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Terry Lee LOWERY
A.K.A.: "Terry Lee Spencer"
Classification: Murderer
Characteristics:
Rape - Child molesting
Number of victims: 1
Date of murder:
May 19,
1985
Date of birth: July
4,
1961
Victim profile: Tricia L. Woods, 13 (girlfriend of Lowery's friend)
Method of murder:
Beating with
board
Location: Allen County, Indiana, USA
Status: Sentenced to death on December 9, 1985. Commuted to
life in prison on June 16, 1996
LOWERY, TERRY LEE
# 41
(a.k.a. Terry Lee
Spencer)
OFF DEATH ROW SINCE 06-16-96
DOB: 07-04-1961
DOC#: 855781 White Male
Allen County Superior Court Judge Alfred W. Moellering
Prosecutor: Stephen M. Sims,
Michael J. McAlexander
Defense:Barrie C. Tremper,
Charles F. Leonard
Date of Murder: May 19, 1985
Victim(s): Tricia L. Woods
W/F/13 (Girlfriend of Lowery's friend)
Method of Murder: Beating with
board
Summary: Lowery and his 14 year
old friend. Johnnie Winners, drove to a wooded area along with
Winners' 13 year old girlfriend, Tricia Woods. Lowery asked Woods to
have sex with him, and when she refused, Lowery hit her in the head
with a 2 X 4 piece of wood. Lowery then got on top of her and had
sex. Lowery instructed Winners to go back to the car. 10-15 minutes
later, Lowery also returned to the car with blood on his hands,
admitting that he had killed Woods. These facts were testified to by
Winners at trial.
Lowery's pretrial statement differed
significantly, claiming that it was Winners who forced sex with
Woods. Lowery stated that he hit Woods in the back of the head with
the 2 X 4, then Winners hit her in the face, caving it in. Lowery
stated that Winners then put a stick in her vagina and kicked it.
The body was discovered 30 days after her death.
A stick was found between her legs and death was caused by the blows
with the wooden boards.
Sentencing: December 9, 1985
Death Sentence - Murder, Felony-Murder, Aiding Murder merged)
Aggravating Circumstances: b (1)
Rape, Child Molesting, CDC
Mitigating Circumstances: mental
illness, no significant prior criminal history, 23 years old and
married at the time of the murder, extreme emotional disturbance,
disproportionate treatment of accomplice, turbulent childhood
06-14-94 Agreed disposition entered, resentenced
to 60 years imprisonment.
