On a tragic day in Glynn County, Georgia, 35-year-old Kathryn Ann Moore Culpepper, a white female, lost her life in a brutal and senseless act of violence. The events of April 25, 1980, would leave a lasting scar on the community and result in a lengthy legal battle to bring her killer to justice.
Kathryn and her friend, Anita Lynette Paseur, were enjoying a day of fishing when their peaceful outing was shattered.
A white male, later identified as Eurus Kelly Waters, approached the two women at gunpoint. He forced them into a wooded area, where he proceeded to handcuff them. After sexually assaulting Kathryn, he shot both women, leaving a scene of horror behind. Despite her grave injuries, Kathryn managed to provide crucial information to the authorities. She was discovered by emergency medical technicians at a Phillips 66 station on Jekyll Island, inside a red AMC Gremlin, with a gunshot wound to her chest. A pair of handcuffs was still secured to her left wrist. Tragically, Anita Paseur was found deceased approximately two miles away, also from a gunshot wound to the chest.
The investigation swiftly led to the arrest of Eurus Kelly Waters. On May 13, 1980, he was indicted for the murders of both Kathryn Ann Culpepper and Anita Lynette Paseur. During his trial, Waters' defense attempted to argue insanity, but the evidence presented against him was overwhelming. He was subsequently found guilty of both murders and received a death sentence for his heinous crimes. The legal proceedings against Waters were extensive, with the Supreme Court of Georgia ultimately reviewing and upholding his conviction and death sentence, ensuring that the man responsible for the brutal deaths of two innocent women would be held accountable.
