On December 4, 2000, Gertie Mae Perkins, a 64-year-old African American woman from Fort Worth, Texas, was reported missing after failing to pick up her grandson from school. Her husband, Willie Perkins, and their children contacted authorities when they couldn't locate her. Upon investigating the Perkins' home, police discovered a small bloodstain on the carpet, a disconnected bedroom telephone cord, and missing bed sheets. These findings raised suspicions of foul play.
Later that day, Gertie Mae's stepson, Reginald W. Perkins, then 45 years old, used his driver's license to pawn her wedding ring for $150. He also cashed two checks from the family business, totaling $1,300. When questioned, Reginald directed his father and police to a parking garage where Gertie Mae's car was parked. Her body was found in the trunk; she had been strangled with a thin, smooth object and had bruises on her head and mouth.
Reginald Perkins was arrested and charged with capital murder. During the trial, evidence was presented that he had a history of sexual offenses, including a 1980 conviction in Ohio for the rape of a 12-year-old girl, for which he served 15 years in prison. Additionally, he was suspected in several other murders, including the 1991 strangulations of Shirley Douglas, 44, and her aunt, Hattie Wilson, 79, in Fort Worth. DNA evidence later linked him to these crimes.
In March 2002, a Tarrant County jury found Reginald Perkins guilty of the capital murder of his stepmother, Gertie Mae Perkins. The jury deliberated for just over 30 minutes before sentencing him to death. Despite proclaiming his innocence and filing multiple appeals, all were denied. On January 22, 2009, Reginald Perkins was executed by lethal injection at the Huntsville Unit in Texas. He was 53 years old at the time of his execution.
