Ronald Clark O'Bryan

Ellis Unit, where O'Bryan was confined

Huntsville Unit, where O'Bryan died

Ronald Clark O'Bryan (nicknamed The Candyman) (October 19, 1944 – March 31, 1984) was a murderer from Deer Park, Texas (near Houston), who was convicted of killing his eight-year-old son Timothy on Halloween, 1974 with cyanide-laced Giant Pixy Stix candy in order to claim life insurance money. He may have also distributed poisoned candy to other children in an attempt to cover up his crime. However, Elizabeth, his daughter, and none of the other children ate any of the poisoned candy.

O'Bryan was eight months behind on his car payments and had total debts of almost $100,000. In January 1974 he had taken out $10,000 life insurance policies on both of his children, Timothy and Elizabeth. He later bought additional $20,000 policies on both children, despite the objections of his life insurance agency, bringing the total policy value to $60,000.

O'Bryan, Texas Department of Corrections Death Row inmate No. 529, was held in the Ellis Unit, and he was executed in the Huntsville Unit on March 31, 1984, by lethal injection. O'Bryan's last meal request consisted of a T-bone steak (medium to well done), French fries with ketchup, whole kernel corn, sweet peas, a lettuce and tomato salad with egg and French dressing, iced tea, sweetener, saltines, Boston cream pie, and rolls.

His last statement was:

"What is about to transpire in a few moments is wrong! However, we as human beings do make mistakes and errors. This execution is one of those wrongs yet doesn’t mean our whole system of justice is wrong.

Therefore, I would forgive all who have taken part in any way in my death. Also, to anyone I have offended in any way during my 39 years, I pray and ask your forgiveness, just as I forgive anyone who offended me in any way. And I pray and ask God’s forgiveness for all of us respectively as human beings.

To my loved ones, I extend my undying love.To those close to me, know in your hearts I love you one and all. God bless you all and may God’s best blessings be always yours.

Ronald C. O’Bryan

P.S. During my time here, I have been treated well by all T.D.C. personnel."

After O'Bryan's crimes became public, Halloween safety programs were implemented in Deer Park, teaching parents methods for evaluating the safety of door-to-door treats by visual inspection.

During the execution, a crowd of college students wearing Halloween masks showed up to cheer.

The musical group Siouxsie and the Banshees recorded a song about O'Bryan called "Candyman," the first track on their album Tinderbox.

See also

• Capital punishment in the United States
• List of individuals executed in Texas
• Poisoned candy scare

External links

• Offender information from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice
• Last statement from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice
• Last meals from The Memory Hole
• Kuffner, Charles. "The Candy Man", 30 years later" in Off the Kuff, October 29, 2004.
• Babineck, Mark. "O'Bryan's Deed Haunts Halloween ", Associated Press, October 31, 1994.
• The Malefactor's Register. "The Man Who Ruined Halloween"
• Glenn, Mike and Ruth Rendon. "'Man Who Killed Halloween' still haunts holiday", The Houston Chronicle, October 29, 2004