Robert Lee Willie Timeline and Summary

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Robert Lee Willie Timeline and Summary

  • Robert's exact birthdate is unknown. His father was incarcerated during much of his childhood.
  • Robert had a long juvenile record. As an adult, he was involved in drug abuse and in a couple of wrongful deaths, including the death of a law officer.
  • In 1980, Robert Willie and Joe Vaccaro raped and murdered Faith Hathaway, who was 18 years old.
  • Robert was captured, convicted, and sentenced to death.
  • Sister Helen Prejean becomes Robert's spiritual adviser in 1984, shortly before his execution.
  • Robert is executed in December 1984.
  • Robert became the primary basis for the character Matthew Poncelet, played by Sean Penn, in the film Dead Man Walking.