body was was discovered and he was convicted and sentenced to die for
a second time,._Watts protested his innocence to the last not only of
the Burney and Merrifield murders but also of three other Indianapolis
sex slayings of which he was strongly suspected. He was electrocuted
at the Indiana State rison on January 16, 1951.
EVENING REPUBLICAN, COlumbus, 4ndiana, 1-16-1951 and 11-13-19),7
See also newspaper clipping from Shelbyville, Ind,, NEWS, 3-6-1981-—
filed in Indiana - not written up,
body was was discovered and he was convicted and sentenced to die for
a second time, _Watts protested his innocence to the last not only of
the Burney and Merrifield murders but also of three other Indianapolis
sex slayings of which he was strongly suspected. He was electrocuted
at the Indiana State frison on January 16, 1952.
EVENING REPUBLICAN, COlumbus, Indiana, 1-16-1951 and 11-13-19)7
See also newspaper clipping from Shelbyville, Ind,, NEWS, 3-6-1981-
filed in Indiana - not written up.
body was was discovered and he was convicted and sentenced to die for
a second time, Watts protested his innocence to the last not only of
the Burney and Merrifield murders but also of three other Indianapolis
sex slayings of which he was strongly suspected. He was electrocuted
at the indiana State Prison on January 16, 1951,
EVENING REPUBLICAN, C@lumbus, Indiana, 1-16-1951 and 11-13-191,7
See also newspaper clipping from Shelbyville, Ind,, NEWS, 3-6-1981-
filed in Indiana ~ not written up,
a eee
Poon ae
WATTS, Robert Austin January 16, 1951,
Watts, a 25-year-old black former baker, was a truck driver for the
asphalt plant for the city of Indianapolis, Ind. In February, 197,
he was arrested on a rape charge but it was not prosecuted and he
was released. Later that year he was arrested twice more, once on
a vagrancy charge and once as a peeping tom for which he was fined
$25 and served 30 days in jail. On Nov. 12, 19117, he entered the
-home of Mrs. Mary Lois Burney, a 39-ear-old housewife, near whose
home he was working and attempted -to rape her. When Mrs, Burney
resisted, he bludgeoned her to death. The next day he was arrested
Shortly after he attempted to rape another woman who lived nearby,
Watts confessed the killing of Mrs, Burney and Mrs, Mable Merrifield
who was raped and stabbed to death two weeks earlier. He was grant~
ed a change of venue to Shelby Co, where he was convicted and sen=
tenced to die. However, his case was appealed to the U, S, Supreme
Court which overturned the conviction on the grounds that his con-
fession was illegal and had been obtained under duress. He was then
tried for a second time in Bartholomew Co, and the confession was
not usede The evidence against him was overwhelming in the Burney
case as his truck was seen parked in her driveway shortly before the
WATTS, Robert Austin January 16, 1951,
Watts, a 25-year-old black former baker, was a truck driver for the
asphalt plant for the city of Indianapolis, Ind. In February, 197,
he was arrested on a rape charge but it was not prosecuted and he
was released. Later that year he was arrested twice more, once on
a vagrancy charge and once as a peeping tom for which he was fined
$25 and served 30 days in jail. On Nov. 12, 19117, he entered the
home of Mrs, Mary Lois Burney, a 39-Year-old housewife, near whose
home he was working and attempted to rape her, When “rs, Burney
resisted, he bludgeoned her to death. The next day he was arrested
shortly after he attempted to rape another woman who lived nearby.
Watts confessed the killing of Mrs, Burney and Mrs, Mable Merrifield
who was raped and stabbed to death two weeks earlier. He was grant~
ed a change of veme to Shelby Co, where he was convicted and sen-
tenced to die. However, his case was appealed to the U, S. Supreme
Court which overturned the conviction on the grounds that his con-
fession was illegal and had been obtained under duress. He was then
tried for a second time in Bartholomew Co, and the confession was
not used. The evidence against him was overwhelming in the Burney
case as his truck was seen parked in her driveway shortly before the
WATTS, Robert Austin January 16, 1951.
Watts, a 25-year-old black former baker, was a truck driver for the
asphalt plant for the city of Indianapolis, Ind, In February, 1917,
he was arrested on a rape charge but it was not prosecuted and he
was released, later that year he was arrested twice more, once on
a vagraney charge and once as a peeping tom for which he was fined
$25 and served 30 days in jail, On Nov. 12, 197, he entered the
home of Mrs, Mary Lois 'y a 39-Year-old housewife, near whose
home he was working and attempted to rape her. When “rs, Burney
resisted, he bludgeoned her to death, ‘The next day he was arrested
shortly after he attempted to rape another woman who lived nearby.
Watts confessed the killing of Mrs, Burney and Mrs, Mable Merrifield
who was raped and stabbed to death two weeks earlier.
of vemme to Shelby Co, where
However, his case was appealed to the U, S. Supreme
Court which overturned the conviction on the grounds that his con-
fession was illegal and had been obtained unter duress, He was then
tried for a second time in Bartholomew Co, and the confession was
not used. The evidence against him was overwhelming in the Burney
case as his truck was seen parked in her driveway shortly before the
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