Marion Albert Pruett

{{Infobox criminal

| name = Marion Albert Pruett

| image = Marion Pruett.jpg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Pruett on August 6, 1980

| birth_date = {{birth date|1949|10|4}}

| birth_place = Gastonia, North Carolina, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|1999|4|12|1949|10|4}}

| death_place = Cummins Unit, Grady, Arkansas, U.S.

| death_cause = Execution by lethal injection

| penalty = Death (Arkansas), 4 life sentences (New Mexico, Mississippi, Colorado)

| conviction_status = Executed

| motive = Acquisitive crimes related to illegal drug use

| conviction = Capital murder (September 9, 1982){{cite web |url=http://swtimes.com/news/prosecutors-office-sees-most-capital-murder-cases-1981 |title=Prosecutor's Office Sees Most Capital-Murder Cases Since 1981 |last1=Arnold |first1=Jeff |date=September 1, 2013 |website=swtimes.com |publisher=Tom Stallbaumer |access-date=August 25, 2015 |quote=}}

| victims =

| beginyear = March 2

| endyear = October 12, 1981

| country =

| states = New Mexico, Mississippi, Colorado, Arkansas

| locations =

| targets = Common law spouse, bank teller, store clerks

| fatalities = 5+

| injuries =

| weapons = Hammer, .38 caliber revolver

| apprehended = October 17, 1981

| imprisoned =

| footnotes =

}}

Marion Albert Pruett (October 4, 1949 – April 12, 1999)[http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/newssdi?sn=Pruett&fn=Marion&nt=exact "SSDI search results for 'Marion Pruett'" ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com] 19 November 2010{{Dead link|date=April 2012}}{{cite web | title = Execution set for 'Mad Dog' Pruett | work = Amarillo Globe-News | publisher = A.P. | date = 11 April 1999 | url = http://amarillo.com/stories/041199/tex_227-1142.shtml | accessdate = 19 November 2010}} was an American serial killer.

Witness Protection Program

In 1979, Pruett was given $800, a new name (Charles "Sonny" Pearson), and placed in the United States Federal Witness Protection Program after testifying about a federal prison slaying in Atlanta, Georgia. He then began his crime spree under his alias. Pruett later claimed that he had perpetrated the prison murder, contradicting his previous testimony for which he had received federal protection.

Pruett killed Peggy Lowe after he kidnapped her on September 17, 1981, while robbing the Metrocenter Branch of Unifirst Bank (later Trustmark National Bank) in Jackson, Mississippi where she worked; Bobbie Jean Robertson, a convenience store clerk in Fort Smith, Arkansas; and Anthony Taitt and James Balderson, two convenience store clerks in Colorado. He received the death penalty for Lowe's murder, two more life sentences for the murders in Colorado, and the death penalty for Robertson's murder.

On trial in New Mexico for the March 2, 1981, murder of his common-law wife, Pamela Sue Barker (aka Michelle Lynn Pearson), Pruett admitted he had robbed her in order to support a $4,000 a week cocaine habit, but denied that he killed Barker, who was beaten to death, then set on fire. He was convicted, and given a third life sentence.[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AQTB&p_theme=aqtb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_field_fselect-0=title&p_text_fselect-0=New%20Mexico%20killer%20set%20to%20die%20in%20Arkansas&s_dispstring=headline(New%20Mexico%20killer%20set%20to%20die%20in%20Arkansas)%20AND%20date(all)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no New Mexico killer set to die in Arkansas by The Albuquerque Tribune] From death row, he asked a Mississippi newspaper to pay him $20,000 to disclose the location of Barker's engagement ring, and offered to reveal the location of a Florida victim's body in exchange for a paid appearance on Geraldo.

Execution

His last meal consisted of a stuffed crust pizza from Pizza Hut, four Burger King Whoppers, a large order of French fries, three two-liter bottles of Pepsi, a bucket of ice, a bottle of ketchup, salt, fried eggplant, fried squash, fried okra, and a pecan pie. In an interview prior to his execution date, Pruett said he was going to share his last meal with another inmate who was going to be executed the same day. He went on to say he originally wanted to have a roast duck for his last meal, but it was rejected because the prison would not cook it.

Pruett was executed by lethal injection at 8:04 PM and pronounced dead at 8:09 PM. Pruett was the 19th person executed by Arkansas since Furman v. Georgia.

==Victims==

Pamela Sue Barker - April, 1981, Rio Rancho
Peggy Lowe - September 17, 1981, Jackson
Bobbie Jean Robertson - October 12, 1981, Fort Smith
James R. Balderson - October 16, 1981, Fort Collins
Anthony Taitt - October 16, 1981, Loveland

{{cite web |url=http://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2015/07/05/catching-killer-recent-stir-memories-murders/29729553/ |title=Catching a killer: Shootings stir up memories of '81 murders |last1=Pohl |first1=Jason |date=July 6, 2015 |website=coloradoan.com |publisher=Kathy Jack-Romero |access-date=August 26, 2015 |quote=About an hour later, a customer 13 miles away reported to Loveland police a 7-Eleven clerk lying in a pool of blood. Loveland investigators — aware of the Fort Collins case — tied the shooting to their investigation when they realized Anthony Taitt had been similarly shot.}}