John King photo inscribed to Tommy Lynn Sells 6/1/2009

This auction is for a visitation photo of executed Texas murderer John William King (11/3/1974 - 4/24/2019), signed and inscribed to fellow executed Texas death row inmate "Coast to Coast Killer" Tommy Lynn Sells (6/28/1964 – 4/3/2014). During the early morning hours of 6/7/1998, John King, with accomplices Shawn Allen Berry and Lawrence Russel Brewer, invited a local African American man they knew to accompany them, picking him up after seeing him walking home. The four men would drive out to rural Jasper County. After what was initially said to be "a drug deal gone bad," the three men beat, stabbed, and dragged his body for about three miles. Forensic evidence very clearly suggested the victim was dead prior to being dragged. The Jasper County Coroner's Office worked in tandem with law enforcement, stating the victim was alive while he was dragged to add kidnapping to the charges, thus making the crime death penalty qualified. John King was convicted for his role in the hate crime and sentenced to death 2/25/1999. Russell Brewer and Shawn Berry were each tried and convicted in separate trials. Shawn Berry rejected a plea deal (offered by the U.S. goverment), was convicted at trial, and subsequently sentenced to life. Russell Brewer was executed 9/21/2011. Despite gross misconduct by prosecutors John King was executed 4/24/2019. He was 44. John King offered a final written statement: Capital Punishment: Them without the capital get the punishment. 

On 12/31/1999, Tommy Lynn Sells slit the throats of two young girls in Del Rio, TX. The 13-year-old victim would die, the 10-year-old victim survived. Her description would lead to his arrest on 1/2/2000, followed by his trial, conviction, death sentence, and execution. Tommy Sells's murder spree spanned from 1980 to 1999, with confirmed murder victims in Texas, Illinois, New York, Kentucky, and Missouri, thus earning him the moniker of the Coast to Coast Killer. His victims included men, women, boys, girls, toddlers, even newborn infants, with motives ranging from rape, robbery, revenge, or seemingly no motive at all. Ultimately Tommy Sells would l be linked to some 20 murders. Over the years Tommy Sells would boast to having committed multiple homicides, usually around 70 victims. However, in the months leading up to his execution, Tommy Sells sang a different tune, proclaiming the confessions were due to police coercion. Sells was executed by lethal injection on 4/3/2014. When asked if he would give a final statement he replied, "No." He was 49.

ITEM DESCRIPTION: The photograph is a standard 4"×6", dated 6/1/2009, and signed on the front, "John W. King." On the reverse King has inscribed, "To Tommy Sells; Trample the weak and hurdle the dead, brother! Your friend, John 'Possum' King." The individual who originally mailed King the photo has put his prison number and the date the photo as taken across the botton. This photo was ultimately mailed out by Sells. There's are two little wrinkles (for lack of a better word) on the photo, which are visible when you look at the photo in th light. Note, common referred to as prison kites, between high profile inmates are scarce. This is an autograph from one inmate to another, arguably two of the most high profile inmates to come out of Texas. The photograph comes inside a protective comic book sleeve with an acid free board. Message me with any questions you might have. Thanks for having a look-see.