In the fall of 1975, a 28-year-old mother of two named Patricia Hitt was working at a convenience store in Mobile County, Alabama. On November 21st, her life was violently cut short when a man attacked her, beating her before fatally shooting her in the head. The initial investigation into her death led to the arrest of two other men, but the true perpetrator remained at large, casting a shadow of fear over the community.
The case took a significant turn with the apprehension of Thomas
Warren Whisenhant for the murder of another woman, Cheryl Lynn Payton, in October 1976. During his interrogation, Whisenhant not only confessed to Payton's murder but also admitted to killing Patricia Hitt and another woman, Venora Hyatt, who had also been a convenience store clerk in Mobile. His detailed confessions brought a chilling resolution to the string of brutal crimes that had plagued the area.
Whisenhant's criminal history was extensive and violent, including a prior conviction for assault with intent to murder while he was in the U.S. Air Force. After his capture for the Payton murder, the legal process began to unfold. While his trial was primarily for the capital murder of Cheryl Payton, he later pleaded guilty to the murders of Patricia Hitt and Venora Hyatt. The court proceedings delved into his troubled past, with a defense plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.
Ultimately, Thomas Warren Whisenhant was found guilty of capital murder. Following a series of trials and appeals that spanned decades, he was sentenced to death. On May 27, 2010, after spending over 32 years on death row, Whisenhant was executed by lethal injection, bringing a final and somber close to the tragic case of Patricia Hitt and the other victims of his violent spree.
