In the spring of 1981, the life of Robert Bishop, Jr. came to a violent and tragic end in the desolate landscape of the Idaho desert. A male resident of Arco, Idaho, Bishop was known to be a kind-hearted individual, a trait that would unwittingly lead him into the hands of his killers. His path fatefully crossed with that of Randy L. McKinney, 19, and his 27-year-old girlfriend, Dovey Lynn Small.
The couple were transients, hitchhiking their way through the country with the hope of finding work in the northwestern states.
Their journey had brought them to Blackfoot, Idaho, where they connected with Small's sisters. It was through one of these sisters that a request was made of Robert Bishop for a ride to a neighboring town. True to his nature, Bishop agreed to help the couple. However, their gratitude was a facade for a sinister plan that had begun to form in their minds. Believing Bishop to have a significant amount of money, credit cards, and a desirable car, McKinney and Small conspired to murder him and take his possessions.
On a day in early April 1981, under the pretense of a friendly outing for some target shooting, the plan was set into motion. Bishop drove McKinney to an abandoned gravel pit in the desert outside of Arco. There, as Bishop was setting up targets, McKinney turned a. 22 caliber revolver on him. He shot Bishop once in the stomach and then four more times in the head, ending his life. McKinney then took Bishop's car and returned to pick up Small and her sister.
The aftermath of the murder was a series of desperate and revealing actions. McKinney confessed the killing to Small and her sister, who initially didn't believe him until he took them to see Bishop's body. The group was later seen at a local bar. The authorities were alerted, and a short time later, police located Bishop's car in a bowling alley parking lot. McKinney and Small were soon apprehended. Randy L. McKinney was arrested on the day of the shooting and was later convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and robbery. Dovey Lynn Small was also charged with first-degree murder and other related charges.
