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, over the objections of his wife. He later bought additional $20,000 policies on both children, over the objections of his life insurance agency, bringing the total policy value to $60,000.[1]
O'Bryan, Texas Department of Corrections Death Row inmate No. 529, was held in the Ellis Unit,[2] and he was executed in the Huntsville Unit on March 31, 1984, by lethal injection.[3] 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.[4]
His last statement was:
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.[5]
The musical group Siouxsie and the Banshees recorded a song about O'Bryan called "Candyman," the first track on their album Tinderbox.
