Скачать или смотреть GLUTTONY: The Pixy Stick Killer (with guest David Bruno)

Ronald Clark O'Bryan, infamously known as the "Pixy Stix Killer" or "The Candy Man," was an American man who murdered his eight-year-old son, Timothy, on Halloween night in 1974. His motive was financial gain, as he had taken out life insurance policies on his children.

The sin? Gluttony. Ashley Willcott does a deep dive on the case of Ronald Clark O'Bryan and the infamous pixy stick murders or 'candy' murders from the 1970s that extended all the way into the 80s.

Ashley Willcott speaks with David Bruno about this infamous case in our breakdown segment.

The Crime

On October 31, 1974, O'Bryan took his two children, Timothy and Elizabeth, trick-or-treating in their neighborhood in Deer Park, Texas. They were accompanied by their neighbor, Jim Bates, and his two children. O'Bryan lagged behind the group at one point, claiming to have visited a house where no one answered. He later caught up with the group, carrying five 21-inch Pixy Stix candies, which he said he received from the house he had visited.

At the end of the night, O'Bryan gave one Pixy Stix to each of the four children. He then helped his son, Timothy, open the candy and consume it. Timothy immediately complained about the taste, and O'Bryan gave him some Kool-Aid to wash it down. Shortly after, Timothy became violently ill and died within hours.

The Investigation

The police initially did not suspect O'Bryan. However, Timothy's autopsy revealed that the Pixy Stix he had consumed was laced with a fatal dose of potassium cyanide. The investigation then focused on O'Bryan, as his story about receiving the candies from a stranger began to unravel.

O'Bryan's claims about the house where he supposedly got the Pixy Stix were inconsistent, and no one in the neighborhood recalled seeing him at the house he described. Furthermore, it was revealed that O'Bryan had recently taken out life insurance policies on his children, totaling $60,000.

The Trial

O'Bryan's trial garnered national attention and was dubbed the "Halloween Candy Murder" case. The prosecution presented evidence that O'Bryan had purchased cyanide shortly before Halloween and that he had a history of financial troubles. They argued that O'Bryan had poisoned the Pixy Stix with the intention of killing his children to collect the insurance money.

The defense argued that O'Bryan was innocent and that someone else must have poisoned the candy. However, the jury found O'Bryan guilty of capital murder and four counts of attempted murder. He was sentenced to death.

The Aftermath

O'Bryan's case shocked the nation and led to widespread fear about the safety of Halloween candy. It also prompted changes in product tampering laws and increased awareness about the dangers of poisoning.

O'Bryan maintained his innocence until his execution by lethal injection on March 31, 1984. His last words were, "What is about to transpire in a few moments is wrong! However, we as human beings do make mistakes and errors."