Robert Carl Foley | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 13, 1956 Kentucky, U.S. |
Criminal status | Incarcerated on death row |
| Convictions | 1977 Murder 1993 First degree murder (2 counts) 1994 First degree murder (4 counts) |
Criminal penalty | 1977 35 years' imprisonment 1993 Death 1994 Death |
| Details | |
| Victims | 7+ |
Span of crimes | 1976–1991 |
| State | Kentucky |
Robert Carl Foley (born September 13, 1956) is an American serial killer and death row prisoner convicted of seven murders between 1976 and 1991 in Kentucky. Foley first killed Zetler Fields in a 1976 shooting case where he also wounded two men. Foley was found guilty of Fields's murder and sentenced to 35 years' imprisonment, but was paroled after serving four years.
Afterwards, Foley committed a quadruple murder in 1989, killing Kimberly Bowersock, Lillian Contino, Jerry McMillen, and Calvin Reynolds. Two years later, Foley also killed a pair of brothers, Rodney and Lynn Vaughn, in 1991, a case that ultimately led to his arrest. Foley remains a suspect behind several more murders.
Foley was put on trial for the murders of the Vaughn brothers and the 1989 quadruple murder case, and in both cases, he was found guilty and sentenced to death. Foley is currently on Kentucky's death row awaiting execution.
1976 murder of Zetler Fields
editIn April 1976,
Subsequent murders
editDeath penalty trials
editFirst trial
edit
On September 3, 1993, the jury unanimously recommended Foley to receive two death sentences for murdering the Vaughn brothers.[1][2]
On September 22, 1993, Foley was formally sentenced to death via the electric chair for the double murder.[3][4]
Second trial
editOn April 5, 1994, Foley officially stood trial for first-degree murder a second time, this time in relation to the 1989 quadruple killings, and jury selection was carried out on the same day.[5]
On April 8, 1994, Foley was found guilty of all four counts of first-degree murder by the jury.[6][7]
On April 11, 1994, the jury unanimously voted to impose the death penalty for the quadruple murder.[8][9]
On April 27, 1994, Foley was handed an additional four death sentences by the trial court for the 1989 case.[10][11]
Appeals
editOn May 16, 1996, Robert Foley filed his first appeal against the two death sentences for the 1991 murder of the Vaughn brothers, requesting the Kentucky Supreme Court to overturn both sentences in favour of a new trial.[12][13]
On April 24, 1997, The Kentucky Supreme Court upheld Foley's four death sentences for the 1989 case and rejected his appeal. The court rejected Foley's argument that it was manifestly excessive for him to be given four death sentences for the 1989 mass murder, on account that there were precedent cases where certain convicts received more than one death sentence for multiple murders.[14]
On March 21, 1998, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed Foley's appeal for the 1989 murder case.[15]
On March 23, 2000, the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that Foley received adequate legal counsel in his trial for the 1991 Vaughn case.[16][17]
On November 22, 2000, Foley's appeal in the 1989 case was again rejected by the Kentucky Supreme Court.[18]
On December 12, 2000, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed Foley's appeal for the 1991 Vaughn case.[19]
On March 22, 2010, the Kentucky Supreme Court denied Foley's appeal for the 1991 homicides.[20]
Other developments
edit
A 2024 report showed that Foley was one of 25 inmates listed on Kentucky's death row.[21]
As of 2026, Foley remains incarcerated at the Kentucky State Penitentiary.[22]
See also
editReferences
edit- ↑ "Death sentence recommended in case". The Madison Courier. September 3, 1993.
- ↑ "Jury delivers death sentence for killer". Kentucky New Era. September 4, 1993.
- ↑ "Foley Sentenced To Die In Electric Chair". Harlan Daily Enterprise. September 23, 1993.
- ↑ "Supposed Informant Sentenced By Judge To Die In Electric Chair". Daily News. September 22, 1993.
- ↑ "Foley murder trial begins". Daily News. April 5, 1994.
- ↑ "Murder conviction". The Vindicator. April 9, 1994.
- ↑ "Foley convicted of four murders". The Madison Courier. April 9, 1994.
- ↑ "Jury recommends Foley die for quadruple murder". The Bryan Times. April 12, 1994.
- ↑ "Jury: Foley should die for quadruple murder". Times Daily. April 12, 1994.
- ↑ "Foley gets another death sentence". Harlan Daily Enterprise. April 27, 1994.
- ↑ "Foley gets another death sentence". Daily News. April 27, 1994.
- ↑ "Ex-FBI Informant Appeals 2 Of His 6 Death Sentences". Kentucky New Era. May 14, 1996.
- ↑ "Foley appeals two death sentences". Daily News. May 16, 1996.
- ↑ "Prolific killer up to 6 death sentences". Kentucky New Era. April 24, 1997.
- ↑ "Foley case review denied". Kentucky New Era. March 21, 1998.
- ↑ "Court rules Foley received adequate counsel". Harlan Daily Enterprise. March 24, 2000.
- ↑ Foley v. Commonwealth of Kentucky [2000], March 23, 2000, Kentucky Supreme Court (United States).
- ↑ Foley v. Commonwealth of Kentucky [2000], November 22, 2000, Kentucky Supreme Court (United States).
- ↑ "Foley loses appeal". Middlesboro Daily News. December 12, 2000.
- ↑ "Supreme court denies killer's appeal". The Sentinel Echo. April 24, 1997.
- ↑ "A serial killer, kidnappers, burglars: These 25 people are on death row in Kentucky". Louisville Courier Journal. July 26, 2024.
- ↑ "Offender Information – FOLEY, ROBERT KARL LEE". Kentucky Online Offender Lookup. Retrieved June 18, 2026.