On a summer day in July of 1985, 58-year-old Alberta Herndon and her nephew, Delbert Herndon, were at their mountain cabin near the scenic town of McCall, Idaho, focused on prospecting for gold. Their peaceful pursuit was brutally interrupted on July 25th, when they were confronted by three men: Gerald Pizzuto Jr., William Odom, and James Rice. The trio, intent on robbery, held Alberta and Delbert at gunpoint.
Inside the cabin, the assailants bound the wrists of Alberta and her nephew
behind their backs and tied their legs. After stealing their money, Pizzuto proceeded to bludgeon both Alberta and Delbert to death with a hammer. Following the vicious attack, the three men fled, leaving a scene of unimaginable horror. A sweeping manhunt was launched by Idaho authorities on July 26, 1985, for the individuals responsible for the deaths of Alberta and her nephew.
While his accomplices were apprehended sooner, Pizzuto managed to evade capture for four days. He stole a truck to get out of Idaho and later forced a man to drive him to Montana. The extensive search, involving both police and FBI agents, culminated in Pizzuto's arrest at his sister's house in Montana on July 29, 1985. Initially using an alias, his true identity was soon discovered, linking him to other violent crimes.
Pizzuto was ultimately convicted for the murders of Alberta and Delbert Herndon in 1986 and sentenced to death. His accomplices, Odom and Rice, accepted plea deals for lesser sentences in exchange for their testimony against him. Over the years, Pizzuto has filed numerous appeals, but his conviction and death sentence for the brutal murders have been consistently upheld.
