In the winter of 1993, a senseless act of violence cut short the life of William Howard “Billy” Dix, a 34-year-old man from Halifax County, Virginia. On the evening of February 7th, Dix was working as a clerk at a small convenience store near South Boston when a man named Lance Antonio Chandler Jr. entered with the intention of robbing the establishment.
During the robbery, Chandler, who was 19 years old at the time and under the influence of alcohol and drugs, demanded money from Dix. When Dix did not immediately respond, Chandler pointed a gun at him and pulled the trigger, but the weapon misfired. Undeterred, Chandler pulled the trigger a second time, firing a single bullet that struck Dix in the face. The gunshot wound proved to be fatal. After the shooting, Chandler and his accomplices fled the scene with a case of beer.
The investigation into the murder led authorities to Lance Antonio Chandler Jr., who was subsequently arrested. During his trial in December 1993, Chandler admitted to shooting Dix but claimed it was not premeditated and that he did not believe the gun would fire a live round. Despite his testimony, a jury convicted him of capital murder and other related offenses.
Following his conviction, Chandler was sentenced to death. After a series of unsuccessful appeals, Lance Antonio Chandler Jr. was executed by lethal injection on August 20, 1998. He was 25 years old at the time of his execution. His final words before the sentence was carried out were a simple 'No, sir,' when asked if he had a final statement.
