Willie Sexton, a 21-year-old Black/African American man, resided on the 2800 block of East Broad Street in Richmond, Virginia. In the spring of 1966, his life was tragically cut short when he became a victim in a string of violent crimes that terrorized the city's East End. Sexton was brutally shot nine times in the back, and his body was later discovered floating in the Chickahominy River.
His death was part of a six-week killing spree that claimed the lives of six people and included
an attack on a seventh victim between April 10 and May 22, 1966. The perpetrators, brothers William Penn, 25, and Thomas Lee Penn, 18, were arrested in May of that year, bringing an end to the widespread fear they had instilled in the community. The brothers' victims were chosen indiscriminately, with no discernible pattern, adding to the public's alarm.
Following their arrest, the Penn brothers faced justice for their crimes. Thomas Lee Penn, who was identified as the primary aggressor in several of the murders, received two life sentences for his role in the killing spree. His older brother, William Penn, was sentenced to 26 years in prison for his involvement in the murder of another victim during their violent rampage.
