob him.

The offence

On the night of December 5, 1985, Robert Walls, Terry Wilson and Tommy Thomas were together drinking and discussing ways to leave St. Louis. Wilson told them he had recently burglarized the house of an elderly man and knew they could get a car and some money from the victim.

The trio took a cab to Maplewood, Missouri in St. Louis County to the home of Mr. Fred Harmon. Wilson and Thomas entered through a window of the home while Walls remained outside. Walls later entered the house through a side door.

Mr. Harmon, who recognized Wilson, told him he would give them anything if they would just leave him alone. Walls saw Thomas kicking Mr. Harmon in the head with the toe of his boot telling him to shut up.

All three men tried to tie Mr. Harmon up with neckties while he strongly resisted. During the struggle Walls held Mr. Harmon’s head down with his foot and suggested to the others that they tie the victim’s feet together.

The three men then dragged Mr. Harmon to the kitchen where they decided to put him into the freezer. Wilson started putting the victim in the freezer and asked the others to help him. All three lifted Mr. Harmon into the freezer upside down. Walls later opened the freezer and reported that Mr. Harmon states "I’m already dead, let me die."

Walls went back in the bedroom for the keys to the car. When he returned, a television and typewriter had been placed on top of the freezer. Wilson and Thomas also placed a chair on top of the freezer to further hinder any attempt by Mr. Harmon to escape. The three then drank some sodas, took Mr. Harmon’s money and left the scene in the victim’s car.

An autopsy determined that Mr. Harmon sustained numerous blunt trauma injuries to his head and limbs, had broken ribs and a bruise on his spleen. Death was attributed to a combination of blunt injuries, hypothermia and suffocation.

Investigation

Three days later on December 18, 1985, the Maplewood Police Department found Mr. Harmon in the freezer after neighbors reported they had not recently seen the victim.

The police also discovered that four stove burners were on and the pilot lights were extinguished. They observed that the telephone cord had been ripped from the wall and that there was blood on Mr. Harmon’s bed and the bedroom floor and walls.

The police found Mr. Harmon’s nude body in the freezer covered with a sheet.

Arrest

Walls was arrested on December 20, 1985 in Santa Monica, California for burglary with Terry Wilson.

The victim’s car was recovered near the scene of the burglary, and both Walls and Wilson were charged with the murder of Mr. Harmon.

While in California Walls made a statement to the police concerning the crime.

Trial

Walls was charged with first degree murder, burglary and robbery in St. Louis County Circuit Court on 3/15/1986.

On 11/8, Walls was found guilty by a jury on all charges and recommended the death penalty on the murder first degree conviction.

Sentencing

On 12/18, the court sentenced Walls to death.

Appeals

On 2/17/1988, the Missouri Supreme Court affirmed Wall’s conviction and sentences.

Walls filed a motion for post-conviction relief on 5/5 (year not specified).

On 10/3 (year not specified), the United States Supreme Court declined review of Walls’ case.

On 12/9 (year not specified), the circuit court denied Wall’s motion for post-conviction relief.

On 11/14/1989, the Missouri Supreme Court affirmed the denial of Walls’ motion for post-conviction relief.

On 3/26/1990, the United States Supreme Court declined review of Walls’ post-conviction claims.

On 3/30 (year not specified), Walls filed federal habeas corpus petition in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.

On 2/27/1997, the federal district court granted the writ of habeas corpus.

On 8/6/1998, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit reversed the judgement of the district court granting the writ, and ordered that habeas relief be denied.

On 4/19 (year not specified), the United States Supreme Court declined review of Wall’s habeas claims.

Outcome

Walls was sentenced to die for the 1985 slaying of an elderly man whose bound and beaten body was found stuffed in a freezer.

Walls was convicted of killing 88-year-old Fred Harmon after walking away from a halfway house where he was serving a burglary sentence. He and two men he met at the halfway house, Tommy Thomas and Terry Wilson, went to the victim’s home to rob him.

Walls said he was interested only in stealing money and Harmon's car. He said: "My goal was never to kill this man," and he also said: "I told them, `Don't do it. Leave him alone.'"

Timeline

• 10/22/1984 — Robert Walls was sentenced to three concurrent seven year sentences for three counts of burglary second degree in St. Charles County, Missouri.
• 12/15/1985 — Robert Walls, Terry Wilson, and Tommy Thomas murdered Mr. Fred Harmon.
• 12/5/1985 (night) — The trio took a cab to Maplewood, Missouri to the home of Mr. Fred Harmon and entered in order to rob him; Mr. Harmon was bound with neckties and later placed upside down in a freezer.
• 12/18/1985 — Maplewood Police Department found Mr.
• 12/20/1985 — Walls was arrested on burglary with Terry Wilson in Santa Monica, California.
• 3/15/1986 — Walls was charged with first degree murder, burglary and robbery in St. Louis County Circuit Court.
• 11/8 — Walls was found guilty by a jury on all charges and recommended the death penalty on the murder first degree conviction.
• 12/18 — The court sentenced Walls to death.
• 2/17/1988 — The Missouri Supreme Court affirmed Wall’s conviction and sentences.
• 5/5 — Walls filed a motion for post-conviction relief.
• 10/3 — The United States Supreme Court declined review of Walls’ case.
• 12/9 — The circuit court denied Wall’s motion for post-conviction relief.
• 11/14/1989 — The Missouri Supreme Court affirmed the denial of Walls’ motion for post-conviction relief.
• 3/26/1990 — The United States Supreme Court declined review of Walls’ post-conviction claims.
• 3/30 — Walls filed federal habeas corpus petition in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.
• 2/27/1997 — The federal district court granted the writ of habeas corpus.
• 8/6/1998 — The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit reversed the judgement of the district court granting the writ; habeas relief was denied.
• 4/19 — The United States Supreme Court declined review of Wall’s habeas claims.
• 5/4 — The State filed a motion to set an execution date with the Missouri Supreme Court.
• 5/28 — The Missouri Supreme Court scheduled Walls’ execution date for June 30, 1999.
• 6/30/1999 — Walls was executed by lethal injection in Missouri and was pronounced dead at 12:08 a.m.

Other details

Wilson, 33, was convicted of 2nd-degree murder and was serving a life term in prison.

Tommy Thomas, 31, was serving a life sentence after pleading guilty to 1st-degree murder, robbery and burglary.

A man convicted in the 1985 slaying of an elderly man whose bound and beaten body was found stuffed in a freezer was executed by injection early Wednesday.

Robert Walls was pronounced dead at 12:08 a.m. He said before the drugs were injected: "I'm sorry for the victim's family," and he also said: "I love my family and will miss them. I hold nothing on anybody over this. Goodbye."

Walls became the 8th condemned inmate to be put to death this year in Missouri, and the 40th overall since the state resumed capital punishment in 1989.

Missouri trailed only Texas (178), Virginia (67) and Florida (43) in the number of executions carried out since the death penalty was re-legalized on July 2, 1976.

Walls also became the 53rd condemned inmate to be put to death this year in the USA, and the 553rd overall since America resumed executions on Jan. 17, 1977.