Robert Lee Willie

Robert Lee Willie (January 2, 1958 -- December 28, 1984) was a Louisiana man who was convicted for the May 28, 1980 kidnap, rape, and murder of 18-year-old Faith Hathaway. He was sentenced to death and held on Death Row at Louisiana State Penitentiary prior to his execution in an electric chair.

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.

Willie and Vaccaro picked up Faith Hathaway, who was walking home after celebrating with friends the night before she was to enter the U.S. Army. They drove her to a remote area, raped her, and stabbed her to death. They left her body at Frickes Cave, a borrow pit, south of the parish seat Franklinton, Louisiana, along Highway 25 and near the Bogue Chitto River.

Eight days later, on May 31, 1980, the pair attacked a 20-year-old male, Mark Brewster, and 16-year-old female, Debbie Cuevas, both from Madisonville. The men raped the girl and stabbed and shot the man. They dropped her off after they visited another person's trailer home. Brewster survived his attack, but suffered paralysis from the waist down from his injuries.

After being convicted, Willie also pleaded guilty to stealing $10,000 worth of marijuana from and murdering Dennis Hemby in 1978. He committed this crime with his cousin, Perry Wayne Taylor. Willie and Vaccaro were arrested in Arkansas.

In court Willie presented a hard case, saying that he had enjoyed raping Hathaway. Cuevas testified in court against him. At the trials, Willie and Vaccaro presented disputing accounts as to which man had what role in the crimes. Willie was convicted of the kidnapping, rape and murder of Hathaway and sentenced to death.

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