Appealing to society’s recent obsession with true crime, Netflix has come out with some shows that play on these themes. One show in particular that received a lot of attention is I Am A Killer. This show interviews inmates on death row or who have been on death row. In a string of interviews, the viewers get multiple viewpoints, including the victims' families and the people involved in the crime.
While all murder cases are tragic and terrible in their own ways, some of these stories are more chilling than the others. Keep reading to see a snippet of what this show is about and the disturbing cases that we get a glimpse into. Beware of spoilers!
Means To An End
James Robertson claims that he wants to die on death row. He was first arrested for robbery and attempted assault at the age of 16, but has since racked up over 100 years of prison time. Robertson’s past with crime is not chilling in itself, but what he does inside of his prison cell is what shocked the viewers.
Robertson got on death row by strangling his cellmate, Frank Heart, to death. He claimed he did this purposely to get on death row, which he ultimately was successful. He was placed on death row in December of 2012.
Sympathy For The Devil
These murders committed by Miguel Venegas and Miguel Martinez were satanically motivated. What started off as an attempted robbery turned even darker very quickly. Apparently Venegas said that “Satan wanted their souls” and in interviews in the show, he admits he felt like he was under Satan’s control. Drugs were involved in this crime, which could have spiraled him further into his delusions.
The pair went on to murder all three people in the house they invaded-- youth pastor James Smiley, and his charges, Ruben Martinez and Daniel Duenez. What makes this so chilling is when Venegas says, “a dare is a dare.” This shows his complete lack of insight or caring for human life.
Family Affair
This story is as emotional as it is disturbing. Deandre Buchanan claims the night that the murder took place he had smoked a joint that was laced with other drugs, which is why he has no recollection of the incident.
Buchanan shot the mother of his children, Angela Brown. At the time of the murder, she was holding Buchanan’s children in her arms. He also killed his stepfather and his aunt on the same night. His claims of his drug-induced psychosis were not admissible as he had to reload his gun and evidently had knowledge of what he was doing.
Intended Evil
There is a difference between a crime of passion and murder. This difference is planning. Charles Thompson, who killed his ex-girlfriend, Denise Hayslip, and her new boyfriend, Darren Cain. Thompson claimed it was a crime of passion. Although, after his ex-girlfriend died in the hospital from the injuries he caused, he was charged with a double murder, a capital charge that can lead to a death sentence.
To this day, Charles claims that he loved her and that it was all a big misunderstanding. With two people dead, it’s hard to believe this was not a planned murder committed out of jealousy.
Hunted
Robert Shafer and David Steinmeyer murdered two young men. What they first claimed when they turned themselves in was that they had hitchhiked a ride with their victims and their crime was in self-defense.
Shafer later came out to say that Steinmeyer planned the murder out and targeted these two men on the suspicion that they were gay. After they demanded the men drive to a remote location, Shafer himself executed both of them. The most chilling part about it is that they turned themselves in, seemingly unashamed of their actions.
More Than A Murderer
Joshua Nelson and Keith Brennan were convicted for murdered their friend Tommy Owen, slitting his throat with a box cutter. The intention was to steal his car to escape from their rough current positions in life.
Nelson revealed in court that he had been sexually abused by his step-father and was kicked out of his house the day of the murder. The most chilling part of a crime is sometimes the intention behind it. In this case, Nelson’s motivation was anger and lack of respect for his own life and in consequence, the life of others.
A Matter Of Life and Death
Like all the crimes we’ve spoken about, Wayne Doty had also committed a murder. Doty shot his colleague, Harvey Horne, in the face. Doty claims they were arguing over drugs and it was a crime of passion in a fit of anger.
Although, Doty's coldness reappeared 14 years later when he went on to kill his cellmate, Xavier Rodriguez, in their cell. He handmade a knife that he used to stab him over 20 times. Whatever evil was in his heart did not dissipate over time or behind bars.
Declared Competent
David Lewis murdered Myrtle Ruby during a burglary. Lewis was sloppy in his crime and left behind substantial evidence that he was the perpetrator. Lewis’ IQ score was recorded as borderline mentally impaired which allowed his defense team to argue that he was not competent and therefore unable to make informed and educated decisions.
Due to his past violent behavior, including a previous burglary, during which he stabbed another individual only months before Ruby's murder, the court found him a danger to society and did not accept his incompetence defense.
Mockingbird
Justin Dickens, in an attempted robbery of a jewelry store in Texas, killed Francis Allen Carter. During the crime, Carter attempted to wrestle Dickens for the gun. Dickens blames his friends and his drug dealer, claiming that he owed him money and would not stop until he got it. He felt trapped and panicked and committed the crime out of fear.
When looking at the evidence, though, it seems the murder was intentional and that Carter was actually distanced from Dickens at the time he was shot. Therefore, the murder was unprovoked.
Killer In The Eyes Of The Law
In August of 1996, Michael LaHood was murdered on the driveway of his parents’ home. Mauricio Brown committed the murder, although Kenneth Foster was found guilty of the crime as well. Brown was executed in 2006 while Foster’s death sentence was changed to life in prison only six hours before his execution date.
While Kenneth was involved and was present at the time of the murder, he did not pull the trigger or provide the weapon. The most chilling thing about this crime, in particular, is the fact that Foster was almost executed for a crime that, while involved in, he did not commit.