Ray and Faye Copeland American serial killers. Country: USA

1. American Serial Killers: Ray and Faye Copeland
2. The Criminal Path of Ray Copeland
3. Faye's Trial and Sentencing
4. The Life and Death of Faye Copeland

American Serial Killers: Ray and Faye Copeland

Ray and Faye Copeland, aged 76 and 69 respectively, became the oldest couple sentenced to death in the United States. They were convicted of killing five drifters and were suspected of murdering at least seven more people, although no bodies were found. In 1999, Faye's death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, making her the oldest woman on death row at the time. Ray Copeland, born in 1914, died in 1993, while Faye Della Copeland, born in 1921, passed away on December 30, 2003.

The Criminal Path of Ray Copeland

Before the couple was convicted of murder, Ray Copeland had a long criminal history, ranging from petty theft to large-scale burglaries. He had been convicted multiple times for cashing fake checks. The Copelands were caught and charged with the murder of a drifter when human remains were discovered on their property. It appeared that Ray had devised a cunning plan in which he would hire homeless individuals to purchase cattle at auctions using counterfeit checks. He couldn't do it himself due to his previous convictions. When Ray could no longer profit from the drifters, he would simply shoot them in the back of the head. It remains unclear to what extent Faye was involved in her husband's criminal activities. Furthermore, her defense lawyers claimed that Faye suffered from battered woman syndrome.

Faye's Trial and Sentencing

On November 1, 1990, 69-year-old Faye stood before the court. According to an article in the "Saint Louis Post-Dispatch," Faye claimed she had no knowledge of her husband's murders. Despite her less than perfect marriage, she was found guilty of four premeditated murders and one unintentional murder. A list of names was found in Faye's possession, containing the names of the murdered drifters, each marked with an 'X.' The list also included the names of seven missing individuals. When Faye was sentenced to death by lethal injection, she broke down in loud sobs. Upon hearing that Faye had been sentenced to death, her husband cynically remarked, "Well, you know, these things happen to some people." Afterward, Ray showed no interest in her case.

The Life and Death of Faye Copeland

Rumors suggest that Ray grew up as a spoiled child, always demanding to have his desires fulfilled. He came from a poor family but soon began using any means necessary to satisfy his whims. His neighbors strongly disliked him and believed that he physically abused his wife and four children. On August 10, 2002, Faye suffered a stroke, leaving her partially paralyzed and unable to speak. Several weeks later, in September 2002, Governor Holden pleaded for Faye's early release due to medical reasons. She begged not to die in prison, and the governor granted her request. Faye was transferred to a nursing home in her hometown. She passed away on December 30, 2003, at the age of 82, in Chillicothe, Missouri, according to the coroner's report by Scott Lindley. Faye left behind five children, seventeen grandchildren, and (according to the latest count) twenty-five great-grandchildren. Ray Copeland died while awaiting execution in 1993.