Walter McMillan Timeline by Jack Palacios

Walter started his own pulpwood company (pg 22)

palacioj3 — 2025-10-02 15:30:53 UTC

Walter started his own pulpwood business in the 1970s. He smartly and bravely borrowed money to buy his own power saw, tractor, and pulpwood truck. By the 1980s, he had developed a solid business.

Walter has an affair with Karen Kelly (pg 23)

palacioj3 — 2025-10-02 15:35:55 UTC

In 1986, He didn't initially think much of Karen Kelly's flirtations. A young white woman he met at a Waffle House. She was attractive, but he didn't take her too seriously. After a few weeks, it became clear that his relationship was troubled, and they later got intimate.

Ronda Morrison gets killed (pg 28)

palacioj3 — 2025-10-02 15:39:08 UTC

November 1, 1986. Ronda Morrison's body was found dead at the cleaners. Police tracked the suspects down in Florida, but found they couldn't have done it.

The police interview Ralph Myers on the murder of Ronda Morrison (pg 29-30)

palacioj3 — 2025-10-02 15:42:30 UTC

In 1987, the Police quickly concluded that Ralph Myers had been involved in the Pittman murder. So they interviewed him about the Morrison murder as well, and he told them that Walter was guilty as well. Once Myers entered the store, he was not able to identify Walter McMillan, showing that they couldn't have done it together.

They arrest Walter on Ralph's allegations and are threatened with being lynched (pg 46)

palacioj3 — 2025-10-02 15:45:09 UTC

On June 7th, Sheriff Tate told him he was under arrest. The other officers threatened to lynch him and said other mean things, which scared Walter very much. He was charged with sodomy.

They send Walter to Death row even before his trial (pg 47)

palacioj3 — 2025-10-02 15:47:47 UTC

July 1987 to August 1988. The sheriff had Walter put into death row even before his trial happened. He was there for 15 months, and this was very illegal. He could have filed a complaint, but he didn't.

Ralph Myers doesn't want to testify, but the force him to against McMillan in his trial. (pg 60)

palacioj3 — 2025-10-02 16:03:28 UTC

In February of 1988, when the trial was first set. Ralph Myers refused to testify because it was not true. So they sent him back to death row, where he realised he would never get out of this predicament. He then went to the stand and testified against McMillan in his court case just to get out of death row, even though what he was saying was completely made up.

Walter McMillan was found guilty by the jury (PG 62)

palacioj3 — 2025-10-02 21:21:50 UTC

On August 17, 1988, Walter McMillan went to court, assuming he would finally be free. But after three hours, the jury came out and declared Walter guilty. This was devastating for Walter as he would have to go back to death row.

The prison gaurds became more violent and mean to walter because he has now became convicted. (pg 63)

palacioj3 — 2025-10-02 21:21:55 UTC

one the way to death row after his trial on August 17, 1988, guards tightened his shackles. They became hostile to him just because he was convicted. He told them it hurt, but they didn't care and were all around not interested in his well-being.

Walter is at his home with witnesses when she is killed. (pg 28)

palacioj3 — 2025-10-03 14:13:50 UTC

During the day of Ronda Morrison's murder, November 1986, Walter is at home with multiple witnesses saying he was there. He was working on his car, and there were plenty of people from the church there. All of these people could testify to say that he couldn't have committed the murder. Even though this was the case, the police didn't care and ended up arresting him anyway.