Robert Lee Willie | |
|---|---|
 Willie in 1983 | |
| Born | January 2, 1958 Mandeville, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | December 28, 1984 (aged 26) |
| Cause of death | Execution by electrocution |
| Criminal status | Executed |
| Conviction(s) | Federal Kidnapping (18 U.S.C. § 1201) (2 counts) Conspiracy to commit kidnapping (18 U.S.C. § 1201) Louisiana First degree murder Second degree murder (2 counts) Aggravated kidnapping (2 counts) Aggravated rape (2 counts) |
| Criminal penalty | Federal Life imprisonment Louisiana Death |
| Details | |
| Victims | 3–5 |
Span of crimes | 1978–1980 |
| Country | United States |
| State(s) | Louisiana |
Robert Lee Willie (January 2, 1958 – December 28, 1984) was an American serial killer who killed at least three people in Louisiana from the late 1970s to 1980. He was sentenced to death for the rape and murder of 18-year-old Faith Hathaway and was executed in 1984.
Sister Helen Prejean, a teacher and one of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Medaille from New Orleans, began to write to him and later served as his spiritual adviser. In her book Dead Man Walking (1993), she explored her experiences with men on death row and the basis for her growing opposition to the death penalty. The book was adapted as a 1995 film of the same name, starring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn. The book was also adapted as an opera, first produced by the San Francisco Opera in 2000.